I can relate to the challenge of taking out and rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor. About two years ago I purchased a partially running 1993 Yamaha Virago 750, which looked quite similar to Sean’s. It broke down on my drive home with it. Turned out that the carb needed a makeover. It was a big challenge removing the carb, but especially trying to reinstall it. TH-cam was a huge help. Still riding the bike. Thanks for the fun videos Sean and Craig.
I love this video. Sean, your bike is nearly identical to what my dad owned. It's the one that I learned to ride on. I had just had a long term relationship fall apart, and my dad, in a rare moment, walked up to me, handed me the keys, and told me to go get out in the wind, get at one with the Spirit and let the pain ease. We didn't have very many times like that, but that one is etched in my heart forever. My mom wasn't real happy about me going out on it at all, like not a bit. Dad told her that I needed it right now, funny, that was all it took for her to just ask me to be safe and walk back in the house. I burned half a tank of gas, but getting to a nice park, watching the setting sun, praying, thinking, what a memory. I really enjoy your videos brother, keep them coming.
Can confirm, asking dealerships if they have any "special" bikes in the back for a deal is always a good chance. When I worked at a dealership, I got a Virago 1000 for a whopping $1 because some guy bought a motorcycle and couldn't bring it back with him, and it was too old to sell on the showroom floor.
@old man strength Yep, I bought 2006 Shadow like that, it was sitting at the side in the storage shed and they salesman never moved it so I asked the owner one day what the deal was and he said the guy dropped it off 5 years to have some work done on it and never came to pick it up, I paid $300 for it, I didn't want it but I knew someone that was looking for one. I loaded it up in my truck and went directly to the guys house and sold it to him for $600, They were happy because they got rid of it, He was happy because he got the bike he wanted and I was happy because I doubled my money for nothing more than loading it and delivering it.
Yeap. Some guy traded in a 400cc moped I guess and Harley jus let it sit and they posted it on Facebook. Only 200$. Went to Harley to get it and it just left. It was a decent brand to not a Honda but it wasn’t no tao tao
@@kylemcw8301 I actually sat up when you walked around the back thinking there was something you fixed but didn't put into the video. Thanks for the laugh :)
That's why I ask 33% more than I actually want for every bike I sell on the internet because "I want 1500 for it" always translate into "I'll give you $1200 for it", which is what I wanted in the first place..... you aint lowballing me cause I'll walk away without a 2nd thought.
Great job Sean. Here's a tip that works well for me: when taking something apart, snap a photo of it first on your phone. When you get down to the next layer snap another photo. Anything that might be tricky to get back together, snap another photo. Then just look back at your phone to put things back together. Ha ha, that was a fun episode.
OMG! Im 54 and my first street bike at 16 years old was an 82, 400 Yamaha Heritage Special! I'm stoked to see that they are still around. Mine was totaled when an off duty cop ran a red light on a 4 lane street, jumped the lane and wrecked me, my passenger and worst, my bike. It was small and handled well but my fenders were black not, chrome being it was an 82. One of my favorite options on that bike was the kick start. I felt so Fonzie kicking that thing over and hearing it jump to life. Sniff. I miss it. My mint 98, 1100 Shadow Tourer makes me feel a little bit better, though. Life is full of heartbreak but at least my passenger and I lived to ride again. Kick start on a bike you could bump start as easy as a 50cc puddle jumper. It was so fun!
@old man strength I lost that fight. It's a long story. Let's just say, I fought the law and the law made me look like a young fool. It was my first lesson in police culture and how far the justice system will go to protect one of their own.
Sean was literally, slaving away, at fixing his 500 dollar bike and somehow miraculously accomplishes it. Craig, zeroes in, on the 2 minutes of work his bike needed. Sean's "OH WOW" was freakin hilarious.
The same time you guys were doing this, i was buying the only titled bike on marketplace under $1000... just so happened to be a black 89 virago 1100. Got it full of green/yellow gas & "fresh rebuilt" carbs off, flushed fuel system, carbs on, fresh gas, ran good. Cleaned the carbs, runs great. Now just needs the updated starter gear. First road bike, got it in pieces, had it ridable within 24hrs. $400 well spent!
Way to go, Sean. It's such a great feeling when you fix a problem yourself. I encourage people to learn basic maintenance, especially if they have an older bike. Learning to clean a carburetor or diagnose electrical issues is totally doable in the age of youtube.
If I had a bike I would practically do most basic maintenance myself. Most of the time it doesn't even require you to get a special lift for the bike or w/e even for a simple oil change. It definitely saves few bucks and you know the bike is being taken care of really good.
I’m a biker wannabe! I had a Honda 750SS years ago that was supposed to be a cheap motorcycle project - NOT cheap!! Your ingenuity in achieving your goals for this project put a smile on my face! I’m encouraged for my next bike venture! Your show has improved constantly and is the right length and is interesting. Congratulations!
Love these videos Sean, a lot of people only can afford bikes like this, so it actually makes older cheaper bikes so much more fun. I had just as much fun on my mini bike as I have on my road star now. It’s just the love of bikes!
My bad, haven’t been around for a bit. Really enjoyed this clip though. I gotta tell you I picked up a’96 Virgo 750 for $1000 2 years ago. Clean title and running. I did some immediate motor cleanup and it runs really great.
