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Technical Tips and
Although you may have looked on the VSOC Online Forum, you may not readily find the answer you were looking for. That's where this page will provide invaluable knowledge to you.
If you know of any details or remedies that can help other members get their bike back on the road, then publish your Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on this page.
There is a wealth of information and handy hints from various clubs around the world. They all ride the same bikes as we do, so it makes sense to let you be able to see how they have fixed their problems or found solutions to ideas etc.. New Link Here: It holds 9 years worth of searchable discussion about the Virago so it's a gold mine of information. The link is: http://archives.bengrosser.com/virago If you've had problems with your XV1100 starter, then Steve Ward may have the answer to your nightmares. Click here for a detailed page of the work involved (112KB). You may also want to check out www.drpiston.com for more useful information on many Virago specs and fixes. Now for some categories, as the page is getting larger... Many of these questions still don't have replies. Please send them in if you know the answers. Thank you.
Q
I’ve been riding my 1986 Yamaha Virago XV1100S for about 4 months now and notice the red light problem and now I am kind of feeling better that it may be a design flaw and that the sending unit may need to be cleaned every time the oil is changed.
Q
Hi. I have a Yamaha XV1700 Roadstar Midnightstar Silverado and on the transfer oil filler plug is a grove to remove it when you change the oil. Can anyone help me to what sort of tool that i require thanks Colin
Q
Can anyone help?? I tried to change the headlight bulb on my XV1100.. thought it was the 2 screws on the headlamp rim needed taking out.. wrong! I undid them & 2 springs & a kind of spring clip fell out. I now assume it's the single screw to the left of the lamp (as you face it) I should have taken out... but how do I get it back together again?? I can see where the springs go, but can't get them back in, but I don't know where the clip goes. Alan
A
There are two removal screws in the lamp reflector at about 4 and 8 o’clock positions. Once you have the lamp surround out you should be able to work out that the spring goes onto the long screw which then passes through a bracket and nylon nut. The two screws are then holding the lamp unit within the surround and the clip is used to finally secure it on the opposite side. This allows the lamp unit to move both vertically and horizontally within the surround to adjust the beam position.
Q
I need to take off my rear tire. It is a 1985 Virago 1000. shaft drive. I would love to know how and any tips I need to do this job. Heck, all I need to do is put on a new tire but here in Orlando, Fla. they won't work on a bike that is over 10 years old. This place sucks as bike repair. Oh well, if you can help I would be thankful.
Q
Hi,
Can any body help with this question. I have XV750 (96/97) with wired spoked
wheels, I would like to replace with alloys. Will alloyed wheels from an XV1100
fit without too much trouble? Regards William Hinder of Yeovil No. 5606.
A
I’m advised that the alloy wheels from the XV1100 are a straight fit onto the XV750 after 1994 (UK) with the caveat that the front brakes are different on some models so check the dimensions very carefully around that area.
Q Hello. I need to replace the rear tire on my xv 750 virago1987,my question is how difficult it is if I want to replace the tire my
self? I do have compressor and some tools to do the job but is it difficult to remove the wheel from the motorcycle? The size is 140/90/15.Thanks in
advance, Tony A
Tony, It’s certainly possible to change the tyre yourself but bearing in mind the performance of modern bikes and the safety aspects involved I wouldn’t recommend it unless you REALLY know what you are doing. There are also balancing issues. I buy my tyres direct and take the wheel and new tyre into a local shop to fit them, they charge me around £5 including balancing.
Q
Jet Kits for XV535. I’m sure someone out there will have done this. I want to put straight through pipes on my XV535 DX Model Year 2000. I believe that I will need to re-jet it. The problem I have is that I can only find jet kits up to model year 98. I’m not sure what has changed between models but…
Q
Hi, I am thinking of buying a XV 750 but have restricted access to garden and Garage (28" doorway). I read that the width is 33" but guess that this the handle bar width, which means I should be able to get the bars through but I am worried over the width of the rear indicators and front footrests.
Do you have the width of these two items as they seem to be the widest point in the pics after the handlebars. Cheers Mick
A
Hi. I have just measured the wife's 750 and it is as follows:
Q
Does anyone know if a 1983 Virago 920 can be towed at high speed (65 mph) behind a car on the rear wheel? I am looking at a motorcycle hauler that picks up the front wheel. Will it damage the
tranny?? A Are you mad? You are not allowed by law to tow anything at that speed.. tosh c12 A
Tosh is absolutely right, the best you could hope for is to be stopped by the Police.
For the record, in case you thought of towing at a more reasonable pace, you would most like wreck the transmission. All the oil would be pushed to the back of the axle leaving the gears at the front nice and dry.
All drive shaft drive bikes should only be towed with both wheels off the floor.
Q
Hi. I have a Yamaha Virago 550 (1998) making a rattling noise. Checked chains, clutch rubbers, can't find the problem. Done 12,000 miles. My mate said put a cut exhaust on, to drown rattle! Anyone got a cut exhaust or an idea what problem is? Cheers. A
Tony. If the rattle is coming from the top end of the engine, check the valve clearances for excessive play. If the rattle still persists, reset the camchain
tensioners. I suffered a top end rattle for a week, despite setting the valve clearances correctly. resetting the camchain tensioners cured my problem.
