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I was looking at getting a 85 Yamaha Virago 750. I was wondering if this is a good starter bike? Here are the details of the one I'm currently looking at.

Virago 750 with 10,000 miles - $950
-Clear Title
-All Original
-Runs Good
-New Tires with 600 miles on them
-Needs Mirrors
-All Lights Work
-Mechanical Sound
-Chrome in Good Shape
-Historic Tags
-One small dent on Tank
-Sitting for 3-4 months in storage unit


The reason the guy told me he was selling it was because he bought this for his wife to get her used to riding a motorcycle. He's been keeping it in a storage unit, because he doesn't have space and wants to make a quick sale. He bought another bike, and rather just maintain one.

Do people think this bike sounds like a good deal The bike seems like a great deal! Do people think this bike is too old? Should I be looking for something newer? Would it be hard to find parts for this?

A better place to ask your question would be the Virago Owners Club. Not that we aren't helpful here, but they are dedicated solely to the Virago and chances are they will have a wealth of info and help to provide you.

Now, having said all that, it doesn't mean you should leave here. From what little I know about Viragos, they are a solid design that are easily maintained and parts can still be sourced for. As a first bike, the 750 version would probably be quite suitable, but it all depends on your comfort level. The historic tags might be an issue, depending on the rules and regulations in your state. Sometimes, historic vehicles are severely restricted as to when, where and how often they can be used. You might want to check with your local DMV first before purchasing this bike.

Hopefully, you have already signed up for the nearest MSF course in your area. If not, you really should consider that as a first step.

Keep us posted!

A 750 is more weight and power than at least some would recommend for a starter bike. When I looked at getting a starter bike, I checked out the 750s just for comparison purposes, because I was pretty sure I didn't want anything that big to start, and they were indeed more than I wanted to start with.

As to parts, apparently it was manufactured 1981 to 1996, so there was a good production run. The bad news is that they stopped making them over ten years ago, so that would not encourage me in terms of parts. That's just a guess, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_XV750

Gummiente's thought on checking the Virago Owners Club is a good one, and it prompted me to think of another possible good source to check, http://viragotechforum.com .

There's also a Yamaha Talk forum right here that might be helpful: viewforum.php?f=38

Thanks for the suggestions. Those sites are very useful!

I would probably start with something smaller, but this seems like such a good deal. Also I don't want to have to hassle with buying a bike, and then selling it quickly. I'll have to see whether a 750cc is too much. It seems lot of people started out these Viragos!

The pictures the guy sent me made the bike look like it's been well taken care of. It seems promising. Looks can be deceiving! The bike could have some mechanical problems. I'll have to check for those things, but it is difficult being a beginner. Also not having to much experience working on bikes. I definitely need to see before I make any decisions about buying the bike.

Velocity wrote:A 750 is more weight and power than at least some would recommend for a starter bike.

But it's only 52 HP so that's sort of within the recommended range. And the weight is about 500 lb. which isn't bad.

It's ok as a starter bike. They are right at the 50HP/500lb. There is a down side to the Historic Tag though, which is a mileage limitation.