I take back everything i ever said about Seans wrenching abilities. I was lmao at his comments about ever getting this back together & knowing when to walk away. But he did it & there was no one prouder except maybe himself. & WELL DESEREVED!!! the smile on his face when he told Craig he rebuilt the carbs, Craig said, you did & Sean says 'I DID" surprised & Proud of himself
I love this. I bought a Virago XV125 as my first bike for £275 and 3 years on, it's still going strong. The engines are phenomenal... everything else is messed up but hey ho. Speedo doesnt work, electrics dont work, ignition is... meh... indicators occasionally mess up, no fuel meter, prone to battery issues, rectifier always fries itself. It has been the best bike to learn from and It will always hold a special place in my heart
My first road bike was a 1981 Yamaha Heritage Special 400. It was dark ruby red and in near mint condition. I bought it from my uncle for 500 bucks sometime around 1986. I rode it through high school and college. Loved that motorcycle.
It's the same here in the UK, recently bought my first bike after weeks of looking. So many deathtraps out there that people want stupid money for. Always have adverts that go something like, "Easy fix just don't have the time, brakes not working" or "was running when parked, don't know whats wrong but been told it's a quick fix" finally found a good one, running, recent MOT (Yearly safety inspection) passed with no issues and not stupidly priced. Paid the guy full asking price for it because why would I low ball what seemed to be the only honest seller in the UK biking world?
I absolutely love the virago! I've fixed so many of them. Most of these old japanese motorcycles need a new stator and regulator after revival. That gunk on the stator wiring is a dead giveaway that someone knew something was up. Those hoses and piping that are connected to the carbs are Yamaha's EGR system. I usually pull all of that off and cap the ports.
Funny, my first motorcycle I bought off of someone who just had it sitting around, is a 95’ Virago 535. Bought it for $1000 and the only problem it had (unbeknownst to me at the time) was that it only ran on the front cylinder as well. I ended up spending a ton of time learning about motorcycle repair from the ground up and rebuilt the carb to get it running. This video seemed like my exact experience!
I had the same Yamaha, keeping the dual carburetors tuned together was always a pain. Especially in the mountains with elevation changes. But when they are working that bike will take off!
Sean, mate, just undo the overflow screw & use a straw/pipecleaner to push the flote that will let some fule through & you will at least find out if its that without doing all that work.
had 2 virago xv750s.. both were early 80's. one was an 83 and the other an 81 or 82. hard to find parts for those. when they are running they are AWESOME... but when it comes to repairing them good luck finding parts. also had a 92 virago 250,, not a bad bike but way too small for me.
Craig's bike is the ideal bike for me. Same age as me and enough cc to do what I want reliably. Although I wouldn't turn down the virago. If it weren't for having to start foundation repair and bathroom replacement from water damage I'd be all over shopping for a deal, like the virago especially. But I guess since I have that to deal with, and the fact I'm giving my hotrod grom to my son for his first bike in November, I will just have to sit on my hands and watch videos of other people riding.
I had to pause a moment and comment... you have a crazy amount of icons on your desktop! I thought mine was bad with the windows quick launch bar, but HOLY COW!!!! 2:08
G'day Craig & Sean, you guys successfully made me laugh, love the video. Craig's trade idea was hilarious. It was awesome to see Sean work on the bike and get it working.
I dig how you both got Yamaha's. I rode a 700(tariff year) Virago through The Rockies one year with my brothers and father, trading off with a Suzuki 1400 Intruder, and a Gold Wing, it was kind of good, I never liked the styling, but the bike was comfortable, and handled the best out of the 3. That little 400 though, that's a gem, that bike will probably last forever with even half assed maintenance.
That's a crazy high price for that 400 Special. I bought a 1980 version of that bike back in 1982 from a dealer and paid $1800 for it up in Canada. Funny enough, out of all of the bikes I've ridden, it was my favorite.
Great video! I have a '81 XS650Special stored in the back of one of my garages - don't ask. Since the kids are now grown, and if I get taken out, they'll be covered, I've gotten back into the bikes. I've bought a 2020 Indian Roadmaster - I walked in and, "what's the biggest you've got?" - not exactly, but close. I've been kicking around in the back of my mind to get that XS650 running again - it seems like both carbs should take care of it - they were pretty bullet-proof bikes back in the day.
I can't believe I haven't seen this awesome channel till today. Love the content and I can't wait to go through all your videos and see the newest uploads as they come out.. Anyways I hope that all is well with you and yours. 🙏🙏🍻
My son just picked up an 83 Goldwing for $600. He threw a couple of tires on it, a battery, and did some brake work. The things runs beautifully. I took it for a ride a few days ago. It really is a good bike. Im going to paint it for him this coming winter. There are good cheap bikes out there. You just need to look.
I had a Virago 535. I have always though the Viragos were some of the prettiest bikes Yamaha ever made. 1980's Yamaha XS and XV - awesome bikes. Now they make nothing! Do you guys ever add seafoam to your tanks with these old carb bikes.
i bought my second bike for 830 dollars, it was a honda cb 500 pc 32 with brembo brakes front and rear and around 60 hp. it was in perfect condition. i do miss it but it was a steal for what it is
I think my favorite thing about this video is I just bout a bike three weeks ago that’s the same as Sean for my first bike and it made my day but I love y’all’s content it’s awesome to watch what you guys do with bikes
Since you decided to ride the Virago around with only one cylinder firing, you are lucky that the problem was lack of fuel rather than spark. If that rear cylinder had been getting gas but no spark, it is possible that the raw gas would have washed away enough oil on the cylinder that the top ring would have scored the cylinder wall. The raw gas would also have diluted the motor oil. There are numerous stories of people who cranked and cranked an engine that would not start, only to later discover that they ruined it by scratching up the cylinder walls. FWIW, for an engine that has not run for a long time, I have been told to spray some Marvel Mystery Oil or fogging oil around the piston through the sparkplug hole to lube the cylinder wall and get oil to the top piston ring. Years ago I know that Briggs and Stratton sold an aerosol oil to do this for mower engines that had been stored over winter. I don't know it they still do. ps. The engine will smoke like crazy for a few minutes when started until the oil is burned off.
i see a lot of ads like, "bike runs awesome, just needs an oil pump!" or, "mint bike, runs awesome just needs valve adjustment" lol... if you didn't know any better they sound like small, minor things but as we all know, they're not! lol... then you get the ones that say they ''dropped it in the garage" and you get there and they're utterly totalled from a head-on with a guardrail lol
Woah this is awesome, to be honest just watching this makes me happy as I can’t afford a bike yet but hopefully later on I can. Thank you for making my days man!