Q (cont)
. Hi Simon, I forgot to ask, did your bike sound like piston tapping at the top end? Mine sounds like this. Yamaha told me at 12k, the chains should be ok, my mate took the full plugs out on the tensioners to see if they were stuck, the tappets were a bit loose, but this has all been done and it's still noisy. When I put the bike in gear, then let the clutch out, the rattle gets worse. I thought it might be the clutch, at the end of the day, it still sounds like high front piston rattle, any idea?
Q
I recently bought an XV 535. It has a fuel tap mounted on the bottom of the Lower fuel tank. This is not mentioned anywhere in the hand book! It is shown in the Haynes manual as a schematic diagram, but nothing further is mentioned about it. It has a cable (pair) connected to it. When I turn the tap to the off position fuel leaks from it! Does anyone know any more about this device ?
A
Yes, The manual fuel tap is between bottom tank and the electronic reserve solenoid which is controlled from the right hand handle bar switches. When you operate the switch you should be able to hear the solenoid click. The manual tap can be refurbished using a tap repair kit and is an easy job. Cost approx. £13.00 inc. postage from me if you want one. No need to remove the tank:-
(In my case I actually took the tank out and completely dismantled the fuel tap and solenoid Assy. It was just seized up with dirt/rust etc. Complete clean and lubricate and then all Worked fine! no parts needed.)
Q Hi. I have a techy question regarding XV750 restriction that I couldn’t find an answer to on the FAQ section of your website. I have acquired a lovely condition 1985 Virago XV750. My intention is to pass my full test on my little 125cc chicken-chaser, as when I tried to do the test on an ER5, I had major problems ‘Progressing’ – not a prob on my little 125 though… The obvious answer for me was to get the Virago restricted for 2 years.
I am told by a very reliable bike mechanic near me that there are only kits available for 1995+ models, and that they cannot get the paperwork for the restriction to make it legal.
Have any of your members come across this problem before perhaps? And if so, is there a solution? The bike has a great deal of sentimental value to me and don’t wish to change it. Don’t want it sat rusting for 2 years either…
Many, many thanks, and looking forward (assuming this setback can be resolved) to become one of your elite very soon…
Q Hi I am wanting to fit a restrictor kit onto my virago 535, I have been offered a restrictor kit out of a 750, and told that they are all the same, does anybody know if this is right? will it fit my 535? etc, Or is there anybody out there who knows were I can get a restrictor kit from without having to pay garage prices, HELP!!! Thanks Sandra
Q Hi, hope somebody can help me out here...sorry for the long email but I thought
I'd give as much info as I can. A Hi Dave, I just bought a 535 which also has an FI certificate. This raises many issues which I was not aware of at first! Whilst I had the certificate, it is supposed to show the current owner or riders name on it (they FI say!). FI say you must have it checked by a Yamaha Dealer to confirm it is still there (if on 33bhp like me) They say you or the Dealer must then forward this information to them and they will issue a new certificate and charge you £25 for the Privilege ! So I took it to my local Dealer is has a good reputation. They took the bike in the workshop and told me “Yes, it is restricted” ! Question, how do they know this? The guy explained that there is a restricting plate or washer I guess in the air intake to the carbs ! S0, I got them to sign and stamp a letter I had prepared to confirm this, which they were quite happy to do.
So there are two interesting points here, 1, did I see this device = No ! , 2, and then why should I have to tell anyone else when they have
confirmed in writing that the bike IS restricted against my name. As I assume this is what would be required by Law, that’s it as far as I can see.
Perhaps there are some Legal people among our membership who can confirm this for all of us.
Strange thing is, that a guy at the club said his 535 was restricted within the exhaust system, so this is all very confusing.
Regards, John. A Hi I have just read the thread about restriction of a 535 I can't really answer it other than to say that my restrictors consisted of two identical washers.
Something that may be of interest to other bikers though that need to have their bike restricted to enable them to ride it on their licence is, check with your insurance company before spending out loads of money on having restrictors fitted at a garage, I was quoted £200 to have my Virago 535 restricted so I contacted my insurance company Ebike and they said as long as I had proof that the output of my bike did not exceed the 33bhp allowed on my licence they didn't mind who or how I had it done as long as I could prove the BHP. To this end I then emailed most of the VSOC centre reps to ask if any of their club members had taken out restrictors and would be willing to sell them on. I had several replies and bought mine from JT from the Yorkies, then had a friend from my centre fit them for me and had a Dyno reading done on the bike to prove the BHP so for saving of £130 I now have an
insurance legal 535 on the road.
Q
I have a J reg Virago 750 which leaks petrol into the sump. It runs well and does not burn oil. Any suggestions how I can stop this?
A
I had this problem on my 125.
