New motorcycle for my wife

[beegshot]

Earlier, I posted a thread about which motorcycle to get for my wife as a "starter" bike. Well we ended up winning and e-bay auction and got her a lightly used Honda 250 Rebel. She's acquired a lot of seat time and is ready to get something that will keep up with my XJ1100. The junk 750 Virago I've got in the barn made me start thinking that might be a good choice for a second bike (not that one, but a newer one in good shape). Now, before you say I should get her an XS/XJ, here's her stats:

38-24-36: Naw, just kidding...

She's petite at 5' 2"...so, she'll need a seat height that's really low.

I'm thinking that a newer XV750 (Virago), like a 96 or 97 model, will make a good choice. Isn't the seat height, like, 28"?

Your thoughts?

Robert

[sixtysix]

Try the short bikers homepage

http://www.ki.org/sbl/

or click here for a list of bikes by height/inseam:

http://www.nebcom.com/noemi/moto/sbl.sbl.html

My opinion is the 750 Virago would make a great bike, just be sure you know all the starter fixes.

[beegshot]

Thanks, sixtysix. I am aware that my 1982 POS parts bike has the crappy starter. But, don't the newer models have a different starter mechanism? Which years have the old style?

Robert

[sixtysix]

I think the basic mechanism (flawed) never changed (but I may be wrong), but they did update starters. I found this note in a write up:

Note also that later Viragos (all XV 1000's and 1100's, and XV700's and 750's from '86 on) have a redesigned starter system with a longer gear shaft sticking into the engine. So for all '81-'83 750's, and 920's, and for '84/85' 700's, be sure you are ordering a short shaft starter, whether it be two or four brush..

[Pat Kelly]

My wife (5'6") has a 96 Virago 1100. She likes it for the low seat height. The starters were redesigned so it has no problems at all.
She has it for sale tho she dosen't want to sell it. She's asking $4000. Kelley Blue Book shows $3350 for her bike with 43,000 miles. Hers has less than 8000 miles and over $2000 in accessories:
Large and small windhsields,
Highway bars,
Sport rack,
Jardine slash-cut mufflers,
LeatherLyke hardbags,
Leather tank bra,
Light bar and driving lights,
Headlight and turnsignal visors,
Drivers backrest,
Brake light flasher,





Probably more accessories that have slipped my mind at the moment.

[Street_Rat78]

Wow, that's a nice looking bike. SWMBO just elbowed me in the ribs and told me she I should buy it for. I very politely explained that she would have to settle for something about 1/4 the price, since that's all I paid for mine.

I think I'm sleeping on the couch tonight.