my brother and i both ride 1981 xv920's he has done rear shock and front fork mods and i will follow suit soon if you would like info email me and get you what i can. front brake can be greatly improved with the addition of steel braided brake lines. a fork brace is a must teleflex i think is the brand. i am in search of a source for a fairing with a large enough hole for the head lamp.happy riding friends and good-by from humboldt county,california.

 I've had an '82 for several years. I built an equal length exhaust ending in a pair of supertraps. It sounds real neat and seems to have uncrked a bit more power too. The seat is bad and the starter makes all the nasty noise due to the 'rube goldberg' engagement mechanism. I'm in the twin cities where are you? I also have an '83 vision,a '72 t500,and two dead waterbuffaloes in my shed(rusted crank bearings). I'm currently looking at a 650 seca or an xs850 as my next toy. Good to know of another 920r owner. Guzzi John-Champlin,Mn

I live in Albany Oregon and have a XV920 that I'm resurrecting.  Don't know if it is an RJ or RH.  Bought it about 13 years ago in the sanfrancisco bay area california, and rode it commuting on the freeways there as motorcycles are exempt from most laws there.  Later I moved to Oregon and blew the front head gasket on a trip to Mt Hood - the dealer in Oregon City didn't have the right part number for my bike, but a coat hanger and some silicon-red worked fine.  I replaced the seat cover - and replaced the exhaust pipes once - then got married and parked the bike about 5 years ago.  I'm trying to get it going again (new tires and new battery) and the carburator floats seem stuck - jerked the carbs off today, and on a whim checked the internet to see if anyone else has one of these puppies.  This is a great web-site.  My starter relay also seems to be a bit weak - I get one major turn over series and then the relay has to cool before I get another one.    

I'm in Virginia.  Currently looking for a left Krauser bag, or just the lid for the left bag, having clipped a deer on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Info on 81-82 Yamaha XV920R ("Euro Virago")
1) H & J on end of model number indicates year. H=1991, J=1992
2) XV920 is model number for Virago (shaft drive)
3) R on end of XV920 indicates the Euro model (chain drive).
4) TR1 is virtually identical to XV920R, but was sold in Europe. It was over-bored to 980cc, so pistons and rings do not interchange. It had a nearly 10 year run in Europe, with many running changes. But almost all engine, body, and chassis parts from an 81-82 TR1 will fit US XV920R.  There are lots of TR1's in British salvage yards, and it is remarkably easy to get parts shipped to the US. But you pay more than if you find parts here.
5) Although the Virago and XV920R 81-83 share many components, most are unique to the Euro model. Except for the left engine casing and some transmission components (shaft vs. chain drive), all engine pieces on the 81-83 Virago are identical to the 81-92 XV920R. Carbs are jetted slightly different, but will interchange. Frames are identical except for rear swing arms. Wheels, handlebars + switches, gauges, headlight, tail light, turn signals, brakes, rotors, master cylinder, tank, seat, fenders, all pedals and pegs, and wiring harness do not interchange. Ignition black box, coils, alternator, starter, voltage regulator, and most (but not all) relays interchange.
6) The bike sold poorly in US, a little better in Canada, but was never the hit it was in Europe. Perhaps because Yamaha and dealers did not push it. It was never really advertized. Yamaha did not even give it a name, as it did the XV920 Virago. Just a lonely little model number.  It was only sold in North America for two years, 81-82.
I have an 81 (XV920RH) and 82 (XV920RJ) bike.