@@SLOCLMBRI’m looking at an 80’ 750 for my first bike, how was it height wise? I’m 5’11 so I should be fine but I’d rather hear it from someone who had one lol
@@Ryan_S153 mid controls are a tad cramped, I'm right there with you 5'11" ish. It honestly wasn't bad at all, I could go a few hours pretty comfortably
I had the same one 30years ago!! For Japanese teenager, harley is beyond imagination. I learned a lot from virago 250. Thanks Tonny I could remember those old days.
It's more fun trying to drive a slow car fast, than trying to drive a fast car fast and the same goes for bikes. Your average big Japanese bike these days has more performance than most of us are capable of using.
I drove one of these for 10 years, I drove it pretty hard and didn't look after it like I should have, drove it through storms, left it out in the rain and I gotta say it never once let me down and never once failed to start. It's an absolute joy of a bike especially here in Ireland where the licencing about driving bikes is weird and a lot of people were restricted to these 250cc things.
In the last 4 years at 70 I got two bikes, a Yamaha Virago 250 and a Suzuki V-Strom 650, mostly ride the Yamaha, At 320 it’s easy to U turn in the garage and short local rides on my back roads are lots of fun. If I’m planing long rides on highways I take the Strom. It’s currently a 60/40 ratio and the 250 is taking over. At 75 muscling 500 lbs out of the garage is a lot of work ! RIDE HAPPY RIDE SAFE !!😃
Hey Brother I can relate to your comment about the heavy V-Strom 650. They are top-heavy and prone to tip over in low speed so be very careful. I did improve mine by lowering it by 1 and 3/4" using a adjustable rear mono shock lowering link pair, and on the front forks loosening the triple clamp and sliding up the tubes 32 mm thus lowering the front proportionately. I think if I had 32 inch or was 6 ft tall I could have been okay with the stock height. I'm only 5'10" with a 30" leg and the Suzuki is awkwardly high for me. But no longer now I am far more confident & can ALMOST flat foot at stoplights lol. Ride safe - David in Texas
I'm 65 and female, haven't ridden since selling my moto guzzi 750 in 2007. Shopping now for a 250 Vstar for fun on rural backroads. It'll probably be my last bike--as you say, less weight to maneuver when stopped.
And that's what motorcycling has always been about, being able to go enjoy the ride without any worries or concerns. Not permanent... i see that spark in your eye when you say that!
I'd been a rider for 40 yrs when I bought one (because I needed something to get to work on) I knew it was a beginner bike and didn't even like cruisers but it did make sense, so I bought it. But it changed my mind and I came to love riding it. No chicken strips on mine either. I was thinking of selling it but after watching this I'm going to resurrect it. Not just a beginner bike. A bike that an experienced rider can wring out and have fun doing it.
Exactly my friend! I got a little old Honda CB 250 that I kept around after using it as a flat tracker as a little go any where around town cafe bike... That bike has taught countless friends and girl friends how to ride and given me a life time of good times. The amount of friends and good times that little old bike has given me is unreal. I have more fun on that little darling more than any of my huge "big man" bikes could ever do.
I friggin' love the 250 and 535 Viragos. They are amazing town bikes. They look good, they sound good and they're light and easy to smash through traffic on.
Smallish bikes are a ton of fun. I took a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course on a Nighthawk 250, and it was fantastic. Got a chance to ride another one many years later - still fantastic.
A lot of MC courses use these 250 cruiser bikes. They are reliable when ran often and easy to maneuver on a course. Took my original MC course on one of these years ago when getting my license. Not bad cycles by any means despite having a carb.
I agree...when I was a younger man "Cool" was important, but now as an older man...Just wanna have a little fun before I go. So I got a little GZ250...not powerful, not fast...but I turned it into a dresser...and now its fun.
I started riding this year at 49 years of age. I bought a used Kawasaki Versys-x 300 and I love it. The previous owner added some useful mods and only put 2700 miles on it. The bike has a 296 cc parallel twin that is getting nearly 73 mpg. It handles rather well on the curvy roads and you can take it on the chert and gravel roads. I can ride the chert roads of Hickman County and not see a car for hours. There's something about 300 cc or smaller motorcycles that I love. They aren't powerful enough to do stupid stuff on, but they have enough power to do the speed limit. I like to come home after work and hit my 30 mile loop. It helps out the mental state to feel the wind on a motorcycle. When I think about upgrading to a nicer motorcyle, I also think about the extra cost and lower mpg and figure I'll just hang onto the little Kawasaki.
hell, a ninja 300 now has about as much horsepower as an old 883 sportster. and they're SOOO much smoother and easier. for just cruising, or even commuting, they get the job done fine. my little 535 virago hit 90 the one time i pinned it and felt like it still had more. needs brakes and tires before i do that too much... it really surprised me, i'm around 300lbs and even not running quite right, it'll run arpound just fine.
I'm with you, I got rid of a 700 lb. Harley and got a Versys X300. I replaced the f/r sprocket and chain and added a center stand. The seat is a little hard, but that's the only con.
I was still a kid when these were released in Australia. They were promoted as learner bikes, especially as here in South Australia, learners were restricted to 250cc max. Rules have changed now to a power to weight ratio rule.
I have owned tons of motorcycles, I presently own a 1988 xr600r registered for the road. Little bikes Are Motorcycles!!! Everything has its place. It does not have to be a big bike to be a motorcycle, if it has 2 wheels and puts a smile on your face then it's done what it's intended to do.😊
I can tell you why the exhaust is like that. It’s because most v-twin motorcycles run better with a 2 into 1. But American consumers like the looks of the Harley dual pipes. And your sporty feels more flickable probably because of the fork angle. Headstock geometry makes a big difference in motorcycles, and especially small ones. Lucky for me I never had a hang up on smaller bikes. We always had them as a kid and I fell in love with them because that’s what we had. I never lost interest.
I couldn't agree more these are great bikes. My wife's uncle bought one to cruze around wife after his second knee surgery and he loves the fact that he doesn't hurt after a ride. He'll admit it's nothing like his Honda Goldwing but on the other hand it's way better than riding a trike.
I had a V- Rod and was afraid to use it as it might get dirty or wet and bought a Buell Blast as a little "around town " bike . Never used the V-Rod and sold it , rode that Blast for 9 years . Like you say , perfect bike to ride to work or for parts runs . Got back into a big Harley but you made me think about maybe another little bike . In the 90's I had a Yamaha 750 Special that was my favorite bike ever .
Tony, more motorcycle content would be great! Been riding for 53 years. Main street bike is an '09 Harley XR1200 Sportster. Regarding the exhaust on the Virago. To save money, Yamaha probably made the front and rear cylinder head interchangeable, which puts the rear exhaust port in a weird spot. But, they wanted the Harley exhaust look, so, the phony rear pipe it is. Love your vids.
I've had my license since 1992. A year or so ago I bought one of these, and I have to say I really enjoy it. Is it fast? No - but yesterday I was out riding mine for about an hour, with a short stretch of 60mph on the local highway, and then a bunch of winding, hilly 35mph country farm roads. It's actually a very fun motorcycle.
As with cars: Small/slow bike ridden fast is more fun than a big/fast bike ridden slow. There is something great about riding a small/slow bike or driving a small/slow car on a winding road that helps you really enjoy the art of riding and driving.
These 250’s are tough. I got a ‘14 in a group of 6 different bikes at an auction and of all of them this model bike had the most character of the whole trailer load. Wound up giving the bike away in a benefit ride for a veteran charity last August. Between the bike and door prizes is generated over $4K in a single day for a good cause. The winner of the bike hasn’t ever ridden but he rides now😜
Looks like a keeper .....I processesed, salvaged & revived around 300 Japan bikes of all makes & sizes...yeah the smaller bikes are great& hate gas....runs a long time on a gallon of fuel- the initial quality they were made with...20-30-40 yrs later once serviced out i got to ride each one and the people who bought them were happy to have them & they could just go & get thier paoer& insp sticker- most rewarding thing i ever done as a mechanic- glad u saved this unit Sir.
Hey, I hear ya bro. Thru most of my adult life, I was addicted to fast bikes. You know, Kawasaki two stroke triples, Z1s and KZs, Suzuki 1000s and 1150s,etc. Then one day I rode my brothers Virago 750. I fell in love in about 15 minutes. Sold my big fast bikes, and bought an identical Virago. Maybe the most enjoyable bike I ever rode. Loved it for about 2 yrs., then gave in and traded it for a Kawasaki ZX9. Two yrs later, came to my senses, And traded that for a Harley D. You just can't enjoy the scenery and countryside when you're trying to play boy racer, and get home all amped up, and realize that you missed it all. Low and slow from then on.
