VITALIZING THE

VIRAGO

It doesn't have to act like the dictionary definition

By Joe Minton

A key part of the Virago conversion is the CC Products midset footpeg kit. By moving the rider's feet aft four inches, the new footpegs greatly improve comfort. When combined with lower-than-stock bars, the Virago becomes a fine all-around bike.

ENGINE
The stock Virago engine (all versions) is a nice piece of work. While it is not a Particularly simple engine due to its duplicate cams and individual chain drives, it does perform reliably, has a long service life and delivers very useful power over a wide rpm range. Little needs to be done beyond getting the carburetion right.

a simple and effective steering lock. clear and steady instruments, a powerful headlight and a bright taillight Easy access to the battery. oil drain, filter and carburettors more than make up for the somewhat-hidden tappets. which don't need attention often anyway.
   Finally, early 1980s' Viragos are fairly easy to find and are rather cheap buy. Yamaha (along with others) made too many motorcycles during that time. so, regardless of performance and quality, prices are low. Viragos are fine machines and are well worth the bother of converting into "ordinary" motorcycles.

Both the 750 and 920 make about 45 peak horsepower, but the 920 delivers more at normal operating rpm. Peak power is limited by several design features. The backbone frame is the airbox, and it is not possible to pass significantly more air through the engine without eliminating this feature. And there is little room for auxiliary air filters. Accessory exhausts might allow some improvement. but the stock items are among the most attractive available for the bike. There are cams, bigger carbs and so but great gobs of power is not what this machine is about.

CARBURETION

As with most other multi cylinder engines. the Virago's carburettor throttle-control butterflies are mounted on separate shafts with linkage connecting them. Not only do the carbs on the Viragos point in opposite directions, their throats are also at angles to one another. A multipart linkage was required to connect the two carburettors so they would stay in synchronization throughout the throttle range from just off idle to wide open—a little different but fine and reliable. Yamaha did something weird, though, with the idle-speed adjustment on the early Viragos. Both barbs have their idle speed set with a screw on the side of each carb. Each idle-speed setting is independent of the other. However, only the right carb gets a spring-loaded, finger adjustable screw. The left carb has a screw with a lock nut. If one adjusts idle speed with the right screw, as seems the obvious way to do it. the carbs are thrown out of sync at idle. The answer is to buy a right-side adjustable screw from your dealer and put t in the left-hand carb. Then, synchronize the carbs at idle with the screws, and sync them at 3000 rpm or so with the spring-loaded adjusting screw located between the carbs. This small change does much to make the engine more responsive and smoother-running. Typical of modern carburetion, the Viragos are too lean on the idle circuit. They seem to be quite okay on the needle (at one-quarter to three-quarter throttle) and at full throttle. The stock idle jet is a 41,  .41mm in diameter. It needs to be about .50mm in diameter. Such a jet is not readily available because the stock carbs were made by Hitachi, and alternate parts are not easy to come by. Much as I dislike the practice. you need to drill your stock jets. Done carefully this Procedure works just fine. You need a No. 76 drill bit. .020 inch in diameter. Remove the carbs, using your factory shop manual as a guide.  Remove the float bowls and the idle jets.  If you can find a pin vice at a hobby shop, use it to hold the No. 76 drill. Either carefully hold the jet in a vice or with your fingers, and twirl the drill through the existing hole. Be careful not to wiggle ether the jet or the drill bit;  you want the hole