What parts will fit my XV750?

[Wired1]

There seems to be quite a few XV750 threads at the moment so if you don't mind sharing your experience I'll take the opportunity to jump right in and swim in the amassed knowledge of you'all.
I've just bought another of these great bikes and this one is particularly ugly as it stands (1st & 2nd pictures). I can't believe what someone has done to this bike thinking they were improving it! anyway I got it for bugger all and it was a bargain so now the fun begins. The last one of these I rebuilt (3rd picture) was missing a lot of stuff which I replaced with the real parts bought off ebay and various wreckers in NZ. Now it looks great but the cost was high so for this bike (let's call it XV3) I want to use parts that are compatible if not genuine, things like the speed that is missing and cost lots to replace on my last bike. There must be other Yamahas that use the same drive ratio and will work - does anyone know which will work? Same for the tacho.
I am also curios to know if anyone knows of similar but longer fork tubes that can be used to gain a few inches up front for small outlay.
I am also looking for a new tank as this one has been "customised" or is that "sodomised" and is now 2 inches wider (what was the guy thinking?).
I think the previous owner didn't like the fact that it is a Yammy and tried to disguise the fact as all Yamaha signs have been covered over or cut off, weird.
Anyway if you have any compatibility secrets you would like to share, or even if you have some bits left off your donor bike you no longer need, tell us about it here please.

[Pat]

I have an old donar bike but all the parts you need have been damaged or are missing.The problem is that there are still quite a few of these bikes around but are stored mainly because of the starter problems.For instance Glen the former owner of the bike rider magazine has one that is stored but wont let it go as has his farmer neighbour both have starter problems and both owners intent on restoring bikes at some time.There used to be a bike magazine for selling done in newsprint , cant recall the name but it had a an advert in it for a bike wreckers in Rotorua that was dismantling an xv 750.If you have a list of items needed I will check my donar and you are welcome but I think most the parts that generally get damaged or wear out have already been taken by other xv scavengers.Best of luck and let me know when you fit your starter kit.I managed to purchase at a very reasonable cost an after market Yamaha 4 brush short shaft starter that draws considerably less power and is fitted with an improved starter panetry system not requiring aditional shimmys.It means dismantling the left hand casing again but its all part of the game I guess.You can understand why people store these bike with so many challenges.
Pat

[Motu]

There is a hell of a lot of interchangability between Yamaha models,at least the '70 and '80's stuff.Just about any front end will slot in there,I think there were 2 steering head lengths and sometimes you can swap the stems in the lower yoke....or find the same size staunchion etc.Instruments,lamps,all that stuff....dunno about those single shock rear ends,but a lot of swingarms fit different models too.

[Wired1]

Thanks Pat & Motu, I'd hate to see all this knowledge go to waste! I will complie a wish list this weekend when I get to the bottom of it. The bike arrived off the transporter early this week and I have it in the shed now. The first thing I want to do is see if it will turn over as the bike came with a box of spares including cam chain, two valves a numerous other engine parts. Judgng by the lack of skill demonstated elsewhere on the bike I am not confident that the engine has been worked on correctly so I want to see if it will turn over and maybe run before I get too far into this project. I have already noticed the oil drain bolt is missing so I need to find a compatible bolt for that before I can try turning it over. The frame looks good and is way better than the last one of these I rebuilt so there is hope. I have just bought a couple of starter repair kits off ebay that seem to work so I don't know why others hide their XV's away, more donor bikes (hopefully) I guess.

[Pat]

I can provide an xv seat in good order one small tear only no cost just provide freight charge.Go to your local NZC agency and ask for an inter island ticket , give weight of seat , length breadth and depth measurements.Send ticket to me , Pat Bourke , 24 Seddon Avenue , WAIHI.Make sure it is Seddon Avenue and not street.I will send seat to you when I recieve ticket.If its a sump plug you are wanting I can include one also.I am not able to provide a tank but know where there is one that the owner may wish to sell , not sure will ask if you wish.How much are you willing to offer if its for sale.I am not sure how you would send a tank due to its exploseive nature , perhaps you can ask around.

Regards Pat

[Wired1]

Thanks Pat, I will take you up on that and send you the ticket this week. Yes I need the engine sump plug - I used the shaft drive plug temporarily to test turning the engine so could you chuck that in too. Could you offer your mate $50 for his tank, see if he jumps at it. Should be Ok to courier if it has been empty for a while - the smell goes quickly. Wrap it up and they'd never know what they were carting.
I turned her over today and some good news and some bad. The starter motor has the usual noise but I have one of thpse clip fixers I got off ebay so that should fix that. The rear cylinder had water in it so although it turned over it wouldn't fire and a lot of crap came out so I will be tearing the bck cylinder off in the next few weeks for a closer look. The carbs were so full of rubiish it took half a day to clean them out and get the floats working and valves open again, but I have plenty of spark and the electrics look like they are working. Not all bad.

[ajturbo]

i know that the break leaver from the xj's fit... oh and the clutch....

[Pat]

Wired , seat and sump plug wrapped and will leave WAIHI tomorrow so you should have it by Wednesday.I stripped my left cover off again on saturday morning and installed a four brush starter ,re installed starter clutch kit and took bike for ride.Seems to go okay now , so test of time will tell.Left a note in the mail box of the guy with the tank so will just have to wait and see what comes of that.Someone else on forum now with starter problems regarding xv.I just hope ours are sorted.
Pat

[Wired1]

Thanks Pat, you're a gent. I am intrigued by the 4-brush starter motor, how much did it cost you? The original ones are bloody hard on current so reduced load would be great if it still has the power to turn the engine over. I got my engine out yesterday and ripped the back head and cylinder off. Seems the previous owner had employed some cost-cutting innovations like using silicon sealant for the cylinder gasket and reusing all the old o-ring gaskets with copious quantities of - you guessed it - silicon sealant. What a moron. Took me a good couple of hours to get all the silicon off and clean everything up. The good news is that the valves, cylinder and piston are all good so I will put it back together (with gaskets this time!) and then have a look at the front set. I wouldn't be surprised if the previous owner got the timing wrong with the cam chain etc and that was why it wouldn't run. Good fun these bikes...

