Difference between revisions of "Yamaha XV750 Virago"
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Revision as of 20:08, 29 August 2019
Yamaha XV750 | |
Manufacturer | |
---|---|
Also called | XV750 Special (reduced effect), XV 750 Special (reduced effect), XV750WC Virago, XV 750 WC Virago, XV750 Virago, XV750SE, XV 750 Virago, XV 750 SE, XV 750 |
Production | 1981 - 85 |
Class | [[:Category:Cruiser motorcycles|Cruiser]] [[Category:Cruiser motorcycles]] |
Engine | Four stroke, 75°-V-Twin cylinder, SOHC. 2 valve per cylinder. |
Compression ratio | 8.7:1 |
Top Speed | 178.8 km/h / 111.1 mph |
Air Filter | K&N YA-1186 `88-97[1] |
Ignition | Transistorize |
Spark Plug | NGK BP7ES `81-83[2] |
Battery | YUASA YB16AL-A2 `81-83[2] |
Transmission | 5 Speed |
Suspension | Front: 38mm Telescopic Rear: Mono shocks preload adjustable. |
Brakes | Front: Single 298mm disc 2 piston calipers Rear: 200mm Drum |
Front Tire | 3.50-19 |
Rear Tire | 130/90-16 |
Wheelbase | 1520 mm / 59.8 in |
Seat Height | 710 mm / 28.0 in |
Weight | 225 kg / 496 lbs (dry), 238 kg /; 524.7 lbs (wet) |
Oil Filter | K&N KN-145[1] |
Manuals | Service Manual |
It could reach a top speed of 178.8 km/h / 111.1 mph.
Engine
The engine was a Air cooled cooled Four stroke, 75°-V-Twin cylinder, SOHC. 2 valve per cylinder.. The engine featured a 8.7:1 compression ratio.
Drive
Power was moderated via the Wet, multi-plate.
Chassis
It came with a 3.50-19 front tire and a 130/90-16 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single 298mm disc 2 piston calipers in the front and a 200mm Drum in the rear. The front suspension was a 38mm Telescopic while the rear was equipped with a Mono shocks preload adjustable.. The bike weighed just 225 kg / 496 lbs. The wheelbase was 1520 mm / 59.8 in long.
Photos
Overview
Yamaha XV 750 Virago
When the XV750 first arrived on UK shores many must have been left asking
why? Never before had the Japanese manufacturers turned out such a focussed
custom styled machine, it must have been quite a gamble for Yamaha to take.
There isnt much to tempt those riders not wishing to sample
the delights of state side cruising. High bars and forward placed footrests
arent my usual cup of tea either but, the XV is a well designed and thought
out beast, the riding position is easy on the body while controls and levers
fall to hand very easily. The ride is both smooth and reassuringly sure
footed with handling not in any way like you might have expected for a soft
and lardy cruise mobile. The weight is centrally placed, with the large
machine feeling many times smaller than it actually is, while several little
touches around the frame and cycle parts make the job of moving the big twin
just that little bit easier. The placing of the wheel spindle an inch or so
in front of the forks centre line so it reduces the trail and speeds up the
steering, for instance, is a good example of this thinking.
In use the engine isnt at all like a V twin, rather more a
successful mix of many engine types, feeling as grunty as a single and yet
as smooth as an inline four. Only the narrowness of the engine gives the
game away, a feature that, where it not for the wide bars, would enable you
to sip unnoticed through the busiest of traffic jams. For the most part,
once on the move, top gear can be left alone such is the width and power of
the torque curve. The engine willingly pulls from way down in the rev range
while the shaft drive gives no a hint of snatch should the revs be too low
like a chain would.
As is typical with a Yamaha, the carburetion is near
faultless, producing a linear response to throttle inputs and a keenness in
the engine department to trot along nicely. With so many aspects performing
so well it comes as some shock that many other important features dont. The
brakes are verging on the pathetic with a single floating caliper grabbing a
solitary small diameter disc up front, although some face is saved with the
large, single leading shoe, drum stopper hanging off the rear end. The
weight of the bike can soon overwhelm the front disc in heavy use and equal
amounts of rear brake are required to get the plot stopping before something
else makes you. Of course experienced riders will throw the engine into the
stopping process and by doing this you can really haul the V twin up in
double quick time.