I love those little VStar 250s! I've considered one for tinkering many times. I've enjoyed setting up my Ninja 250, and it helped teach me about the mechanical and riding fundamentals that transferred to my more significant projects. Glad you gave the VStar some love!
I toured the entire Americas, from Fairbank to Santiago on a 2006 Ninja 250; very capable bike. I had the Virago 250 but got rid of it quick, no wiggle room past 65mph. The Ninja 250 can do 90mph all day.
I was gonna buy the 883 as my first bike as a 6' able bodied construction worker bc its the same price as these and my friend said he learned on an 883 and is fine and this makes me wanna go get this one even tho its less bike for the same 2k
Coming from a guy with a Harley, this is an awesome video and you are so right. Those silly little bikes have their place and can be a of of fun if you can get past your ego. In all honesty, not a bad looking bike either.
Thank you Uncle Tony for sharing your feelings about this bike and for putting in a good word for it. I've had several bikes including litre sportbikes, and touring bikes, but I got rid of all my other bikes and only have two Virago/V-Star 250's left. They were the only bikes I was riding, and wanted to ride. It doesn't matter if it's a highway trip or a short trip to town. It's fun to ride and will do whatever I would like to do with it. It's easy for someone to get on a litre bike or Harley and drive fast, it's more challenging and rewarding to hop on a smaller one and make people think you're riding a much larger bike. 38 years ago I owned a CB550 4 cylinder and hated it. The bike was a tank on two wheels, that only cornered when it wanted to, and wouldn't corner at all in the rain. It was a pain to own and I drooled over the '84 Interceptor when it came out, they solved a lot of the old problems with the CB. Today, they call the CB series 'classics' and I say 'sure, if you're going to park them in a museum', but if you're going to ride each day, look for a Virago. For 40 years I watched motorcycles being reworked to be faster, more powerful, 'safer' to ride, more this, and more that, until they all became the same over-powered, over technological, over-priced, POS that just isn't fun to ride every day anymore. The Virago got it right, and some brilliant bike builder knew they had a good thing so they kept making it, more or less unchanged for almost 50 years. It is the smoothest V-Twin I've ever owned and after many great riding trips with it, I'd vote it the best V-Twin ever made. I 2nd your vote for this bike as underappreciated and wholeheartedly agree with your opinion that it is a lot better motorcycle than people might think. If I only had one bike, it would be a V-Star/Virago 250. If I only had two street bikes, they would both be Virago 250's, one with a windshield and cruise control, the other done up as a cafe racer. I haven't got to the cafe racer custom work yet, but in my case that's true.
Nice episode. I get what you are saying. I have had a few "happy bikes". My '73 right hand shift Bonneville was so happy up 55. A total blast around town. Freeway - not so much. Oh it had the power, but the vibes would get you. In the dirt, I had two - a Hodaka Combat Wombat that would trail with much bigger bikes because it so eager and happy to just go, anywhere. The other was an Ossa Super Pioneer. It had a plate so it went around town, and went trailing. 210 lbs wet and the happiest little goer. If it got into a jam, you could literally pick the whole thing up and put it on a new line 🙃 I occasionally look for a Bultaco Frontera 370, That's a different kinda happy 😁 I agree that the Sportster is kinda there, but more work just to run around ...
I owned a Suzuki Intruder 800 a few years back. Another silly little bike but it was reliable, fast, good looking, sounded great and was a charm to ride. I sold it for what I had in it and iv'e noticed that they've held their value even today. I sold mine in 2013 for $2500 and i see they're selling today for $2000-$3500 for a clean one.
I've had two Honda Shadow 750's, an '07 Spirit and a '14 Phantom. These bikes were great to ride around town. Light weight (500lbs. & 550lbs.). Got about 55-60 mpg on 87 octane. Never had a single quality issue, ever. They actually had a great sound, too, especially the Phanton after installing some Cobra longshot pipes.
The only bike I ever owned was a 535 Virago. Beautiful little bike. Looks pretty much just like this 250. Loved it, but the sucker was no highway cruiser with my 6’2” 220 pound ass on it. Was going to move up to a 750, but I decided riding in L.A. traffic was no different than strapping on a Zero and diving at U.S. Destroyers at The Battle of Okinawa. So, it’s long gone.
I had a 2000 Suzuki GS500E, no computer, no abs, nothing. What a beautiful little sewing machine! I echo a lot of your sentiments, I do miss it here and there, especially when I see one in traffic. But fighting 20year old bike issues got old real quick without a space to work on it.
Do the bike channel.... please. In Australia, learners were restricted to 250cc for quite some time (which changed to 650cc a little while back) so I learned on a 250 Virago, great little bike. We still own it and loan it out to anyone who wants to get their license. It's has gotten so many new riders their license.
I have one, knocked about 18kg /40lbs off it. Alu tank and guards, removed unnecessary / dress parts, lithium battery, handmade exhaust etc. Sprocket change is the first thing most people do. Stock 16/45, most go 17/40. Mine's 17/36 and perfect for the reduced weight. The factory exhaust I think is tuned length, with the dummy pipe for the Harley look. A bike mechanic who owns a Sportster said the same as you, it's the perfect jump-on-and-go bike. Dropping the front on the forks helps, 10mm is good, 20mm is great, 30mm starts to feel twitchy. You're spot on about it's happy place too.
I have been riding motorbikes for 56 years (turned 69 today, actually! ;-) ), and two years ago I bought an old Virago 250 that wouldn't start... A fresh battery solved THAT - and since that I've become more and more happy with this small "moped"! For longer distances, I use my BMW K75 or my GoldWing, but this Virago is ideal for small trips, including on gravel-roads and even on the forest-tracs around where I'm living! At first I thought I'd just make it run - and then sell it. But no, THIS bike I'll keep!! ;-)
I have traded down from a Yamaha 1300 cruiser as I am 85. and if it was to fall over miles from home in a layby I cannot pick it up. so now I have a Virago 535. just pefect. Briddy UK.
Of all the motorcycles ever made the Virago 250 is the most desirable for me, I have had 3 of them. So light, so torquey, so narrow, so efficient, so good looking, so reliable, so flickable, so much fun. They are unique for Japanese motorcycles in that they have long stroke engines, just like most Harley's
Tony, that is just what is needed for those morning rides. I miss those country roads in Pennsylvania when I ran a 1970 Triumph 500 Trophy in my younger days. In my later years I ran a 1450 HD soft tail cruiser with the 88 B engine in stage 1 configuration. Now bad hips I no longer ride. I can see the joy coming to the surface on you just talking about the Yamaha. 👍🇺🇸🙏🏽✌🏻😎
Personally, I started out on a V65 Sabre and later added an 1100 Shadow (both bought as new leftovers and I still own them). When my wife decided that she wanted her own bike, this is exactly what she picked, right down to removing the back seat. After a few years, she moved up to a Suzuki S40 and the little "Yamahopper" became the learner bike for our 3 kids. It's perfect for that role and, our youngest daughter now has it as her main source of transportation at college in fair weather months. 70 m.p.g. is no lie either. My wife rode it on her 120 mile round trip commute in nice weather and, while it only holds 3 gallons or so, she only filled the tank every 2nd day.
I have a 2017 rebel 250. Been riding it since 2018. Love it. It is my primary bike. I dont feel the need for anything more. If i have to haul i use the pick up truck. I see people riding these heavy monsters and just dont get the need for it. My brother had an 800lb beast and i couldnt imagine having to manage such weight unless on a major road trip. Simplicity is good.
We used them quite a bit when I was doing MSF RiderCourse. Now the next "sillier and littler" bike to look for is a Kawasaki Eliminator 125. They are a decent bike, and I think has good low end grunt for a small motor. Tony, that exhaust does sound good, but I suspect someone punched the baffles out in the muffler.
My first street bike was a Honda CB200T . Couldn't get out of it's own way, but was one of the most dependable machines I ever had. Put gas in it, and change the oil every once in awhile, and it'd never let you down.
Those CBs were/are a reliable machine & just like Tony said a fun little back to tool around, or throw in the back of the truck, or on the back of your Jeep. Good cheap fun, & a great bike to learn or teach your kids to ride. While I would love something a bit peppier I would still be really tempted to get a CB200.