From the clinches to knockout, you've yet again managed to raise your glove in victory. Just snatched up an 1986, XV-700 C a few months back, with a great many more issues than your dealer castaway. Saving the unloved and forgotten, has its perks.
You need to set up systems to search Craigslist for new listings. That way you can get the seller who wants it gone asap. I snapped up a not running bike for $400. $450 later it was running.
I love Verago's! I own an 89 750 it rode beautifully. Sadly I gave up riding bikes because I live in Texas and people cut you off and almost git killed.
The beginning of the year, i found a 2002 hond magna vf750 with 9000 miles that had bigger jets high flow exhaust and a high flow intake filter that was dyno tuned for $2700. Ran but had a bad regulator/rectifier. And it was clean as can be, no blemishes. I didnt think id like cruisers but I am blown away by how good of a bike it really is
Haa haa, my parents did that 45 years ago!! I still remember our phone number... my parents still have the same phone number... they still live in the same house, they have the same blinds in the same house... they pay $300 dollars a year in property tax, my dad makes $6000 a month from a pension from a job that only he worked while my mom stayed home.... Those were the 70's, 80's, and even 90's... now if both people aren't working we can't afford the one-bedroom apartment. And we'll never have savings, everything is too expensive... but I still remember the phone number!!
I love your videos but honestly I get jealous of how lucky you get. God is truly blessing you. I've been saving up for dualsport or something to get started since 2020 but health issues took that away from me recently. Heart problems are no bueno at 30 years old. Starting to look like Ill never be free on the road but god knows im never giving up. So for now ill just enjoy the content yall give out. Thanks a bunch!
I bought a Yamaha virago 250. 2013, with 300 miles on it , not the most powerful bike but it was super fun, and excellent on gas...I replaced the stock exhaust with drag pipes...the stock ones were weird as hell the rear pipe coming out of the motor was a tiny pipe hidden inside the normal looking pipe ....after I changed the exhaust it was way louder....I put 6 thousand miles on that bike the first month I owned it , I got it cheap cause it was used to give motorcycle training got my money out of it that's for sure ...I liked the Yamaha compared to the Honda rebel.
My 82 Virago 750 had a fuel petcock for each carb. So you had to remember to put BOTH of them on reserve if you were low on gas. The other option was to put the rearmost one on reserve all the time so the one that sat higher in the tank would starve only the front cylinder and that one you could reach with your left hand. So I know exactly what it feels like when your 750 twin starts running like a 375 single... with one cylinder doing nothing but being dead weight.
@@lanceweyel879 Well that other cylinder is still creating a bunch of friction, pulling air in (no fuel) so you get the additional power loss of having to compress that without the benefit of the expansion upon ignition. So basically worse than dead weight.
In Top Gear comparison, Sean is like a mix of Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson, knows what he is doing but also is more the guy for the exterior part of a project. Craig is a James May. Knows exactly what he's doing and can execute it very good but sometimes over complicated.
Same here. I've witnessed a lethal motorcycle accident as a kid and since that time I can't even sit on one without shaking. You'd think that 30 years would change that. This channel always shows what I'm missing out on 🙄
Wow such memories, my first bike 23 years ago was a 1986 Virgo 1100. Had it for 13 years, but every couple it would start acting up. I never got the carbs all the way out either, unplug everything, move and clean everything you can, put it back together and she ran great. Odometer cut out at 154,000kms, and I rode it for another 4 years.
Sean is such a cheater and I freaking love it. Always a way out with him. And that's actually an awesome find. My Virago 750 blew up when the back cylinder lost oil for a minute on the interstate. Apparently it's super common. Those tiny banjo bolts just gunk up.
@@Mouthy_Trucker And I'd already done two oil changes to make sure it was good. Only takes one small contaminant to break free and it's over. *Edit* typo
I missed your live session ☹️. I'm really excited for you though! Recently I cleaned up my 2004 Honda Shadow 1100 and honestly what a pain. 3 different products and lots of microfiber fibers! Ugh. I ended up getting better results from shop rags tbh. So... I will pledge too. Wishing you guys all the best. Prayers for you and all your family and friends.
Sean this is one of the greatest bikes ever built. I do own and ride a xv750, produced 1992 and absolutely love it! I have Only one question how did you rebuilt the carbs? This type of bikes need only good tuning and once you have it the road is yours. Ride safe!
properbly just gunk in the jet, it did sit for some time, the same thing happened to my xv250 from 89, old gasoline that had turned into goop, but even the virago is just as well build as the 535, 750 and the 1100
I rode many years. I can no longer ride due to medical conditions. I love your videos and I love the fact that you are not afraid to quote scripture. I wish I was still able to ride.
I gotta say your both entertaining, love those awkward moments between Sean and Craig. 😂 Ya watching this episode twice! The way you both walk over to see the bolt he replaced on the bike he bought was hilarious.
Great comment about building the motorcycle around the engine. Cars are done that way too ( seems like it sometimes ). Great jobs getting those bikes ( I like Sean's more though).
