88 Yamaha Virago dies after a couple hours of use?

Question

Hi everybody

I've got an '88 Yamaha Virago 250 and it's got a cracked carb manifold. The one's on order but it will be at least another week until it comes in. The guys at Adrenalin thought it would be rideable with the cracked manifold, it just wouldn't run as well, but after a couple hours of riding it sputters and dies. It seems like it gets better after I let it sit for a while. Before I passed my skills test I was riding a lot but only at lower speeds and it didn't die on me.. It's only now that I'm going on the highway that it's giving up after it's been running for an hour or two. They said that might not be the carb manifold causing this, but they don't think there's a point in figuring it out until the carb manifold is in.. So i'm stuck driving the car around for another week (very frustrating)... Unless one of you has experienced a similar issue and knows of an easy fix? Anybody?

Answer 1

It's probably Vapor locking.  The bike might be getting so hot the fuel vaporizes before it hits the carburetor.

  See if you can see the fuel line that leads from the tank to the carbuator.  How close does it get to the head.. Try and wrap the fuel line with a hear resistate covering.  Very cheap and it won't hurt to give it a try.   E-Mail me if that doesn't work.

Answer 2

I dont know anything about them, but did you get it from a dealer? Take it back to who you got it from and demand a refund..

Edit: I'd still give him a call and at least let him know about it. He might offer to do something, you never know.