Eventually the problem was traced to the fuel pump, which it doesn't really need unless you run the tank right down. A The spring in the petrol tap corrodes and lets petrol get past. Eventually it gets past the needle valves in the carbs and floods them, petrol then flows down the bore into the sump. To check this is easy. Disconnect the fuel pipe from the tank - it should self seal. A vacuum pipe off the engine keeps it open and shuts when the engine is turned off. (XVTRALERMAN)
Q
. I wonder if anyone has had this problem before? I own a 1999 Virago 1100 with only 2200kms on the speedo. The other day I ran out of gas without the fuel light warning me. I tried the handle reserve switch but it did not work. I cleaned the switch, emptied the tank and ride til it ran out of gas and again no warning light coming on. Weird, as two months ago it was working fine. I cleaned most gas components including the gas filter. Can any Virago owner tell me if they have experienced this problem before? Is there any sensor elsewhere since this is the only motorcycle I know that has an electrical reserve switch v/s the normal manual one? Thank you, Mario.
Q Hi I have a Virago 535 1995 model, I have not long passed my test and got a shock after the bike started slowing down and spluttering (yes I ran out of petrol). I turned the petrol reserve on and tried to start it, only to discover either the reserve did not work or it clicked in automatically without letting me know. If it clicked in automatically is this normal, because I can not see the point of having a reserve if this is the case? I am wondering if this has happened to other virago owners, or could it be the reserve switch broken? Thanks Sandra A
I am not sure how long ago you posted this, but I am having the same problem with my Virago. After removing the fuel cock assembly from the underside of the lower gas tank (above swingarm), I found that a part was missing. On the fuel cock there is small tube that sticks up. This tube is the “main” fuel draw pipe. In theory, when you switch to the reserve, there is another hole in the fuel cock assembly next to the main pipe that will draw fuel. The main fuel pipe is elevated so that you can empty the fuel tank to the top of the main draw pipe. Once you flip to reserve, you are drawing fuel from top of the main fuel pipe down to the bottom of the tank. I have attached a parts catalog and a print of the specific page of the parts catalog that shows the fuel cock assembly. I am going to take my tank out of the virago tonight to try and shake it to get the main fuel pipe out. I think it just fell off the fuel cock assembly, so the fuel is being drawn to the bottom of the tank no matter what position my switch is in. I did check on the price for the fuel cock assembly and it is $220 US dollars! Hopefully, I can fix it on my own. I hope this helps, and good riding to you. A
. I had exactly the same problem and found it was indeed the reserve switch. (Although with mine it was back to front, Res was normal and normal was reserve). I think that the switch had broken so the previous owner changed it over so it was on permanent reserve.. Bloody nuisance or what!! Anyway, a quick visit to EBay and got a new handlebar switch for a tenner, problem solved. A
. I
had the same type of problem. You have to remove tap and take off rear cover, then give the plunger a good clean then grease everything up put it back together.
Now when you flick to reserve there's no mistaking the tap switching over (loud clunk),
the initial prob seems to start either because of jet washing or wet weather spray onto tap which is assembled dry,
I did as above and had no further trouble my mileage per year was an average 60,000 A
. I've had a 535 for 14 years now and ran out of fuel regularly in the early days. The problem is generaly not with the switch on the handle bars but with the solenoid valve fitted below the fuel tank. Because of its location low down it gets attacked by all the road grime and seizes up, thus not moving to the reserve position. Unfortunately it's a messy job to get at it. Haynes manuals recommend removing the tank via the side of the bike but I was advised by a Yamaha mechanic at one of our rallies that it is easier to remove the rear wheel and lower the swing arm to get at the valve. This does unfortunately mean that, when you get the valve off the tank, you spill all that reserve fuel on the floor. I've done this twice now with the same valve over the years but it's now failed
again and looks in bad condition. I've got inyo the practice of filling up every 70 miles now, just in case!
TIP.
With regards to the replacement of the reserve solenoid switch fitted to the base of the lower fuel tank on my 98 535
Virago. I had occasion to replace it a couple of weeks ago & according to my Haynes manual it was going to be a massive job. After following the instructions to the letter I got to the last thing & that was to remove the lower fuel tank, for some reason it just would not come out as if something amongst the mass of electrical wireing was stopping it.
Q
. I have a XVS1100 with 10k on the clock, when the engine is hot and you slow from a cruising speed to 30-50mph there is an odd sound comes from the front of the engine it is not affected by pulling in the clutch, or weather it is in neutral or in gear, a quick jab on the starter button or revving the motor, and will appear when you are stopped and disappear just as quickly sometimes with a flick on the gas, has any body come across this to give me some clue before I start stripping down.
A
. I had a similar problem with my Dragstar XVS 1100A at about 8000 miles with a noise coming from the engine noticeable at low revs. I found that the starter solenoid was stuck and the starter was still turning. By hitting the starter button or revving the engine to cause vibration may be releasing such a problem. If it does stick and you do not notice, it will overload the battery and at night will flatten after 30 - 40 miles. The starter clutch allows the engine to go faster than the starter, bit even though it all runs in oil the starter clutch will wear.
Q
. Hi all. I have Virago 1000cc 1984 which I bought for $2500.00. I have since spent heaps on re-chroming. It has done some 94000 k's and after riding for some k's has developed a timing chain noise. Can anyone tell me the steps on how to adjust the tensioners.
