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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
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Message started by Oldfeller on 02/12/08 at 16:04:49

Title: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by Oldfeller on 02/12/08 at 16:04:49

Your Savage hails back to '87 so it is of the same design vintage as a Yamaha Virago. Count your blessings ..... your bike is still in production and is blessed with VERY SOUND long lasting electronics.

=====================

Virago's are obsolete, so parts are expensive and getting more rare.

Yamaha TCI and CID electronics got quirky with age and FAILED at a fairly significant rate. Coils got old and dried out. Resistor spark plug caps and wires gave out and were not easily replaced (one piece with the coil set).

Virago had both a fuel pump and a vacumn activated petc0ck. Both like to fail on you, sometimes taking turns.

A Virago fuel pump goes for $279, a stock exhaust & muffler goes for $898. Aftermarket pipes cost $399.

It is not uncommon for one cylinder to run, then both, then one again (electrical issues with RPM voltage generated, coils and ignition boxes)

People get frustrated with their Yamaha virago bikes and just give up on fixing them -- for electrical/carb issues, generally.

A 400 Virago gets the same mpg as a Savage. A 535 Virago gets worse mileage than we do.

Many Viragos are past the required "keep supplying old parts" age limit. Virago people really are looking forward to Lifan starting to build the 400s again -- they need a source for new muffler and ignition parts. Even Chinese electronics (reasonably priced) are a blessing to get.

You Savage folks really have it good --- you should stop and count your blessings.

The Virago folks are nowhere near as well organized as we are, tech stuff is "words only" generally and they don't have folks buying them "better than stock parts" for their weaker components. And they have LOTS more weaker components .... and much older bikes in general.

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by demin on 02/12/08 at 16:52:27

I had an '82 Virago 750.Both petc0cks would quit working usually at different times.Starter gears were junk from the factory.I had an owner of a stealership tell me if it started 1 out of 5 times I was lucky.A used flywheel was $250.00,shim kit for starter$50.00,pipes $299.00,jet kit$90.00.Bought it to fix up,and sell.Didn't make much off that one.http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/1017172

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by bsdnfraje on 02/12/08 at 18:13:54

Is it safe to point out that, even though my Kawasaki kz440 was discontinued in 1983, there is still a thriving parts market for them just because the bikes are so darn good and the owners are reasonably organised?

Is this where the pelting actually starts?

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by keithert on 02/12/08 at 20:19:07

I had an 93 Virago 1100 in 2001 with 7000 miles. I loved the way that bike rode and the powoer it had. I did have a problem with the coil, but it was otherwise trouble free for 7000 miles. We sold it because my wife got pregnant and didn't ride anymore. I always wished I had kept it. I'm hoping the Savage is as much fun. This forum is much busier than the Virago group on Delphi was. I did once meet an old guy that had an early 80's Virago with over 50k miles on it.

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by Rockin_John on 02/12/08 at 22:28:48

I was a big fan of Yamaha back in the 70s (and even earlier) then into the early 80s. Had all the XS series "Special" cruisers at one time or another; including the more UJM SR500 model. I still wouldn't mind having another of those; or the 650 Special twin.

All were a blast; were dependable; and had character. Always favored the Yamaha dirt bikes after I felt Honda and Kawasaki had been letdowns too... But when they came along with the Virago I didn't care for the wide 90º V of the twin. I stuck with my old XS650 parallel twin and was much more happy with it after test riding some 535 and 750 models of the Virago. What with all the known failure modes of the Virago, I wouldn't trade a Savage for one on a bet!

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by KwakNut on 02/13/08 at 00:43:50

3120373D3521323936530 wrote:

No pelting from me - I've been on the receiving end of the Savage lynch mob myself for heresy in the last couple of weeks.
That little 440 Kawasaki was a lovely compact machine, and a pleasant ride round town. A friend had one which I tried - it was my first ride on a cruiser style bike, and made me realise that there were more motorcycling options than litre-plus sport bikes. He traded up to a 4-cylinder 550LTD, which was a beautiful machine in a metallic maroon factory colour, but not as cute as the 440.
It was memories of that 440 Kwak, enjoying the comfortable riding position, belt drive and small motor, that made me buy my Savage this New Year.

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by KwakNut on 02/13/08 at 00:49:19

477A767E7C7B4A5F7A7D7B150 wrote:

Had all the XS series "Special" cruisers at one time or another;

On the whole I've not been a Yamaha fan, probably because the finish and electrics don't survive British weather and road conditions too well, but I really like the XS bikes.
I've been looking for a really good XS 1.1 Special for a year or so.
I remember when they first cam out - before I had my bike license - and thinking to myself 'one day'. They don't come up often in clean condition now, and I missed one a few months ago because I was in the Gulf when it was advertised, but I'm determined to have one.

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by vroom1776 on 02/15/08 at 09:36:40

5A7971737079797067150 wrote:

ah, but!

the virago 1000 IS/WAS robust... not sure about the electronics, but ...

it is the same engine as used in the current V* 1100 design (bored out a bit)... so, I'm not sure about frame parts, but engine parts shoudl be readily available... I imagine it would be possible to to use coils & an ignitor off a V*... with some other complinetary chaneges as well (carbs!)

I've heard of Virago 1000s going for 400k miles, and I've seen one with 200k...

I've got 46k on my 1100, no problems...

V

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by FreeSpirit on 02/16/08 at 17:45:52

Oldfeller,(I'm not a boy,but.....)
I'm glad you posted that! I almost bought a Virage 535! The dealer had a used one sitting next to a 05 S40......I was going to buy the Virago,but I sat on the S40 and the Virago(kept going back and forth between the two) and something felt better about the S40 than the Virago.

Although,I must say,the seat felt alot more comfortable on the Virago!

Now if I could just get a more comfortable seat on my Savage,I'd be totally happy :-) I'll keep on til I find one :-)

Title: Re: You don't know how lucky you are, boys .....
Post by Oldfeller on 02/16/08 at 19:16:04

Don't let old obsolete stuff scare you away -- just be aware of what you are getting into. I just paid $700 for a good running ugly looking VX535 that is 14 years old and has 10,000 miles on the clock.

I will play with it and fix it up a bit and sell it. I will enjoy playing with it. It will be a challenge.

I will still keep my Savage for running to go get the Virago parts on.

The Savage is a simple, easy to maintain bike that has equal miles on it and isn't ugly and isn't run down and doesn't have nearly as many things that CAN and will go wrong with it, so it just runs.

the Virago was a complex bike complete with a raft of active pollution control devices on it. My Savage lacks most of these items.

I am enjoying the contrasts between the scooters.