The Kid I am mentoring found and bought one of these. Carb was locked up and had to junk it. He got an Ebay long runner manifold and he mated that too an old Keihen carb I had laying around and rejetted it, installed a Cheap after market exhaust that got rid of that stupid fake pipe and that really woke that thing up. It keeps up with my CL450DOHC cafe bike.
A better choice, IMO, for a complete newbie (I've been riding over 55 years), is a small dual sport bike. A tip over costs nothing, lots of torque for city riding.
Yeah I really wouldn’t recommend learning on a sport bike it’s very much something you move to once you’ve got a feel for riding cuz there’s definitely a reason the vast majority of bike accidents happen on sport bikes
Tony that reminds me of my first bike a 1994 Suzuki Intruder 800. Kind of a factory Chopper but with just an 800cc engine that did NOT like 70 mph! At least mine didn't but I Loved the looks and feel of that bike! Now I ride a 1992 sportster 883 & I love that too! PS; At 69 years old my Dream is to leave Michigan and maybe land in Tenn. somewhere... I loved the roads I saw you ride on one your earlier videos.
My first bike was a 1988 Suzuki Savage purchased in 1993 for $1000 from a guy getting married. The bike was absolutely perfect, and I can't recall doing anything other than basic maintenance in the entire time I owned it. I thought I was doing well selling it for exactly what I paid after doubling the mileage, but wound up regretting that for all the same reasons you've talked about here. I so wish I had seen this in 1995.
I became more of a sport bike guy in my early 40s. I sold a Honda vf500 interceptor that i had fixed up and i took a kawasaki ninja 250 as trade for part of the payment. I took all the mickey mouse parts and put it back to factory. I had a blast on this thing on the twisty back roads! I also had a gixer 750 at the time and found myself having more fun on the ninja on certain roads because i didn't have to worry about mega horsepower coming out of sharp turns. Little ninja handled great and made good power mid rpm and up. Little bikes have their place for sure!
I'm an experienced rider. I have had 5 different bikes including a 500 cc and a 1000cc. My current bike is a 250cc. I love it. It's favorite bike. Great to look at and great to ride. I'm 6 foot plus and 200 pounds by the way. I have no plans to change to anything else.
My son bought a Yamaha Bolt from his Uncles son for 3k, it's a really nice little scooter...he got new tires put on, and a service and it was good to go.. it's the little cheap things in life that are the most fun and care free
I did my safety course on a Vstar250 and in terms of comfort it was actually pretty unbelievable. Like 8 hours in the saddle and by the end of the day I still felt like I was sitting on a cloud. Can't say I was a fan of the forward controls or the throttle feel though. I ride a Royal Enfield Classic 350 now and I feel like it hits a lot of the same notes you mention about the Vstar. It's maligned for the same reasons as the Vstar 250 in the US. Even so, I think it's a handsome sucker, decent size for my 5'10 ass, low seat makes it trainee accessible, comfortable bar position so my arms don't get tired, low horsepower and top speed but enough to putt around town all day, excellent fuel economy, and a bit heavy on paper but incredibly maneuverable. Threw a couple bags on it and it's a blast. I eventually want a bigger bike, but I really can't imagine not having a silly little bike for easy, relaxed around-town riding.
The RE 350 bikes are on my list of potential next (and hopefully last) motorcycle. The one downside to the REs are their weight. They have the same HP as the V Star but weigh over one-hundred pounds more. The REs cost $800 less on sale. I think the REs look prettier. I just want something that is easy to deal with and super reliable. If you were a smaller person like me (5'6" 160 pounds), would you consider a V Star to be easier to handle than an RE 350?
@@MrMoneyHelper Probably, yeah. Honestly the weight on the Classic 350 is pretty low so it doesn't bother me much, but the super low seat height on the V-Star meant that even the shortest people in my class could flat foot it. My Classic 350, but even with the official low rider seat RE offers it's still like 3 inches higher than a stock V-Star 250. The RE 350s have pretty soft suspension though, so under load it might be a little closer. Either way, I think you'll be fine tbh. Worth mentioning on price that both the RE 350s and V-Stars/Viragos are all over the used market for pretty cheap so that's the route I'd suggest. Go to a couple dealerships and ask to sit on their showroom models and then follow your heart on which feels best for you.
Let me stop you at 5 minutes. I totally agree and am keeping my eyes peeled for an old helix for random errands in the civilized season of the year. Bikes are just fun, ride it smile and park it. My polishing and giving a hoot about what other people think are long gone in the rear view. There's something soul restoring about a breeze in your hair.
That silly little motorcycle has been my second-wife for more than 25 years and I never felt the desire to upgrade.. until she just gave up after 85.000 miles of riding!
I just bought a Yamaha V-Star 250 as a first bike for my daughter. I've been on small bikes before, and they just don't have a lot of power, especially on the highway, so I wasn't expecting much. I was able to drive it home, about 60 miles on the interstate and had to watch my speed as I was easily hitting 70 to 75 mph., and I'm over 300lbs. I'm really impressed with it. Good looks, great performance, and the perfect departure from a standard Honda Rebel. This is a bummer I can see my daughter riding for a few years before getting tied of it!
what a coincidence... i live in the same town, and traded my old timberwolf that i haven't had running since probably close to the 90s, but it was low hours even for that, just used it every now and then mostly when one of my buddies didn't have a ride. anyway, found a guy selling a 535 virago, and he was up to trade. he said it looked like i was getting the better end of the deal, but not really. they both need tires, battery, carb work. but the virago did start, at the time... and run... not great, but it did run and mostly worked ok. but this thing has a fuel pump, and a lot more wiring to go through, especially with signals, which don't work (brake light) or kinda wonky at best. brake light works, just no running light and the switch sticks. not to mention, it ain't low hours... it's got 41,000 miles on it, which is pretty crazy for a little bike. a gold wing, yeah just getting broken in. but a 500 class, that's a lot. so it's tired, had a miss since i got it, and i haven't got into the carbs yet. the other problems haven't let me. but it was somebody's "bobber project" which just means some idiot watched too much occ and took a saw to it... literally just cut the frame behind the seat, so it now has no support at the rear shock mounts side to side other than the sheet metal over the tank. another thing i don't like about it, but not a big deal, really, other than necessitating the use of a fuel pump when you could've just used the gas tank as the gas tank... maybe a bit more top heavy, but whatever. i actually was surprised, for a little 535 from the 80's, this one is an '87, and my big ass, it's kinda peppy. but this one's shaft drive... why they didn't do it like the 250 and use a chain, i have no idea, other than i guess beginner, but a chain ain't that hard to deal with. i managed fine when i was 8 on my honda 80... and every other bike under like 700cc save for maybe one is chain drive. you can get away with it on a 750, or especially liter or bigger. but anyway, for what it is, it's not a bad little cruiser. i guess i just always have to have one yamaha, get rid of one only to end up with another. not that the timberwolf was bad, it was a 2wd so nice and light, the 4wd model was garbage. they barely had enough power for a 2wd, but being so light it worked ok to play around on or cruise trails. but i had bigger badder better in pretty much every way hondas, so it mostly sat. still have my 400ex and bored foreman s but they also need work, rode my 400 into the gropund, literally. and haven't messed with any of em in years. this little virago got me back into riding, gonna try and get another proper bike soon. as in, not a beginner bike, cause i'm many things, but not that. and maybe i'll have this one fixed properly by the time my daughter can get her license and she can learn on it. never got to fix my old 80 up for her, now she's a bit big for it. i do wanna fix it one of these days. my step brother misplaced the carb when i was like 12 and he was gonna go through it for me cause he was a bike mechanic, rebuilt the engine in my dwarf car back in the day. hoping i can find a few in a bit better shape to fix up and flip, then get a honda or kawi standard or sport tourer. something i can do stoppies and wheelies on, but still go pick up groceries. i'm just sick of trying to keep this stupid chevy running, and it drinks too much gas anyway when it does run properly. gonna go back to bikes, and i can get through traffic without wanting to drive through half the other vehicles. i've never ridden 883, or a stock one that was actually 883cc. my cousin had one with 1200 jugs and i don't remember what else. but even with forward controls, it was more cramped than the virago. but it honestly feels like it'd be about on par with a 535. maybe a little less being shaft drive, god that was dumb... it'd be a great little bike if it had a chain, actually is a pretty good little bike the way it is. just being a sohc, it's definitely got harley beat cc for cc. at least the older ones anyway. just doesn't have that many of them. but a chain drive, they could've easily ran disc rear brakes. probably wouldn't have, but it'd maybe be easier to convert at least.