Craig that was the first motorcycle I ever owned. I has just taken the MSF the prior weekend and I was 16 and bought that for $400 in 1992. It was a 1981 Yamaha 400 Heritage Special, XS400SJ. I even had the backrest you had as well. It was sure great seeing that bike again and yes the kickstarter was awesome.
This is awesome, gives me a little hope of finding a cheap cruiser...definitely following this. Both those bikes together are cheaper than the build cost of my Manco Thunderbird mini bike, but I could probably beat the 750 in a drag race.
Got my budget bike for 05 shadow 1100 for $900 drove it home, clean title but took $500 in parts to make it fully right, new tires, carb rebuild, some electrical work, LED lighting upgrades and new breaks. The big difference, I looked for it most of the winter before I found it IE I had no competition or time lines. Fun video thank you.
At least you both started off with Yamadogs, hey I like those bikes. My first bike was a 1972 TX/650-A. THE GUY I got it from had dismantled it under a tree to paint it and marked all the wires with chalk, yeah, it rained and I got three crates of parts for free. One month later after painting it, I was riding. Sold that bike for $1200.00 and the fool who purchased it layed it down on the freeway a month later. That was the end of my first bike, and restoration...
I built a pretty cool little bobber out of a 1986 Virago 700. Chopped the rear frame off, solo seat, drag bars with bar end mirrors, the front fender became the rear fender, and some flat black and gloss green paint. I also added canvas saddle bags which caught fire one day driving down the road.
You mentioned "microfiber" I used one for the first time a few weeks back and I was surprised at how well it cleans. I use it to wipe down my motorcycle and it cleans my revolvers incredibly well. I like them so much I think I'll start doing commercials for them. LOL
I just got a 94 yamaha virago xv750 ran the same way 😂 i cleaned the carbs , float adjustment, and replaced the O rings on the seats , adjusted the idle and bam runs perfect
You can tell where their skillsets are.
Sean = Buying and selling motorcycles
Craig = Fixing motorcycles
I can relate to the challenge of taking out and rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor. About two years ago I purchased a partially running 1993 Yamaha Virago 750, which looked quite similar to Sean’s. It broke down on my drive home with it. Turned out that the carb needed a makeover. It was a big challenge removing the carb, but especially trying to reinstall it. TH-cam was a huge help. Still riding the bike. Thanks for the fun videos Sean and Craig.
I love this video. Sean, your bike is nearly identical to what my dad owned. It's the one that I learned to ride on. I had just had a long term relationship fall apart, and my dad, in a rare moment, walked up to me, handed me the keys, and told me to go get out in the wind, get at one with the Spirit and let the pain ease. We didn't have very many times like that, but that one is etched in my heart forever. My mom wasn't real happy about me going out on it at all, like not a bit. Dad told her that I needed it right now, funny, that was all it took for her to just ask me to be safe and walk back in the house. I burned half a tank of gas, but getting to a nice park, watching the setting sun, praying, thinking, what a memory. I really enjoy your videos brother, keep them coming.
Wow that’s awesome
Motorbikes & (air)guns*... two things guaranteed to ruin the day of any sons' mother! :-)
*We can't really have bullet-using guns in the uk
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc my man round these parts we just call them guns
Can confirm, asking dealerships if they have any "special" bikes in the back for a deal is always a good chance. When I worked at a dealership, I got a Virago 1000 for a whopping $1 because some guy bought a motorcycle and couldn't bring it back with him, and it was too old to sell on the showroom floor.
@old man strength Yep, I bought 2006 Shadow like that, it was sitting at the side in the storage shed and they salesman never moved it so I asked the owner one day what the deal was and he said the guy dropped it off 5 years to have some work done on it and never came to pick it up, I paid $300 for it, I didn't want it but I knew someone that was looking for one. I loaded it up in my truck and went directly to the guys house and sold it to him for $600, They were happy because they got rid of it, He was happy because he got the bike he wanted and I was happy because I doubled my money for nothing more than loading it and delivering it.
Craig's bike is the first bike that i bought, 50 bucks , from my next door neighbor 😂
Yeap. Some guy traded in a 400cc moped I guess and Harley jus let it sit and they posted it on Facebook. Only 200$. Went to Harley to get it and it just left. It was a decent brand to not a Honda but it wasn’t no tao tao
Our local Harley shop has "special" bikes in the back that wouldn't dare grace their showroom floor. Maybe not 1k or less but $2500-$3k.
I call bullshit lmao 🤣
Craig's confidence in Sean after saying he rebuilt the entire carb is priceless 🤣. "Yeah you did" 🤣🤣
Yeah I had too do some work as well!……
I had to change that bolt! 👇😂
Hahahhahahahahahaha he farted on the mixture jets
@@kylemcw8301 I actually sat up when you walked around the back thinking there was something you fixed but didn't put into the video. Thanks for the laugh :)
He could hardly stop himself from laughing
“I don’t wanna just lowball everybody, but I lowballed everybody”
-the words of a true living legend, Sean
That's why I ask 33% more than I actually want for every bike I sell on the internet because "I want 1500 for it" always translate into "I'll give you $1200 for it", which is what I wanted in the first place..... you aint lowballing me cause I'll walk away without a 2nd thought.
Great job Sean. Here's a tip that works well for me: when taking something apart, snap a photo of it first on your phone. When you get down to the next layer snap another photo. Anything that might be tricky to get back together, snap another photo. Then just look back at your phone to put things back together. Ha ha, that was a fun episode.
Yup exactly what I do. For emergencies have paper and a pen to draw diagrams as well if your phone dies or can't be in your possession at that moment
OMG!
