Virago XV thingies...

[Paul in NZ]

Um! Who knows anything about these things?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Classic-vintage/auction-303466941.htm

Can these engines be tweaked etc? Cafe racer, sprinter project??

[Virago]

There's some good stuff here about the early ones:

http://www.viragotech.com/

[Grumph]

Nearly all the 750's in NZ are shafties - there are a couple of 750e chain drives around which are pretty much 750 versions of the TR1.
The motors are pretty strong but it's not worth doing anything on the 750's as they're pretty chunky.
Chain drive and at least 1000cc is the way to go with the XV's

[Kickaha]

Go for it Paul, you can build a pre82 race bike out of it :whistle:

[Paul in NZ]

Go for it Paul, you can build a pre82 race bike out of it :whistle:

With 45 stonking HP I'm guessing it won't be racing much except in spirit.... It is however cheap and a potential project.... Worlds fastest Virago? (gawd)

[pete376403]

Lots of electric starter issues.

[Paul in NZ]

Lots of electric starter issues.

True - and more 'fixes' than can be believed but, it may not need reliable starting ;-) Well if it had more than 45 hp...

[Kickaha]

Cafe racer

Yes (http://classicbikes.actieforum.com/show-us-your-project-f1/zero-cafe-racer-tribute-to-zero-engineering-build-in-haaksbergen-the-netherlands-t108.htm)

Looks like it has a rear wheel fitted to the front, the big front tyre looks a bit wank but the rest is nice

and some more
http://www.caferacer.ca/cafegallery/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=49
Thread on a guy doing a shafty http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=10678.0 and it mentions the rear wheel fitted to front conversion

[T.W.R]

here's a in service report

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/31714-Yamaha-XV-in-service-report


and a couple of sections of an article on a modified XV1000

[Paul in NZ]

I'm getting keener on this as an idea. I dont think the missing bits will pose much of an issue but building it street legal (as a custom) might be impossible? I mean could you register a custom bike?

Building it as as a sprinter? Its too gutless... I'd need 60hp plus to reach 200kph plus...

I see a different tank, minimal electrics, bicycle speedo, starting via push or maybe key etc down the side... Clip ons, custom seat etc etc (you get the picture)

So lets refine the question.

Built as above .... Could it ever be registered for road use?

If its shagged - are there any nightmares inside these engines?

[ellipsis]

.....chose one of these to flat-track, only because it was 5km down the road and cheap....all those who know more about anything than anyone else, reckoned it was a silly idea... too heavy.... shaft drive no good for dirt,power delivery etc....it beat the shit out of most machines that it came up against...(the bike,not always the rider)...
18 inch wheels from similar Yam shaft drives of that era fit straight on......i threw away the cv's and put mikuni slides on it, tweaked the straight exhaust lengths til it wouldnt lift the front wheel on the line and had more fun than i could ever have imagined was possible for something like this.....in a lot of seasons of hammering it , one cam chain let go, bent a valve, missed one meeting and fixed it for $40.00.....probably one of the strongest jappy motors in existence....and the shaft drive didnt fuck with torque to the deck or try and stand me up in the bend, like most people seemed to think......and check out this......http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac85/motorcycle-mania/yamaha-virago.jpg

[Motu]

Yamaha did use the XV750 as a basis for their flattracker,so they saw some real competition use.This is an XV1000,not the real thing,but it looks pretty dam good to me.

<img src='http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/w124-2door/YamahaTR1FT1.jpg'>

<IMG SRc='http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/w124-2door/YamahaTR1FT3.jpg'>

[Paul in NZ]

Sweet jesus Motu... That thing is frickin awesome..... (not that keen on the pipes but hey thats detail)...

[Kickaha]

Sweet jesus Motu... That thing is frickin awesome..... (not that keen on the pipes but hey thats detail)...

Go on Paul build one, you know you want to:yes:

[Paul in NZ]

Go on Paul build one, you know you want to:yes:

Quite the opposite old chap. Currently our life has been turned upside down and inside out and while I was really hoping for a quiet life but it seems not... Its maybe a long story and we both know that no one really cares about that shit on KB so suffice to say - a long term project that keeps me close to home at the moment aint a bad idea... (plus I get sick of gardening)

[ellipsis]

.....that one is a fair bit lighter and and fucking great heap prettier than my old beast...

http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac85/motorcycle-mania/DSC03621.jpg

[Paul in NZ]

No mate - thats real world cool, good onya.....

[nudemetalz]

Yamaha did build the BT1100 Bulldog back a few years ago which utilised the same engine. More for UK and French market, was a flop apparently.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bikereviews/searchresults/Bike-Reviews/Yamaha/Yamaha-BT1100-Bulldog-2002-current/