2002–2021 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
The Beginner Cruiser That Sticks
The XV250 is a full chopper silhouette shrunk down to 249 cc, and it commits to the look instead of apologizing for the size. A 249 cc air-cooled 60° V-twin sits in a steel double cradle, making 20 hp at 8,000 rpm and 15 lb-ft at 6,500 rpm, fed by a carburetor and geared through a five-speed box to a chain. The proportions carry it: 58.7 in (1490 mm) of wheelbase, a fat 130/90-15 rear, a skinny 18-inch front, and a 27.0 in (685 mm) seat. There is no rider-aid electronics anywhere on it, for better and for worse.
Ride one and the appeal lands inside a mile, because everything happens slowly enough that you can watch yourself do it. It parks anywhere, returns around 70 mpg, and asks little of a wrench as long as you actually ride it. That is why riding schools wore these out for two decades. It suits a new rider who wants a cruiser rather than a training appliance, a short-inseam rider tired of tiptoeing, and anyone whose favorite roads top out around 55 mph. The honest caveat is the ceiling: 75 mph (120 km/h) is all there is, and freeway merges want planning.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 20 hp (15 kW) @ 8,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) @ 6,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 249 cc |
| Engine | 60° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 282 mm |
| Front tire | 3.00-18 |
| Rear tire | 130/90-15 |
| Wheelbase | 58.7 in (1490 mm) |
| Seat height | 27.0 in (685 mm) |
| Wet weight | 320 lb (145 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.5 gal (9.5 L) |
| Top speed | 75 mph (120 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 70 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Engine side cover oil passageway defect (2019 recall)
A manufacturing defect in the engine side cover oil passageway could lead to improper lubrication, resulting in increased engine noise, rod knock and stalling within the first 100 miles. Affected 17 units of the 2019 model year.
Carburetor clogs up when bike sits with ethanol fuel
If not ridden frequently, the carburetor jets can become clogged with varnish, causing hard starting, rough running, and fuel overflowing from the air filter. Common solutions include cleaning the carburetor and installing an in-line fuel filter.
Where this Yamaha XV 250 Virago pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the XV 250 Virago is actually built for.
The stance and the V-twin beat are genuine, and it looks right rolling through a rally town at parade pace. Covering the long interstate miles to get there is the hard part.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
This is your road. Two-lane blacktop at an unhurried pace, 70 mpg, and a bike that looks right parked outside a small-town diner. Plan routes that stay off the interstate.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Straight answer: no. Loaded up, two-up, across real distance, 20 hp and a 2.5 gal (9.5 L) tank run out long before you do.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road