xv535

I ride a XV535 that has been acting up the last couple of months. Symptoms include the perenial Yamaha popping while traveling at a steady speed, engine missing on exceleration (1st through 4th gear), and missing at a steady speed ie around 45kph in 3rd and around 70 kmp in 4th. The popping could be unburnt gas igniting, however it is not loud like a backfire. The poor performance is not constant. You can climb on the bike and it works great...no problems. At other times it runs great but after it is turned off overnight or just turned off to fill it with gas it will start to run poorly. I've had it into the Yamaha five times trying to resolve the problems. They have focused on the carbs, put in new jets, gaskets etc but to no avail. The mechanic has just about given up in frustration. We are now thinking that the problems could be caused bu the Transistor Control Ignition System (TCI). I have been reading the Clymer Service Manual and it states that while these types of performance issues can be caused by worn or improperly adjusted carburators, the "odds are far better that the source of the problem will be found in the ignition system rather than the fuel system". Has anyone out there had a TCI failure, and if yes, what types of performance problems did the engine exhibit? Thanks for the input. RM

Spring/summer/fall HJC full face helmut with built in sun shade Joe Rocket textile jacket with removeable liner for spring and fall riding Rock hard armoured gantlets Winter No one rides in winter in northern BC Also started wearing a high viz lime green and red fluorescent safety vest over my jacket after almost being wiped out by a pickup. Looks ugly but everone can see you!! RM

Hey Steve welcome to the site. You said you boght a new tank and carb. Are they new or used? If new you didn't just get a good deal, you stole them! RM

Hey Aaron welcome to the site. There is lots of usefull information here and lots of great chat. Ride safe. RM

I'm in agreement with the vast majority of replies. We all have to make numerous choices each day and we have to live with the consequences. Most of us are able to make the correct (or least wrong) choice most of the time. When we make a bad choice we manage to live with the consequences. For most of us, the wrong choice will not cost us our life, but it may cost us money or impact our job or personal relationship. Some people habitually make the wrong choices. We all know a few of them. Most of them blame everything or everyone except themselves. I hate to see someone loose their life over the theft of a bike, a car or whatever they stole. But the fact remains they deliberately made three wrong choices...they stole a bike... they decided to ride it without a helmet...and they chose to ride it at a speed that exceeded there skill level. Perhaps they should have stolen a helmet first. Western societies are so screwed up now a days. The courts and a significant portion of the population are simpathetic to the criminal. They try to find excuses and give lawbreakers the benifit of the doubt for their actions instead of recognizing that some people are just bad people. If you give them a light sentence they leave the court room laughing and they will steal or murder as soon as they get out. If you give them a tough sentence they will also steal or murder when they get out but at least they will not be laughing when they leave the court room. The guy who owned the stolen bike is lucky that some bleeding heart judge didn't charge with manslaughter for failing to leave his helmut with the bike! To bad he died...but the good news is I don't have to worry about him stealing my bike now! RM

I ride a 535 also and I have started to have some carb problems that he dealer can not solve. The engine misses every now and then, and there is a popping sound. We have checked the obvious things, put in new jets, checked the carb for air leaks but still have not solved the problem. In frustration I asked the dealer to track down a set of new carbs. The price of the new carbs was $1500. I am not sure what that is in pounds but it is more than I am prepared to pay. RM

Hey Riders here is a web site that explains what the letters and numbers included in your Virago Model mean: http://www.viragoownersclub.org/models.htm Hope this helps answer some questions. RM

Hey Mike1949...No problem and I agree it is a mite colder here.

OOOoooppps. Try this one (it worked for me). http://www.eol.ucar.edu/homes/rilling/wc_table.html

Most of us ride as long as we can and then put our bikes away once the temperature starts to drop, but some die hards ride even when the temperature drops below freezing. The attached link takes you to a wind chill table that shows the wind chill (riding temperature) at various speeds and various temperatures. A bit of advice for all you riders from Scotland...wear long johns under yer kilt, eh! Rocky www.eol.ucar.edu/homes/rilling/wc_table.html

Hey Gas Up You bet I was lucky. Scared the socks off me! Nice picture. The one that hit my bike was a lot smaller though. Was the picture taken in Vancouver? Why does everyone have blue faces? RTM

Welcome to the forum, Bunney. What year is your bike?

Yesterday while heading to town a bird flew across the road and hit my my handle bars just below the right mirror. I can only imagine what the result would have been if it had hit me. It's tough enough having to watch out for cars...now the birds are after us too!

Looks great Liam.I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Remember rubber side to the road. Have fun! RM

I agree with the comments about the bike light appearing to flash when you hit a dip or a bump. These are good points, but in Canada where I ride, flashing your light is a warning, it is not telling someone that they have the right of way. On a straight stretch it is a warning of danger ahead (ie the danger might be an accident or even a radar trap ahead.) I think Barkwindjammer inadvertantly raised another issue. There are a lot of local 'customs' that a new rider might not know or a rider from another country might not know when travelling. I could get my self in trouble by flashing my lights thinking I was warning someone not to pull out when infact, they think I was telling them to pull out. This just emphasises that in travelling to a different country one should be extra carefull. RM

laughable

Hey Windjammer I'll keep that tip in mind if I ever ride a bike in Scotland....better yet, I think I'll drive a car to avoid being pasted at an intersection!! RM

Hotshot

German

Upper

are red

Neat...but if you want awesome well here it is.....AWESOME!!

All great comments. You always have to look out for your own safety and riding is getting more dangerous because a lot of the drivers are using their cell phone to talk or text instead of watching the road. I almost got wiped out by a car pulling out from a side road two weeks ago. I have always watched cars at junctions extra close. I now flash my headlight from low to high and try to use the full width of my lane so they see the extra movement. Just another trick to catch their attention....and to live to ride another day!

Hi Ladystrike Just wondering if you purchased the Virago 535 or if you purchased a different bike.

All Virago's were shaft drive with the exception of the '81-'83 Euro models.