NOTE, Pure Speculation on my part. Exhaust setup could be an attempt to keep exhaust scavenging for both cylinders as close to equal as possible. This is done in an attempt to have a near equal power output for each power stroke for each cylinder. This would make it vibrate less and transfer its power much smoother than a slight difference between the two cylinders power output, especially on a 60 deg. setup. Note there is a near equal turn and length as it is setup in stock form. Oh and nice aesthetics of course.
Can’t believe I hadn’t seen this video until now. But anyway, after years of riding H-D & Triumph bikes, I bought a Honda CRF250L in 2013 when they first came out. I wanted a dirt bike, and the fact that this was a street legal dirt bike was very appealing; no need to load it into a truck to get to the trails! After a few weeks, I realized that the “little” Honda was way more fun than my 750 lb. Harleys or my classic (and hard-to-find parts for) Triumphs. I still have those bikes - and many others - but the dual sport Honda is actually fun to ride. So, it’s now my “main bike”.
I’ve never riden a motorcycle but in the late 90s I did look around at motorcycles as I was thinking of getting one. The Virago 250 was the only one low enough were I could saddle it confidently.
I have a 2002 with buckhorns. Otherwise, it looks like yours in black, and I love it. It's my only motorcycle. It is an alternative to riding my road bicycle or even my mountain bike, or even my e-bike.. Like you, I use it mainly to ride the country side and to hiking trailheads, but here in eastern Idaho. It's cheap to run, cheap on maintenance, and cheap on insurance and lastly cheap on gas. It is light enough for me, at 128 pounds and at 69 years old, to manhandle in my tight garage. And like you said, it's always there asking me to ride it. And because it is not worth much in cash, I might as well keep it and keep riding it. Mine now has over 20,000 miles on it. It had 5,700 when I bought it back in 2014. I've gone through three sets of tires and one chain since I bought it. Voile Virago.
I'm with you 1000 %. Like you I have 2 Sportsters and a 2010 250 V Star. I put cheap saddle bags on the V Star and do my grocery shopping with it!!. The Sportsters, I have to horse around in the garage, get them pointed toward the street, but this thing, no matter where it's parked, I just throw my leg over and go.
My first street bike was a little 1984 Yamaha XV750. I want to say it was around $600. Even though it was pretty old it only had around 11,000 miles on it. After cleaning the carbs changing the oil it ran great and I kept it for years with no problems. I rode it everywhere and it was always fun. I don’t recall ever having any trouble with it and it got over 50 mpg. When I got a sport bike later on I sold it for about what I paid for it. I still love motorcycles all these years later. In Texas you can ride a motorcycle easily 10 months out of the year and they make a great “daily driver”
My dad rode into his 80's. He gradually downsized his ride to this same little 250. He could hop on and scoot around the country roads and enjoy riding into his 80's. He would let me borrow it while i was working on the Electra glide i was riding at the time. I enjoyed ruding it. It was a fun little bike to scoot around on.
I had a 400cc virago. During the time I owned it I had 7 other bikes, but for some reason I just could not swap it out. It was such a lovely bike. It did everything you could want from a run around, and is the best behaved bike I have ever ridden. Ideal town bike or run around
Yep, after years of big bikes I moved to small 'beginner' bikes and never looked back. So much fun, simple, reliable, cheap to run etc. etc. Parking a car for work costs me $150 a week, for bikes it is free. My insurance and registration on my 200cc commuter is paid for in 3 weeks, pretty much free fun and transport after that. ALSO, small dual sports (like my DR200) give you ultimate flexibility and fun, riding home from work...oh look a dirt track wonder what's down there...just perfection.
I'm from Texas, but I've traveled the northeast and midwest pretty extensively. So, I'm sitting there watching this, and I says, I says to myself, I says, "Self... this guy's from Philly, and he's an Italian-American." Love the accent dude. Very unique. Don't lose it. Too many people lose their accent these days.
@@alanmeyers3957 I never heard people say, "I says," in NY. But it seems like everyone, young and old, say that in Philly. I mean, I've heard old-timers from the backwoods of east Texas say it, and I'm sure it's said by a lot of older people who migrated from the Tri-state area back in the day. But mostly it's a Philly thing. Most people outside of Philly say, "I said," not, "I says."
Cool little bike I used to own a Yamaha VMAX yeah death trap fast as hell dangerous as hell but it was fun they recalibrated them after the first ones were released because they're just too dangerous when that throttle butterfly would dump you were in for it but a rocket have a great day thanks for the great video that's a perfect bike for running for parts
My Mother-in-law's ex was President of the Asgard MC and he always rode a Road King. He was a big guy 280-290 6'3"-6'4" but he would admit when he was drunk enough that he liked the V Star, even though he'd never ride one. My wife had a V Star for a short period of time to learn on and it was a solid rider. Nothing about it will knock your socks off but it's absolutely solid and reliable. 👍
Alot of the positives about this bike is why people love the new royal Enfields. They are not a chore to ride at all. Just fire it up and enjoy the town. Good video Tony.
Tony the most fun bike i ever owned was a 1981 kawasaki gpz550. It was light weight had like 50hp and handled like it was on rails. I used to smoke harleys on back roads all the time
I have the same feelings exactly. I have a 2000 Vstar650. Classic that I bought new and an Indian Chief Classic. The Chief is for the all day Sunday rides but the 650 is my everyday short ride through the country road, my unwind relax ride. I always said it’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. Be careful and be well
I learned on 250 cc bikes , ((80,s) over the decades ive had them all From H.D to Triumph . i recently for no reason i can think of i bought one , i love it , makes me fell like a younger guy again and smiles for miles are there.... i know what your talking about on this one . i also have an XL1200S .
My lovely lady started out on a suzuki maurader 250, she loved that thing and rode it pretty much daily to commute for a few years, then 1 day after a spring ride she said "ok get me a bigger one". She now has a vulcan 500, which is huge, because she's under 5 feet tall lol. The vulcan is slightly lowered
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm with you Tony. I have a 250 and a 750 and find I rarely ride the 750. There's something about a light bike with 20HP that's simply fun.
My 89 virago "750" was a great first bike. I converted to single carb and rode it for years. Starter issues plagued them.
Viragos in the nineties we’re popular bikes
The saying goes, "it's much more fun to go fast on a slow bike than to go slow on a fast bike"
@@SLOCLMBRI’m looking at an 80’ 750 for my first bike, how was it height wise? I’m 5’11 so I should be fine but I’d rather hear it from someone who had one lol
@@Ryan_S153 mid controls are a tad cramped, I'm right there with you 5'11" ish. It honestly wasn't bad at all, I could go a few hours pretty comfortably
"Let her sit on the fender."
Classic!😂 UTG is the best!
I had the same one 30years ago!! For Japanese teenager, harley is beyond imagination. I learned a lot from virago 250. Thanks Tonny I could remember those old days.
It's more fun trying to drive a slow car fast, than trying to drive a fast car fast and the same goes for bikes. Your average big Japanese bike these days has more performance than most of us are capable of using.
Facts ,
Yup, I like my zx4rr four cylinder screamer but it's slow as hell but I can pin that throttle and still not break the law 😂
I'll be 80 yrs old next birthday and have a 2009 Black Cherry Star 250 running a 17/38 final drive ratio. A GREAT LITTLE BIKE !!
If you don’t mind would you give me the Black Cherry.
Just trying my shot here.
I drove one of these for 10 years, I drove it pretty hard and didn't look after it like I should have, drove it through storms, left it out in the rain and I gotta say it never once let me down and never once failed to start. It's an absolute joy of a bike especially here in Ireland where the licencing about driving bikes is weird and a lot of people were restricted to these 250cc things.
The exhaust weirdness I'm guessing is so you don't burn your leg.
That sounds about right
I dont know why the older ones have it. But on the newer ones they hide the catalytic converter under the bike so I though it was for that.
Don't wear shorts if you switch to vance and hines straight pipes. My wife's 650 I've burned my right calf 2x wearing shorts ...
That's what I was going to say.
Cosmetics and eliminate the chicken fried leg.
@@bennyblanko3 If you wear proper gear, it is a lot harder to get burned…
Silly little motorcycles are the best motorcycles. Prove me wrong. 😁
In the last 4 years at 70 I got two bikes, a Yamaha Virago 250 and a Suzuki V-Strom 650, mostly ride the Yamaha,
At 320 it’s easy to U turn in the garage and short local rides on my back roads are lots of fun.