Im 54 and my first street bike at 16 years old was an 82, 400 Yamaha Heritage Special!
I'm stoked to see that they are still around.
Mine was totaled when an off duty cop ran a red light on a 4 lane street, jumped the lane and wrecked me, my passenger and worst, my bike.
It was small and handled well but my fenders were black not, chrome being it was an 82. One of my favorite options on that bike was the kick start. I felt so Fonzie kicking that thing over and hearing it jump to life.
Sniff. I miss it.
My mint 98, 1100 Shadow Tourer makes me feel a little bit better, though.
Life is full of heartbreak but at least my passenger and I lived to ride again.
Kick start on a bike you could bump start as easy as a 50cc puddle jumper. It was so fun!
@old man strength I lost that fight. It's a long story. Let's just say, I fought the law and the law made me look like a young fool. It was my first lesson in police culture and how far the justice system will go to protect one of their own.
Sean was literally, slaving away, at fixing his 500 dollar bike and somehow miraculously accomplishes it. Craig, zeroes in, on the 2 minutes of work his bike needed. Sean's "OH WOW" was freakin hilarious.
22:22 for reference if anyone reads (which I doubt).
I slacked away but somehow mine ended up fixing it self lol
@@BikesandBeards Nice!! Stay safe take care.
I lost it at the “oh wow” 🤣🤣
The same time you guys were doing this, i was buying the only titled bike on marketplace under $1000... just so happened to be a black 89 virago 1100.
Got it full of green/yellow gas & "fresh rebuilt" carbs off, flushed fuel system, carbs on, fresh gas, ran good. Cleaned the carbs, runs great.
Now just needs the updated starter gear.
First road bike, got it in pieces, had it ridable within 24hrs. $400 well spent!
Way to go, Sean. It's such a great feeling when you fix a problem yourself. I encourage people to learn basic maintenance, especially if they have an older bike. Learning to clean a carburetor or diagnose electrical issues is totally doable in the age of youtube.
Hes gotten much better over time haha
If I had a bike I would practically do most basic maintenance myself. Most of the time it doesn't even require you to get a special lift for the bike or w/e even for a simple oil change. It definitely saves few bucks and you know the bike is being taken care of really good.
The people who give away knowledge for free on TH-cam are truly god sends
lol! it'd be suck for me. I got a Honda Magna 750. 4 carbs.
He cheated that other guy helped him because camera left then back and was fixed I call bullshit he's always punking craig
I’m a biker wannabe! I had a Honda 750SS years ago that was supposed to be a cheap motorcycle project - NOT cheap!! Your ingenuity in achieving your goals for this project put a smile on my face! I’m encouraged for my next bike venture! Your show has improved constantly and is the right length and is interesting. Congratulations!
Love these videos Sean, a lot of people only can afford bikes like this, so it actually makes older cheaper bikes so much more fun. I had just as much fun on my mini bike as I have on my road star now. It’s just the love of bikes!
My bad, haven’t been around for a bit. Really enjoyed this clip though. I gotta tell you I picked up a’96 Virgo 750 for $1000 2 years ago. Clean title and running. I did some immediate motor cleanup and it runs really great.
I take back everything i ever said about Seans wrenching abilities. I was lmao at his comments about ever getting this back together & knowing when to walk away. But he did it & there was no one prouder except maybe himself. & WELL DESEREVED!!! the smile on his face when he told Craig he rebuilt the carbs, Craig said, you did & Sean says 'I DID" surprised & Proud of himself
I love this. I bought a Virago XV125 as my first bike for £275 and 3 years on, it's still going strong. The engines are phenomenal... everything else is messed up but hey ho. Speedo doesnt work, electrics dont work, ignition is... meh... indicators occasionally mess up, no fuel meter, prone to battery issues, rectifier always fries itself. It has been the best bike to learn from and It will always hold a special place in my heart
My first road bike was a 1981 Yamaha Heritage Special 400. It was dark ruby red and in near mint condition. I bought it from my uncle for 500 bucks sometime around 1986. I rode it through high school and college. Loved that motorcycle.
It's the same here in the UK, recently bought my first bike after weeks of looking. So many deathtraps out there that people want stupid money for. Always have adverts that go something like, "Easy fix just don't have the time, brakes not working" or "was running when parked, don't know whats wrong but been told it's a quick fix" finally found a good one, running, recent MOT (Yearly safety inspection) passed with no issues and not stupidly priced. Paid the guy full asking price for it because why would I low ball what seemed to be the only honest seller in the UK biking world?
Im from the UK too, you get used to it, you develop a bs sensor with it
Someone being honest, means a lot these days.
I absolutely love the virago! I've fixed so many of them. Most of these old japanese motorcycles need a new stator and regulator after revival. That gunk on the stator wiring is a dead giveaway that someone knew something was up.
Those hoses and piping that are connected to the carbs are Yamaha's EGR system. I usually pull all of that off and cap the ports.
That bike looks like it hangs out with a Chinese Meat Loaf impersonator and posts it's selfies on their social app called, "Bookface". {0.o}
Damn. That Virago is pretty sweet. Bad thing is I don't think that's the first Virago he's worked on.
Funny, my first motorcycle I bought off of someone who just had it sitting around, is a 95’ Virago 535. Bought it for $1000 and the only problem it had (unbeknownst to me at the time) was that it only ran on the front cylinder as well.
I ended up spending a ton of time learning about motorcycle repair from the ground up and rebuilt the carb to get it running. This video seemed like my exact experience!
