V IS FOR VIRAGO

without terminal back Injury  was to bungee my briefcase and an overstuffed tailpack to the sissy bar to provide a backrest for my aching lumbosacral zone. Amazingly, this move made the Virago not only acceptable, but actually comfortable! Never a fan of the cruiser slouch In the past. I'm now Impressed by how comfy It can be. with the proper back support. A sissy bar between the pilot and passenger seats would be a good idea on the Virago and other cruisers.
Again. Pierson's Impression of (he Virago seating position was diametrically opposed to mine. Her short (5 foot 2 Inch) stature and short reach perfectly complemented the ergonomics of the 700. Obviously, smaller people will find Viragos much more comfortable than will bigger ones.
It should be noted that the seat on our 1000 ripped open along the glues seam between pilot and passenger portions. We can't say whether this is a widespread problem or not. But stitching the seam would prevent it from ripping.
Those of you who have sat on older Viragos may wonder Just how Yamaha was able to get the scats on the new 700 and 1000 so low. The monoshock was replaced by twin conventional shocks (adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping) and a new frame was built to accommodate them. The monoshock and air cleaner box, which used to reside underneath the seal, prevented Yamaha designers from dropping the seat any farther. With those two components out of the way. the seat could be lowered another couple of inches. The old frame routed air from the underseat airbox to the carburettors via its tubular pressed steel backbone. Now the air cleaner is housed in a chic chrome housing on the rigid side of the engine (just like a you-know what). The matching "air cleaner" on the left side Is really the housing for the air injection system.
The new frame itself  is more conventional than its predecessor, although the engine remains a stressed member. Yamaha calls Its design a "pressed backbone hang support" frame. Another difference Is the addition of two "subframe" members alongside the lower cases which provide a mounting point for the forward-mounted pegs, which arc even farther forward than they already were on previous Viragos. Whether this addition enhances function is beside the point. It's part and parcel of the head back, feet forward seating

position. At least long-legged riders can stretch (their legs a little, but I would personally prefer my feet farther back to take the weight off my lower back and transfer It to my inner thighs.
Of more practical Import, the forward mounted pegs arc now in close proximity to the ground on both Viragos. Despite their narrow V-Twln engines, both bikes drag their pegs quicker than most touring rigs. This objection may be a moot point to most cruiser riders, but Its a pity that the pegs touch down so quickly because the Viragos arc frisky, fun on mountain roads.
The stylish handlebars are actually a pretty comfortable bend, albeit a little too pulled back for this tester. My shorter armed colleague found the bars Just right. Again, substituting handlebars with the bend or your choice would help transfer weight to your thighs Instead of your buttocks, If you're, say. 5 feet 6 Inches or bigger.
While the ergonomics of the Viragos may not be lo everyone's liking, particularly larger riders, the controls on both bikes cannot be faulted. They're easy to sec. reach and operate. I especially liked the fuel reserve switch on the XV1000 right switch housing that allows you to flip to reserve (when the red warning light in the tachometer face comes on) without having to fumble around for the petcock underneath the tank. This is the kind of feature that should be on every motorcycle.
The brakes on the Viragos certainly won't win any contests for stopping power against the likes of an FJ1100 but they deliver strong, progressive stopping power In any situation with-out locking up and arc more fade resistant than several sport bikes we've tested lately. Their 267mm diameter provides swept surface area comparable to many bikes with a much greater performance potential. The same can be said for the 200mm drums on both bikes: They do their job well when called upon.
The suspension of the Viragos, like the brakes. Is nothing to write home about, but It gets the Job done. Their twin shocks provide a paltry 70mm of suspension travel a( the rear. This Is okay for freeway and boulevard cruising on smooth macadam but a stretch of bad road can jar your fillings loose In five minutes. Were it not for the ride softening qualities of those big. fat 15-Inch weenies on the back of both bikes, the ride quality would probably be even harsher. Viragos feature adjustable preload for the springs, but it