If I’m planing long rides on highways I take the Strom.
It’s currently a 60/40 ratio and the 250 is taking over.
At 75 muscling 500 lbs out of the garage is a lot of work !
RIDE HAPPY RIDE SAFE !!😃
Hey Brother I can relate to your comment about the heavy V-Strom 650.
They are top-heavy and prone to tip over in low speed so be very careful.
I did improve mine by lowering it by 1 and 3/4" using a adjustable rear mono shock lowering link pair, and on the front forks loosening the triple clamp and sliding up the tubes 32 mm thus lowering the front proportionately.
I think if I had 32 inch or was 6 ft tall I could have been okay with the stock height.
I'm only 5'10" with a 30" leg and the Suzuki is awkwardly high for me.
But no longer now I am far more confident & can ALMOST flat foot at stoplights lol.
Ride safe - David in Texas
I'm 65 and female, haven't ridden since selling my moto guzzi 750 in 2007. Shopping now for a 250 Vstar for fun on rural backroads. It'll probably be my last bike--as you say, less weight to maneuver when stopped.
And that's what motorcycling has always been about, being able to go enjoy the ride without any worries or concerns.
Not permanent... i see that spark in your eye when you say that!
I'd been a rider for 40 yrs when I bought one (because I needed something to get to work on) I knew it was a beginner bike and didn't even like cruisers but it did make sense, so I bought it. But it changed my mind and I came to love riding it. No chicken strips on mine either. I was thinking of selling it but after watching this I'm going to resurrect it. Not just a beginner bike. A bike that an experienced rider can wring out and have fun doing it.
Exactly my friend! I got a little old Honda CB 250 that I kept around after using it as a flat tracker as a little go any where around town cafe bike... That bike has taught countless friends and girl friends how to ride and given me a life time of good times. The amount of friends and good times that little old bike has given me is unreal. I have more fun on that little darling more than any of my huge "big man" bikes could ever do.
That's because the Honda CB 250 is a real bike, small but a real bike. The Virago is a piece of jink and always will be a girls bike.
I friggin' love the 250 and 535 Viragos. They are amazing town bikes. They look good, they sound good and they're light and easy to smash through traffic on.
Smallish bikes are a ton of fun. I took a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course on a Nighthawk 250, and it was fantastic. Got a chance to ride another one many years later - still fantastic.
A lot of MC courses use these 250 cruiser bikes. They are reliable when ran often and easy to maneuver on a course. Took my original MC course on one of these years ago when getting my license. Not bad cycles by any means despite having a carb.
I agree...when I was a younger man "Cool" was important, but now as an older man...Just wanna have a little fun before I go. So I got a little GZ250...not powerful, not fast...but I turned it into a dresser...and now its fun.
Whatever you got, even a moped, two wheels is the best medicine.
A moped has pedals like a bicycle believe it or not. Only the British call them mopeds , but they are not.
I started riding this year at 49 years of age. I bought a used Kawasaki Versys-x 300 and I love it. The previous owner added some useful mods and only put 2700 miles on it. The bike has a 296 cc parallel twin that is getting nearly 73 mpg. It handles rather well on the curvy roads and you can take it on the chert and gravel roads. I can ride the chert roads of Hickman County and not see a car for hours.
There's something about 300 cc or smaller motorcycles that I love. They aren't powerful enough to do stupid stuff on, but they have enough power to do the speed limit. I like to come home after work and hit my 30 mile loop. It helps out the mental state to feel the wind on a motorcycle. When I think about upgrading to a nicer motorcyle, I also think about the extra cost and lower mpg and figure I'll just hang onto the little Kawasaki.
hell, a ninja 300 now has about as much horsepower as an old 883 sportster. and they're SOOO much smoother and easier. for just cruising, or even commuting, they get the job done fine. my little 535 virago hit 90 the one time i pinned it and felt like it still had more. needs brakes and tires before i do that too much... it really surprised me, i'm around 300lbs and even not running quite right, it'll run arpound just fine.
I'm with you, I got rid of a 700 lb. Harley and got a Versys X300. I replaced the f/r sprocket and chain and added a center stand. The seat is a little hard, but that's the only con.
@@Randolini Get one of those gel inserts or seat covers. I have a center stand on mine and it is very handy. The V-x 300 is a very underrated bike.
I was still a kid when these were released in Australia. They were promoted as learner bikes, especially as here in South Australia, learners were restricted to 250cc max. Rules have changed now to a power to weight ratio rule.
And a maximum of 660cc, unless the bike was made in like 1910 haha
I have owned tons of motorcycles, I presently own a 1988 xr600r registered for the road. Little bikes Are Motorcycles!!! Everything has its place. It does not have to be a big bike to be a motorcycle, if it has 2 wheels and puts a smile on your face then it's done what it's intended to do.😊
I can tell you why the exhaust is like that. It’s because most v-twin motorcycles run better with a 2 into 1. But American consumers like the looks of the Harley dual pipes.
And your sporty feels more flickable probably because of the fork angle. Headstock geometry makes a big difference in motorcycles, and especially small ones.
Lucky for me I never had a hang up on smaller bikes. We always had them as a kid and I fell in love with them because that’s what we had. I never lost interest.
That’s to do with back pressure/scavenger exhaust the pulse waves work together when lengths are right 1 draws from the other…
This matters on 45 degree single pin bikes like harleys for raw power. IMO 2 into 2 sounds better to me.
As an "entry level" bike the rear pipe isn't hot enough to burn anyone.
I couldn't agree more these are great bikes. My wife's uncle bought one to cruze around wife after his second knee surgery and he loves the fact that he doesn't hurt after a ride. He'll admit it's nothing like his Honda Goldwing but on the other hand it's way better than riding a trike.
I had a V- Rod and was afraid to use it as it might get dirty or wet and bought a Buell Blast as a little "around town " bike . Never used the V-Rod and sold it , rode that Blast for 9 years . Like you say , perfect bike to ride to work or for parts runs . Got back into a big Harley but you made me think about maybe another little bike . In the 90's I had a Yamaha 750 Special that was my favorite bike ever .
Tony, more motorcycle content would be great! Been riding for 53 years. Main street bike is an '09 Harley XR1200 Sportster. Regarding the exhaust on the Virago. To save money, Yamaha probably made the front and rear cylinder head interchangeable, which puts the rear exhaust port in a weird spot. But, they wanted the Harley exhaust look, so, the phony rear pipe it is. Love your vids.
I've had my license since 1992. A year or so ago I bought one of these, and I have to say I really enjoy it. Is it fast? No - but yesterday I was out riding mine for about an hour, with a short stretch of 60mph on the local highway, and then a bunch of winding, hilly 35mph country farm roads. It's actually a very fun motorcycle.
As with cars: Small/slow bike ridden fast is more fun than a big/fast bike ridden slow. There is something great about riding a small/slow bike or driving a small/slow car on a winding road that helps you really enjoy the art of riding and driving.
These 250’s are tough. I got a ‘14 in a group of 6 different bikes at an auction and of all of them this model bike had the most character of the whole trailer load. Wound up giving the bike away in a benefit ride for a veteran charity last August. Between the bike and door prizes is generated over $4K in a single day for a good cause. The winner of the bike hasn’t ever ridden but he rides now😜
Years ago I had the Virago 700. Really loved that bike! Comfortable to ride, great sound, great looks, just a very nice all around bike.
Looks like a keeper .....I processesed, salvaged & revived around 300 Japan bikes of all makes & sizes...yeah the smaller bikes are great& hate gas....runs a long time on a gallon of fuel- the initial quality they were made with...20-30-40 yrs later once serviced out i got to ride each one and the people who bought them were happy to have them & they could just go & get thier paoer& insp sticker- most rewarding thing i ever done as a mechanic- glad u saved this unit Sir.
Hey, I hear ya bro. Thru most of my adult life, I was addicted to fast bikes. You know, Kawasaki two stroke triples, Z1s and KZs, Suzuki 1000s and 1150s,etc. Then one day I rode my brothers Virago 750. I fell in love in about 15 minutes. Sold my big fast bikes, and bought an identical Virago. Maybe the most enjoyable bike I ever rode. Loved it for about 2 yrs., then gave in and traded it for a Kawasaki ZX9. Two yrs later, came to my senses, And traded that for a Harley D. You just can't enjoy the scenery and countryside when you're trying to play boy racer, and get home all amped up, and realize that you missed it all. Low and slow from then on.
