Post Sale Update: This Virago sold for just $1,185 after 6 bids on eBay.
7-24-18 Update: The seller has let me know that he’s put his Virago up on eBay with no reserve, so it’s about to find a new owner – will it be you? Find it with bidding up to $1,009
Introduced in the early 80s, Yamaha’s Virago line was the first V-Twin cruiser to come out of Japan, and it was an example of what happens when marketers and engineers don’t agree on what a product should be. The first version was chock full of tech like a monocoque frame, monoshock suspension, shaft final drive, offset cylinders, and more – it was an attack on the American cruiser market with features that European sport-tourers wanted. America was not impressed. But a couple of years later, Yamaha’s US team was able to convince headquarters that they needed a more traditional cruiser, and the results were excellent. The Virago would sell well for a decade and a half, and it then evolved into the Road Star/V-Star lineups. Here’s an example of the biggest Virago (XV1100), which was introduced in 1986.
For more on how the Virago came to be, check out this excellent article on Motorcyclist by Mitch Boehm.
This example (VIN: JYA1TAC09SA021175) has approximately 42,500 miles on the odometer, but it sure doesn’t look like it’s had that much use! When the seller (who is the third owner) acquired this Virago three years ago, it already was equipped with the Mustang seat, leather tank protector, and leather saddlebags. The seller bought it as a project and “set about reconditioning, fixing and replacing anything that was wrong. Mainly, anything made of rubber was replaced, since by that time it was 20 years old.” There’s a long list of work that’s been done in the for sale post, and it seems like this Virago has plenty of life left in it. With that said, please note that there are some minor cosmetic issues – scratches in the tank and fender paint as well as in the chrome. The sale includes the OEM Yamaha repair manual, tool kit, Owner’s Manual, original key, and some aftermarket copies of the key.
The seller also includes links to multiple videos in the listing, including a 42+ minute flick of a ride covering a variety of situations:
Find this Virago for sale here on Craigslist for $3,700 in Hollywood, California.
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