I am finally going to get my motorcycle

[alazar14]

In the end and after many months of consideration, trail, and research I decided on a Virago 250.

Price $2300
Miles 2930
Year 2006

The woman is going to bring it very close to my home in National City Area. She is going to drive from North Los Angeles down here, about 116 mile drive to deliver it.
Originally she had accepted a flat price of $2100 for it, but she thought I lived in Los Angeles when I told her how far I was she could not find a way to bring the bike. So I told her id give her the asking price $2300 if she found a way to get it over here for me...which 4 days later she gave me a call and did. Got a pickup truck to borrow. (Don't know the gas she will spend to get here and back well Id say that is at the very least 100 dollars). Plus the fact I had no way of getting the bike over here If I went to LA to pick it up.

I'm quite happy with what I am going to pay for it From what she said its in very good conditions, not a scratch on it. She has the title 100% clean, she has "some service records" and it is registered under her name. She also has a Windshield on it saddlebags and a cover shes trowing in.

I am still going to inspect the bike on Saturday when I see it though not just hand her the check. (I am paying her with a cashiers check to leave a paper trail).
Will inspect the entire bike, I have a 40 point check list for inspection of it things like Inside the gas tank, footpeg conditions, brakes, blinkers, lights balance, loose parts, chain, rust check, all that kind of stuff.

I think I mentioned before that I really wanted a Virago 250 since I got on one, it was very comfortable and the look just blew me away. I have also now SEEN a virago on the freeway doing 80+ mph while I was on my car. I am sure it was a Virago 250 because I have been staring at pictures of that bike for months now. I can well spot one from a mile away :biggrin:

I - re took the MSF class passed it with flying colors took me a few weeks to get a spot but I did it. As I said on my MSF fail course It was just a really bad luck or maybe a sign telling me I needed to re-take the last class, which I also did.

This is my first big purchase outside of my 800 dollar PC. I'm very happy that I was able to find this forum, you guys gave me a lot of good information about motorcycling in general and I really appreciate it.

I may stick around or stop by sometime once I have my bike to ask a few questions here and there about oil and such.

Hopefully I can learn to ride well on it and not crash it on my first day out, :skeptical:

[Water Warrior 2]

Congrats on the new ride. I am sure the bike will be good to you. Take your time bonding with the bike and listening to what it tells you. Don't be a stranger here, we would like to know your impressions of the Baby Virago.

[JWR]

Good bike, good price.

Enjoy.

Jerry

[alantf]

Originally Posted by alazar14

She is going to drive from North Los Angeles down here, about 116 mile drive to deliver it.
(Don't know the gas she will spend to get here and back well Id say that is at the very least 100 dollars).

If the Virago gets the same mileage as the gz, she could ride it to you in a couple of hours, for less than 2 gallons of petrol ($6 or $7?), then a bus ticket back home for a few $$$$. Seems like she could make more than $150 for half a day's work. ............... or you could have done it in reverse & saved $150. :roll:

[alazar14]

Yeah but I don't have any gear yet No helmet primarily just jacket and boots, Helmet and gloves will come in mail next week...so yeah No real option for me to ride it here.

[mrlmd1]

I hope you helmet coming by mail fits you.
It's a much better option to be able to try them on because.each person's head has a different size and shape and the same size helmet may not fit everyone equally. The only time I would buy one online is to get an exact duplicate of what I had now, so I know how comfortable it is and that it fits correctly.
Good luck with the new bike.
Also check out other forums for the Virago, like http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum , they have a Yamaha section too.

[burkbuilds]

Congratulations on the new purchase. You really can't go wrong with the Yamaha, Suzuki or the Rebel 250. All three are good bikes and all three have their distinctions but I can't think of anything really negative to say about any of them it kinda boils down to each person's personal preferences in looks, size (fit) and what's available at a good price. Hope you will continue to stay active with the GZ website, a lot of us on here now ride something different but we all share a love of riding and a lot of the information you might need to have as a rider will involve things that are general in nature and not necessarily brand or model specific anyway.
mrlmd1 has a good point about the helmets, I bought my first one in a store and got to try it on and find the right fit. Since then I've bought several over the internet, sometimes they did fit, sometimes they didn't so you definitely take a risk there. If you've tried on a specific helmet in a store and can find the exact one on the internet for a lot less, I'd say go for it, but otherwise simply measuring your head circumference and ordering based on that information alone only gets you in the ballpark and won't assure a good or comfortable fit.

Let us know about your bike once it arrives and you get to put a few miles on it!

[alazar14]

Thanks mate

Yeah It came in mail already fits like a glove, a tinny bit tight but that will more than likely go away with use.

I think I hit the jackpot on size for it.

It's a Bell Arrow Matrix helmet, DoT approved Cost bout 100 bucks, 80 with a discount code I had. Not a bad helmet at all. It's no $400 shoei futuristic space expanding goo super polyester magical lining helmet but its a decent helmet at a good price.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by alazar14

It's no $400 shoei

Yes, Shoei sure know how to charge, over here too!

[burkbuilds]

I'm glad the helmet fit, Bell is a good company, I had one of their helmets back around 1975, until my cousin's German Shepherd decided to chew the insides out of it.