20th Mar 2011, 05:00

Manual : okulczyk@gmail.com

17th Apr 2011, 07:53

Hi. Don't know if you got sorted with your Virago 500? I am in Ireland and I also have a Virago 500 1983. It has served me well, but now needs a do over. Wondering if you still have yours?

Shane Carlow.

27th Jul 2011, 18:34

I paid the same for mine; it only had 6200 miles on it.

2nd Aug 2011, 15:23

After 10 years my VIRAGO 500 comes unharmed out of the garage. Tried to start it, but it gives RED LIGHT of the OIL. But there is ENOUGH OIL!!! I read about this problem on this website. What is the solution? Any ideas??

Anton

vanriel@quicknet.nl

3rd Aug 2011, 10:58

I see you have the same problem with starting your VIRAGO with the oil-lamp burning and NOT starting. Did you solve the problem? What was the solution??

Friendly greetings.

Anton - from Holland.

3rd Aug 2011, 19:19

Hi Shane: I am in Carlow too. I still have the bike. Call me on 087 7637567 if you are still interested. Micheal.

25th Oct 2011, 16:05

In the U.S. you could only get the 1983. In Canada we also have the 1984; maybe other countries also.

27th Dec 2011, 18:37

1983 & 1984 aren't the only years the XV500 was made. Down here in New Zealand, I have a 1987 model, which is the same as the early ones. Also, there is a XV400, which is identical to the 500 except for the engine, so there are more parts than you think out there...

9th Feb 2012, 17:42

It is your solenoid; get a new one and you will be set. Also, try trickle charging your battery, never jump them.

27th Mar 2012, 21:47

Just bought an 83 XV500 and cleaned it up. Thought everything was okay until I got above 5000 RPMs. Ideas appreciated, solutions appreciated more.

21st Apr 2012, 16:58

It sounds like it could use a carb rebuild.. if you look on the web for the Virago owners club, they have a TON of useful info on the problems you may be encountering...

Once you get it fixed up, you should be quite happy with it.

21st Apr 2012, 17:00

Sounds like the wrong spark plugs. Find the owners manual, and read carefully the section for the plugs.. it should specify an EXACT plug number to use from NGK. Don't assume a close number will be good.. it won't.

21st Apr 2012, 17:02

As mentioned above search for the Virago Owners Club.. Great info there on everything.

26th Dec 2014, 06:43

I have an XV500, which was abused as a farm bike.

Make sure that the carb slides are clean and there are no holes in the carb diaphragms. They can be patched with some rubber cement with a little care.

They are really an underrated bike, and will beat the XZ550 of the same era on roll on acceleration. Very little vibration and they look pretty cool too.

I fixed my (silly) petcock for good by converting to a simple manual on/off by blocking off one of the internal passages with epoxy putty. Take off and lank the vac hose, and use the prime position as your on. Yes it has a small tank, but hey there's gas stations all over, or take an emergency litre with you.

Best of all, it won't get nicked because you can't get parts... mmm.

I love mine, 43,000 miles and purrs like a kitten.

8th Sep 2015, 04:17

Hi, I have 1984, 500 Yamaha Virago. It's cut out and doesn't run on all cylinders. It goes back and forth like this; if I bring up the RPM high, the bike kicks back to all cylinders. Does anyone know what's happening? It sounds like vacuum leak to me.

22nd Feb 2016, 18:02

I recently was gifted my mother's 83 Virago. I've rode it a few times before to try to find out what's wrong with it. I've had no luck.

Right now it will start and go. But while you are riding it for a short time, it will want to start to die at a stop sign. If I give it a little gas, it will keep running. But when I go to stop again it completely dies. The only way I've been able to start it back up afterwards is to let it sit for a short time then jump it. Anybody know what this might be?

8th Mar 2016, 22:16

I have the same bike, and mine does the same thing, runs awesome then cuts out and doesn't run on all cylinders. After putting over 1000 in the bike - cleaning carbs and other electronic parts, the bike still runs same. Yamaha mechanics couldn't figure it out. I think the pet cock flooding into the sliders may be the cause. Sometimes it backfires after it runs bad. Yup I did change the coils. If I can't get it running, it will be sold as a parts bike.

Anyone with any suggestions, please call Wendy 250-681-6369.

26th Mar 2016, 15:13

I have this bike and now I hate it; I would never buy Yamaha anything; they can't even fix their own stuff. This bike will be parted out and sold in pieces in the hope of getting my money back.

26th Apr 2016, 03:09

Wanna sell your carburetor?

5th Oct 2017, 15:41

The Virago 500 was actually produced and sold in Canada in 83 AND 84.

24th Dec 2018, 16:28

Please don't cut the baffles out; the previous owner of the one I have now cut the baffles out & it ended up burning out the rings in the # 2 cylinder. I ended up replacing the engine with a good used one that I bought. But even still the bike won't run for some reason. Turns over strong, but won't catch & run.

24th Dec 2018, 16:36

Piston rings are shot. Had the same problem on mine. The bike only has just over 21000 miles; previous owner cut the exhaust baffles to try & make it sound like a Harley.

29th Apr 2019, 01:57

Are you still in Regina? I just picked one up a couple of days ago here.

26th Jun 2022, 17:40

To remove you can use 1/4 inch bit to drill out the rivets or 3 screw looking items in the back of each exhaust. Then use a 2 inch hole saw in the center of the end of the exhaust. Once you cut through there will be a silver/chrome ring and plate that you will need to pull out. Remove baffle with pliers. Then replace plate and ring use 1/4 inch machine screws where you drilled the rivets. This will secure the plate and it will look stock. You will be better off using an electric drill with hole saw. I would also use a hiflow air filter as well. Hope this makes sense this is how I did mine. Best of luck.

3rd Aug 2022, 10:43

Change the air cleaner filter.

10th May 2023, 16:02

I as well have an 83 XV500. Runs great but I'm having issues with the fuel air mixture. I replaced the battery starter and starter solenoid. The bike fires immediately when the tank has little gas in it, or if it has been running it restarts well, but with full tank of gas it struggles to start cold. So I believe it's the fuel air mixture that needs adjustment; still figuring that out.

12th Oct 2023, 14:38

The 'real' XV 500 was only made from 83 to 86. The later 500 is in fact a 535 with a reduced bore (the 535 engine is the same as the 'real' 500, but with a bigger bore). I believe this reduction was done in order to comply with tax regulations.