do you like safety switches?

[rphillips]

Yes, Suzuki has a very cheap & crappy front brake light & clutch switch, much worse than others. But,, Very easy to remove, clean, & replace, ( just don't lose the tiny parts ). Also complete repair kits with all the parts on Ebay for less than $15.

[wymple]

its an 82 not a 90s virago but im sure its got alot of the same things going on, on the virago the kickstand switch completely disables the bike from starting but im glad its that and not something else that i would have to really mess with the wiring to get to.

i had no clue any of the GS bikes had a kickstand switch i only have the neutral light and the clutch switch but i do have a pretty basic model as far as a GS goes. find it crazy that these 2 bikes i own are from the same year but they got a good amount of differences that really set them apart, aside from the obvious layout of the motor.

no i havent got the virago going, the carbs look nothing short of superb as for the cleanliness of them. the whole issue ive been having is i wasnt able to get power to the starter button on the virago aswell as lights not operating, but its all because that stupid kickstand switch, it probably wont be today but once i confirm i have spark to the virago it will be up and running very soon after.


cant seem to upload the photo of the virago that really shows its shape.

I've owned a couple of Viragos, and they had many positives. The best clutch feel in the business for my money. Bulletproof rear drive, never have seen one bad. Far better wiring than Suzuki seemed capable of. Great charging system also. Great wide torque band, and really smooth for a twin of any kind. I liked the seats. Every Virago I have seen that was a "problem" was just like every other problem bike, poorly looked after. They had horrible starting systems in 81-to mid 83 before they fixed that issue, and it ruined the reputation, tho they still sold a butt load. Upgraded 4 brush starters can be had on ebay for about 100 bucks, and it helps, but does not overcome the early "box of rocks" design flaws. If the carbs are done right they will start at a touch, so it isn't really a problem. Getting the carbs right requires a really good carb man & that is not easy to find on the early carbs. They guy I used was golden, he died of cancer last year. Extremely good grounds are an absolute must for that starter. There are starter upgrade kits available for 83 & newer models that slow down the spin of starter gear during engagement so it doesn't mill teeth on the flywheel down trying to get engaged. You can easily replace the cam bearings in about 30 minutes with off the shelf roller bearings to extend an already decent engine life. I still have some stuff in the garage. There is a huge Virago forum that addresses most of this stuff. I still check out Viragos for sale just because.

[Rob S.]

The side stand idiot light on my 11E is not connected, I don't even know if it was originally also a cut off, but I say no. You forget to put the stand up when you get under way? Nine times out of ten it will get kicked up by the asphalt ('tarmac' to you Limeys). It doesn't, and causes a crash? Your own damn fault.

The more we make our machines idiot-proof, the more we become idiots.

[wymple]

"The more we make our machines idiot-proof, the more we become idiots"

Truer words were never spoken. There should be a line in the sand somewhere.

[Cipher]

"The more we make our machines idiot-proof, the more we become idiots"

Truer words were never spoken. There should be a line in the sand somewhere.

Trite load of bollocks sad you believe it.

[rphillips]

I don'no Rob , "nine times out of ten it will get kicked up by the asphalt", I'd guess more like 50/50 & probably a little less. My "79" GS1000S was totaled & my "79" KZ1300 Turbo was sent thru the ditch & into a hay field, no damages, because I didn't put the stand up. Like you said "My own damn fault", but I can guarantee these two accidents wouldn't have happened if those bikes had safety switches like my GSX1100G, my 2 Bandit 1200's, or my ZRX1100. Warning lights are totally different from the cut-out switches that won't let you do exactly what you said you did, back in post 14. Like I said earlier, just an aggravation, till the rare time that it saves you, then they are great.

[wymple]

Trite load of bollocks sad you believe it.

Just as sad you can't see it.

[Lou]

I can remember suavely standing next to my bike, gearing up suavely. Suavely turning the key. Suavely hitting the button and watching the bike suavely launch itself without me aboard. Good times!

Who was the hero of this movie

[Rob S.]

Who was the hero of this movie

Steve McQueen. Cooler than Batman.

[mmattockx]

The more we make our machines idiot-proof, the more we become idiots.

Sadly seems to be true. The more safety systems you put on a machine the less people use their own brain and then are surprised when the safety system fails at some point. There has been lots of research on this effect over the years and it is well documented. Risk compensation describes some of it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation

I don'no Rob , "nine times out of ten it will get kicked up by the asphalt", I'd guess more like 50/50 & probably a little less.

My experience matches that of Rob S. Over the years I have left the sidestand down maybe 5-6 times, on at least 2 bikes that I can think of. Every time there was a bang and the sidestand self retracted as the back wheel took a hop and then I carried on as per usual. I can believe it causes wrecks, but that has not been my experience, which I'm quite happy to keep that way.


Mark