I had the same Yamaha, keeping the dual carburetors tuned together was always a pain. Especially in the mountains with elevation changes. But when they are working that bike will take off!
see how much Sean has learnt from Craig, he used to have a hard time telling the front wheel from the back.
Way to go Craig, you're a Jedi.
??
Sean, mate, just undo the overflow screw & use a straw/pipecleaner to push the flote that will let some fule through & you will at least find out if its that without doing all that work.
“5 gal of gas, a pizza, and 40’ of 2x4”
He just offered all 3 keys to a man’s heart😍
I thought he had some 2×4s layin around, he went to home depot and bought fresh 2×4S😂
Sad is it not. We need a better president 4 years ago
One of my favorite episodes in a long time. I love the cheap bike challenges
Definitely my favorite episodes too!
22:16 - "I was missing this nut here.... so i had to fix that" Ahhh hahahaha you had me rolling here!
This is a great idea for a series. Can't wait to see what you do with the bikes. Race them, 0-60, mpg, long trip them, daily ride them, review them.
I had a '93 Virago (750) and I totally loved it. The balance was superb. I would get another one in a heartbeat!
My boss is a big Harley guy, but he said he had a Virago years ago and if he hadn't traded it for a car deal that he never would have bought a Harley.
had 2 virago xv750s.. both were early 80's. one was an 83 and the other an 81 or 82. hard to find parts for those. when they are running they are AWESOME... but when it comes to repairing them good luck finding parts. also had a 92 virago 250,, not a bad bike but way too small for me.
I had a Yamaha Maxim 400 and Ii really miss that bike. It was so much fun to ride. It was also my first bike.
To me, both of these are winners.
This is a great challenge , love seeing you guys fixing up old bikes and show us all about it ....
Craig's bike is the ideal bike for me. Same age as me and enough cc to do what I want reliably. Although I wouldn't turn down the virago. If it weren't for having to start foundation repair and bathroom replacement from water damage I'd be all over shopping for a deal, like the virago especially. But I guess since I have that to deal with, and the fact I'm giving my hotrod grom to my son for his first bike in November, I will just have to sit on my hands and watch videos of other people riding.
"Rebuilt the whole bike and all it needs is a throttle cable" had me spit out my brew🤣
You guys never fail to entertain! Can't wait for the next video. :)
I had to pause a moment and comment... you have a crazy amount of icons on your desktop! I thought mine was bad with the windows quick launch bar, but HOLY COW!!!! 2:08
G'day Craig & Sean, you guys successfully made me laugh, love the video. Craig's trade idea was hilarious.
It was awesome to see Sean work on the bike and get it working.
Glad you enjoyed it
@@BikesandBeards are you guys Christians? If so that makes this video even COOLER!!
I dig how you both got Yamaha's. I rode a 700(tariff year) Virago through The Rockies one year with my brothers and father, trading off with a Suzuki 1400 Intruder, and a Gold Wing, it was kind of good, I never liked the styling, but the bike was comfortable, and handled the best out of the 3. That little 400 though, that's a gem, that bike will probably last forever with even half assed maintenance.
That's a crazy high price for that 400 Special. I bought a 1980 version of that bike back in 1982 from a dealer and paid $1800 for it up in Canada. Funny enough, out of all of the bikes I've ridden, it was my favorite.
Great video! I have a '81 XS650Special stored in the back of one of my garages - don't ask. Since the kids are now grown, and if I get taken out, they'll be covered, I've gotten back into the bikes. I've bought a 2020 Indian Roadmaster - I walked in and, "what's the biggest you've got?" - not exactly, but close.
I've been kicking around in the back of my mind to get that XS650 running again - it seems like both carbs should take care of it - they were pretty bullet-proof bikes back in the day.
Bought my first bike for 1050€ 3 month ago and this thing (zephyr 550) runs like hell.
Best buy so far
Drive safe ✌️
I can't believe I haven't seen this awesome channel till today. Love the content and I can't wait to go through all your videos and see the newest uploads as they come out.. Anyways I hope that all is well with you and yours. 🙏🙏🍻
Slurp! Slurp!!!! Suck on it. lololol
@@foobarmaximus3506 Someone is obviously really bored with themselves lol, Sorry I meant lololololololol.
You should do more of these challenges. Interesting to see what you can find for short money
My son just picked up an 83 Goldwing for $600. He threw a couple of tires on it, a battery, and did some brake work. The things runs beautifully. I took it for a ride a few days ago. It really is a good bike. Im going to paint it for him this coming winter.
There are good cheap bikes out there. You just need to look.
I had a Virago 535. I have always though the Viragos were some of the prettiest bikes Yamaha ever made. 1980's Yamaha XS and XV - awesome bikes. Now they make nothing! Do you guys ever add seafoam to your tanks with these old carb bikes.
I have one of them old Xj750s, absolutely love it
@@jackstandproductions6558 was it a Maxim? I had an 82
@@stevewilley1367 yep, i have a cherry red maxim, shes my baby 🤤
I love these challenges!!! Thank You for all of the work you put into these!!!!
i bought my second bike for 830 dollars, it was a honda cb 500 pc 32 with brembo brakes front and rear and around 60 hp. it was in perfect condition. i do miss it but it was a steal for what it is
I think my favorite thing about this video is I just bout a bike three weeks ago that’s the same as Sean for my first bike and it made my day but I love y’all’s content it’s awesome to watch what you guys do with bikes
Since you decided to ride the Virago around with only one cylinder firing, you are lucky that the problem was lack of fuel rather than spark. If that rear cylinder had been getting gas but no spark, it is possible that the raw gas would have washed away enough oil on the cylinder that the top ring would have scored the cylinder wall. The raw gas would also have diluted the motor oil. There are numerous stories of people who cranked and cranked an engine that would not start, only to later discover that they ruined it by scratching up the cylinder walls.