Shifting down the box however, can be a clunky affair, when
the XV was new, dealers used to tell people the gearbox would bed in nicely
with age well, here we are twenty four years down the line and the bloody
gearbox is still as noisy as a bag of spanners. This isnt a bad thing; it
shows how hefty the gear wheels and their dogs are with the result that
gearbox problems are few and far between, even in a high mileage XV motor.
Once accustomed to the unique foibles involved in riding the
XV you start to realise just how good the package as a whole really is. OK
the brakes arent ever going to bend the forks, not unless they completely
fail anyway, and the motor, with barely 50bhp to play with after the engine
has transmitted its power through the shaft drive, is hardly going to spin
the rear wheel out from underneath you in a moment of heavy handed madness,
and yet, the ride is superb. The laid back style is effortless and the
chassis holds it all in line and true throughout. Once you get the hang of
it, corners can be great fun too. You must take your time to set the
suspension up to your liking, not so much the front as that is pretty good
straight out of the crate but the rear has a multitude of settings enabling
the exact ride you desire to be set up quite easily. The spring can be
jacked up or down with the large knob situated below the right hand side
panel while a Schrader valve, also in this area, allows the air pressure
within the single shock to be adjusted too.
The fuel tank of the first XVs was the only real complaint
voiced by owners, as it was just too small to be of any practical use. The
contents of the 12 litre tank can be consumed in a little over 100 miles,
especially if the engine is given the signal to go. This makes long distance
travelling an exercise in planning and logistics, rather than an enjoyable
experience. The real reason lay in Yamahas choice of carburetion and valve
sizes, choosing to keep the 40mm Mikuni instruments found on the 920cc TR1
models as well as the large diameter inlet and exhaust valves. This leads to
a very heavy breathing 750cc engine that goes well thanks to the extra fuel
being thrown in to each pot but, in return, yields a heavy appetite and a
liking for garage forecourts.
Yamaha XV750 SE/Virago Model History
At a time in motorcycling history when technological
advancements in design and performance where key, it seems on the face of
it, that Yamahas latest range of old style V twins would be a short lived
affair. The birth of the custom versions of established models had been a
great success especially in the US, and Yamaha Americas planning manager,
Ed Burke, built upon this idea. He found that most owners would like to
chance to go one stage further and have a V twin machine as the basis for
their custom motorcycle. Yamaha didnt like the idea at first and considered
the design to be fraught with technical difficulties, especially if the
Harley Davidson was to be used as the design model. The research team in
Japan found that if they offset the cylinders, unlike the inline HD power
plant, that they could maintain efficient cylinder cooling and make an
engine worthy of the tuning fork badge.
Not only did Yamaha create a new class of Japanese
motorcycle, but also one of bikings longest running series of machines,
with the XV range still being available, in its original form, as recently
as 1996. The concept was indeed new to the Japanese but the technology
wasnt. The XV750 was made up of many aspects of previous Yamaha models all
wrapped around a seemingly all-new air-cooled V twin power plant. A close
look at the workings of that engine reveal it to be little more than two
XT500 top ends grafted onto a single-crank bottom end, creating the simple,
yet effective design. Unlike the XT500 however, the bottom end was very
different, the pressed roller bearing crank of the single pot thumper was
replaced by a tough, single piece design using plain metal big ends and
rollers for the main bearings. Both con rods running side by side on the
same journal to align with the offset cylinders and resulting in a narrow
engine unit in keeping with the whole XV concept. The 75-degree angle
between the cylinders was chosen over all other configurations to create a
compact engine unit. A major decision maker may well have chosen the
configuration just to be different; Ducati had the 90-degree arrangement
while Harley had their 45-degree engines so Yamaha more than likely just
went for the figure in between those two. This turned out to be a strange
decision as all they achieved was a short, tall engine that would eventually
go on to be fitted into ever longer chassiss, while the height created by
the closely coupled cylinders caused there own problems for carburetor and
fuel tank placing, although nothing as extreme as the problems facing the
monolithic HD power plant. These problems were overcome in later designs
first by positioning some fuel low down beneath the seat and pumping it up
into the carbs via a fuel pump.
