Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Thanks for the help guys...much appreciated. I'm not the most mechanically inclined person and am looking for a smooth ride so maybe I'll go for a Virago 535 w/shaft drive...if I can find one.

Honestly, chains are very simple to deal with, as was said before, just find the right bike to learn on. Don't worry too much about drive

talldude wrote:Thanks for the help guys...much appreciated. I'm not the most mechanically inclined person and am looking for a smooth ride so maybe I'll go for a Virago 535 w/shaft drive...if I can find one.

I've got one of those! Nice ride, as long as you're not tall. The thing is basically maintenance-free and stupid easy to wrench on.

Get a 1990 or later model. The earlier models have the only fuel tank under the seat and the regulator/rectifier is located just above the exhaust expansion chamber, where the heat makes it fail much more often than it should. The later models move the RR to the side of the bike and added a second fuel tank in the normal fuel tank location, letting you fill up without lifting the seat and giving twice the fuel capacity.

If you do end up with a Virago, check out Viragotech.com - great community with lots of info and help for the XV series.

jonnythan wrote:Nice ride, as long as you're not tall.

Sheesh! I'm almost 6'2"!!!

talldude wrote:

jonnythan wrote:Nice ride, as long as you're not tall.

Sheesh! I'm almost 6'2"!!!

You'll be really uncomfortable on a 535, I think.

I'm a hair under 5'9 and really wish it were roomier.

Hey Talldude. i'm 6'2" as well. definitively find a bike that will fit you OK. I was going to get a honda Rebel when i first started looking, but as soon as i took the MSF i knew the 250 bikes were gonna be way too small.

as for chain drive, etc... I'm not super mechanically inclined, but cleaning/lubing a chain is a piece of cake to do. dont worry too much about the drive mechanism find a good solid bike that fits your personality.

warnerwh wrote:If you want excellent reliability as well as a smooth vibration free transfer to the rear wheel shaft drive is the way to go. You rarely ever hear of a shaft drive going bad if it has been taken care of at all. Chains and belts can go anytime.

I haven't had a chain failure in 20 yrs. and about 1/2 million miles. The only chain failures I've heard of were on bikes where maintenance was ignored. If you don't properly maintain your final drive, no matter which type it is, you're going to be in trouble.

As I've said here before recently, I have 25,000 on my chain, and I just lube it every 500 to 1000 miles and clean it when it is real gunky. I will replace it at around 30,000 to just be safe, but it may not be required. My chain looks fine after 3 years.

talldude wrote:

jonnythan wrote:Nice ride, as long as you're not tall.

Sheesh! I'm almost 6'2"!!!

Maybe you can install forward controls and lift the handlebars a bit.

blues2cruise wrote:

talldude wrote:

jonnythan wrote:Nice ride, as long as you're not tall.

Sheesh! I'm almost 6'2"!!!

Maybe you can install forward controls and lift the handlebars a bit.

Damn near doubles the cost of the bike.

Cheapest I've seen forward controls on that bike is just under $400, and they only move the controls forward 3-4 inches.. Lifting the bars or installing some ape hangers is cheaper.

http://www.jonnythan.com/pics/bike/stop ... street.jpg

This is a 5'9 guy with a 31" inseam, FWIW.