1993 XV1100 Virago(few issues)

So on Saturday 18th August I won a bid on flea bay. A 1993 Yamaha XV1100 Virago. So I’m like ok for the price it’s a rolling project. So me and the old man drive from Hull to Twickenham…. Well I got there and they’re rushing us out the door as they’re closing give us the money and bugger off kind of thing. So I quickly chucked a jacket on and a helmet and got it out of there lot so they could lock up. I park in a car park across the road. Not yet getting out of first gear…………… So I follow my dad onto a round a bout thinking ahhh it’s got a bit of poke not bad I pull clutch lever in flick me toes upwards and nothing but neutral so I start feathering the clutch….. still neutral I see my dad indicating off in his big Toyota hilux. I follow And try kicking harder then my dad slams on at zebra crossing….. I see him stopped too late and hit the breaks and boomf I’m in a heap on the floor with the bike and we are half under my dad’s pick up. Still wondering were on earth second gear is. So I get up dust myself off n get back on te bike. And I limp onto a dual carriageway to the petrol station. I will up and in some form of luck I go from neutral to second and that’s it we are off back too Hull. So 10 pm I get home and put bike in the garage. So today I took the bike out. It was less eventful it rode and I made a couple of minor adjustments and set about getting the bike tarted up and looking a bit better than it did. A few issues have come to light .

Firstly the issue with changing the gears. I obviously found my way into second and after second the gears are heavy but they do change up and down. The hardest part is going from 1st to 2nd without going into neutral. And also finding second from neutral. Could anyone shed any light on this please is it gonna be expensive or is it something minor.

I have noticed that when ticking over the bike starts and ticks over and it starts to bubble and fast the cuts out . Is this an issue with carbs or is there a little screw somewhere I can give it a turn so it ticks over at a higher rate then 500rpm

Again whilst ticking over and sat in neutral I turned th handlebars left and fine. Back centre and fine. Locked over to the right and it revs the tits off of itself.

Right my final issue is my exhausts. The bike has remus pipes fitted. I’ve already opened the slits up with a big screw driver to stop it from sounding well not like a bike. I like the pipes they look nice and they sound ok……… But is there anyway of taking the centre out of the pipes and make them straight through and then buy a baffle when it comes to MOT time?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. This is my first project as such and I’m always open to tips and help wherever possible

Thanks in advance

TC