82 Virago 750 Cafe Racer (Done!)

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...

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Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Welcome to the forum! There are a few of us attempting to lipstick similar pigs; best luck doing likewise.

As to the starter - here's as good a list of fixes as you'll find: http://www.viragoownersclub.org/Dr%20Piston/81_83_starters.htm
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Rich Ard said:
Welcome to the forum! There are a few of us attempting to lipstick similar pigs; best luck doing likewise.

As to the starter - here's as good a list of fixes as you'll find: http://www.viragoownersclub.org/Dr%20Piston/81_83_starters.htm

Thanks, I have only had it since the 18th, but I have found many of the fixes and causes online. I hadn't seen this one yet. Looks like some interesting reading material.

attempting to lipstick similar pigs...I like that one!
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

goodpw said:
I'm on board, good luck with the build

Goody,

Looks like you went with the Benelli tank?

I like it, but the tank is way to rich for my tastes at this time.

What seat did you use? Do you have a build thread?
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Yep, I dropped lucky with the Mojave although it was a pepperpot, luckily I know a fekintriffic welder.
The seat is actually an RD250/350/400 Café seat that would normally be a straight swap for the standard seat. I really wanted a Motolanna seat but there was a back log of orders & I had the chance of this so went for it. The up side is its a bit longer with a bit more space to hide the electrics.
I don't have a build log but may start a sort of retrospective one soon just to show what I did where. but this is your thread so I won't bore the crap out of you with my build, but I will answer all I can.
Maybe not for you if you're keeping it as standard as poss but one thing that is very worth while is slimming down the electrics as there is loads of crap on these, a guy called Totallyredvirago has done a cracking thread to build a loom up to pretty much what ever you need on it.
http://viragotechforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=35947#p312943
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Seconded on TRV's barebones wiring diagram - quite well done and having just made one for an XV750 it is spot on.
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

goodpw said:
Yep, I dropped lucky with the Mojave although it was a pepperpot, luckily I know a fekintriffic welder.
The seat is actually an RD250/350/400 Café seat that would normally be a straight swap for the standard seat. I really wanted a Motolanna seat but there was a back log of orders & I had the chance of this so went for it. The up side is its a bit longer with a bit more space to hide the electrics.
I don't have a build log but may start a sort of retrospective one soon just to show what I did where. but this is your thread so I won't bore the crap out of you with my build, but I will answer all I can.
Maybe not for you if you're keeping it as standard as poss but one thing that is very worth while is slimming down the electrics as there is loads of crap on these, a guy called Totallyredvirago has done a cracking thread to build a loom up to pretty much what ever you need on it.
http://viragotechforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=35947#p312943

You should be able to see the rats nest that I have at the front and rear of the bike. I would like to slim it down, so i will be checking that thread. I have plenty of spare wire from my job, so I'm sure I could follow his directions and have most of the stuff to start with (cheap!).

I wanted the Motolana seat also, I liked the price but soiled myself when I saw the shipping cost. Went with the Roc City seat. Local guy, so I am not sending my hard earned US dollars for a foreign part (I say this while owning a Yamaha...). I can buy the seat pan first while I am building the subframe and then buy the cushion later...he is back ordered on them until the end of April. I am going with the Yamaha logo on the tank. Much better than the plastic emblem that is on it now...too '80s.
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Look up Ken Hosford on this forum - he just did an Aluminium seat for AgentX that is amazing, and goddamn if the price wasn't right. There are a couple other guys here - 'junior' and 'bradj', I think - that do custom metal work.
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Virago1113 said:
Local guy, so I am not sending my hard earned US dollars for a foreign part (I say this while owning a Yamaha...).

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http://rustrev.com, another forum member :)
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Update for today. I ordered the clip ons, speedo, seat pan, o ring for the oil level sensor, tail light, bar end mirrors, and non vacuum petcocks. My new carb boots and solenoid arrived today. Starting to feel like Christmas!

Talked to my body man about painting the tank and seat pan, but that will be awhile. He has left over paint from a job. Ford Orange Crush. Has a lot of flake in it. I like it, but my last bike was Dodge Go Man Go Orange. Gonna need a lot of black accents. Looks like the swing arm and rims are going to be black...