I love those little VStar 250s! I've considered one for tinkering many times. I've enjoyed setting up my Ninja 250, and it helped teach me about the mechanical and riding fundamentals that transferred to my more significant projects. Glad you gave the VStar some love!
My ninja 250 tought me how to balance carbs and set valve clearances. Seemed like a constant chore. Otherwise, super fun to ride. Even long distance.
I toured the entire Americas, from Fairbank to Santiago on a 2006 Ninja 250; very capable bike. I had the Virago 250 but got rid of it quick, no wiggle room past 65mph. The Ninja 250 can do 90mph all day.
I was gonna buy the 883 as my first bike as a 6' able bodied construction worker bc its the same price as these and my friend said he learned on an 883 and is fine and this makes me wanna go get this one even tho its less bike for the same 2k
Coming from a guy with a Harley, this is an awesome video and you are so right. Those silly little bikes have their place and can be a of of fun if you can get past your ego. In all honesty, not a bad looking bike either.
Thank you Uncle Tony for sharing your feelings about this bike and for putting in a good word for it. I've had several bikes including litre sportbikes, and touring bikes, but I got rid of all my other bikes and only have two Virago/V-Star 250's left. They were the only bikes I was riding, and wanted to ride. It doesn't matter if it's a highway trip or a short trip to town. It's fun to ride and will do whatever I would like to do with it. It's easy for someone to get on a litre bike or Harley and drive fast, it's more challenging and rewarding to hop on a smaller one and make people think you're riding a much larger bike. 38 years ago I owned a CB550 4 cylinder and hated it. The bike was a tank on two wheels, that only cornered when it wanted to, and wouldn't corner at all in the rain. It was a pain to own and I drooled over the '84 Interceptor when it came out, they solved a lot of the old problems with the CB. Today, they call the CB series 'classics' and I say 'sure, if you're going to park them in a museum', but if you're going to ride each day, look for a Virago. For 40 years I watched motorcycles being reworked to be faster, more powerful, 'safer' to ride, more this, and more that, until they all became the same over-powered, over technological, over-priced, POS that just isn't fun to ride every day anymore. The Virago got it right, and some brilliant bike builder knew they had a good thing so they kept making it, more or less unchanged for almost 50 years. It is the smoothest V-Twin I've ever owned and after many great riding trips with it, I'd vote it the best V-Twin ever made. I 2nd your vote for this bike as underappreciated and wholeheartedly agree with your opinion that it is a lot better motorcycle than people might think. If I only had one bike, it would be a V-Star/Virago 250. If I only had two street bikes, they would both be Virago 250's, one with a windshield and cruise control, the other done up as a cafe racer. I haven't got to the cafe racer custom work yet, but in my case that's true.
I had a 125cc Dragstar years ago when i was learning to ride, a little lacking in power maybe as im a big guy but what a great bike to ride!
Nice episode. I get what you are saying. I have had a few "happy bikes". My '73 right hand shift Bonneville was so happy up 55. A total blast around town. Freeway - not so much. Oh it had the power, but the vibes would get you. In the dirt, I had two - a Hodaka Combat Wombat that would trail with much bigger bikes because it so eager and happy to just go, anywhere. The other was an Ossa Super Pioneer. It had a plate so it went around town, and went trailing. 210 lbs wet and the happiest little goer. If it got into a jam, you could literally pick the whole thing up and put it on a new line 🙃
I occasionally look for a Bultaco Frontera 370, That's a different kinda happy 😁
I agree that the Sportster is kinda there, but more work just to run around ...
I owned a Suzuki Intruder 800 a few years back. Another silly little bike but it was reliable, fast, good looking, sounded great and was a charm to ride. I sold it for what I had in it and iv'e noticed that they've held their value even today. I sold mine in 2013 for $2500 and i see they're selling today for $2000-$3500 for a clean one.
I've had two Honda Shadow 750's, an '07 Spirit and a '14 Phantom. These bikes were great to ride around town. Light weight (500lbs. & 550lbs.). Got about 55-60 mpg on 87 octane. Never had a single quality issue, ever. They actually had a great sound, too, especially the Phanton after installing some Cobra longshot pipes.
I would love to use 87 octane in my shadow VLX 600, but it calls for 91+ for some reason.
The only bike I ever owned was a 535 Virago. Beautiful little bike. Looks pretty much just like this 250. Loved it, but the sucker was no highway cruiser with my 6’2” 220 pound ass on it. Was going to move up to a 750, but I decided riding in L.A. traffic was no different than strapping on a Zero and diving at U.S. Destroyers at The Battle of Okinawa. So, it’s long gone.
Great video Great bike. I'm checking one of these out today. Never ridden before!
I had a 2000 Suzuki GS500E, no computer, no abs, nothing. What a beautiful little sewing machine!
I echo a lot of your sentiments, I do miss it here and there, especially when I see one in traffic. But fighting 20year old bike issues got old real quick without a space to work on it.
Do the bike channel.... please.
In Australia, learners were restricted to 250cc for quite some time (which changed to 650cc a little while back) so I learned on a 250 Virago, great little bike. We still own it and loan it out to anyone who wants to get their license. It's has gotten so many new riders their license.
it changed to 660cc
I have one, knocked about 18kg /40lbs off it. Alu tank and guards, removed unnecessary / dress parts, lithium battery, handmade exhaust etc. Sprocket change is the first thing most people do. Stock 16/45, most go 17/40. Mine's 17/36 and perfect for the reduced weight. The factory exhaust I think is tuned length, with the dummy pipe for the Harley look. A bike mechanic who owns a Sportster said the same as you, it's the perfect jump-on-and-go bike. Dropping the front on the forks helps, 10mm is good, 20mm is great, 30mm starts to feel twitchy. You're spot on about it's happy place too.
I have been riding motorbikes for 56 years (turned 69 today, actually! ;-) ), and two years ago I bought an old Virago 250 that wouldn't start... A fresh battery solved THAT - and since that I've become more and more happy with this small "moped"! For longer distances, I use my BMW K75 or my GoldWing, but this Virago is ideal for small trips, including on gravel-roads and even on the forest-tracs around where I'm living! At first I thought I'd just make it run - and then sell it. But no, THIS bike I'll keep!! ;-)
"...like two big chrome tumours on the side of the bike." - lol! Fantastic comment.
I have traded down from a Yamaha 1300 cruiser as I am 85. and if it was to fall over miles from home in a layby I cannot pick it up. so now I have a Virago 535. just pefect. Briddy UK.
Of all the motorcycles ever made the Virago 250 is the most desirable for me, I have had 3 of them. So light, so torquey, so narrow, so efficient, so good looking, so reliable, so flickable, so much fun. They are unique for Japanese motorcycles in that they have long stroke engines, just like most Harley's
How much does the bike weigh?
324 pounds in 2024.@@erwinerwin1245
Tony, that is just what is needed for those morning rides. I miss those country roads in Pennsylvania when I ran a 1970 Triumph 500 Trophy in my younger days. In my later years I ran a 1450 HD soft tail cruiser with the 88 B engine in stage 1 configuration. Now bad hips I no longer ride. I can see the joy coming to the surface on you just talking about the Yamaha. 👍🇺🇸🙏🏽✌🏻😎
Personally, I started out on a V65 Sabre and later added an 1100 Shadow (both bought as new leftovers and I still own them). When my wife decided that she wanted her own bike, this is exactly what she picked, right down to removing the back seat. After a few years, she moved up to a Suzuki S40 and the little "Yamahopper" became the learner bike for our 3 kids. It's perfect for that role and, our youngest daughter now has it as her main source of transportation at college in fair weather months.
70 m.p.g. is no lie either. My wife rode it on her 120 mile round trip commute in nice weather and, while it only holds 3 gallons or so, she only filled the tank every 2nd day.
Agreed. I have a 750 and a 920. In my stable. They are smooth as silk and a joy to ride.
The bike that I learned to ride on, put a few thousand miles on it before moving on. Tony has hit the nail on the head.
Tony....you are an amazing man......God bless you and all you do.
Its nice to see you so HAPPY about this bike and riding it
I have a 2017 rebel 250. Been riding it since 2018. Love it. It is my primary bike. I dont feel the need for anything more. If i have to haul i use the pick up truck. I see people riding these heavy monsters and just dont get the need for it. My brother had an 800lb beast and i couldnt imagine having to manage such weight unless on a major road trip. Simplicity is good.
We used them quite a bit when I was doing MSF RiderCourse. Now the next "sillier and littler" bike to look for is a Kawasaki Eliminator 125.
