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Information: This was my first taste of the legendary Virago line. I loved this bike. The only setback was the infamous starter problem. The photo pictured is borrowed. My bike was much cleaner and better looking by far! It had factory pasenger backrest and luggage rack, a windshield and much nicer seat!!! It will take many nights of searching, but I will find a photo of my Virago. Now for some Virago history. Few motorcycles can boast the heritage of Yamaha´s Virago: The first version of this machine was introduced in 1981, four years before Harley-Davidson´s Evolution engine hit the scene. The Virago even had a Softail-style suspension back then. Could all this have been the seminal influence for the Harley designers of the Reagan era?
The design centered around a 75-degree V-twin with an offset rear cylinder. They figured this layout would offer the optimum balance of wheelbase, weight bias, and vibration control while providing improved cooling for the rear cylinder -- Harley-Davidson cylinders are not offset -- they share a crankpin with fork-and-tongue connecting rods (one rod is normal and the other is forked on the end so it has two journals and resides on the same centerline as the other rod). Other than the introduction of new paint schemes every couple of years, Yamaha hasn´t changed the Virago since. And why should they? The classic -- dare we say traditional -- lines of the Virago series have amassed quite a following in its 18 years, spawning the Virago Owners Club along the way, and has become one of the most popular cruiser bikes in history. It was a sad day when the line was reduced to a mere 250cc model in 1999.
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