Holding the whole plot together was a new pressed steel,
monocoque, frame incorporating the air filter passages, saving much space
and aiding the compact nature of what could have been a very large machine.
With a seat height of only 750mm, lower than most commuter machinery many
times smaller in capacity than the XV, the bike was appealing to all, no
matter how short they may be in the leg department.
Quite surprisingly, bearing in mind its custom pretensions,
the wheels were very much in the LC350 sweeping style, these were replaced
with wire wheels on the Virago models. Carrying on this approach, the rear
end was held up by a single shock Monoshock absorber just like the LC and
DT model range from previous seasons. The single shock rear end was a bit of
a Yamaha trademark during the 70s and 80s, having been used to great
effect on the factory motocross and road race machinery since 1973, the DT
175 and 250 trail bikes first sported this design on the road back in 1978.
The XV moniker comes about using the analogous nature of
previous Yamaha models the X meaning four-stroke, as in XS and XT, while the
V is self-evident. The engine is similar to the larger TR1 998cc machine,
the stroke and even the valves in the cylinder head are identical with just
the bore size denoting the actual capacity of the engine. The major
difference being the use of an all enclosed final drive chain on the larger
capacity machine while the 750 made do with a shaft drive. By 1983 the life
of the monoshock XV750 was well and truly over in the UK and the type was
discontinued. Great emphasis was placed on the 1000cc version and this
carried the V twin flag for Yamaha in the UK for the next six years. In 1889
the capacity of this big cruiser was upped, via a longer 73mm stroke, to
1063cc and three years after that the 750 Virago returned to UK showrooms.
The later XV750 virago came with thicker, 38mm, fork stanchions and dual
disc brakes while the monoshock suspension was dropped in favor of the true
cruiser twin shock set up, making the three quarter litre bike look every
bit as convincing as the full capacity version.
Across the pond, the 700 Virago had remained as part of the
US Yamaha sales fleet throughout this period and many have since found their
way onto the UK scene as imports. During 1983 the potential for the XV in
the all-important US market was held back because of a tax placed upon
imported motorcycles of 700cc and over. This was to allow Harley Davidson to
maintain a lead based upon price as, not being imported, the tax didnt
apply to them. Yamaha responded by reducing the bore size of the XV750 from
83mm to 80.2mm to give a tax-exempt capacity of 699cc and the type remained
on sale. 1988 saw the removal of the levy and the full capacity XV750
returned to the Yamaha dealers showrooms.
In 1987, the baby of the family, the XV535 was introduced
and for the first time cruiser sales in Europe began to match those of the
USA as the incredibly small and compact machine attracted a whole new type
of biker into the market place.
Cruiser style machine are now prolific and form a large part
of most manufacturers range, and it all started with the XV750SE.
Lets not forget the rest
To get the full on cruiser look and feel there was little
out in the market place except the machines from Harley Davidson, like the
XL-1000 and FXE-1200. The Japs were already producing cruiser style machines
but these were based on existing roadster models, equipped with higher bars
and more than a little kitsch. A good example of this would be the Kawasaki
Z650 D2, structurally very similar to the basic Z650 model but fitted with
cosmetic enhancements to create the custom style. Perhaps the only true
cruiser to challenge the XV ethos, outside of the HD range that is, would be
the Moto Guzzi California, although many would have been put off from buying
this unique machine due to its quirky engine characteristics and even
stranger braking set up. The linked brakes, that see the left front and rear
disc operate together, makes the foot pedal far more effective than the
single front disc and this does take some getting used to. Before the XV750
no Japanese manufacturer had taken on the task of creating a pure bred
custom machine, the XV/Virago series changed all of that and now most
factories produce them in one form or another.
