Yamaha XV535 Virago

[Doddmaster]

Anyone know anything about these? They look alright, and are dead cheap to insure.

Before people flame me, I want a Ducati 600ss more than anything else!! Dont tell me to f*ck off to the hell's angels, I just need to consider insurance etc. etc.

[G]

f*ck off to the hell's angels





Personally I'd go with a sv/bandit6/cb500/bandit4/nsr/big trail bike/little trail bike/goose/cb250/pretty much anything that isn't a cruiser before even going near a virago. But then fair enough, if you don't mind having a cruiser (which I assume you don't) and think it looks good*.

IME cruisers are designed for comfort & styling rather than cheap speed & handling... I like motorbikes because of their cheap speed and handling.

* the poor dillusioned fool

[Doddmaster]

Yeah I see your point mate, it's just that there doesnt seem to be anything with cheap speed and handling that is cheap!

If I found a 600ss or an NC30 that seemed quite cheap i would get it, its just that a cruiser is easy to insure and *so* comfortable to ride

[G]

How tall are you?...
A big trailie offers a pretty comfortable riding position, if you get one with a softish seat. Most are below NU group 10 as well and I *think* stuff like the dr350 is NI7, same group as the NSR.
If not a bandit 600 should be cheaper to insure than a vfr and will probably have better performance and a lower price than a 600ss as well as more comfort.
At the very least a cb500 etc will be pretty cheap to insure, still be pretty comfortable and offer reasonable handling.

If you get a copy of Used Bike Guide, or teh other one who's name I allways forget, they have a list of bikes with their used prices NU groups etc... not allways totally accurate but worth the £2 or whatever.

[Doddmaster]

I'm about 5' 9" I think. Keith's bandit 1200 seemed a nice size and comfortable enough, are the 600s roughly the same?

[G]

Yea, allmost exactly I think, though I've only ever ridden the 1200. Depending on what you read, the unfaired ones are NU10

[Doddmaster]

Are bandits easy to wheelie/stoppie then?

[Robby]

bandits are ok to stoppie, quite bad to hold a wheelie, and ace for burnouts from what i've heard.
i wouldn;t go for the 535 - my mates dad ghas one and its pretty ugly for a cruiser, the older models are even worse. its also pretty budget and gutless performance wise, even for a cruiser.
look for a CB - a CB350 could be good seeing as theyre 33 or 34 bhp, but insurance companies should see them as 33.
cb500s are nice too - bendy got one. really smooth.

[Doddmaster]

Well a bandit 600 is too much to insure unless I get a really old one

[G]

I thought the Bandit's were supposed to be quite good for wheelies (well when they first came out, but there wasn't the R1 around at the time ).

I'm sure a bandit should be less than a vfr400... is this jsut based on the extra price for TPFT for a higher priced bike?

[Doddmaster]

TPFT quotes from www.clickquote.com

VFR400R NC30 1991 - £1543 , £240 excess
Bandit 600 unfaired 1997 - £1445, £250 excess
Duke 600ss 1994 - £1185, £200 excess
535 Virago 1998 - £1263, £200 excess
XV535 1991 - £896, £160 excess

[G]

I just got a quote for my zx from their quick quote:
£754.00 with an £300.00 excess

While I'm paying £500, £300 excess, so you should be able to save a bit on those figures.

[Doddmaster]

Yeah, I should easily be able to insure a 600ss for around £900, now you can see why that is the bike I want

[Kickstart]