Carbs are at the local shop being rebuilt. The tech called me and told me I won the award for the dirtiest carbs so far this year...

Now the bad...

Found this today when I was making sure my carb boots were correct:

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Didn't notice it when I took the boot off. No way the boot is going to seal now. Guess I'm gonna have to fix it. Any ideas? If I can find a two part epoxy, I have enough room to drill and tap it.
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

I was wondering if I had to weld it. Was hoping to find an epoxy like J B weld but better so I don't have to send it out. I can drill and tap it myself, I have no worries there, but I can't wait to see how much it will cost to weld it.

The joys of owning a 30 year old bike!
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Update for today...

I dropped the forks 2" today. My clip ons and mirrors arrived and I put them on. I had to use my original grips, forgot to order new ones. The only bad thing is the choke lever hits the tank. I might have to shave it down with my Dremel.

I'm thinking about taking off the crappy caps on the forks for the air valves and replacing them with cool ones. 8 ball or something.

Just waiting for more parts to arrive...I really want my o ring to show so I can stop the bleeding...

My Wrangler is not happy since I moved the bike over to her usual spot, but hey it's sorta like spring so it's time to get her out anyways. I was able to take the plow off her today. I hope we don't get any more snow.

Sorry about the crappy iPhone pics.

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Tomorrow if I have time I may start on raising the tank in the back. I would like to wait until the seat pan arrives, but I can always tinker. Ran out of time today because 'Cuse was on. Great game though...onto the Final Four!

Let me know what you think!
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Attempted to raise the tank today with some scrap pieces of metal i had around the shop. I was partially successful. I was able to raise it 2", but when I put the tank on, I realized I welded it backwards! No worries though, I can take the piece that I made and take the measurements and draw it up in SketchUp and do it right this time.

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Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

Drew up the tank riser this morning in SketchUp. I'm hoping to go home and weld this up later tonight. This riser utilizes the original tank mount and clip for the Virago. I will be adding rubber to the riser to dampen vibration. I have it at home but forgot what thickness it is. The picture is for entertainment purposes only until I can weld it up and make sure it works (since I welded yesterday's creation backwards like a dumbass). I am using some 16 gauge steel that I had around from a different project. I bought it at Tractor Supply.

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Stole this picture from Doc's Chops. Realized I didn't have a picture of the frame without the tank. I may add another support so it sits on the frame instead of just the tank mount.

enjoy!
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

New update...

While waiting for all the rest of my parts to show up, I decided to weld up my tank riser using my SketchUp drawing. I think it came out well. I could have made it a little bigger. The width was good, but the depth could have gone to about 1 1/2" or so. I will have to make a nice top bracket as the original one is an ugly yellowish zinc color. I will also change out the bolt for something metric, as a 1/4-20 just doesn't look right. I may trim down the rubber cushions i used and glue them on later. It sits right and doesn't move, perhaps I did it right...

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I guess my seat is coming tomorrow. Winter is back for a few more days so I guess there is no rush. Perhaps i can start mocking that up. Still not sure when the rest of my parts are coming...

I hope someone will be able to use my drawing if they are doing a Virago. I might draw up the sub frame and anything else I come up with before I am done.
 
Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

My seat arrived today. I started mocking it up and I have hit a roadblock. I'm not sure how high I want it.

Check out the photos below and feel free to post which on you like better. I may have to add some fiberglass to make it all fit better.

I will be mocking up the sub frame once I get some ideas. I'm doing it with 1" EMT conduit. It's a little bigger than the tubing I am going to use, but @ $7 per 10' , it will be way cheaper if I screw it up.

This set is with the seat resting on the back of the tank.

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Here it is a little lower

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Re: 82 Virago 750 Project Cafe

My o-ring for the oil lever sensor finally arrived today. Since I am draining the oil, I figured it was a good time to change the oil and filter. When I popped out the sensor the old o-ring was broken. Put the new one in, changed the filter and put only 1 quart of oil in to see if it leaks...so far so good. If in the morning there is no oil on the floor I will add one more quart and see what happens. The sensor is pretty much the lowest point of the motor, so the first quart should have done it, but I want to be sure. That roasting pan is really an eyesore and a pita...
 
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