well I'm finally tired of fucking with my Virago, it's time for a new ride. It shat the bed on me last week rather unexpectedly, so I don't have the cash to drop on a new one. I'm looking to go in the $2k-4k range with a bank/lender loan for CL, maybe up to $5k-ish if I finance with a used dealer. Anyone got any places I should go check out? I really don't know too many used bike dealers around here other than ray price (no) and Barnett's.

I'm looking for a 1100cc+ V-twin with forward controls, other than that I'm pretty open. Saw a nice '05 m50 with drag pipes on CL for $3k, that'd be ideal.

Anyway, y'all shoot me some knowledge, I'd appreciate it.

9/5/2010 11:53:21 AM

Just in case any of you are interested in what happened to the Virago and can offer some insight:

Tuesday it ran just fine. A couple little issues I'd been neglecting here and there, but overall it was running. Wednesday I boot it up to head to class and it won't hold an idle...have to throttle it a little (even when at full operating temp) to keep it from dying, or run it choked. Makes me think I've either got a massive vacuum leak somewhere or it's being starved for fuel. I want to say the former because it's been running very rich for a long time, and now the smell of unburnt fuel in my exhaust is stronger than ever. Clearly my carbs need work.

At the same time it started front-firing (don't know what to call it) at lower RPMs, it'll miss and I'll feel a puff of air come out the air cleaner. Slows the motor down considerably, if not killing it altogether. Don't know if that's a timing or carb-sync issue, or neither. Once it's up to speed and I know I won't be stopping in the near future I can take the choke off and run it as normal, but if I'm coming to a stop and shifting through the gears I have to choke it again to keep it from dying in the brief time when I roll off the throttle to shift.

In any case I don't have time to pull it apart and troubleshoot the thing, and it's not really worth it to me to put any more money in that bike. I'm guessing it wouldn't take much to have it running right as rain again, but the bike's too small for me anyway and it's just time to move on.

9/5/2010 12:05:03 PM

Get some starter fluid and spray it around the carb boots at idle. (Watch out, it may blow up) If the engine dies down you've found your air leak. Sometimes you can just tighten the boot clamps.

9/5/2010 1:10:30 PM

those boots are rotted as hell anyway...i basically need to replace all the engine rubber/vac hoses/fuel lines. I'll give that a shot though out of curiosity

I'm really starting to like the idea of the honda VTX cruisers, the 1300c seems like a pretty sweet ride. Anyone had any experience with one?

9/6/2010 1:14:55 PM

Just go through and replace the rubbers. That should be step #1 anytime you bring an old bike back, because the carb boots and o-rings are the first to go.

9/7/2010 11:01:52 AM

Buy a fucking harley son!

9/7/2010 5:00:02 PM

A bank loan for under 3k. Hmm. Good luck.

9/7/2010 6:11:23 PM

about to buy this beast, friday if all goes well



'05 vtx 1300c
vance & hines big shots
mustang saddles
auxiliary headlamps, re-mounted front turn signals, LED valence lights
sissy bar, saddle bags, windshield (will be/stay removed until I need them)
cobra floorboards

all that is great, but took it for a test drive today and maaaaan she's smooth as butter but will snap your neck and blow your eardrums

[Edited on September 8, 2010 at 12:16 AM. Reason : asdf]

9/8/2010 12:13:54 AM

Nice bike. How much of the hauling jobs paid for it.

9/8/2010 10:26:19 AM

looks comfy! still going to tinker with your old bike?

9/8/2010 1:01:51 PM

^^haha i haven't made but maybe a tenth of the cost of that bike hauling for people...one day though I'll pay off both the beasts with their own sweat and oil

^ Indeed. I'll copy my PM response to a message from a concerned fellow biker

Quote :

"...and on the occasion I have a few hours to devote to the virago I'd like to bob it, black it, and butcher some wrapped short pipes and keep it around as a little custom project. She's certainly got a long life ahead of her, but the days of trying to keep it in relative "stock" condition are clearly over..."

so unless I hit some hard times financially I'll just keep it around to experiment with


update - done deal, vtx is mine. pics to come soon

9/8/2010 4:51:55 PM

^^haha i haven't made but maybe a tenth of the cost of that bike (went a little over-budget eheh) hauling for people...one day though I'll pay off both the beasts with their own sweat and oil

^ Indeed. I'll copy my PM response to a message from a concerned fellow biker

Quote :

"...and on the occasion I have a few hours to devote to the virago I'd like to bob it, black it, and butcher some wrapped short pipes and keep it around as a little custom project. She's certainly got a long life ahead of her, but the days of trying to keep it in relative "stock" condition are clearly over..."

so unless I hit some hard times financially I'll just keep it around to experiment with


update - done deal, vtx is mine. pics to come soon

[Edited on September 8, 2010 at 4:53 PM. Reason : lkj]

9/8/2010 4:51:55 PM

http://www.customfighters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30827

9/8/2010 5:07:06 PM

that's badass

I'm envisioning something a lot like this



but flat black all around

9/9/2010 7:56:30 PM

Yeah thats nice i think i would rock a old sporty tank tho... But I like how they bent the struts on it.

9/9/2010 11:13:54 PM

^^ that bike is hot.

9/9/2010 11:21:18 PM

I think that is the thinnest None springer seat I have ever seen on a hardtail frame...

9/9/2010 11:25:47 PM

I don't get it. They built a brat-style, then threw away the struts to make a fake hardtail. That seat must be a real ball-buster.

9/9/2010 11:41:29 PM

Yeah i bet it is comfy ride lol

9/9/2010 11:43:43 PM

I'd leave a small 4" fairing or so on that rear wheel and turn the pipes out at the end

9/10/2010 10:17:31 AM

^ cause it'd be a real bitch if that rear tire got a hold of my hair

9/10/2010 11:30:45 AM

Dude I saw you riding down Western a while back and it looked like you had a windsock hanging out the back of your helmet.

9/10/2010 1:12:32 PM

hahaha awesome


here's a couple crappy cell pics




[Edited on September 10, 2010 at 1:59 PM. Reason : size]

9/10/2010 1:59:19 PM

Man the first thing i would do is get rid of all damn lights up front holy fuck!!! But nice bike !

[Edited on September 10, 2010 at 9:36 PM. Reason : g]

9/10/2010 9:35:45 PM

ooh, shiny

9/11/2010 2:44:40 AM

Did you know that for only $10,000 more you could have got a Harley just like it?

9/11/2010 4:55:40 PM

Saw the bike today. Super clean and great looking!

9/12/2010 2:05:33 PM

^^ nothing close to a harley...

9/12/2010 2:55:19 PM

I know...It probably doesn't leak any fluids at all.

9/13/2010 1:10:25 AM

damn skack for the kill

9/13/2010 11:13:04 AM

They only leak oil when they are stock

9/13/2010 8:15:56 PM

HD is the most underwhelming motorcycle I've ever ridden. I really wanted to like it, but the facts are that they are turds, and expensive ones, at that.

9/13/2010 9:36:02 PM

they are but built ones are not

9/13/2010 11:40:39 PM