Intruders-Alert

I have a line on what seems be a very good deal on a 1996 XV1100 Virago. Owner is asking $1000, it has 22,000 miles. He says it's in good shape and runs except is now pissing fuel out of the carb after sitting for a year and doesn't want to idle. That doesn't scare me, I've been that route a million times...

I've done a little looking around, it books retail about $2300 and that's what I'm finding for asking prices on private ads, within $200 one way or the other...so it could be a very good deal.

Anyone know of any inherent issues I should check for? I know some Viragos had a problem with their starter clutches but memory seems to say it was smaller displacement models and earlier than this one. Anybody know for sure?

Anything else?

I'm no expert on Viragos but I think you are right in that they'd fixed the starter issue by 96.

From everything I've heard they are pretty solid. Kinda weird looking IMO, but solid.

Good solid bike

I like it...reminds me of the 1400.

I rode one once a long time ago. Very small bike.

Of what I've heard from friends the Virago is a great in town machine.....fuel mileage average and the ride is comfortable at slower speeds...
only drawbacks that I am aware of are seating position for taller riders and the unmistakable vibrations ( or should I say shimmering ) above 70 mph...it just needs a taller fifth gear....
that's all I got
The selling price is reasonable no doubt but do keep in mind repairs are in order but if you're doing most if not all the repairs yourself...parts is the only costs you will incur.....and finding them may be a hassle also.....mileage of 22,000 for a '96 is awesome.....should be on it's second or third set of tires...... and I'm sure the owner does not have a maintenance record......no one other than wrenches kept that sort of history
Good luck if you buy it....I'd like to hear your review of it [emoji106]

With lots of old new bikes around in 1985 I got a new 1982 750 Virago for $1800 to ride to work and back instead of my usual old finds.Liked it so much started taking trips on it all so. Most my big bad fours were not rode much at all. Put 47,000 on it in 22 months! At around 30,000 the starter started to give trouble. Easy to get off as no frame rails on them.Clean and replace a shim that was cheap and good for another 1,000. All so unlike the 1400 Suzuki they roll start really good. [emoji2] A good friend loved the thing in ride trades and had a old 650 Yamaha twin. He wanted to keep it so priced it to him for $750 and he jumpped on it. He knew all about the starter but he only rides maybe 1,500 a year so no big deal.
In 1985 The 920 was replaced with a 1000 and got the all new lots better starter.Next year it became the 1100 like now and the smaller but same bottom end 750 got it all so. The smaller 500/535 never had the starter troubles..I know of a few one owner ones with over 100,000 and running good. I liked mine in had enough power to go any where and a well balanced bike.Simple lock nut valve adjustments,shaft drive,mag wheels. The way things are selling now go for half book even if it looks really good.

rode a friends a little more vibration than the Intruder and wimpy ass 7/8" handlebars. The early 920s had some weird ass carbs that's all I know.

My first street bike was Honda’s CB550/4...




Kept it until 1993 when I picked up my first brand new bike, a Ninja ZX11...I wish a still had my old Ninja..that bike was fun as hell.

Just looked on Craigslist and a real nice looking one with leather bags,sissy bar,shield, and rear rack with 22,000 and says starts right up even after setting a while.Guess I have had too many solid mound Harleys but mine was perfect on trips running over speed limit every where and it was a 750.Far less vibs than my 1400.I am 5 10. This one is $1,995 OBO. With that and need space, moving , would not offer over $1,000. Its in Cincinnati....

old time rider wrote:Just looked on Craigslist and a real nice looking one with leather bags,sissy bar,shield, and rear rack with 22,000 and says starts right up even after setting a while.Guess I have had too many solid mound Harleys but mine was perfect on trips running over speed limit every where and it was a 750.Far less vibs than my 1400.I am 5 10. This one is $1,995 OBO. With that and need space, moving , would not offer over $1,000. Its in Cincinnati....

Yeah it looks like most PP sellers are just starting at retail and seeing where it goes...just because they ASK that much doesn't mean they get it, obviously. But it seems if it was rideaway perfect it would be priced about twice what he's asking ($1000)...I may try to see how he feels about $800 or so, but I'm not holding my breath....

The other contender right now is a 1995 Honda Shadow ACE 1100 comes with bags even though not on in this pic. Asking $1500, may be negot. I don't get along well with Hondas, however. Never have. And I HATE the sound of a Shadow. But i could live with it if it was quiet. When people put barky pipes on them, I just wanna knock them down at a red light [emoji2]

MadCow wrote:My first street bike was Honda’s CB550/4...




Kept it until 1993 when I picked up my first brand new bike, a Ninja ZX11...I wish a still had my old Ninja..that bike was fun as hell.

OOOOOhh. That's pretty....who polishes your gleaming chrome? would you like to come over and polish up an old intruder?

navigator wrote:

MadCow wrote:My first street bike was Honda’s CB550/4...




Kept it until 1993 when I picked up my first brand new bike, a Ninja ZX11...I wish a still had my old Ninja..that bike was fun as hell.

OOOOOhh. That's pretty....who polishes your gleaming chrome? would you like to come over and polish up an old intruder?

That's not my bike, but it is identical to the one I had.

MadCow wrote:
That's not my bike, but it is identical to the one I had.

I kinda knew that. [emoji2]

Had a new 74 CB 750.Had a 71 500 four that be came the 550 later. The little gutless 350 four was the smoothest of them but slow.

old time rider wrote:Had a new 74 CB 750.Had a 71 500 four that be came the 550 later. The little gutless 350 four was the smoothest of them but slow.

I had the twin, '73 (IIRC) CB350 With disc brake front "G", maybe? Fun little bike. Put those shitty JC Whitney glasspack cans on it. Sounded radical.

jeffcoslacker wrote:The other contender right now is a 1995 Honda Shadow ACE 1100 comes with bags even though not on in this pic. Asking $1500, may be negot. I don't get along well with Hondas, however. Never have. And I HATE the sound of a Shadow. But i could live with it if it was quiet. When people put barky pipes on them, I just wanna knock them down at a red light [emoji2]

Those pipes don't look particularly quiet.

I agree on the Honda thing though - never owned one although have ridden quite a few over the years. Just never seemed to get along with them for some reason....

MadCow wrote:Kept it until 1993 when I picked up my first brand new bike, a Ninja ZX11...I wish a still had my old Ninja..that bike was fun as hell.

I graduated High School in '93. I was infatuated with the ZX6 that year, but I remember seeing the ZX11's on the showroom floor and being just in awe of them. 2001 I ended up getting a '94 ZX6 had loads of fun, but ran out of talent on it several times. It was amazingly comfortable, even for my 6' frame. I've sat on a ZX11 when I worked at the Kawasaki dealer, man did that fit like a glove! Still a good lookin bike, fast, lots of power. Now that I know more what I'm doing on one I wouldn't mind finding one in good nick for the right price someday... Goes on my "dreambike" list, along with a mint condition 916, and a late to mid 70's chopper

Jeff you had the last year of the 350 Honda twin. I had the first year a 1978 CL as in scrambler.1974 I think is when 360 replaced them and had so much cam chain trouble. Honda replaced lots of them under warranty first year. The one I liked the best in looks back then was the 66/67 250/305 scrambler. Still like the looks of them..