Clem
Administrator
Posts: 1,809
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Post by Clem on Sept 25, 2014 11:09:13 GMT 10
Welcome to the story of Clem's new bike! Well, it's not actually a 'new' bike because it is a 1991 Yamaha Virago 250! About 10 years ago, my youngest son, Glen, found the bike on the net somewhere and had it trucked, from Forbes to Melbourne, where he then lived. Glen learnt to ride on the bike and got his licence on it. A couple of years later, Glen and his wife were going overseas for a few months, and so sold the bike to his older brother, David, in Sydney. David also learnt to ride on it and got his licence on it. I can't remember why, but sometime after Glen got back from overseas, the bike went back to him! It had some electrical troubles, was seldom ridden by Glen, and when I was last in Melbourne, the poor little bike looked so very sad and forlorn in a rundown shed, with Glen's chickens enjoying perching and crapping all over it! The Virago was ready for the rubbish tip! But Glen had not got around to taking it there. Re-enter the stage, David: Being aware that the bike on which Glen and he had learnt to ride, was headed to the tip, the Virago was shipped from Melbourne to Sydney, and David set about sorting out the electrics and other bits and pieces, and got the bike back into action. David also had an Adventure Bike and enjoyed the thrills and spills of riding in the bush and on the beach. Enter the stage: Clem must have become somewhat frail during 2014, as his Nightster had become somewhat too heavy for him. He must have also shrunk, because his boots would no longer plant firmly on the bitumen! You know what it's like, when up-and-away on the road, not too many bikes would be too heavy for anyone. But, a little bit of gravel, sand or slippery road, can render one likely to drop one's bike under about 2kph! Clem remembered that David had requested some years ago, that if Clem intended selling his Nightster, please give David first call on it. So I did. The result? David bought my Nightster. And I bought his Virago. These pics are of the Virago as received by me... Attachment Deleted Attachment Deleted Attachment Deleted
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Post by clem on Sept 25, 2014 11:17:32 GMT 10
There is some aluminium and chrome corrosion and rust which, at my leisure, I will get to work on. I will very much enjoy riding and working on this lil bike. Attachment Deleted Attachment Deleted
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Post by dING on Sept 26, 2014 12:27:58 GMT 10
Tis prob a goods choice for you
Being inclined towards not tall
Would be no good to me tho cause
It would just disappear up the crack Of me bum and I would be looking for it
Every where but tis a nice bike
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Post by clem on Sept 26, 2014 17:45:01 GMT 10
Hahaha dING, that is funny!
But I will try hard to get the image of a bike going up your butt out of my head before I try to go to sleep!!!!! lol
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Post by wanderer on Sept 27, 2014 17:24:40 GMT 10
I agree Clem, that image isn't one you would want while going to sleep.
Glad to see you are happy with the Virago. They are as great bike, & scamper along well for their size. I'm sure you will have heaps of funtimes on it.
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Post by eldiablo on Sept 28, 2014 7:57:32 GMT 10
I agree Clem, that image isn't one you would want while going to sleep. Glad to see you are happy with the Virago. They are as great bike, & scamper along well for their size. I'm sure you will have heaps of funtimes on it. Whatever it takes to make us happy is always good.
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Post by clem on Oct 1, 2014 9:22:32 GMT 10
About time to get the boot polish out, isn't Clem??? Those engine covers look a bit dull. Hahaha Wanderer, I have a plan for the covers! :-)
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Post by Turtle on Oct 1, 2014 9:37:54 GMT 10
Write Harley on 'em ?
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Clem
Administrator
Posts: 1,809
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Post by Clem on Oct 2, 2014 10:19:45 GMT 10
Write Harley on 'em ? Hehehehe yeah! Hey do you reckon, Turtle, if I de-Yamahaed the Virago, it might be thought of as a Harley!!!! Which reminds me: Some years ago, I bought a S/H Suzuki Intruder 1400 and it had been de-badged. So off I went to a Suzuki car dealership and bought large 'block-type' stick-on Suzuki letters, something like this... S U Z U K I There was no mistaking the make of my bike after that, with which I was very happy.
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Post by Turtle on Oct 2, 2014 19:48:49 GMT 10
Yep, they were a good bike too. I was thinking of the 1400 and the Virago 1100 back in late 1990's but ended up with the Intruder 1500.
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Post by clem on Nov 11, 2014 11:32:06 GMT 10
I am really enjoying my little scoot. Zipped out on it yesterday and bought a CTEK battery charger lead for permanent attachment to battery for quick and easy 'plug-in-and-charge.' Fitment of it to the battery was easy-peasy. Zipped out again this morning and picked up a CTEK lead (which I ordered yesterday), which plugs into the CTEK battery charger lead, and to this lead, I will plug in, either or both, phone and GPS. I am sure there will be times (maybe many?), that I will miss the power of my former bike, especially for quick acceleration when going up steep hills, overtaking, and even when there are strong head winds. However, my previous bike simply became too heavy for me. I had to decide between giving up riding or get a smaller and lighter bike. I chose the latter and am very pleased to have done so. I am so very in charge of the little Virago.
