Yamaha XV1000 Virago
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These are the parts I will be removing from the kit.
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Keeping the battery case on this one, but going to keep it exposed
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Bug eyes going!
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The forks will be shortened. A new rear wheel will replace the large front wheel. The speedometer will also be replaced with something a little more subtle. The seat will be replaced with a bratstyle seat.
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This is how the forks come. They need to be shortened.
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They have to be shortened from the centre to maintain current distance for other parts of the kit.
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The handlebars will be shortened.
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Chop chop!
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Ta da!
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This is how the tank comes in the kit.
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It will need to be reshaped.
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The tank has been completely reshaped with milliput. The old tank is somewhere under there. After milliput was dry the tank was sanded and sanded until it was smooth.
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The tank has been primed in Mr Surfacer 1200.
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Part of the scratch build fuel cap. Cut from styrene and shaped by sanding.
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One of these old PE wheel parts will add a nice touch to the fuel cap.
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Well, this is the idea. It will look better once sone
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These are indicators. One will be used a new rear light and the other will be used as the new speedometer.
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Uh oh. This piece broke.
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But I have a solution.
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1.4mm holes drilled
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This is a guitar string, cut to size.
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Much better!
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I forgot to take more photos of thr frame during the process, so this is the finished product. I have cut down the frame and added additional 2mm rod cut to size, to support where the scratch built seat will go.
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Exhaust pipes will be wrapped.
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First they are wrapped in medic tape.
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Then coated in Tamiya panel liner (dark brown). The copper is copper tape cut to size.
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Exhaust done.
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These parts done with SMS steel and a bronze sharpie.
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Engine coming along. Copper parts done by painting them in a mix of Tamiya titanium silver, titanium gold and pink, then SMS clear brown and lastly SMS crystal topaz. Its more bronze than copper but I actually prefer the look.
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Ordered a custom air filter from a company called Impressed. This is actually a 1/24 sale air filter for a car, but is the correct size for this project.
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Air filter connected. This is where the air filter would have been on the original bike, but hidden beneath a big chrome cover. Its now upgraded and exposed.
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Big chunky electrical tubing will be replaced with finer tubing. To do this I have drilled 0.6mm holes and inserted brass guitar string to hold the ends of the tubing.
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Here is the other end of it.
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Tubing done with 0.5mm inserted into the kit tubing.
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Wheels done in SMS chrome and weathered with Tamiya panel liner (black) and Tamiya weathering kit.
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I need a seat! How do I make a rubber seat that looks like leather. I could create something from scratch using milliput, or I could... use an eraser!
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Cut the eraser down the centre and rubbed away until I got the shape I wanted.
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Lines added with a metal ruler, albeit not the most e even. Seat is painted in Tamiya Nato Brown mixed with SMS Flex. Added a wash of Tamiya Light Brown Panel liner, but feel it looked better before I did.
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Exhaust wrapped and fitted. Love how this looks.
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Some additional electrics wiring.
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Seating plate shaped from styrene, using the rubber seat as a stencil.
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Rear indicators.
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Upgraded the stand. This was originally made to be glued in place. I drilled out the join and screwed it in.
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And now it works!
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Photoetch detail added to the new and improved handlebars using Top Studio Assorted Details for 1/12 MotoGp.
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Top Studio Assorted Details for 1/12 MotoGp added to the rest of the bike.
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Fuel tank complete. Went for a flat finish on this one. Had originally wet sanded this in 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12000, but the gloss look just didn'tlook
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Tank fitte
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Rear light fitted to custom seat. This was originally one of the front indicatora
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Seat fitted.
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Front forks have been shortened by 11mm and cemented back together again. The copper on the shocks and around the headlight is copper tape.
![Album image #78 Album image #78](/albums/img/4/4/2/1265442-71874-60-720.jpg)
Speedometer fitted. This was originally one of the front indicators.
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Ignition cut from the original control panel. This will be upgraded from a key turn ignition to a power on button.
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Speedometer decal is left over from a Honda Monkey kit and just happened to be the right size!
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1000 decal placed on the rear of the new custom seat.
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Commentaires
37 29 June 2022, 10:55
![](/profiles/img/21096-573-s.jpg)
wow, very interesting transformation.
I did the same virago ages ago and I want to rebuild it to something custom, but will not go as far as you do 🙂. And I have a new one to do as normal Virago as well....
29 June 2022, 11:48
![](/profiles/img/28909-839-s.png)
What did this bike ever do to you to deserve this treatment? You butcher!
I love all the little things you're doing. Keep it up Young Pete 👍
3 July 2022, 08:35
![](/profiles/img/71874-861-s.jpg)
Thanks guys!
Spanjaard, I am enjoying the modifications, but it is also making me want to build a normal one too now.
Martin, I am definitely butchering this one. Making it up as I go! Learning a lot.
Jay, please do!
10 July 2022, 09:17
![](/profiles/img/28909-839-s.png)
You really need to put in a (tiny) comment when you upload these gorgeous pictures Peter. Otherwise your outstanding work might go unnoticed.
14 July 2022, 07:25
![](/profiles/img/16661-726-s.jpg)
You've achieved a real badass-look on this one with number one scratch builing skills - love it ! 👍
Never thought the rather weak looking Virago could look as strong as this !
18 July 2022, 11:58
![](/profiles/img/28909-839-s.png)
This is such a cool bike. Put her in a nice surroundings outside and she could fool anybody for the real thing.
23 July 2022, 19:08
![](/profiles/img/44121-760-s.png)
Wow, Peter. She's totally awesome. Unfortunately I missed this build (and many others I'm sure). Really creative work! Very impressed indeed. Love the paint textures. I can imagine Steve McQueen gunning this over barb-wired fences!
24 July 2022, 05:17
![](/profiles/img/23705-244-s.jpg)
You turned a (in my opinion) not so fantastic looking custom into a mean looking bobber. Very nice result 👍. Good idea using medic tape for the wraping. Looks covincing.
26 July 2022, 21:04
![](/profiles/img/18821-901-s.jpg)
I think this is my first comment on a motorcycle. Very cool transformation! This one I'd put into my shelf too. That looks very nice.
18 August 2022, 04:34
Album info
My first attempt at kit bashing. Converting this Virago into a custom brat (bratstyle), or my best interpretation of one anyway. Using two of the same kit so I can get the same size wheel for front and back. I don't really know what I'm doing, so this should be fun lol.