Dangerous to read here... maybe a MC !

[UncleS2]

I've been looking in here on the MC section for over a week now, began a few days before the great post with the old BMW video. I've never owned a motorcycle, and since I'm now closer to 60 than 50 yrs old, should just leave well enough alone. My only real experience was spending an afternoon over 25 yrs ago- totally unlicensed, illegal, & uneducated about MC's- cruising the local blacktop backroads on an old rough but functional Honda 305 Dream my brother had bought dirt cheap somewhere. It was *Great* fun- but he took the little Honda back to college, sold it and life moved on. The last time I looked into MC's was almost 20 yrs ago.

I looked at the thread here w/pix of everyone's bikes- why do most motorcycles look so doggone good? I began researching on beginner's bikes- just for fun, of course. Soon had it pared down to a short list of "everybody says" bikes, with what looked like 2 standouts. Then Craigslist- again just for fun- several thing temptng, none nice & cheap enough to do any damage.

But now I may be in trouble! May *Have* to take that MC safety course everyone recommnds, because I found one of those standouts:

07 Yamaha Virago 250cc V-twin, garage-kept & VG cond(maybe as new?), again, less than 125 miles!

), starts & runs well but idles poorly(wanna bet it's from 3-4 yr old gas?) & needs carb cleaning(or mebbe some fresh gas With Regane?!

).

It's that gorgeous Black Cherry color.

It's (help me!) within driving distance, < 500 mile round trip. Have pickup, will travel- and have a 4x8 utility trailer, with tiltable mesh bed & angle-iron siderails. Bound to be a way to haul it on the trailer standing upright- maybe big zip ties to anchor wheels to mesh floor, then buy a set of 4 ratchet straps & apply equal pull from both sides?

What does he want for it? Substantially less than $2K.

Ad placed Sat night- he might still have it.
I could sure use something to make me smile.

Anyone good at hauling a bike on a utility trailer?

 

[hate2work]

Dude, go for it! Don't deny yourself any longer of the pleasure you obviously miss so much. Take cash and talk him down as low as you can, bring it home and if nothing else you could get it running right and re-sell it.

It's easy to tie down a bike in a trailer, no need for straps just some good nylon rope if you have some, I'm sure the seller would help you do that.

Post the ad so we can all take a look

 

[suspiciousmind]

You can also think of it as insurance for the next gas crisis.....the thing likely gets better than 50 mpg.

 

[Spazdog]

Upright with 4 tie down straps will travel just fine.

I've moved with 2 straps on a 750...practically watching the bike in the mirror the whole time. It just sat there.

Be prepared for some carburetor work, but if you are fortunate a little SeaFoam and fresh gas will clear it right up.

Happy riding!

 

[beanoil]

Originally Posted By: Stuart Hughes

Ad placed Sat night- he might still have it.
I could sure use something to make me smile.

Anyone good at hauling a bike on a utility trailer?

Yep, done it hundreds of times. 2 4x4 wood blocks about 8 inches long with lag bolts through the floor of the trailer to keep the front wheel located. 2 standard Ancra tydowns (many cheap knockoffs will loosen up during your trip) from the handlebars to the front corners of the trailer. And if you are feeling spiffy, a 2 foot long "handcuff" tyrap around the rear wheel and through the floor of the trailer so it doesn't move from bouncing.
Take the safety course. Get some gear: helmet, gloves jacket and boots (all are affordable now especially with winter clearances, and new models introduced), and go enjoy yourself. There is nothing better in this world than a ride. Well, maybe one other thing, but riding happens much more often.
P.S.; a helmet, jacket, boots and gloves is less than 250 if you shop carefully and worth it weight in gold just to protect you from bugs, road debris, and wind. Done leave home without it.

 

[SuperDave456]

I'm in the same boat you are.
Haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid riding a mini bike.