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Post by ancient on Nov 11, 2014 13:28:55 GMT 10
Virago's are a great bike - I had 6 of them Clem right back to the original XV Midnight Special in the early 80's
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Post by clem on Nov 11, 2014 17:20:42 GMT 10
Virago's are a great bike - I had 6 of them Clem right back to the original XV Midnight Special in the early 80's I hadn't heard of Virago Midnight Special before, Ancient. Were they a particular cc or across the size range?
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Post by clem on Nov 11, 2014 17:39:17 GMT 10
Mmmmmmm I did a bit of googling and I think they were the 750's, yeah? Like this? ............
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Post by ancient on Nov 12, 2014 10:09:58 GMT 10
Mine was black with Gold trims everywhere - very blingy stuff. It was marketed as 1000 cc but 998cc was on the cylinder head - We was robbed of 2 cc LOL
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Post by Turtle on Nov 14, 2014 7:25:27 GMT 10
A mate up in Cairns had a 1100cc Virago and he rode nearly every AGM and more on it before letting go of it. The only trouble I ever recall him having with it was a carby mount or hose was loose or perished and it was sucking air and would not idle as a result.
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Post by clem on Nov 18, 2014 13:23:02 GMT 10
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Post by clem on Nov 26, 2014 9:44:32 GMT 10
Got a new battery for the Virago yesterday as the one on bike wouldn't hold charge despite spending days on charger. With the new battery on-board, I fueled up and, in the cool of late afternoon, went for a lovely little Zip of 70 kays: Teven, Tintenbar, Bangalow, Clunes, Richmond Hill and Home. Very nice it all was too. PS: Oh! I forgot to tell you! After I had cleaned the bike's chain the other day, I decided that I would be more likely to clean it more often if I left the chain guard off it. So I did. However! When I got home from my ride, my dear wifey asked me, "What's all those marks on the back of your shirt?" The generous quantity of oil I had put on my chain, in the absence of the chain guard, had thoroughly enjoyed itself splattering itself all over the back of my shirt!
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Post by Turtle on Nov 28, 2014 8:37:42 GMT 10
Now you know why they is there lol.
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Post by clem on Nov 28, 2014 17:34:26 GMT 10
Yeah, that's right, Turt!!!!! :-)
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Post by clem on Nov 29, 2014 9:21:49 GMT 10
'Clem the Home Handyman' knew the rear guard was a bit ordinary when he took possession of the bike. Some surface rust didn't look real posh. He also knew that he could not possibly extract the number of notes from his wallet that would be sufficient to pay a professional to do the job! So, after some sanding, and with two little tins of paint that were already in his shed, Clem first undercoated and then brush-painted two topcoats onto the guard.
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Post by clem on Jan 6, 2015 12:39:01 GMT 10
My little ride is, cosmetically at least, pretty-much sorted, with most surface rust and corrosion now removed. I don't know if it will remain rust-free for long, but the back rack, which came with the bike, was pretty ordinary with surface rust, so I scratched it semi-thoroughly with a file and steel wool, then spray painted it. It looks good as we speak but I won't be surprised if some of the paint, at least, lifts off the chrome. Here's the latest pics which I took today. The bike sports its pillion seat, combined back-rest and rack, and saddlebags. All I have to do now, it get into the head-space to do some getting-about on it! Attachment Deleted Attachment Deleted
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Post by dING on Jan 6, 2015 16:06:49 GMT 10
Looks like the perfect machine for you
Hope you get many years of riding pleasure
From it
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Post by clem on Jan 8, 2015 11:14:12 GMT 10
Looks like the perfect machine for you Hope you get many years of riding pleasure From it Thank you dING, there is not a doubt in my mind that, if I am to continue riding, I had to downsize bigtime. This little Virago scoot suits me to a tee.
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Post by Turtle on Jan 9, 2015 9:26:36 GMT 10
Something we all do in time if we are to enjoy the pleasure of riding. The smallest bike I owned was a Yammy RD 100. I used to ride that to work.
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Post by clem on Jan 13, 2015 8:24:09 GMT 10
Between compulsory attendance at some family functions, rain and a 'whacked head', I haven't been out on the bike lately! But I can feel a ride coming on soon.
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Post by Turtle on Jan 13, 2015 9:37:37 GMT 10
These whacked heads seem to be getting around a bit, Clem. A friend had a minor stroke a couple of weeks ago which has left her with some headaches and a slight limp. The limp is not really noticeable now, but she knows it. Then another friend has vertigo. She got it first when she was pregnant about three years ago. Now she has it again and she is pregnant again. It has been diagnosed as 'Meniere's Disease'. She has a ringing in one ear too. Someone else was telling me of a couple of cases of vertigo happening around the area too. I hope you come good, at least for a good ride on your bike.
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Post by clem on Jan 19, 2015 12:41:29 GMT 10
I actually went for a round trip ride of about 12 kays last week! I rode to the Motor Registry in Ballina and renewed my driver's licence for five years. After I got that, I went to, what's called the Burns Point Ferry, which is a vehicular ferry going from the main part of Ballina, across to South Ballina. Some of you have been on this ferry. I like taking pics of my bike (whatever bike it is!), so I went to near the ferry so I could get a river background.
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Post by Turtle on Jan 19, 2015 19:00:06 GMT 10
I remember well that ferry and all the fun we had on the south side of Ballina.
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Post by clem on Jan 20, 2015 13:23:44 GMT 10
I remember well that ferry and all the fun we had on the south side of Ballina. Yep Turtle, the good ole days eh.
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