FWIW, for an engine that has not run for a long time, I have been told to spray some Marvel Mystery Oil or fogging oil around the piston through the sparkplug hole to lube the cylinder wall and get oil to the top piston ring. Years ago I know that Briggs and Stratton sold an aerosol oil to do this for mower engines that had been stored over winter. I don't know it they still do.
ps. The engine will smoke like crazy for a few minutes when started until the oil is burned off.
This year's Christmas present to myself is finding this channel ☺️
Gas, pizza and wood?! Craig knows how to negotiate!
That makes it over the] $1000 limit as those extra things still cost money to buy the motorcycle.
@@jbdragon3295 you're no fun 😒
Turning up to buy a bike saying "I got a pizza" is good. "I got gas" maybe not so good. "I got wood" you're going home with an empty trailer.
Love videos like these. Got my 84 shadow 500 for $450 ;) 10.4k miles, ran smoothly. Made it a bobber build.
Ha! My wife and I both taught our daughters our phone number as a jingle as well haha. Never fails.
Super smart
i see a lot of ads like, "bike runs awesome, just needs an oil pump!" or, "mint bike, runs awesome just needs valve adjustment" lol... if you didn't know any better they sound like small, minor things but as we all know, they're not! lol... then you get the ones that say they ''dropped it in the garage" and you get there and they're utterly totalled from a head-on with a guardrail lol
If you two ended up at the same dealership looking at the same bike I would've cracked up.
Woah this is awesome, to be honest just watching this makes me happy as I can’t afford a bike yet but hopefully later on I can. Thank you for making my days man!
From the clinches to knockout, you've yet again managed to raise your glove in victory. Just snatched up an 1986, XV-700 C a few months back, with a great many more issues than your dealer castaway. Saving the unloved and forgotten, has its perks.
Congratulations, these are both beautiful! I've always loved the look of that type of seat with the two levels and the backrest.
You need to set up systems to search Craigslist for new listings. That way you can get the seller who wants it gone asap. I snapped up a not running bike for $400. $450 later it was running.
They turned out to be pretty cool bikes. If I had bought them they wouldn’t run. Nice job, guys!
I love Verago's! I own an 89 750 it rode beautifully. Sadly I gave up riding bikes because I live in Texas and people cut you off and almost git killed.
The beginning of the year, i found a 2002 hond magna vf750 with 9000 miles that had bigger jets high flow exhaust and a high flow intake filter that was dyno tuned for $2700. Ran but had a bad regulator/rectifier. And it was clean as can be, no blemishes. I didnt think id like cruisers but I am blown away by how good of a bike it really is
Haa haa, my parents did that 45 years ago!! I still remember our phone number... my parents still have the same phone number... they still live in the same house, they have the same blinds in the same house... they pay $300 dollars a year in property tax, my dad makes $6000 a month from a pension from a job that only he worked while my mom stayed home.... Those were the 70's, 80's, and even 90's... now if both people aren't working we can't afford the one-bedroom apartment. And we'll never have savings, everything is too expensive... but I still remember the phone number!!
I love your videos but honestly I get jealous of how lucky you get. God is truly blessing you. I've been saving up for dualsport or something to get started since 2020 but health issues took that away from me recently. Heart problems are no bueno at 30 years old. Starting to look like Ill never be free on the road but god knows im never giving up. So for now ill just enjoy the content yall give out. Thanks a bunch!
LMBO! "If I lose my phone I have to start a new life." As someone on their third life, it gets easier, to want to lose your phone.
I bought a Yamaha virago 250. 2013, with 300 miles on it , not the most powerful bike but it was super fun, and excellent on gas...I replaced the stock exhaust with drag pipes...the stock ones were weird as hell the rear pipe coming out of the motor was a tiny pipe hidden inside the normal looking pipe ....after I changed the exhaust it was way louder....I put 6 thousand miles on that bike the first month I owned it , I got it cheap cause it was used to give motorcycle training got my money out of it that's for sure ...I liked the Yamaha compared to the Honda rebel.
My 82 Virago 750 had a fuel petcock for each carb. So you had to remember to put BOTH of them on reserve if you were low on gas. The other option was to put the rearmost one on reserve all the time so the one that sat higher in the tank would starve only the front cylinder and that one you could reach with your left hand.
So I know exactly what it feels like when your 750 twin starts running like a 375 single... with one cylinder doing nothing but being dead weight.
actually it’s rotational weight right? like spinning mass like your tires?
@@lanceweyel879 Well that other cylinder is still creating a bunch of friction, pulling air in (no fuel) so you get the additional power loss of having to compress that without the benefit of the expansion upon ignition. So basically worse than dead weight.
It's true... even Mini bikes are running 900+ The fact you found such a rust free , clean bike under 1k is amazing.
In Top Gear comparison, Sean is like a mix of Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson, knows what he is doing but also is more the guy for the exterior part of a project. Craig is a James May. Knows exactly what he's doing and can execute it very good but sometimes over complicated.
I want to cry when you pull a motorcycle out of the air, and especially it’s one I grew up drooling after. That Virago is sweet.
This channels makes me want to learn how to ride a motorcycle
Dude same I've been dying to learn and get a bike
Same here. I've witnessed a lethal motorcycle accident as a kid and since that time I can't even sit on one without shaking. You'd think that 30 years would change that. This channel always shows what I'm missing out on 🙄
Wow such memories, my first bike 23 years ago was a 1986 Virgo 1100. Had it for 13 years, but every couple it would start acting up. I never got the carbs all the way out either, unplug everything, move and clean everything you can, put it back together and she ran great. Odometer cut out at 154,000kms, and I rode it for another 4 years.