Q
. I ride a XV1100SE with 10k on the clock. Only recently bought bike. It is a 1999 model, my problem is this: when closing down the revs I am hearing a whine that seems to be coming from the drive shaft. As long as the throttle is on turn, no noise, only when coasting in gear. If I depress the clutch, the noise goes away. Can any one help.
Q
. I've got a 1990 XV1100.. bog standard, great condition BUT the engine is knocking like the big ends have gone... Is there an inherent weakness in the bottom end or main bearings?
TIP . The owner of a 535 Virago (1998) complained that the engine intermittently fired on one cylinder. After much fault finding, I eventually found that the wires from the loom - just before they go to the coils - pass over a thin bracket. The bracket acts as a guide for the wires, but the bracket had rubbed away the insulation. This allowed the ‘make a spark’ signal to be shorted to ground. A piece of heat shrink sleeving over the worn through insulation fixed the problem. Whilst poking around, I also found the connector to the coils to be almost completely corroded. (Bear in mind this is at the front of the bike, so road muck gets blasted to this area by the front wheel. A little plastic cover prevents some of the ‘blast’ but not much. In addition, the plastic cover stops anyone washing the area to remove any road salt.) I had to remove the original connectors and solder on new ones. Cleaned the (coil) spade terminals with emery paper and washed them with alcohol. Reconnected everything, and the engine ran without any problems. In an attempt to stop further corrosion, I sprayed the coil connector area with Waxoyl.
Q
. Yes I have a problem I have a 1986 Virago 650 and I am trying to figure out a problem. My front spark plug is always clean but my back spark plug is always sooted up, must clean it up every few days. Does anyone have a knowledge in this matter
Q
.
Having just pushed my 97 XVS650 Dragstar home on the night of Sunday19/12/04 due to a strange phenomenon never before encountered. At about 22.45 travelling at 50mph thru the road works on the M42 my bike started to sound and feel like it was running on one cylinder or just lost compression on one cylinder. It finally died at section with no cones so I sat for 5mins and fired it over low and behold it ran as smooth as ever so I continued home 300yds further down the road the same again so I shut down and pushed. When I got home I gave the bike the once over it look for oil spray (Head gaskets and the like) but nothing I've heard of carb icing but this seemed ridiculous as carb icing can happen in summer. Or was it just Ice in general was the Hypercharger putting two much cold air into the engine and causing the carbs to freeze or just the wind blast in general freezing the fuel in the lines and or carbs? (fuel still liquid in tank). Has any one suffered similar during winter it was
approx 4 below freezing not including wind chill. I will update once I've checked the bike in the morning.
A .I have got to the route of the issue I think/hope. Having stripped the carbs and confirmed the heaters are working and the coils firing correctly I cleaned all the connections on regulator/rectifier as the bike was still running as rough as nails at low rpm (higher rpm no probs). So I was left no choice but to speak to a mechanic who suggested the leads or plugs. Now having only recently put two brand new iridium plugs in the bike I did not think this was the problem but guess what - it was one of the plugs had stopped firing at low rpm (i.e. at tickover no spark) but at high load when the coils are firing harder lots of spark but very weak. Put the old iridium plugs back in and bingo lots of spark and more power! I will be keeping a very watch full eye on this as the plugs are £10 each. As for the coils and ignition this is due to change in the new year to Dyna adjustable ignition and better coils. Regards Rob Jones (Centre 8)
The problem has reoccurred 17/01/05 almost a month to date the bike spluttered to a halt on the m42 again this time it seem to most definitely be something getting hot as after stopping the bike carried on fine. I will be getting the Coils looked at ASAP and having checked the lead on the rear cylinder it looks quite heavily heated (blistering around plug hole) so will be changing these as well.
The problem is back with a vengeance having changed the plugs for something a bit hotter DRP9 instead of DRP7 on 18/01/05 the problem happened 30 miles into a ride and 15 mins later was gone. My Father who is a mechanic has come to the conclusion this is nothing electrical (Coil, leads, reg, ign or plugs). It only happens when the bike gets hot, very hot to the extent the rear cylinder head chrome trim is Blistering!. The rear cylinder is suffering from either major oil starvation or has picked up and not running square and is ceasing in the barrel, he came to this conclusion as his own bike suffered this problem. Ride bike at constant 70-75 for about 30miles gets it hot to the point the rear cylinder seems to cease, leave 15mins to cool and whoooo hoooo away you go as if nothing ever happened. Only a full strip will show the extent of any damage so will update this listing when I have more info. Regards Rob Jones (Centre 8) 5212 (p.s. bike is running bigger jets and V&H Cruzer pipes and a Hypercharger.
The over heating problem seems to have been narrowed down by our friends across the pond were they tend not to use the Hypercharger. A Dragstar specialist parts manufacture has possibly nailed the problem to the jetting and the speeds travelled. The Hypercharger is extremely difficult to set up even on a dyno as no air flow higher up the revs as bike is static on the dyno, as the bike is moving at 70+mph the fuel air mixture is way way to lean due to the ram air effect of the Hypercharger this in turn is causing the overheating possibly to the extent it is cracking the oil and causing the seizure which is why when it cools down it carries on ok as I usually keep the speed down to around 50mph no leaning out at this speed as the mains and pilots work together.
