The name Yamaha Virago is not usually followed by the words cafe racer or streetfighter but here’s something that might change your mind. My usual cruise through the eBay listings turned up this custom, definitely a long way from its beginnings as a Virago XV920. Last year I found a Virago with a Norton look which a lot of you liked, so here’s another direction for that tired old bike sitting in your garage or maybe a neat conversion for one of those used Viragos you can pick up cheap for a very reasonable price.
It still has the easy maintenance shaft drive but there’s a new tail section and seat, nice paint job and that Virago twin that just keeps going and going.
Of course you can change the look of an old Yamaha Maxim, too, if you prefer inline fours to V-Twins. Your choice.
There are a lot of nice bikes out there, but sometimes they’re hidden in plain sight and look like tired old metric cruisers. Add imagination and a bit of work and you might be surprised at what you end up with. I like it.
Link: Yamaha Virago Cafe – auction over
Alan says
In the first picture it looks like the the clip-on is about to hit the tank and the wheel has very little turn to it.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Yep, clearance does look tight, but that should be an easy fix.
JP says
Definitely should have gone with Clubmans instead of Clip-ons.
Surprised at how well that tank actually works, but I always though Yams were fugly things back in the 80’s Nothing they made looked good other than the Kenny Roberts Replica (The Europeans got anything halfway good looking)
todd says
no worse than a Ducati and those don’t have too much of a problem going around corners.
-todd
marshall says
Looks like the XS Midnight Special was an inspiration for this.
todd says
Very cool. These are great engines in a terrible design package originally. The shaft makes them doubly nice. You could easily fit a 18″ Seca wheel on the back to help lighten up the look and get rid of the cruiser look even more.
This looks like it’s a ton of fun to ride around on and, more importantly, show up on.
-todd
'37 Indian Chief says
I’ve seen several of these type bikes where they leave most of the bike semi-stock but remove the rear fender/frame section and install a small tailpiece with what looks like a 3/4″ foam padded seat that would only be comfortable for a ride to the market and back. I agree it looks cool. I had an original one of these bikes and the stock handlebars were the worst ever so it can’t be too bad with the clip-on look that’s on this bike. The engine’s on these were fabulous- lots of power and very smooth. The electric starters were terrible, sounded like shaking lugnuts in a coffee can. There were both shaft and chain drive models, maybe we need to see a chain drive Virago scrambler/street tracker? I dig these alternative bikes….
HoughMade says
NIce bike! Inexpensive old Japanese bikes are just blank canvasses.
James McBride says
Just imagine if Yamaha built bikes like this out of the factory!
Stats says
Well then where’s the fun?
I’ve got an xv535 parked at home that I’m attempting to do something similar with, but I wouldn’t get to spend hours at the local scrapyard if I could buy this straight from the factory.
zipidachimp says
beauty! and thanks for a saturday posting!
MikeyA says
I remember when these Viragos first came out, my brother was gushing about how they were a modern take on Vincents, with their stressed v-twins, minimal backbone frame and triangulated swingarms. I just couldn’t take the ugly ’80’s yamaha styling. Then the “fake Harley” craze took on and I guess the bikes sold well but got even farther from the kind of bike I’d like to have. I always thought there was some potential to turn one into a neat café racer, and last year I modded a 535Virago into a kind of “fake Egli-Vincent.” It was easy and cheap, and I’ve got a fun daily commuter bike. I haven’t ridden a big Virago, but the 535 is a nice mid-size motor with character. Once I started following the Virago “scene,” I realized there are a lot of guys doing neat things to these bikes, some really radical (google a German guy named Sepp Koch, you’ll see!) This bike looks very nice, but too bad the builder didn’t put on rear-sets.
Tin Man says
Nice concept, but the stink bug stance is overdone. There is a fix available for the crappy factory starters on these things now. Cool bike for low bucks.
CC Knudsen says
Nice bike, BUT please, do NOT call this a streetfighter. Handlebar should be wide and on any streetfighter footrest is placed vertical aprrx. under seat. That gives a streetfighter riders position like it should be. Watch the footrest on this bike!!!!