Thought about taking the safety course while I was in the Air Force but never got around to it.
p
Now I have been hanging out here for a couple of weeks trying to figure out what I want.
I also can somehow justify it due to the price in gas going up. Although if I came home with one my wife would kill me.

I too have been shoping craigslist... and I kind of want to take some time today to drive across town and check out some motorcycle dealerships. As I have no idea what bike will "feel good" as I am 6"1' and I worry about long drives on whatever I may or may not purchase.

This forum is dangerous.

 

[UncleS2]

Y'all are a bad influence, that's for sure!

I was 6' tall when young, now about 5-10.5 to 5-11 depending on what day measured. Short inseam, ~30", 35 to 36" sleeve, and *way* too heavy. Still, the bike outweighs me by about 65 lbs. It would be incentive to lose weight too- if I'm lighter it'll go faster, yeah, that's the ticket!

OK, gotta call. It's probably gone anyway. No way I could drive today- but maybe tomorrow...

 

[Ken2]

Stuart

Find a Virago 250 to sit on and see if it fits you. If your legs aren't too long, maybe OK. If you are tall with long legs, probably not.

Absolutely, definitely, for sure take the training class.

 

[UncleS2]

See my dimensions above. With a ~30" inseam, a big concern of mine is being able to "flatfoot" the bike. Also weight; Most of the bikes that are anything bigger weigh at least 50% more than the Virago 250, some rec'd by a few weigh well over 500 lbs! No thanks, don't want anything that heavy. When I went on that one 3.5 hour afternoon ride long ago, I never dropped or laid down that old Honda Dream- partly because it wasn't real heavy.

I figure a Virago 250 will do to learn on, and be fun for backroad cruises for years. Lots of good Farm to Market roads right here in East Texas. Just gotta watch out for those tractors!

 

[ammolab]

You will be able to "flatfoot" that Virago as they are pretty low.

Not really necessary though as I have been riding/commuting daily for almost 50 years on bikes that I can not "flatfoot" and I have only fallen once.... slipped on an Oil puddle at a stoplight.

If you can get the ball of your foot on the ground you can do wonders...ballerinas do it every show!

 

[eljefino]

I fit my 82 virago 750 diagonally in the back of a short bed sonoma but I had to unscrew one rear turn signal.

Don't forget as you cinch stuff down you'll compress the bike's suspension. You want to cinch both sprung and unsprung stuff IMO.

I did the proper MSF-then-bike purchase route and got my Virago on price alone but am quite fond of it. I can reliably look at something and predict how much fun it is but m-cycling is 150% as much fun as it looks!

 

[Ausfahrt]

That sounds like it would be a great bike for you!

The utility trailer should work great but stop by Harbor Freight and bolt on a wheel chalk. It makes the bike much more secure and costs less than fifty bucks.

Good luck and keep us informed, here is my trailer:

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Stuart Hughes
With a ~30" inseam, a big concern of mine is being able to "flatfoot" the bike. Also weight; Most of the bikes that are anything bigger weigh at least 50% more than the Virago 250, some rec'd by a few weigh well over 500 lbs! No thanks, don't want anything that heavy.

I know exactly how you feel. I'm about 5'6-5'7, 30 inseam as well, 145 lbs. When I was starting out last year, being able to flatfoot was really important to me (still is), as well as being able to toss it around easily, which means low weight. You will eventually get used to bikes that weigh more, but it comes with experience. As you begin to ride, you will gain more confidence and additional weight will not bother you.

Virago 250 is a great little bike to learn on. I test drove a few of them last year. Ended up getting a Suzuki GZ250 which weighs the same, but has a somewhat more comfortable riding position. Virago's exhaust sounds nicer though. My current Vulcan weighs about 440 lbs, so 100+ lbs more than the GZ250/Virago 250, and I'm comfortable with it now, but not when I first started, right after finishing the MSF course.

One downside to small/light bikes is that they get easily tossed around by wind at hwy speeds, but when you're just starting out and are mainly riding the back roads, it's not that big of an issue.