[Pat]

My second oldest son is an electrical engineer and he said the original starter motor being a two brush starter required additional current to activate the coil magnates.With a four brush the starter has permanent magnets hence there is no need for the huge current drain, this power can then be used for turning the armiture and starting the motor. I can tell you now that one flick of the starter and the bike starts no problem .On ebay there are a number of USA suppliers offering new starters for XV viragos all at about the same cost of $129US , I emailed them all asking that they confirm the starters were short shaft and 4 brush Yamaha .All replied but only one was offering the four brush with a new lead included $129 US and $45 for air freight.I transferred the payment on the 12th by paypal and received the starter on the 20th , not bad service.Your parcel was collected from work this morning so you should have it by wednesday latestI called on the chap at Kerepehi over the weekend but was not home so left note in letter box.I would ring him but only know him by christian name of Barry.Well hope all goes well , between all the XV KIWI contributors we may have licked the starter problem for good.
Cheers Pat

[Wired1]

Thanks for the seat Pat, it arrived today and is just what the electrician ordered. I also have a tank now thank you, I actually bought a nice tank for my project bike and will use the one off that bike for the other project bike. I have three XV750's at the moment, the good the bad and the ugly. The "good" is up for auction on Turdeme at the moment and is like a brand new bike except (for the flames and handlebars!), the "ugly" is my bike that needed a seat and tank and which is now complete but still very ugly, and the "Bad" is my latest acquisition that will be my next project bike. I will eventually rebuild the ugly one too but you can't rush these things.

[degrom]

Hi.

I also bought a 1982 XV 750 a month ago and I love it. It has after market pipes and are very loud. (Love it!!!)

When I start it the first time it runs well. When I shut it down and want to start it up again a few minutes later it won't start. I have checked the manual and test the voltage when the bike is running at 2000rpm. It shows 13.5v at the terminals. It the manual it say it should be between 14-15v's. Should I replace the regulator?

I have been looking around for a regulator,but they are very dear!!! About $260 new and after market once are about US$100 without travil costs.

Do anyone have any suggestiosn or know of any donar regulators that will also fit a XV750?

Thx

[Wired1]

Howdy Degrom, welcome to KB. Your battery is made up of 6 lead-acid cells each 2 volt so the battery voltage will normally be around 12 volts at rest. If you are measuring 13.5 volts then it is charging, even if slowly. If the manual says it should be charging at 14-15 volts then I guess it might suggest that your regulator is crook. I would try the wreckers, either the Chch guy (http://www.japmcdismantlers.co.nz/yamaha.htm) or Atomic in Auckland, both are in the yellow pages. Send them a digital phot of the regulator so that they can eyeball it. You will probably find one on ebay but it will be ex US. I would also recommend looking at the starter motor, they are fairly easy to get out and I did all the bearings and seals in one of mine for about $14 in parts, and it was much better afterwards. The catch is they are a prick to get back together and you need to drain the oil and remove the left engine cover to get them out and back in. Ask Pat (above) about his 4-brush starter motor, I'll have to try that myself.

[Wired1]

I just spotted this on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1981-Yamaha-XV-750-Virago-Regulator-Rectifier-4X7-AD_W0QQitemZ4641822068QQihZ002QQcategoryZ35594QQtc ZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
I have bought stuff off ths guy and had no problems, but it is a bit pricey, I would check the starter motor first.

[Pat]

Degrom, It does not sound like a regulater to me , what its charging is healthy, I made the mistake you are about to make and purchased a new regulater from Bay Yamaha Tauranga several years ago at a cost of around $300 and it made no difference.I can let you have one for $15 if you send the postage etc but I think you would be better to save your money.From the information I have gathered which is reinforced by some 20 years of owning an XV is simply that along with starter clutch problems the original starter being a 2 brush is adequate only if the bike is pefectly tuned.Dont be offended but one of the starting problems new owners often have is that they dont realise the carb system works on induction hence the prime position on the fuel tap , are you turning the prime on before starting the bike when it has been sitting.I believe Ihave finally cracked the starter system with my bike and this what I have done.Purchased a new 4 brush starter from the USA , Made by Yamaha , draws far less from the battery.Purchased a sarter clutch kit from the USA , fitted it about a week ago a tried it daily without failure so far.The motor fires instantly, true I have only travelled some 300 or so k,s but hope it lasts.Best of luck

[Waylander]

Hey Wired, you do know Pat is a chick right?

[Wired1]

No I didn't but it doesn't matter - we're only swapping bike bits not DNA!

[Waylander]

True, but she may be getting frustrated being called him all the time lol.

[Wired1]

Yeah fair enough I'd hate to be called a her - I'll take more notice in future OK?.

[Pat]

Sorry guys , but Pats not a lady but a proven male with 6 adult children.The profile is wrong I am definately a male.
Trust both of you are well and your bikes progressing , cheers Pat

[Waylander]

Ah shame on you. You should change it...

I'm doin alright but the bike is falling apart. slowly.

[Wired1]

Six! I thought I was doing well with four. Shows my male intuition was right eh Waylander?