Phoebe says
Very nicely done. It looks tons better than a stock Virago.
Ian says
Saw a similar thing doing the rounds a while ago:
http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-virago
Seen a few Viragos go on ebay and have been tempted. Has a nice aggressive stance without being the usual head-down-arse-up.
sfan says
Ian, thanks for your link, that euro-custom Virago is even more sweet!
I remember the XV920R (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_XV920R) was a first and tepid attempt at a Virago standard. It was introduced and discontinued almost immediately in the US and Canada in the early 1980s.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
With the similarity between this one and those previous efforts, it looks like some enterprising individual could fabricate a kit. The style of the converted bike would have a wide appeal and lots of those old Viragos would get a new lease on life.
B50 Jim says
Yamaha’s styling department was on mental vacation during the 80s, but they sold a ton of Viragos — the basic machine was a very good setup, smooth, powerful and indestructible. Plenty of them are sitting around at bargain prices, just waiting for a a treatment like this, or whatever else clever owners can imagine. For less than 3 grand, you can have a classy machine that will turn heads and still run forever.
woody eckes says
Yamahas’ styling department in the 70s & 80s built motorcycles that looked like Yamahas…..Not someone elses.
The big Viragos; 750 & 920 had a starter design that rounded off the teeth on the flywheel. There is no real fix to this design. You could/can replace the intermediate gears/springs, shim the starter motor, weld the planetary gear but you still have a problematic starter. If the battery is in good charge and your carbs are clean and properly adjusted (float level is not level on these) and the petcocks don’t leak they will start reasonably well. But when warm or whenever everyone is looking they will replicate an old Dodge/Chrysler products starter.
Very good riding position stock, an 18 inch Seca wheel will fit but not with the stock exhaust. This will lower your operating rpm also.
Another imperfect motorcycle from back in 80s…..still a good cycle.
Woody Eckes
Good to see someone making something out of one.
Scotduke says
The 535 has a good motor, don’t know the 750 and 920 so I’ll have to take what’s said about them. A few people I know have had the 535, solid engine that never quite looked right, but this shows a lot can be done. It’s pretty good and details like rearset position and so on can be easily sorted.
Paul Y says
MAG-MOPUS tires???
Why would you risk all that effort making the bike look great and keep those oem rim protectors? I haven’t seen those in twenty years.
sfan says
While the Virago styling always missed the mark widely IMO I have to say that the engines are very good looking. The fact they are stressed members of the frame further helps to show them off. The cafe custom above and in particular this one
http://goo.gl/aA1HI (which I can’t get out of my mind) really & rightly highlight the engine. I’d love to see cafe kits for these.
sfan says
I am also reminded of Yamaha’s XS-V1 concept highlighted here four years ago:
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/10/16/yamaha-xs-v1-sakura-for-tokyo-motor-show/. This could have been a much more straightforward platform for a retro cafe. Sadly, it seems no production version is forthcoming.
akaaccount says
YES! I have a brother in law with an 84 Shadow sitting and this is exactly the picture I’ve had for it.
Hugo Amontillado says
Well executed. Tough to find the version with the round headlight and without the 80s Tron-style gauges. Wanted one ever since I heard Michelle Shocked singing about hers in “Come A Long Way.” Knew it had to be a great ride to inspire one of the best motorcycling songs ever done. Prominently featured in the video as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cJZyjF9PlQ
When you need to stay a step ahead of the repo man and be a tourist in your hometown, the 920’s the way to go.
Klaus says
Beautiful bike! I’ve always liked the Virago’s engine – 75 degrees, not narrow-angled like most other Japanese makers. Sounds better, almost like a 90 degree Moto Guzzi. Plus it revved higher than most other Harley copies including the originals. The 920 had a big bore and relatively short stroke, producing 65 horses at 6500rpm. Even though it looked like a cruiser the engine was more like a Ducati than a Harley!
Rik says
Badass look.. i like the clip-ons but i would prefer a modern usd fork.