God dammit if the if that pile ** $%^& that Yamaha calls a bike has not only gone and stranded me yet again and these things are supposed to be reliable! (sorry rant over) my xvs650 has yet again come to a grinding halt only this time it failed to do anything but look good sat at the side of the road.
( 14/02/05) Hopefully this will be the last installment of rough running from me. As you know I have listed an essay of problems since Dec 04' I finally fitted the new coils and ignition a couple of days ago and this amplified the problem to such extent that I could not even get the bike off the drive before the misfire cutting out became a prob.
Final Answer ?
I never solved the issue with the bike and neither could the local Yammie stealership or mechanic. I have recently sold it on as a non runner due to the fault, the buyer has advised he managed to get it running eventually by changing the carbs/manifolds and refitting
original pipes from his other bike but he noticed that the rear cylinder is still overheating and spluttering occasionally so in theory it still has not been fixed
permanently.
Q .
Q
. I have just purchased a 1994 XV1100 and find that it has a nasty sound of a knock coming from beneath the fuel tank every time I hit a bump. I don't think it's the front shocks and you cannot reproduce the problem by standing still and bouncing the front shocks. I thought it may be tank rubbers but they are in tact and there is nothing loose under the tank.
Q
. I have a similar noise coming from the same area . I had the fork oil changed and thought maybe they used a different oil or added too much. I drained a small amount out and it seemed to lessen the noise but if I go over a fairly large bump it is still there. It wasn't there before I had the fork oil changed . What do you think is causing this? Ken...
Q
. I have a 2000 Vstar 1100, runs great but when I shut engine off it makes a very loud clunk almost as if the starter is trying to engage while engine is running. Any ideas what is causing this?
Q Has anyone out there fitted a tacho gauge to the XVS 650 or similar. I am interested in fitting one of the commercially available small 44mm tacho's to my bike but not sure whether to fit an electric or mechanical (if there is a drive for it). Any info appreciated.
A
I fitted a tacho to my XV535. I used an electronic tacho and mounted it by fitting the bracket under the handle-bar riser. Wildstar Internal Engine Noise
Q
. I've just bought a 2003 1600 Wildstar with about 1000 miles on the clock. At about 1600 miles, it's started making a mild grinding or loud whirring noise at low speeds in 1st and 2nd gear, just after moving off, usually with the clutch fully home, and this can be 'felt' through the bars. If you shut the throttle quickly it also causes the noise for a few seconds, again at low speeds. The noise is easily heard above the engine and exhaust. Same noise can be induced by intentionally letting the engine labour when it seems to synch with the engine stroke.The dealer I purchased from is 200 miles away and my local dealer, although helpful, has almost no experience of Wildstars, like me, to date. The only thing found was a slack drive belt otherwise all seems ok. Other than this, the bike is fine. Can anyone throw any light on this problem or is it a case of 'they all can do this'? Local dealer is happy to look at matters under warranty, if needed, but neither he or I know if there is a
problem. HELP!!
A
. I am also the "proud" owner of a wildstar for 4 years and 30,000 miles. Does the noise you refer to happen if you open the throttle when riding the bike and then close it quickly ?. This normally results in a screeching noise, like a clutch problem. If so then its the drive belt tension. I've had this a few times and re-tensioning the belt fixes it. There is also information on a German site about problems with the cam shaft sprockets but they state that this is on 99 & 2000 bikes only and Yamaha are aware.
Q
. I've got a Wildstar 2000 modal from new 17500miles it now has started to make the same noise in the clutch but when its under load in all gears but when in top at about 60ish it goes if u pull de clutch in when accelerating or at lower speeds it will go as soon as u let de clutch out its back have had clutch spring and pressure plate changed the was some wear on de plates put as its not slipping they were never changed the noise is not as bad but still their when under load any ideas as needed t be sorted as its driving us nuts and the bike shop run out of ideas as well
I've been receiving a lot of requests recently regarding wiring of the wildstar for choppers, switches, inside the bar wiring etc. Now this is the best place to get the pictures and the key as you can download them without filling up your email box. Be warned, they are large files, but well worth it when you don't know what the heck is going on. The files are for the United Kingdom/European (1999) version of the XV1600A Wildstar, but they should help you out for most of the other models. (Tip - Right Click on your mouse and select "Save Target As..." and download directly to your computer for future reference) Wiring Diagram Page 1 (JPEG Image 1.3MB) Wiring Diagram Page 2 (JPEG Image 1.9MB) Wiring Key (Word Doc - 23KB) Regards Nick Lappage. Q . Hi, I have an XV1100 Virago (1990 G reg) and a Dragstar XVS1100 (02 reg). I bought the Dragstar as I expected it to be a nice upgrade to the Virago but I find that the Dragstar is a lot slower. I know the Dragstar is heavier but I expected it to be nearly as fast as the Virago but it is not. The Virago can accelerate a good deal faster and has a higher top end speed than the Dragstar. Do you know what Yamaha has changed between the two motors to make such a marked difference? I hope you can help. Yours, Barry (p.s. I still have lots of fun on the Virago) Any replies to barry@shinybits.freeserve.co.uk and the webmaster A . I part ex'd my Virago 1000 E reg for a 1100 Dragstar I don't think my Dragstar is much slower maybe its geared differently. I know the Dragstar has some sort of rev limiter ( nice to know where to get rid of it) that if I try and cane it though the gears the engine tends to start spluttering just before you would normally change gear maybe that's something to do with it . I'm getting a Hypercharger fitted within the next couple of weeks and I will see if it makes a difference But I must admit I did expect a lot more it doesn't handle quite so well as the virago ,maybe its the rear mono shock. My trouble is what I really want is the performance of a sports bike but the look of a cruiser - suppose can't have both but can always hope . Regards Paul.