They are a decent bike, and I think has good low end grunt for a small motor.
Tony, that exhaust does sound good, but I suspect someone punched the baffles out in the muffler.
My first street bike was a Honda CB200T . Couldn't get out of it's own way, but was one of the most dependable machines I ever had. Put gas in it, and change the oil every once in awhile, and it'd never let you down.
Those CBs were/are a reliable machine & just like Tony said a fun little back to tool around, or throw in the back of the truck, or on the back of your Jeep. Good cheap fun, & a great bike to learn or teach your kids to ride. While I would love something a bit peppier I would still be really tempted to get a CB200.
@@harvestblades 👍
Hahahaha i had the cb360t as a first street bike. Blue with the black scalp . Awesome little bike . Missing it right now !
Please more motorcycle content!
Thanks for the video. Agree. Small bikes have lots of overlooked advantages. It's a perfect commuter in the city or go where bicycles can.
Always wanted a Yamaha 650. The first 4 stroke yammer ever saw. 1970 or so
The Kid I am mentoring found and bought one of these. Carb was locked up and had to junk it. He got an Ebay long runner manifold and he mated that too an old Keihen carb I had laying around and rejetted it, installed a Cheap after market exhaust that got rid of that stupid fake pipe and that really woke that thing up. It keeps up with my CL450DOHC cafe bike.
A better choice, IMO, for a complete newbie (I've been riding over 55 years), is a small dual sport bike. A tip over costs nothing, lots of torque for city riding.
Yeah I really wouldn’t recommend learning on a sport bike it’s very much something you move to once you’ve got a feel for riding cuz there’s definitely a reason the vast majority of bike accidents happen on sport bikes
I agree with you Tony.
Tony I love it when you post bike content, it was very easy to listen to you talk about this bike for 20 mins. Thank you
Tony that reminds me of my first bike a 1994 Suzuki Intruder 800. Kind of a factory Chopper but with just an 800cc engine that did NOT like 70 mph! At least mine didn't but I Loved the looks and feel of that bike! Now I ride a 1992 sportster 883 & I love that too! PS; At 69 years old my Dream is to leave Michigan and maybe land in Tenn. somewhere... I loved the roads I saw you ride on one your earlier videos.
My first bike was a 1988 Suzuki Savage purchased in 1993 for $1000 from a guy getting married. The bike was absolutely perfect, and I can't recall doing anything other than basic maintenance in the entire time I owned it. I thought I was doing well selling it for exactly what I paid after doubling the mileage, but wound up regretting that for all the same reasons you've talked about here. I so wish I had seen this in 1995.
I became more of a sport bike guy in my early 40s. I sold a Honda vf500 interceptor that i had fixed up and i took a kawasaki ninja 250 as trade for part of the payment. I took all the mickey mouse parts and put it back to factory. I had a blast on this thing on the twisty back roads! I also had a gixer 750 at the time and found myself having more fun on the ninja on certain roads because i didn't have to worry about mega horsepower coming out of sharp turns. Little ninja handled great and made good power mid rpm and up. Little bikes have their place for sure!
I'm an experienced rider. I have had 5 different bikes including a 500 cc and a 1000cc. My current bike is a 250cc. I love it. It's favorite bike. Great to look at and great to ride. I'm 6 foot plus and 200 pounds by the way. I have no plans to change to anything else.
My son bought a Yamaha Bolt from his Uncles son for 3k, it's a really nice little scooter...he got new tires put on, and a service and it was good to go.. it's the little cheap things in life that are the most fun and care free
The Yamaha bolt is not a little scooter.
@@ericx7476 depends on your perspective....if it's less than 1000cc....it's a scooter...S&S sidewinder 124 ci....not so much.
@@duanedahl8856 you’re stupid dude.
I've learned the same lesson as you, UT. Small lightweight bikes are FUN!
I did my safety course on a Vstar250 and in terms of comfort it was actually pretty unbelievable. Like 8 hours in the saddle and by the end of the day I still felt like I was sitting on a cloud. Can't say I was a fan of the forward controls or the throttle feel though. I ride a Royal Enfield Classic 350 now and I feel like it hits a lot of the same notes you mention about the Vstar. It's maligned for the same reasons as the Vstar 250 in the US. Even so, I think it's a handsome sucker, decent size for my 5'10 ass, low seat makes it trainee accessible, comfortable bar position so my arms don't get tired, low horsepower and top speed but enough to putt around town all day, excellent fuel economy, and a bit heavy on paper but incredibly maneuverable. Threw a couple bags on it and it's a blast. I eventually want a bigger bike, but I really can't imagine not having a silly little bike for easy, relaxed around-town riding.
The RE 350 bikes are on my list of potential next (and hopefully last) motorcycle. The one downside to the REs are their weight. They have the same HP as the V Star but weigh over one-hundred pounds more. The REs cost $800 less on sale. I think the REs look prettier. I just want something that is easy to deal with and super reliable. If you were a smaller person like me (5'6" 160 pounds), would you consider a V Star to be easier to handle than an RE 350?
@@MrMoneyHelper Probably, yeah. Honestly the weight on the Classic 350 is pretty low so it doesn't bother me much, but the super low seat height on the V-Star meant that even the shortest people in my class could flat foot it. My Classic 350, but even with the official low rider seat RE offers it's still like 3 inches higher than a stock V-Star 250. The RE 350s have pretty soft suspension though, so under load it might be a little closer. Either way, I think you'll be fine tbh. Worth mentioning on price that both the RE 350s and V-Stars/Viragos are all over the used market for pretty cheap so that's the route I'd suggest. Go to a couple dealerships and ask to sit on their showroom models and then follow your heart on which feels best for you.
Some engines just want to run, I love it.
Let me stop you at 5 minutes. I totally agree and am keeping my eyes peeled for an old helix for random errands in the civilized season of the year. Bikes are just fun, ride it smile and park it. My polishing and giving a hoot about what other people think are long gone in the rear view. There's something soul restoring about a breeze in your hair.
That silly little motorcycle has been my second-wife for more than 25 years and I never felt the desire to upgrade.. until she just gave up after 85.000 miles of riding!
The first ones had buckhorn’s and they were badged Route 66. My sister bought one brand new in 89. It lived in my bedroom for six months.
Always thought about the VStar 250 as a 2nd bike. Fuel milage should be awesome
I just bought a Yamaha V-Star 250 as a first bike for my daughter. I've been on small bikes before, and they just don't have a lot of power, especially on the highway, so I wasn't expecting much. I was able to drive it home, about 60 miles on the interstate and had to watch my speed as I was easily hitting 70 to 75 mph., and I'm over 300lbs. I'm really impressed with it. Good looks, great performance, and the perfect departure from a standard Honda Rebel. This is a bummer I can see my daughter riding for a few years before getting tied of it!
This is an excellent overview of the Yamaha 250. I really share your sentiments. Thanks for the video.
