Okay, so, I’ve been tinkering around with bikes for a while now, and let me tell you about this latest project I got my hands on – a 1993 Yamaha 535 Virago. A buddy of mine was clearing out his garage, and there it was, tucked away in a corner, looking a bit dusty but still pretty darn solid. It was his dad’s, and apparently, it hadn’t been started in years.
First things first, I had to get it running. I started by giving it a good once-over. Checked the oil, which surprisingly wasn’t too bad, and then moved on to the fuel system. Drained the old gas – man, that stuff smelled funky – and cleaned out the carbs. They were a bit gummed up, but nothing a little elbow grease couldn’t fix.
- Checked the battery, which was, of course, deader than a doornail.
- Slapped in a new one and hit the starter.
- To my surprise, it turned over, but it wouldn’t quite catch.
After a bit of fiddling, I realized the fuel lines were clogged. So, I pulled those off, cleaned them out, and put everything back together. This time, when I hit the starter, she roared to life! It was a bit rough at first, but after letting it warm up and tweaking the idle a bit, it smoothed right out. That V-twin engine has a really nice rumble to it. It’s not super loud, but it’s got a good, throaty sound. I was pretty stoked at this point, and the bike was already looking way better.
Next up was making sure it was safe to ride. I checked the brakes, and they were a bit spongy, so I bled them. The brake fluid was pretty dark, so I flushed the whole system and put in fresh fluid. That made a big difference. The brakes felt nice and firm after that.
- The tires were old and cracked, so I ordered a new set.
- While waiting for those, I decided to give the bike a good cleaning.
- Got rid of all the dust and grime, polished up the chrome, and it started to look like a whole new bike.
Once the new tires arrived, I got those mounted and balanced. Man, new tires make a huge difference in how a bike handles. I took it for a short test ride around the block, and it felt great. The suspension is surprisingly smooth for an older bike. It’s not a sportbike, for sure, but it’s really comfortable for cruising around. It is said that the top speed can reach 152 kilometers per hour, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Finally, I tackled the cosmetics. There were a few minor rust spots here and there, so I sanded those down and touched them up with some matching paint. The seat had a couple of small tears, so I patched those up with some vinyl repair. It’s not perfect, but it looks a heck of a lot better than it did.
It’s been a fun project, bringing this old Virago back to life. It’s not a show bike by any means, but it’s a solid, reliable cruiser that’s fun to ride. And you know what? I even got a call from a guy that wanted to buy it from me. I am not going to lie. The offer was quite tempting, but for now, I’ll keep enjoying my rides on this bike, at least for a while.