A
. I upgraded from an XVS650 to my 1100 VStar. Now I do not know about the performance of the 1100 Virago having never ridden one. I would suggest the Dragstar only feels slower but in reality it is not as I also ride a 650 V-Twin commuter which feels way quicker than my 1100 but it is not, as proved many a time. Even higher up the gears from 70 onwards the 650 stands no chance even if I am two up.
If anyone's interested in the Kuryakyn Hyperchargers ( www.kuryakyn.com/category.asp?bn=metric&cn=Air+Cleaners ), I've just fitted one to my 650 Custom and it makes a noticeable difference to the power - plenty of extra grunt on fast roads! Kuryakyn say it's relatively easy to fit to any cruiser except an XVS650 as they say the necessary re-jetting is quite tricky on that model. I got a local garage to fit it and it did take them a while. One last comment for anyone who sees those lovely US custom cruiser websites with their lovely low prices in nice weak dollars (e.g. my Hypercharger was $199 compared to UK price of £199 - almost half price!): don't forget that your lovely bike parts will arrive with a not-so-lovely bill from those customs and excise people... quite what Value they Added to that transaction is anyone's guess, but they'll still Tax you... Cheers Geoff
I've just fitted a Kuryakyn Hypercharger to my 650 Dragstar Custom with only a few problems. I know that Kuryakyn recommend the thing being fitted by a dealer or qualified technician. Apparently on USA models the mixture screws are covered with a brass cover which has to be drilled to get to them, whilst the European models, which mine is, have lovely, big, easy to adjust nylon screw heads. This might be one of the reasons why Kuryakyn make the recommendation. If you're not sure if yours is a USA or European model, you can just see the screws by shining a into the carb area, behind the air filter. There's a picture of the screws (idle mixture screw) on the ISRA link below.
Q
. Can anyone tell me what battery I need for my Virago 1100? The current battery on is has the code
GM18Z-3A, and I've been told no one can find this battery????
A . I have just fitted a battery to my 89 Virago 1100 it's a sprint power max. Y50-N18l-A2 it fits and works a treat!
A
. You can also use YTX24HL-BS or Y50N18LA. The best replacement is a wrapped glass mat gel filled sealed for life battery. They carry around 50% more cold crank power, work better in cold weather and can’t spill. But they do cost a bit more. See:
http://www.speedlinemoto.co.uk/SVR-WestCo-Batteries-mid-2-p-1.html
I've just put a request on your site for a few electrical parts, and during my web search came across
www.smallenginestarters.com
who have xv starters - long and short shaft for about $160 US. Thought it might interest all
Virago owners who've had "the clunk".
Q
. Hi - My name is Tom Sullivan and I have a 1983 Virago. The problem is that the starter grinds when you go to start it. Can you tell me how to fix the problem or show me what
I need to make to fix it
A . The problem is usually the outer idler pinion and its friction clip. It slips and the gear tries to grind its way in. Go to "Starting problems" and my item. My name's Steve Westbury. Also an address for starter motors on another following question. Hope this helps
Q
. XV1100: When I hit the starter button, I can hear the solenoid, which pulls a fork assembly to "engage" the starter motor, go off like a rattley machine gun. I've found that if the battery is fully charged, then no problem, but if the battery is 10% below full charge, this "chatter" takes place. Before I go off and buy another new battery, does anyone have a solution to this?
A
. So, Your Starter Is Just Clicking
Q . Hi, I have an XV920 and when I push the starter button it sounds like a bag of spanners being thrown on the floor, it starts no problem when it catches. I've heard there is a modification for this problem, does anyone know it please?--------cheers Mick. Any replies to MSTANSBRIDGE01@aol.com and the webmaster
Hi,
1 x Damper 4XY-2847N-00 ( rear)
The metal and rubber plates are handed to fit the contours of the trunk base.
(Previously...)
Whilst working on the VSOC stand at the NEC bike show I was asked if I knew anything about the Venture Star Top Box (or Trunk) coming adrift. Apparently there was some technical bulletin issued but the gentleman couldn't get his local Yamaha dealer in Leicester to understand the problem. Having checked over a few sites and enquiring further, I'm happy to give you all a link to a Venture Star web site that should help all those of you with queries of a technical nature on the Venture Star
Regards, Nick Lappage (webmaster@vsoc.org.uk)
Q
. We just bought a 1984 XV700 with 7k miles on it. We ran it fine for the last 2 days, but got on it today to ride and when we put it into gear it died. It starts and idles fine, but once we put into gear it dies everytime. Any suggestions? It seems to have battery power and all the lights and stuff are working fine, it just clicks and dies when put into first gear. Thanks.