Bullshit
Sean is such a cheater and I freaking love it. Always a way out with him. And that's actually an awesome find. My Virago 750 blew up when the back cylinder lost oil for a minute on the interstate. Apparently it's super common. Those tiny banjo bolts just gunk up.
If you blow up a Yamaha that’s your fault
@@Mouthy_Trucker 1982 barn find. Did a lot of work to get it running. Everything seemed fine. Lost oil pressure at 80 mph. Not my fault.
@@Mouthy_Trucker And I'd already done two oil changes to make sure it was good. Only takes one small contaminant to break free and it's over.
*Edit* typo
@@Mouthy_Trucker Hostility detected.
That was so not a cheat. I ve never purchased any motorcycle from that Honda dealer. They owe me nothing
I missed your live session ☹️. I'm really excited for you though! Recently I cleaned up my 2004 Honda Shadow 1100 and honestly what a pain. 3 different products and lots of microfiber fibers! Ugh. I ended up getting better results from shop rags tbh. So... I will pledge too. Wishing you guys all the best. Prayers for you and all your family and friends.
$1,250 down to $800? Yes, that is far off. That's what everyone does on marketplace. The old-fashioned lowball
Well everyone is usually 1500 bucks above suggested NADA value so 400 bucks ain't that bad.
Sean this is one of the greatest bikes ever built. I do own and ride a xv750, produced 1992 and absolutely love it! I have Only one question how did you rebuilt the carbs? This type of bikes need only good tuning and once you have it the road is yours. Ride safe!
properbly just gunk in the jet, it did sit for some time, the same thing happened to my xv250 from 89, old gasoline that had turned into goop, but even the virago is just as well build as the 535, 750 and the 1100
I rode many years. I can no longer ride due to medical conditions. I love your videos and I love the fact that you are not afraid to quote scripture. I wish I was still able to ride.
22:17 "I had to work on mine a little bit, this right here, I was missing this nut here. So, I had to fix that."
That's my exact humor.
i died when he said that.
I gotta say your both entertaining, love those awkward moments between Sean and Craig. 😂 Ya watching this episode twice! The way you both walk over to see the bolt he replaced on the bike he bought was hilarious.
I like that both bikes wound up being something that brought back a special memory from their pasts.
My first bike which I got a few weeks ago is a 1995 yamaha virago XV535
Great comment about building the motorcycle around the engine. Cars are done that way too ( seems like it sometimes ).
Great jobs getting those bikes ( I like Sean's more though).
Craig that was the first motorcycle I ever owned. I has just taken the MSF the prior weekend and I was 16 and bought that for $400 in 1992. It was a 1981 Yamaha 400 Heritage Special, XS400SJ. I even had the backrest you had as well. It was sure great seeing that bike again and yes the kickstarter was awesome.
This is awesome, gives me a little hope of finding a cheap cruiser...definitely following this. Both those bikes together are cheaper than the build cost of my Manco Thunderbird mini bike, but I could probably beat the 750 in a drag race.
lmao, it's crazy how expensive gas and wood is now. 😂
Got my budget bike for 05 shadow 1100 for $900 drove it home, clean title but took $500 in parts to make it fully right, new tires, carb rebuild, some electrical work, LED lighting upgrades and new breaks. The big difference, I looked for it most of the winter before I found it IE I had no competition or time lines. Fun video thank you.
$500 that's better than the bubble machine 🤣
Love these videos, keep up the good content guys🍻🏁
Ok so how much for the $500 bike now? lol
That is so cool. You guys are the best out there!
At least you both started off with Yamadogs, hey I like those bikes.
My first bike was a 1972 TX/650-A.
THE GUY I got it from had dismantled it under a tree to paint it and marked all the wires with chalk, yeah, it rained and I got three crates of parts for free. One month later after painting it, I was riding. Sold that bike for $1200.00 and the fool who purchased it layed it down on the freeway a month later. That was the end of my first bike, and restoration...
Definitely would love to see more of these videos guys!
These guys need to get better pictures of the motorcycles clearly they would rather see their faces on the video instead
I built a pretty cool little bobber out of a 1986 Virago 700. Chopped the rear frame off, solo seat, drag bars with bar end mirrors, the front fender became the rear fender, and some flat black and gloss green paint. I also added canvas saddle bags which caught fire one day driving down the road.
You should always take pictures of everything first. In stages so when you put it back together you'll have something to go by.
is nobody going to talk about the abusive amount of icons on Sean's vertical monitor at 2:06 LOL😆
$250 for 5 gallons of gas, a pizza and four 8’ 2x4’s. Thanks, Biden.
Not that he's a good president but presidents don't do much to inflation
@@dummythicc2754 The people they bring with them though.... Things that make you go hmmmmmmm
Awful president
@@dummythicc2754
So Biden should thank the carrot that was before him too?
@@dummythicc2754the money he sent Ukraine so he can get rich caused the inflation bad bad
These challenge videos are the best!
You mentioned "microfiber" I used one for the first time a few weeks back and I was surprised at how well it cleans. I use it to wipe down my motorcycle and it cleans my revolvers incredibly well. I like them so much I think I'll start doing commercials for them. LOL
craig actually checking if the 2 by 4s are straight for the guy what a good dude
i think it’s insane how y’all can find cheap bikes like this. it’s so cool
I just got a 94 yamaha virago xv750 ran the same way 😂 i cleaned the carbs , float adjustment, and replaced the O rings on the seats , adjusted the idle and bam runs perfect