Oh Dear!!
The main fault to be found with any of the XV series can be
discovered without turning a wheel. Simply pressing the starter button will
inform you whether or not the XV under you has a starter motor problem. The
starter motor drives a pair of planetary gears that can slip under load and
an effective repair can be tricky to implement. The best cure to date
appears to be the fitting of some extra shims to tighten the starter motor
body up and prevent further slipping. Yamaha never did find a cure for this
problem throughout the life of the entire XV series and advised against
taking preventative measures, the end of the starter mechanism should be
relatively free in case the engine ever backfires during the starting phase.
Should this happen then serious mechanical woe could be caused although
surely it is far better to be able to start the bike in the first place than
worry about something that may happen once in a while. Not really a failing
but something to keep a regular eye on is the oil level in the rear part of
the shaft drive. All too often this has been neglected resulting in serious
and expensive damage occurring to the bevel gears.
Yamaha XV750 Tuning tips
With little reason to pep up a 750cc, air-cooled, V twin
there isnt much in the way of evidence of anyone having carried out much in
the way of tuning and similar work. To get the standard bike running even
better than they do Dynojet offer a range of stage one kits, for the 81-83
XV fit kit DJY-4113 and for the 92-96 model kit number DJY-4128 is required.
The standard exhaust system is a tightly restricted piece of pipe work and
great gains can be had simply by fitting open ended cans. The exhausts are
prone to corrosion too so after market items are often the norm in any used
machine.
The engine can be safely increased in output as the lowly 60
bhp produced is not enough to overcome the transmission and shaft drive.
Stan Stevens did big bore and breath on an XV1100 with some success bumping
the horsepower up from 58 hp to around 78 hp with a sizeable increase in
torque as well. If you are happy with your V twins engine performance, and
why shouldnt you be, then concentrate on the chassis. Unique to the XV750SE
is the cable that operates the rear shock, this can be altered to give an
extra couple of spring pre load settings previously not available with the
standard set up. This can make life more bearable for those carry heavy
loads or luggage as well as a pillion.
Source
Make Model | Yamaha XV 750 Virago |
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Year | 1981 - 85 |
Engine Type | Four stroke, 75°-V-Twin cylinder, SOHC. 2 valve per cylinder. |
Displacement | 748 cc / 45.6 cu-in |
Bore X Stroke | 83 x 69.2 mm |
Cooling System | Air cooled |
Compression | 8.7:1 |
Lubrication | Wet sump |
Induction | 34mm Keihin carburetor |
Ignition | Transistorize |
Starting | Electric |
Max Power | 55 hp / 41 kW @ 7000 rpm |
Max Torque | 64.7 Nm / 47.74 lb-ft @ 5750 rpm |
Clutch | Wet, multi-plate |
Transmission | 5 Speed |
Final Drive | Shaft |
Front Suspension | 38mm Telescopic |
Front Wheel Travel | 145 mm / 5.7 in |
Rear Suspension | Mono shocks preload adjustable. |
Rear Wheel Travel | 100 mm / 3.7 in |
Front Brakes | Single 298mm disc 2 piston calipers |
Rear Brakes | 200mm Drum |
Front Tire | 3.50-19 |
Rear Tire | 130/90-16 |
Rake | 32.0° |
Wheelbase | 1520 mm / 59.8 in |
Seat Height | 710 mm / 28.0 in |
Ground Clearance | 145 mm / 5.7 in |
Dry Weight | 225 kg / 496 lbs |
Wet Weight | 238 kg /; 524.7 lbs |
Consumption Average | 16.9 km/lit |
Braking 60 - 0 / 100 - 0 | 14.1 m / 40.4 m |
Standing ¼ Mile | 13.8 sec / 149.6 km/h |
Top Speed | 178.8 km/h / 111.1 mph |
External Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 2019 K&L Supply Co Catalog. K&L Supply Co. 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2019 Western Power Sports Catalog. Western Power Sports. 2019.