A . It sounds very much like your side stand is down - or at least the side stand switch thinks that it's down. Most bikes are wired that way these days for safety (saves a nasty accident on the first left hand corner...). Try removing the switch and giving it a good clean, check the wiring around that area as well - a wire could have broken off or something like that. Worth a try eh? (Nick Lappage) A . My 1995 XV535 did exactly the same thing. In the end the problem was with the clutch plates being almost glued together. Once they were freed and cleaned, problem solved. Hope this helps. (Damien) Any replies to shropsters@yahoo.com and the webmaster
Q . I have an 02 Dragstar 650 Classic, and today after slowing down whilst leaving the motorway the little darling cut out. Anybody know why or has experienced this problem? A . Hi, I have also had this problem, every so often the engine just dies, usually when in the fast lane, very frustrating and also lethal. After much swearing I returned my Dragstar to the shop, and it turned out that some water had got into the sidestand switch, shorting it out and telling the bike that the side stand is down therefore cutting the power. All they did was disassemble the switch ,dry it out and pack it with grease, and since then I have had no problem. I hope this helps you. Andy Smith Any replies to ktoddy@tiscali.co.uk and the webmaster Q . My 650 Dragstar developed a knocking noise on further investigation I found the three rivets that secure the clutch basket had started to break up. Has any one else had this problem???????
A
. Have just had the same problem with mine - and only found bits of one rivet head! (attached to magnetic drain plug I fitted about a year ago). Also found the clutch 'basket' was notched up the edges - and my bike although a '97 model has barely done 8000 KM!! Gear change was really noisy. Am about to replace the offending parts and hope no more metal is loafing about in the engine. Any comments or insights would be more than welcome. Is this a manufacturing defect and can I claim from Yamaha despite the age of the bike?
Any replies to andy@andyduck.freeserve.co.uk and the webmaster Q . Has anyone heard of Implosion of Dragstar 650 petrol tank as mine has had this happen. Any suggestions as to where I could get it repaired or replaced or maybe even self repaired? A . Yes, I've seen this happen to a friend of mine. There is a vent tube at the front of the fuel tank which has a rubber hose coming from it and routed under the fuel tank. It has been known for this hose to be kinked (e.g. when the fuel tank has been removed and then replaced for service work etc). Then, when the petrol is sucked out of the tank by the fuel pump an internal vacuum builds up. This is normally noticed as a hiss when the petrol cap is taken off. Sometimes the vacuum pressure is so great that the tank will implode. A good preventative cure is to get a replacement petrol cap that has its own ventilation. (Nick) A . Hi, I have just had this happen on my wildstar. The problem was not the rubber hose but a blockage in the metal vent pipe that the hose attaches to on the tank. Resolved by forcing air down the pipe with a decent power air line. Apparently a common problem as the vent hole is so small that small particles of the dreaded rust from in the tank will block it. A must not do is to try and clear it with a piece of wire. Regards, Steady Any replies to npitts@blueyonder.co.uk and the webmaster Q . I have a 535 and want to fit a set of 10” rise square bars. Does anyone know if they’ll fit without having to change all the cables? Any replies to david.bailey93@ntlworld.com and the webmaster A . Hi DB, I recently fitted 4" risers to my 2002 535, cables etc are on the limit. The maximun safe height risers without modification would be 3". (From Robot)
Q
. I need to adjust the valves on a 1988 virago. How do I do this?
Q
. I have a Virago 535 and have had it for 2 years. It is a '92 model and has done 21000 miles. When it gets warm it has a top end rattle that increases when I rev it or accelerate. I have checked the tappets and all are okay. Advice on what it could be would be appreciated.
Any replies to neville.jacques@ntlworld.com and the webmaster A . My 1100 was the same and when I put it in for service the fitter set the tappets to what Haynes say they should be and it was not much better so he phoned Yamaha and they gave him different settings and now its sweet. Arthur Q . Hi. I own a 650 Dragstar 02 reg 10,000 on the clock. I purchased the bike new and find that at 65mph it develops a rough vibrating ride. Up to that it's smooth. But now, from 65mph onwards, the bike seems to feel rough and vibrates all over. Is this how they all are or do I need to buy a bigger bike? Andy (Centre 13) A . I bought mine new last September and its just the same, anything over 60mph and you can feel the vibration through the footrests and the seat. Phil A . Hi there. Just thought I'd chuck in my penny worth. I have just sold my 650 and moved on up to an 1100 "BUT" I bought my 650 new, it's a 1999 bike and has 19500mls on it and I have never experienced any vibration. It has non std pipes and has been Dyno jetted with a K&N air filter fitted and I must say it has always gone very well. Ride safe, Stu. A . I have found that from around 60mph to about 70 it gets a bit rough but after this smooths out but is mainly when accelerating hard (I know it's a cruiser honest) I am running a hypercharger, v&h cruzers and 122.5 main jets and 35 pilot jets performance is incredible (around 4.5 to 60 and two up cruising at 80 ) but balancing the carbs with a flow meter made it much smoother but has not got rid of the vibes completely as this is a trait of v-twins. (Rob Jones)
A
. Hi Andrew, I have just assisted a mate of mine with the same problem with his Dragstar. His bike was the same at around 70mph but then got worse. In the end it lost all power. Mileage done around 18k. We got the engine stripped and found a bent con rod for the front cylinder and excessive wear on the crank shaft.
