People go to the resort for two reasons. The first is to treat the prostate and liver overworked by immoral excesses. Drink warm, rotten mineral water, which makes you think about urine therapy. Bask in the sun and play backgammon with the same morally corrupt intellectuals at the resort. But the second goal is much more romantic - to start a holiday romance. Meet the passion of the day – a sultry woman, a poet’s dream: Yamaha Virago XV-750*.
Simplicity and grace – this is the “salt” of the Yamaha XV750 Virago Airbrushing: A mermaid of unearthly beauty looks languidly into the distance
The young woman was no longer young – she was produced in 1994. But nature gifted her generously. The first thing that catches your eye is the Rubensian-shaped gas tank, painted with stunning airbrushing. A feminine mermaid of unearthly beauty looks with a languid gaze into the distance. In her hands is a staff inlaid with small dolphins. At the feet of the tailed beauty, a magical carp froze, guarding Her Highness. Same carp
The carp on the saddle leather is amazingly done
made by embossing on the leather of an exclusive seat. The picture is complemented by airbrushing on the side covers of the glove compartments, gold rims on the instrument glasses, leather covers on the steering wheel grips and the traditional abundance of chrome. But we are not in church, gentlemen! Closer to the body!
You plunge into the “Viragi” saddle as if into the arms of a sultry woman
Being close to Viraga makes you feel like you're not sitting on a motorcycle, you're immersed in it. Like in the arms of that same sultry woman. The steering wheel handles are soft and comfortable, they are as pleasant to touch as the breasts of a lover. The controls are located just right. The seating position is relaxed and very, very low. Therefore, even small pilots will feel confident. The footrests are moved forward, but not gynecologically
The landing cannot be classified as either a road or a chopper
extreme, but just enough to provide a comfortable, relaxed fit. The instrument panel is classic - made of two “glasses”, its readings are very easy to read. The only inconvenience is the lack of a full-fledged fuel level indicator. Instead, a light is installed on the tachometer dial, notifying the pilot of the need to refuel.
The dashboard is classic - made of two “glasses”
Considering the modest volume of the gas tank, it would be useful to be able to control the fuel level throughout the entire journey, rather than be faced with the fact that your beloved urgently needs to be fed. Another surprise: next to the light indicating low fuel level, there is an “eye” with mysterious captions in Japanese. Unfortunately, not knowing this language, it was not possible to understand the meaning of the inscription. Like any woman, Viraga has her little secrets...
A sultry woman can forgive minor bullying
Traditionally, foreplay is followed by climax. Having played with the motorcycle and felt all its charms, I moved on to more active actions: I decisively inserted the key into the lock! What happened next can only be described as follows: fireworks, the explosion of shells and the wail of sirens! The sultry woman got turned on half a turn! Despite the old English rule “Ladies don’t move”***, Viraga’s saddle began to dance in such an exciting way that no man would remain indifferent. Oh yes darling, do it to me!
Sultry Virago – submissive and pleasant to handle
On the move, the sultry Virago proved to be very docile and pleasant to handle. The smooth torque of the 750cc V-twin allows you to move through space so lazily that you feel like you can drive forever. If necessary, the device has a small reserve of dynamics. Acceleration, however, cannot be called thermonuclear, but it is quite enough for everyday trips. Interestingly, the engine easily tolerates high speeds, but at the same time delicately suggests that this mode is not for it. If you show wisdom, listen to the tips of an experienced lady and don’t let the revs rise above two or three thousand, then “using” the Viraga in this mode is much more pleasant. And most importantly, to the accompaniment of ri, characteristic only of a V-twin, you can do this for a very, very long time, practically without getting tired.
The Viraga engine combines high-torque power and high-speed performance
The five-speed Viraghi gearbox turned out to be quite clear and moderately noisy. The only thing is that, due to the unusual landing (which cannot be classified as either a road or a chopper), it took some time to stop making mistakes with switching. The mistakes were that the toe of the left boot periodically missed the CP foot. But after half an hour the mistakes disappeared.
When handled roughly, the Yamaha Virago turns into a fury
Viraga turned out to be submissive not only in terms of the elastic nature of the engine, but also pleased with its good handling. When I set off, I expected to feel the laziness in turns and locomotive maneuverability characteristic of choppers. It turned out I was wrong. The sultry woman steered very easily and flexibly in turns and even endured minor bullying. The fork with a fairly long travel absorbs serious potholes well. But a pair of rear shock absorbers turned out to be not so effective. On some potholes there was a noticeable bounce in the backside. So a sultry woman with a sparkle! If you try to persuade her to a relationship that is unconventional for choppers, then the Yamaha Virago turns from a submissive femme into a mad fury, starts kicking, butting and is even capable of throwing the would-be lover out of the saddle with all his belongings.
