Faults:

Absolutely nothing. It is 1/2 of of the old Interceptor 500 engine and bulletproof. Heavy duty race boots do scuff up the side panels.

General Comments:

Much better performance than the Ninja 250 it competed with. Better low end power and torque. Very good build quality. Easily runs 85 all day long.

I have taken it, with luggage, on many trips, the longest of which was Boston to NC mountains, a week of mountain riding, and then back up. It never faltered. Handling is incredible.

Because it is a slender bike meant for beginners, it has a narrow low seat. I raised mine 2" and it made all the difference in the world.

Did I mention the incredible brakes?

Faults:

The petcock was replaced when bike was 18 years old..

General Comments:

Great all around bike. Handles great. I live an hr from Deals Gap NC (The Dragon).

Great fuel mileage and super dependable. Has only had maintenance items; tires (1 front, 2 rear), 3 batteries, 1 chain, 1 air filter, 1 set of plugs, fork seals in 21 years.

Faults:

Nothing - even after it was dropped.

General Comments:

In general I am very happy with the motorcycle. Honda reliability is evident, starts up every time, and usually starts cold without the choke even in chilly weather.

Off the line acceleration is good, and more than adequate to deal with the cages around you. It can hold 85 (speedo indicated) on the highway, although it will be buzzy. Highway passing requires planning, as the midrange pickup is lacking, even if you are in the correct gear.

The bike is narrow and makes an excellent lane splitter - and it is so light, I believe under 300 pounds with a low seat height, so it is very beginner friendly.

The throttle is predictable and linear, and even if you go crazy there is not enough power to get in trouble.

Handling is good, but the ride is somewhat harsh for a bike that doesn't give you all that much feel.

Braking power is only average, however on this type of bike you should not be going that fast anyway.

The seat becomes uncomfortable after an hour, and unbearable after 90 minutes, even with a good break.

The ergonomics and gauges are good, I am 6'3" with a 34" inseam and I am relatively comfortable, my wife at 5'3" also can handle it well.

The shifter is okay, and the clutch action is fair, not spectacular but perfectly usable.

Because the bike was only available in the US from 88-90, it is hard to get parts for, so that should be a consideration before purchasing. For this reason alone if I had it to do over again, I would probably get a Ninja 250. Otherwise, I am very happy with this bike, and although I am passing it on to my wife and getting a 82 Honda SilverWing 500, I doubt I will ever sell it - if and when she outgrows it, I will convert it to our track day bike.

All in all, an excellent product by Honda.

Faults:

The clutch cable broke at around 19000 miles.

This bike requires a lot of shifting due to the high-revving nature of the engine. Even on my 6 mile commute to work, it must require about 100 shifts.

I bought the bike with a bunch of issues and fixed most of them along the way.

Fuel petcock diaphragm is known to fail - replaced that.

The carburators needed a thorough cleaning, and eventually the cam chain-tension device broke on the forward cylinder, which I replaced myself as well. I was never much of a mechanic, but the Honda service manual and a basic set of tools was all that I needed to tear it down and rebuild it.

General Comments:

Great fun and the bike requires no restraint - full throttle to the red line every shift.

The brakes can definitely get overworked on a mountain road, so have plan-B always in your back pocket if you over-cook a turn.

Very little to complain about save for maybe the narrow seat.

I love this bike. I owned a liter bike at the same time and I never rode the bigger bike. I simply love the VTR250 and its character, efficiency, and looks. Everyone knows the bike and loves it like I do. Honda built a winner with the VTR250 Interceptor.