Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(Top) Torquey V-twin engine is a stressed member of !he frame . (Abovt;t) Seat hides the electrics and rear shock. (Below) Cycom instrument panel IS motorcycling's first total LCD readout. ders do run o n ly a tiny b it d ifferent in temperatures . we 'r e told. T he engi ne o f th e 920 is q u ite similar 10 tha t o f th e Virago 750 . Bore is increased to 92.0 mm. over th e sma lle r Vira go 's 83 .0. a nd stroke remai ns th e same a t 69.2 mm . Redline is a t 7000 rpm. unusu all y h igh for a big Vee tw in. T he overhead ca ms help, a lso Yamaha 's zero -las h gea r which co n tri bu tes towa rd taking th e slo p o u t o f th e valve tra in. It 's a sp ri ng loaded gear wh ich m esh es with th e G1m cha in d riv e gea r on th e cra n ksha ft. keeping ·th i ngs hooked up sn ug ly. T he H y-Vo typ e G1 m cha in th en run s off an attach ed sma lle r gea r o n the zero-l ash or lim in g gea r, The engi ne has roc ker arms a nd screwtype valve cleara nce adj uste rs , easy to check a nd cha nge bu t requ iring more frequen t adj us tme nts;' with sh ims redl in e wou ld likely be even higher. Red line seems to co me eas ilv, however, espec ially in mount ain ridin g . Perh aps i t' s because the hi ke pulls so effo rtless ly. Vib ration doe s in crea se wit h th e R 's, bu t its low freq uen cy ma kes the bu sier of th e fo urs seem mighty b uzzy. L ike th e Virago 750. this h ike ha s a shaft drive ru n ni ng off a ja ckshaft by means o f bevel gea rs. It 's difficult to remember th a t this is a sha ft drive bike. ho wever; i t's virtua llv un noticeable in th e bike 's action. ' . Like a H a rley. th e rear wh eel will chi rp wh en yo u downs hift if you let th e R 's go down , a nd th e wheel tries 10 drive th e h eav y engine and flywhee l - a n unaccu stomed effect 10 a rider o f the mo re usu al styles o f J apa nese motorcycle. Also like a H arley. it ha s lot s of torque. T he flat power curve will mak e yo u fo rget 10 sh ift into fifth o n th e freewa y if you daydream. Theoreticall y. with this kind of powe r th e 920 would mak e a good hack bike; ac tua lly . for a day I tri ed it connected to a Mororva rio n Formula II sideca r. on ano th er project. It wa s great. despite th e sta nda rd o wne r's m anua l warning not to do th a t - a pronouncem ent designed to keep the unwary o wner from po ssib le mi sad ven tures resu lti ng from improper ins ta llation. good sidecar tech nol ogy no t being found everywhe re th ese day s. The Virago' s adjustab le suspen sion is per fect for sideca r usc. .Mos t hack owners add a ir to the for ks a n yway. a nd get hea vy-du ty shocks; th e Virag o 's adj us tab le damping helps, 100 . This long a nd strong m ot orcycle worked very well wi th Mot orvarion 's h eavy. wid e-t rack side car. The Virago 920 is. overa ll, a m ost well-trained and accomoda ting bea st. Swa p p ing for a wh ile while rid in g wi th a friend with a Sportster, especia ll y a n o lde r one, will q uick ly co n vince most peop le o f th at , The Vira go's saddle. alt hough stepped. is large. p rov id ing p lent y of sq uirm room . On rides la st in g up 10 half a day. it never beca me uncom forta ble. T he adj ustable bars a re not so extreme as some p ullback o nes. th ough everyo ne seems 10 find on ly a co up le of th e positions useful. Mostly I left th em sta nda rd, b u t seuing th e inner pa n . the so -ca lled hand le, a s opposed 10 th e o u ter pan , th e hand leba r proper, . bac k one p osi tion wa s usefu l in to uring for lean ing back aga ins t a pack . a ba ckrest - o r a pa ssen ger. T h ro w a way th e torque figures for the pinch bo lts th ough . th ey'I l vibrate loo se if no t clamped down right. The extende r in th e too l ki t for th e two Allen wrenches he lps, as does a n ti-seize sp ray, in cha nging them a ga in a fter tighteni ng th em to th e max . To co m p lement the pullback bar po sition. Yamah a rase g uards and J ammer hi ghwa y pegs co mpleted th e set-up fo r a la id -hack chopperesq ue rid in g st yle with whi ch 10 cat up hi ghwa y mil es. Specifications Eng ine Type Air-cooled four-stroke SOHC V -twin. Bore and stroke 92.0 x 69,2mm. Displacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9200cc. Compression ration _ 8 .3;1 . Carburetor Hitachi HCS40. Starting System Electric start. Lubrication system Wet sump. Transmission Five -speed constant mesh. Clutch Wet. multiple disc. Ignition TCI. Chassis 26 further on. T he bike averaged abou t 47 mi les per ga llon. You ca n sh u t u p the warn in g Iight for th is or a nother funct ion with it s co n tro l bu tton if you ge l tired of it yell in g a t you . AI fir st th e Cycom in struments may seem crca m p uffery. a nd doub tless [or pu ri sts wi ll remain so . Fu r th ose o f us wh o have co me to prefer max imum ridin g time over fu ssing with bikes, well . o ne Gin become accustomed. It's a painless wa y to av oid situatio ns like ' inviting yo ur lad y friend for a ride o n yo ur hig roa d- b urner. th en fi nd ing o ut at th e hour o f departure th at since yo u n eglected 10 chec k yo u r buuery, yo u m ust ho th goon her middlew eight twin or no t a t a ll. U n li ke o n so me con te mpora ry bike s, however . th e baucr y is eas ily access ible. under the right side co ver. T h is cove r cleverl v includes a scoop 10 chan nel cooling air towa rd th e rear cy li nde r. which is o ffset 10 th e left . a lso for cooling. The two cylin- Front suspension Telescopic. Rear suspension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Monocross. Rake 29° 30'. Trail 133mm. Front tire 350H 19-4PR. Rear tire 130/90-16 67H . Dimensions Wheelbase Ground clearance Weight Fuel tank capacity Suggested list price , 59 .8 in. 5.7 in. (claimed I 496 Ibs. 3.8 gal. $3699.

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