The front brake has a hard time stopping a hot Virago
The brakes don't stand up to criticism. The front two-piston calipers, coupled with rigid (non-floating) discs, turned out to be so oak that they couldn’t stop the hot Virago on the first try. Fortunately, communication with the weaker sex has developed a habit of surprises. To make the motorcycle slow down more or less actively, you need to mentally press the front brake lever with your entire
Cardan drive does not require much attention
fives (despite the fact that reinforced brake hoses are already installed!). And God forbid, if the lady did not have time to return to a strictly vertical position!... So, open your hands wisely - otherwise madam might kill you in the heat of the moment! The rear brake, although of a drum type, is quite effective. But keep in mind that when braking on uneven roads, the pedal may play a little in time with the movement of the rear suspension.
The leather on the Viraga handles is pleasant to the touch
In contrast to the brakes, I was pleasantly surprised by how great it was to “use” Viraga together. For the first time in history, the passenger-photographer not only did not complain about the lack of comfort and did not grumble about jerks during acceleration and braking, but even called driving the Virago a pleasure! Gentlemen of the jury! The ice has broken! Such a compliment to a motorcycle, and from the lips of a person who is only remotely into motorcycles (I rode a moped as a child), is worth a lot!
The last test of “Viraga” is its release to the resort public. In the district city of Pyatigorsk there were no difficulties with choosing a route: we had to visit the Flower Garden and Proval. No sooner had I entered the flower garden than a whole line of resort people gathered around the motorcycle. And when the photographer unpacked the camera, requests to be photographed began to pour in. The next stop was the famous Proval. The sparkling “Viraga” rolled into this realm of entertainment and money-grabbing. And with her appearance she caused a full house, a sensation and a storm of emotions.
Commerce on Proval was doomed to failure
Holidaymakers and newlyweds forgot about taking photographs in traditional Caucasian clothes and devoured the painted beauty Virago with their eyes. A huge crowd of tourists became so interested in the motorcycle that they completely forgot about the main purpose of their trip - Proval. And then the streak of a great strategist awoke in your humble servant. Should I try to make some money on the beauty of the sultry Virago? Imagination immediately drew a picture of a saucer with a blue border. However, commerce on the Proval was doomed to failure. It’s a shame that out of the entire crowd of holidaymakers willing to pay, only one bastard was against it: the tour guide. He quickly saw through the plans of the Combinator and began to yell at the son of a Turkish subject as if he had been stung. Gentlemen of the jury, this is not Rio de Janeiro!
“I’m leaving with a report to Novokhopersk. Don't wait until lunchtime. Your Suslik..."
A short but bright life with the Yamaha XV-750 Virago left warm memories. There was love, there was tenderness and passion. But “Viraga” is not well suited for serious family life. It’s difficult to travel long distances on it (due to impracticality at speeds above 130 and the small volume of the gas tank), it’s impossible to “shoot” on it. Leaving it on the street unattended is scary. But it’s a pity to drive in tail and mane as everyday transport. Therefore, parting with Viraga-Gritsatsueva turned out to be as inevitable as death and taxes: “I’m leaving to report to Novokhopersk. Don't wait until lunchtime. Your Suslik...”
Anton Barsukov, photo by Viktor Akilov.
* “Virago” translated as “baby-woman, Amazon, warrior woman.” ** "The twelve Chairs". *** “A lady doesn’t move” is one of the rules of conduct for society ladies of the Victorian era. In the family lodges of ancient England, high-society women were expected to lie down like logs and restrain themselves from showing emotion.
Acknowledgments: • Alexander Kirilevich for providing the motorcycle for testing. • Sergei Karpov for preparing the motorcycle for the test.
On the cover of the front brake reservoir there is an engraving of Yamaha Virago created for posing. “Viraga” steers easily and flexibly in turns.
Technical specifications
General data Model Yamaha XV-750 Virago Model year 1994 Dry weight, kg 220 Dimensions, mm 2285*840*1190 Wheelbase, mm 1525 Seat height, mm 715 Gas tank volume, l 12
Engine Type 2-cylinder, V-shaped (75 degrees), 4-stroke timing SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder Displacement, cm3 748 Dimensions, mm 83.0 x 69.2 Compression ratio 8.7 Max. power hp at rpm 54/7000 Max. torque Nm at rpm 58/6000 Power system 2 Mikuni/Hitachi carburetors with a diffuser diameter of 40 mm Air cooling system Starting system electric starter
Transmission clutch , in oil bath Gearbox 5-speed Main drive via cardan shaft
Chassis Steel spinal telescopic fork Front wheel travel, mm 150 pendulum suspension Rear wheel travel, mm 100 Braking system separate, hydraulic Front brake 2 discs 310mm, 2-piston calipers Rear brake drum Front tire 3.50H- 19-4PR Rear tire 130/90-16 67H
Appearance
The Yamaha XV 1000 Virago looks like a classic cruiser. This can be seen in the photo. Regardless of the lighting, the typical class elements immediately catch the eye: exposed details, low seat, high front end. Some may consider the windshield superfluous here, but it can be easily removed if desired.
