Week One: 60 Miles. I know, I suck.

It’s been 7 days since I brought my 2002 VFR home. I’ve added a mere 60 miles to the odometer reading. I know, I’m a lightweight. I have a full time job, give me a break.
I’ve ridden it to work a few times the past week, and I indeed take the long way home. I’ve found the Interceptor to be a very amenable ride; the hydraulic clutch pull is perfect, the brakes are very strong, there’s practically zero vibration for a nice comfortable ride, and the riding position is very good. The engine temperature gets up to and past 200 degrees F, but the fan comes on and it doesn’t rise above 220 that I’ve seen.

I don’t know if I’m a huge fan of the Hot Grips that were added. I am thankful that I don’t plan on riding when it’s below 40 degrees so having heated hand grips isn’t really going to be a necessity. Therefore, I may just remove them and replace them with a regular set of grips.

The reflector that bit a car. First blood. Hopefully LAST.

Oh, and uh… I had a little boo boo in the parking lot on Friday. I don’t want to take up a full parking space in the company car lot, so I wedged my VFR between two parked cars in the corner of the lot. I saw that my back end was kinda blocking the silver Prius’ driver side door, so I backed out to park elsewhere… and didn’t exactly realize how wide my rear end was, what with the hard luggage. I kinda scraped up against the silver Prius’ rear quarter panel.The sharp edge of the reflector on the hard luggage bit into it…and left a mark…

Have I mentioned that one of the company VP’s owns said silver Prius?

So I immediately told her what I did. She seemed not too concerned about it and didn’t even inspect the scrape until after she left Friday evening. As of this very writing I don’t know if she and her husband have decided that the scrape mark will need to be professionally fixed. If so, of course, I’ll pay for it. But this may be the first time a motorcycle damaged a car while its engine wasn’t even on, as I was walking it backwards between two cars.

Next time? I’m taking a fucking whole space. I’m actually listening to AC/DC’s First Blood from Fly On The Wall as I write this.

What’s ironic is just the day before this, I was talking with a colleague and said that motorcycles in Washington state are not required to carry any sort of insurance. I’ve checked into motorcycle insurance and am on the fence about its necessity. If my Interceptor were stolen, I’d want protection, even with a $1,000 deductible. But collision insurance? That tacks on a significant amount of dough to a motorcycle policy. So I’ll think about it.

2002 Yamaha Virago 250 Review

Years Available: 1981-2007

Pros: Great looks and a good kick out of her when above 250cc

Cons: Early models has starter problems. Cornering can be tricky if your taller than average

Note: The writer of this review earned $15, and so can you. Details about writing a review here.

Price Range: $700-$1,500 (Depends on year of bike)

In 1981, the Yamaha Virago was introduced to the world. It graced the headlines of biker magazines and newspapers when journalists grappled to see the first ever V-Twin motorcycle produced by a Japanese company. The bike is a cruiser style motorcycle, which were and still are extremely popular among bikers.

The bike has a slung back design with handlebars right up on the tank and the seat curving downwards right behind that grumbling engine. This gives the rider a laid back look with legs slightly bent, knees up by the gas tank. Viragos come in almost any colour depending on what production year you go for. Popular choices include black, red and turquoise. The Virago is deserving of strong, bold colors that make it stand out from the other cruisers of the era. Chrome only ads to the effect, with many featuring a double-barrel exhaust pipe and a shiny pair of headlights.

The engine too, is also a glistening dream to look at and hear. Initial models were only made with a 750cc engine. However when Harley Davidson pushed for tariffs on any imported bikes over 700cc, Yamaha dropped the engine capacity to 699cc. The fact that the Virago was making Harley-Davidson, the most famous motorcycle producer in the world, worry, is a testament to the Viragos appeal and success throughout the years. Nowadays, viragos can be found in almost any engine size from 125cc right up to 1100cc. However I’d suggest starting off with something on the bigger side of 250cc to really get that grumble from the V-Twin, not to mention the lack of power the 125cc has if your in anyway offensive to a set of weighing scales or in windy conditions.

The riding experience on a Virago is exceptional, especially one from the late 80s early 90s (anything before ’85 and you may have starter problems). It’s comfortable over long journeys especially for a pillion passenger with that great sissy bar to lean back on. Turning is good so long as your under 6’2”. One final thing that I’d like to add about the Virago is that she’s a great workhorse (the word Virago literally means warrior – they got that right!). I’ve put carrier bags loaded with tonnes of stuff and she just gobbled up the road in front like they weren’t even there.

All things considered this is a great bike especially for learners looking to take that first step into motorcycling. Parts are easy to find on the rare occasion anything goes wrong with her. Viragos are also easily customizable with dozens of websites and companies selling aftermarket lights, mirrors, seats and tanks. The final bike to roll of the production line carrying the Virago name was the 250cc 2007 model. However, fear not! The model was simply renamed V-Star for the 2008 onwards production.

The opinions and observations stated  are solely of the writer of this article. Seattle-Motorcycles.com makes no warranty as to its accuracy; if you’re interested in a Yamaha Virago you should do your own research before buying.