So stay away from any V-4 bikes? Like a Virago?

[Bminder]

Here's a Virago, any opinions on if this is a good beat around town bike?
http://wyoming.craigslist.org/mcy/4391458839.html

[rktmanfj]

Viragos are V-twins...   

[Bminder]

Viragos are V-twins...   

V-4, V-twin, tomato, tomahto. 

[Country Joe]

bminder,
That looks like a 535 Virago. I don't  think those had the starter clutch issues that the earlier Viragos did.  I have never ridden one, but all I have heard or read about them is pretty positive.
Joe

[Arnie]

Totally different engine than the Virago 750 that had the starter problems in the early 80s.
For $1000.00 it looks like a steal. 
Don't expect anything like FJ performance, but it should be a good around town bike and pretty comfortable on the highway.

Arnie
I had an '81 XV1000RH, the grandfather of this bike for 12years.

[andyb]

Post has already been taken off CL
I've ridden a Virago, and it made so little impression that I don't know if it was a 750 or a 535.  I remember it was unintimidating, but not much else.

[FJ_Hooligan]

What are you looking for?

Is this a second bike? Commuter? Project?

I'm assuming you have an FJ, what else do you need?

[ribbert]

Post has already been taken off CL
I've ridden a Virago, and it made so little impression that I don't know if it was a 750 or a 535.  I remember it was unintimidating, but not much else.

I was offered a ride on one once but wasn't prepared to take the risk of being seen on it.

Seriously, if I was buying a hack for around town it would be a 250. You can chuck them around like a push bike, in fact after the FJ, they feel like a push bike.
I had a VFR250 at home for a while (not mine) well, the house was, and become very fond of it for city work. I loved the lightness and it's small physical size and it had enough grunt.
I also had a near new 250 scooter on loan for a while too. I like that for the same reasons and it had bucket loads of storage and good weather protection.

250's are a LOT cheaper to run.

Buying a second big bike for a daily rider around town just because it's cheap doesn't necessarily make it the best choice. Far more potential as a money pit too.
Where I live smaller engined bikes are cheaper to register to, by about half.

Noel

[novaraptor]

Gotta agree with Ribbert. My in-town ride is a chinese 250cc touring scooter. Faster off the line than most of the cars without going WOT. Can hit the interstate up to around 75mph if you need to. Runs the streets around 45 or 50 easily with some grunt to it from 40mph up. Shiftless, which is great in traffic or when the lights are running against me. Plastics are kinda cheap, but the engine is a linhai-yamaha clone, and no problem in two years. But, scooter or motorcycle, the 250's are a lot of fun in town.

[Bminder]

The only problem I see with a scooter is that I'm 6'5" and 255.
I would look like a circus bear on a little bike. (My secretary thinks I look too big for the FJ!)
I do have a little pride and ain't ready to turn in my man card yet.

[Dads_FJ]

how much you lookin' to spend?

http://wyoming.craigslist.org/mcy/4385032513.html

[novaraptor]

True enough on the 50cc scooters, but my mc-79-250 touring scooter is maybe 3 inches shorter than my fj1200, an inch or 2 less wide, and sits taller. Only about half the weight. I'm 6'1", and around 230lbs.
I took the liberty of browsing CL in your area, and you are pretty limited in what is offered without traveling. I don't know your budget, but I think that if you find something that you like in your price range, it is good to find out what problems that model/year had, but I wouldn't be reject it just on "known problems". If they are simply older bikes but have been well maintained, then there is a good chance that the problems have already occured and been fixed, or that it didn't exist on that particular bike.
Certainly, it's important to make sure there is a parts supply still available, so shy away from ads that say "rare". That usually means that nobody liked it when it was new.  I wouldn't simply reject a v-4 because it's a v-4. If your intended use is around town, and you don't plan on flogging it to death, the fact that the bike is still on the road 15 or 20 years later means alot..
So, it's good that you are taking the time to look and inquire. You will find the one that you like. Will there be some problems? Maybe. Can they be fixed? Usually.. Good luck, and good riding..

[rktmanfj]

Viragos are V-twins...   

V-4, V-twin, tomato, tomahto. 

I'm still trying to get past this statement.   

[~JM~]

I rode a Virago once. I couldn't get off the bike fast enough.

I really enjoy pushing a bike & myself to my limits in the corners. If I can scrape a footpeg in a turn, so much the better. I really appreciate a Dirt Bike to Sport Bike type of riding position & ergonomics. The Virago had such a laid back riding position, that I felt like I was water skiing around the turns. Couldn't stand the vague feeling going around the turns on the thing.

Just not my style of bike.

~JM~

[Bminder]

I rode a Virago once. I couldn't get off the bike fast enough.

I really enjoy pushing a bike & myself to my limits in the corners. If I can scrape a footpeg in a turn, so much the better. I really appreciate a Dirt Bike to Sport Bike type of riding position & ergonomics. The Virago had such a laid back riding position, that I felt like I was water skiing around the turns. Couldn't stand the vague feeling going around the turns on the thing.

Just not my style of bike.

~JM~

That's good to know. Thanks