what a coincidence... i live in the same town, and traded my old timberwolf that i haven't had running since probably close to the 90s, but it was low hours even for that, just used it every now and then mostly when one of my buddies didn't have a ride. anyway, found a guy selling a 535 virago, and he was up to trade. he said it looked like i was getting the better end of the deal, but not really. they both need tires, battery, carb work. but the virago did start, at the time... and run... not great, but it did run and mostly worked ok. but this thing has a fuel pump, and a lot more wiring to go through, especially with signals, which don't work (brake light) or kinda wonky at best. brake light works, just no running light and the switch sticks. not to mention, it ain't low hours... it's got 41,000 miles on it, which is pretty crazy for a little bike. a gold wing, yeah just getting broken in. but a 500 class, that's a lot. so it's tired, had a miss since i got it, and i haven't got into the carbs yet. the other problems haven't let me. but it was somebody's "bobber project" which just means some idiot watched too much occ and took a saw to it... literally just cut the frame behind the seat, so it now has no support at the rear shock mounts side to side other than the sheet metal over the tank. another thing i don't like about it, but not a big deal, really, other than necessitating the use of a fuel pump when you could've just used the gas tank as the gas tank... maybe a bit more top heavy, but whatever. i actually was surprised, for a little 535 from the 80's, this one is an '87, and my big ass, it's kinda peppy. but this one's shaft drive... why they didn't do it like the 250 and use a chain, i have no idea, other than i guess beginner, but a chain ain't that hard to deal with. i managed fine when i was 8 on my honda 80... and every other bike under like 700cc save for maybe one is chain drive. you can get away with it on a 750, or especially liter or bigger. but anyway, for what it is, it's not a bad little cruiser. i guess i just always have to have one yamaha, get rid of one only to end up with another. not that the timberwolf was bad, it was a 2wd so nice and light, the 4wd model was garbage. they barely had enough power for a 2wd, but being so light it worked ok to play around on or cruise trails. but i had bigger badder better in pretty much every way hondas, so it mostly sat. still have my 400ex and bored foreman s but they also need work, rode my 400 into the gropund, literally. and haven't messed with any of em in years. this little virago got me back into riding, gonna try and get another proper bike soon. as in, not a beginner bike, cause i'm many things, but not that. and maybe i'll have this one fixed properly by the time my daughter can get her license and she can learn on it. never got to fix my old 80 up for her, now she's a bit big for it. i do wanna fix it one of these days. my step brother misplaced the carb when i was like 12 and he was gonna go through it for me cause he was a bike mechanic, rebuilt the engine in my dwarf car back in the day. hoping i can find a few in a bit better shape to fix up and flip, then get a honda or kawi standard or sport tourer. something i can do stoppies and wheelies on, but still go pick up groceries. i'm just sick of trying to keep this stupid chevy running, and it drinks too much gas anyway when it does run properly. gonna go back to bikes, and i can get through traffic without wanting to drive through half the other vehicles. i've never ridden 883, or a stock one that was actually 883cc. my cousin had one with 1200 jugs and i don't remember what else. but even with forward controls, it was more cramped than the virago. but it honestly feels like it'd be about on par with a 535. maybe a little less being shaft drive, god that was dumb... it'd be a great little bike if it had a chain, actually is a pretty good little bike the way it is. just being a sohc, it's definitely got harley beat cc for cc. at least the older ones anyway. just doesn't have that many of them. but a chain drive, they could've easily ran disc rear brakes. probably wouldn't have, but it'd maybe be easier to convert at least.
One of your best videos UT
NOTE, Pure Speculation on my part. Exhaust setup could be an attempt to keep exhaust scavenging for both cylinders as close to equal as possible. This is done in an attempt to have a near equal power output for each power stroke for each cylinder. This would make it vibrate less and transfer its power much smoother than a slight difference between the two cylinders power output, especially on a 60 deg. setup. Note there is a near equal turn and length as it is setup in stock form. Oh and nice aesthetics of course.
Can’t believe I hadn’t seen this video until now. But anyway, after years of riding H-D & Triumph bikes, I bought a Honda CRF250L in 2013 when they first came out. I wanted a dirt bike, and the fact that this was a street legal dirt bike was very appealing; no need to load it into a truck to get to the trails! After a few weeks, I realized that the “little” Honda was way more fun than my 750 lb. Harleys or my classic (and hard-to-find parts for) Triumphs. I still have those bikes - and many others - but the dual sport Honda is actually fun to ride. So, it’s now my “main bike”.
Not even into bikes, but you kinda made me want one of these.
I’ve never riden a motorcycle but in the late 90s I did look around at motorcycles as I was thinking of getting one. The Virago 250 was the only one low enough were I could saddle it confidently.
I have a 2002 with buckhorns. Otherwise, it looks like yours in black, and I love it. It's my only motorcycle. It is an alternative to riding my road bicycle or even my mountain bike, or even my e-bike.. Like you, I use it mainly to ride the country side and to hiking trailheads, but here in eastern Idaho. It's cheap to run, cheap on maintenance, and cheap on insurance and lastly cheap on gas.
It is light enough for me, at 128 pounds and at 69 years old, to manhandle in my tight garage. And like you said, it's always there asking me to ride it. And because it is not worth much in cash, I might as well keep it and keep riding it.
Mine now has over 20,000 miles on it. It had 5,700 when I bought it back in 2014. I've gone through three sets of tires and one chain since I bought it. Voile Virago.
I'm with you 1000 %. Like you I have 2 Sportsters and a 2010 250 V Star. I put cheap saddle bags on the V Star and do my grocery shopping with it!!. The Sportsters, I have to horse around in the garage, get them pointed toward the street, but this thing, no matter where it's parked, I just throw my leg over and go.
My first street bike was a little 1984 Yamaha XV750. I want to say it was around $600. Even though it was pretty old it only had around 11,000 miles on it. After cleaning the carbs changing the oil it ran great and I kept it for years with no problems. I rode it everywhere and it was always fun. I don’t recall ever having any trouble with it and it got over 50 mpg. When I got a sport bike later on I sold it for about what I paid for it. I still love motorcycles all these years later. In Texas you can ride a motorcycle easily 10 months out of the year and they make a great “daily driver”
My dad rode into his 80's. He gradually downsized his ride to this same little 250. He could hop on and scoot around the country roads and enjoy riding into his 80's. He would let me borrow it while i was working on the Electra glide i was riding at the time. I enjoyed ruding it. It was a fun little bike to scoot around on.
I had a 400cc virago. During the time I owned it I had 7 other bikes, but for some reason I just could not swap it out. It was such a lovely bike. It did everything you could want from a run around, and is the best behaved bike I have ever ridden. Ideal town bike or run around
yeh I had one in The Philippines actually. They go well.
I've owned many motorcycles and my favorites have always been my smaller ct70s, trail 125s. Grom and 600s. Cheap fun to ride bikes
Yep, after years of big bikes I moved to small 'beginner' bikes and never looked back. So much fun, simple, reliable, cheap to run etc. etc. Parking a car for work costs me $150 a week, for bikes it is free. My insurance and registration on my 200cc commuter is paid for in 3 weeks, pretty much free fun and transport after that. ALSO, small dual sports (like my DR200) give you ultimate flexibility and fun, riding home from work...oh look a dirt track wonder what's down there...just perfection.
Thats why us bike guys ride is because you get that bug of just you the bike and the nature around you
I'm from Texas, but I've traveled the northeast and midwest pretty extensively. So, I'm sitting there watching this, and I says, I says to myself, I says, "Self... this guy's from Philly, and he's an Italian-American." Love the accent dude. Very unique. Don't lose it. Too many people lose their accent these days.
NY
@@alanmeyers3957 I never heard people say, "I says," in NY. But it seems like everyone, young and old, say that in Philly. I mean, I've heard old-timers from the backwoods of east Texas say it, and I'm sure it's said by a lot of older people who migrated from the Tri-state area back in the day. But mostly it's a Philly thing. Most people outside of Philly say, "I said," not, "I says."
Cool little bike I used to own a Yamaha VMAX yeah death trap fast as hell dangerous as hell but it was fun they recalibrated them after the first ones were released because they're just too dangerous when that throttle butterfly would dump you were in for it but a rocket have a great day thanks for the great video that's a perfect bike for running for parts
My Mother-in-law's ex was President of the Asgard MC and he always rode a Road King. He was a big guy 280-290 6'3"-6'4" but he would admit when he was drunk enough that he liked the V Star, even though he'd never ride one.
My wife had a V Star for a short period of time to learn on and it was a solid rider. Nothing about it will knock your socks off but it's absolutely solid and reliable. 👍
Alot of the positives about this bike is why people love the new royal Enfields. They are not a chore to ride at all. Just fire it up and enjoy the town. Good video Tony.
Tony the most fun bike i ever owned was a 1981 kawasaki gpz550. It was light weight had like 50hp and handled like it was on rails. I used to smoke harleys on back roads all the time
Loved my 05 650 vstar...rode it 14000 miles the first year I bought it...handled great.
I have the same feelings exactly. I have a 2000 Vstar650. Classic that I bought new and an Indian Chief Classic. The Chief is for the all day Sunday rides but the 650 is my everyday short ride through the country road, my unwind relax ride. I always said it’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. Be careful and be well
Nice summary .... actually there is really currently nothing out there to compare it to.
I learned on 250 cc bikes , ((80,s) over the decades ive had them all From H.D to Triumph . i recently for no reason i can think of i bought one , i love it , makes me fell like a younger guy again and smiles for miles are there.... i know what your talking about on this one . i also have an XL1200S .
I've always liked two cylinder Japanese bikes. Never owned one but I've ridden a handful of them and was never disappointed.
The smile on Uncle Tony's face when talking about this bike says it all
My lovely lady started out on a suzuki maurader 250, she loved that thing and rode it pretty much daily to commute for a few years, then 1 day after a spring ride she said "ok get me a bigger one". She now has a vulcan 500, which is huge, because she's under 5 feet tall lol.
The vulcan is slightly lowered