A
. 1. They can clock a lot more than that usually.. they're based on the old XV535. There is a train of thought that with the odd few, and it really is the odd few, a lack of oil changes can be a problem. This is cos the filters are a bit of a sod to change without stripping the bolts in the cases that hold the covers on. Aside from that, it's not known to be a problem.
Any replies to andrew.page@ntlworld.com and the webmaster Q . The speedo on my '93 XV535 tells me I'm travelling at 65 when I've been told I'm doing about 75mph. there seems to be an error all the way through and at 75mph I am really travelling at about 90mph (whoops). Does anyone know why it might be doing this and have any solutions without buying a whole new speedo? Any replies to annie@burrowsannie.fsnet.co.uk and the webmaster One of the long bolts, which hold the oil filter cover on,
had stripped the threads in the engine block. I couldn't get the bolt to tighten and
had a minor oil leak/weep. After asking on the Wanted pages, please post my thanks to all the VSOC members who responded to my oil leak problem. The advice was that even though the threads seemed stripped, there would be another 5mm of thread in the casing. Indeed there was so, after finding and carefully fitting longer bolts, the problem has been solved. _________________
If anyone is interested, it is a very easy change to put the later, chromed side stand onto a pre-1994 VX535 virago. The advantages are improved appearance, and much better stability when parked!! The original item left the bike a bit too near to upright, so a strong gust of wind could (and did) push the bike over.
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Hi there. Just thought I would add to your list off found faults I have experienced with an XV1100 I have just restored.
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I hate to give away my Virago secrets, but here it is... I have a 1984 XV700 and get all my parts from www.greenscycle.com It is a motorcycle graveyard for all make and models of bikes. Every part that you could think of and engines as well. It is located in Millwood, Ky in the USA. _________________
If you have headlight problems on your Virago XV750
I have an 85 Virago XV750 and had sporadic problems with Tach/speedo/headlights going out. Tested every wire and relay in the Headlight and instrument cluster. Many thanks to the solution provided by the owner of the 93 with the same problem. His post info saved at least 5 more hrs of work by 2 people as we were ready to gut and test the entire electrical system. Same problem, solution and result! __________________
I have installed a relay which cuts off the front headlight when ever the side stand is down. This helps cut down battery drain during starting and also while sitting on stand during warm up. I can provide details if required.
Just a thought. I went and bought a set of chrome side panels, (never had trouble with the originals). The new ones seemed to fit ok, but first blast up the road, the right side came off with sods law making sure the car behind ran it over. It might pay anyone who buys them to drill a small hole and attach a cable tie so that if they do go, they don't get squashed!
Q . I was wondering if any body could help me. I have a Dragstar 650 bought new last September. When the bike has cooled down, there is a bad smell of petrol fumes, on my first service I mentioned this. The mechanic agreed there was a smell of petrol but couldn't find where it was coming from. At first I thought maybe it was coming from the petrol cap because it smelt of petrol through the keyhole, does the cap breath through the keyhole. Any ideas please? A . I have an XVS 650 2004 model and I have always smelt a bad fuel smell as well. No evident leaks either.
A
. Dear Phil, Just reading through the problem page and arrived at your problem about the fuel smell. There is a breather under the tank and this vents under the tank so any petrol vapour will filter into the closed spaces, under the speedo perhaps. When you have been for a run the heat rising from the engine will warm the tank making the petrol produce more vapour, hence the smell. I bet you only notice the smell on a still day (no wind), it is a sure sign that the tank is being vented correctly, be more worried if you cant smell anything, I had that problem on another bike and it caused no end of trouble.
Q
. I've got a Royal Star with a seat that seems to make me slide down towards tank and the riding position hurts my back which is not in the best of health. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Arnie
Q
. I have just recently purchased a Dragstar XVS650 Classic. I find the ride very hard and when I have a passenger, (I weigh about 14 stone and my wife is approx 8/9 stone). Is there an adjustment that could be made to the suspension to make the ride softer?. If so could you let me know what to do?
A The adjustment to the rear shock is under the seat and easily accessible with the c spanner in the tool kit. Ensure tyres are at correct pressure, (they are sensitive) and try a couple of settings, I used to put mine on level 3 which suited me (somewhat on the chunky size) and occasional pillion. It's a matter of trying and seeing what suits. Good luck, Ian.
If, like myself, anybody is searching for a more comfortable pillion pad on the 650 Dragstar (not the classic) Yamaha will supply one: part no. STIR-4YV25-30-02. when mine came it was a Corbin seat. Cost is anything from £145 to £175, my wife said it was worth a lot more. |