The wheels are alloy, no frills. However, this is usually done on cruisers. The cornflower blue frame color suits the motorcycle especially well. The bike also looks good in motion, as is clear from the video. The car moves smoothly and majestically, although not as impressive in this regard as the leading representatives of the cruiser class.
Technical features of Virago 400
How is the 400cc Yamaha Virago motorcycle different from other choppers? Air-cooled V-twins have one common problem - the rear cylinder often overheats. But, examining numerous reviews on the Yamaha Virago 400, there is no mention of overheating. Thanks to the large camber and the displacement of the second cylinder to the side, air circulates freely between the heads and effectively cools the engine. The power unit is stable even in extreme situations. Even bad gasoline can’t stop you from moving forward.
The cardan transmission , which replaced the chain a year after the start of production, only simplified operation. The reliability of the cardan became the calling card of the “Witch,” destroying many stereotypes. The annual replacement of fluids in the gearbox is all care and maintenance.
Comfort
The handlebars are located high, but given that it is relatively close to the seat, and the latter is small, this bike will be comfortable for people of relatively short stature. The car is suitable for driving together. This is evidenced by a small seat behind and above the rider’s saddle and the back of this seat.
As for the noise level, it can sometimes be high due to the cardan drive. The gearbox is comfortable, although among cruisers there are much more comfortable bikes in this regard. In terms of maneuverability, the model occupies an average position in the class. Of course, it cannot compare in this indicator even with road motorcycles, not to mention a sportbike or cross-country motorcycle.
Review of the Yamaha Virago 400 (XV 400) motorcycle
I skated for two seasons on Virage, the only problems I had were with the electrics, and even those were due to my youth and ignorance - because of a shitty battery, I solemnly killed the relay, and then the generator. Never overheated.
The advantages of the device in the city are that it can fit everywhere, handles perfectly, and is lightweight. Cons on the highway - after 120 it starts to wobble noticeably (short wheelbase, low weight).
When I first got behind the wheel of Viraga (this was when I bought the bike), I almost fell off, because... The motak set off quite briskly. Well, in principle, if you consider that before that I only drove a 125 cc Minsk and a half-killed IZhak, I got off lucky =) After driving, I became a little acquainted with the obstinate character of the Witch - the steering wheel was throwing from side to side, the gas did not want to be increased at all , then he jerked so hard that he almost flew away, but in the end he managed to control it a little.
Then, having brought it home, I went for a ride again. Already better. So little by little, over the course of a month, I learned the character of the Witch and seemed to be able to tame her. On an asphalt road the bike behaves perfectly, it rides smoothly, without dips or jerks, the gas is smooth. I tried to let go of the steering wheel once - I drove about 20 meters - there were no deviations in the trajectory, the steering wheel stood straight and did not wobble anywhere. Good shock absorbers also do their job - after the trip, the ass is absolutely not bruised, even if you are driving along country bumps.
On the country roads. In general, Viraga (and choppers in general) are not for country roads and villages, but since fate threw me, the unfortunate one, into a small town, then I often have to drive on roads that are more reminiscent of trenches =)
Even despite the low ground clearance, the Witch’s belly caught a couple of times (despite the fact that I drive on country roads quite often). It is, of course, difficult to drive over potholes, but it is possible. The bike steers great, but if you hit a bump or hit a hole, it’s not a problem, the main thing is not to drop the steering wheel =) I’ll mention the shock absorbers again - my ass doesn’t kick back! =) The bumps really shook me, but the bike has nothing anywhere fell off. Again, on the dirt road I let go of the steering wheel and drove smoothly. The main thing is not to ride on country roads for a very long time, so that the engine does not overheat, because the bike is an air bike, and you can’t really unscrew it over bumps.
The appearance is certainly not the healthy Vulcan 1500, but it’s not such a small bike either. Personally, I am 185 cm tall and weigh 74 kg. I absolutely don’t look like a gorilla on a children’s bike =) Chrome... Chrome - yes! Once you polish it to a shine, all the girls are yours =) Even the factory-built device looks very nice and dignified.
In general, my conclusion is this (even though I haven’t ridden a lot, of course, more experienced riders will say better) - the Witch is an excellent device for beginners (and not only =)). The main thing for a beginner is to tame it, get used to its temper and most importantly - to love the device!!!
Having been the owner of a Virago 400 for a year, I can share my opinion about this motorcycle. It was my first, and it really can be safely recommended as a first motorcycle to any person whose height does not exceed 185 cm and whose weight is approximately 90 kg
