Virago1113
Active Member
So this is my first build after falling in love with cafe racers. I always wanted an old bike, like a BSA, but I have come to the conclusion that it is just too hard to get one. So I have moved on. I first stumbled upon people modding XS650s. Either bobbing them or making them into cafe racers. It caught my attention. I started learning that the metric bikes were much easier to find as well as numerous forums that were full of knowledge and companies with available custom parts. Having owned nothing but metric bikes (XS650, XS400, CB360, etc) in my youth, I always thought I was just settling on having a bike that was reliable, but just not styled well. Those bikes have been long gone, but I still have the itch...to have something to ride, but a project to have some fun with. I fell in love with 2 bikes...Doc's Chops Virago and the Zero Engineering Build out of the Netherlands. I liked both styles, the rear of Doc's and the original tank on the Zero. I started trolling Craigslist and found one. A '82 750 with about 22K on the clock. I bought it for $600. Everything was in good shape. The bad was a ladder had fell and broke the brake lever and cracked the speedo. It started but the battery wouldn't hold a charge and you had to tap the solenoid. I jumped in head first and took it home. I will say the best thing is that it was stored inside for most of it's life, but it is 30 years old. The other bad is the typical starter issues. If you have a Virago, then you know what I mean. My plan is to not alter it too much. My goal is to be able to bolt everything on, so in the future if I decide to sell it or find something else, I can unbolt the parts and put the bike back to original.
So here is what I plan to do with possible vendors that I will get parts from:
Drop the forks down the tree 2" and install clip ons and bar end mirrors.
Fork boots (eBay?).
New headlight and front signals (Dime City).
New single speedo (Dime City).
Bonneville Seat (Roc City Cafe).
Raise the back of the tank 2-3", custom bracket using original parts, repaint (not sure what color yet)
Custom subframe. Was going to use Doc's, but it looks like he has sold out on eBay and is not making any more until summer...can't wait...gonna build my own.
Seat pad (Roc City Cafe).
Zero Gravity battery (Not sure where I'm going to buy yet, who ever has the best price).
Exhaust wrap
Rearsets and universal linkage
tail light and rear signals
I have a budget of about $2500 ($600 being used already to purchase the bike), not counting any type of maintenance that needs to be done (carbs rebuilt, solenoid, oil change, etc). I hope that the maintenance doesn't kill me as I know that the starter issue is going to be fun, but if I was leaving it stock, I would be doing it anyways.
In the future I would like to do the rear wheel conversion to the front, but that will come last.
Here are some photos of the original bike when I got it home and then the teardown (which was way too easy for something being 30 years old). Not a single broken or stripped bolt. I did find one more issue, oil from the oil level sensor. I'm crossing my fingers that it's just the o-ring.
Let me know what you think...
So here is what I plan to do with possible vendors that I will get parts from:
Drop the forks down the tree 2" and install clip ons and bar end mirrors.
Fork boots (eBay?).
New headlight and front signals (Dime City).
New single speedo (Dime City).
Bonneville Seat (Roc City Cafe).
Raise the back of the tank 2-3", custom bracket using original parts, repaint (not sure what color yet)
Custom subframe. Was going to use Doc's, but it looks like he has sold out on eBay and is not making any more until summer...can't wait...gonna build my own.
Seat pad (Roc City Cafe).
Zero Gravity battery (Not sure where I'm going to buy yet, who ever has the best price).
Exhaust wrap
Rearsets and universal linkage
tail light and rear signals
I have a budget of about $2500 ($600 being used already to purchase the bike), not counting any type of maintenance that needs to be done (carbs rebuilt, solenoid, oil change, etc). I hope that the maintenance doesn't kill me as I know that the starter issue is going to be fun, but if I was leaving it stock, I would be doing it anyways.
In the future I would like to do the rear wheel conversion to the front, but that will come last.
Here are some photos of the original bike when I got it home and then the teardown (which was way too easy for something being 30 years old). Not a single broken or stripped bolt. I did find one more issue, oil from the oil level sensor. I'm crossing my fingers that it's just the o-ring.
Let me know what you think...