Faults:

Nothing outside routine consumable items.

General Comments:

I purchased the VX800 as an 'interim' machine, as I'd promised myself a new Triumph as a reward for a life achievement, but wasn't in a financial position to do so at the time. The bike's biggest attraction; it was cheap. But it was also a V-twin, with a shaft drive, and that appealed to me too.

Before I owned it, this bike had had a relatively hard life, having been used as an escort for learner riders being tested for their licence. As such, it had been fitted with a full fairing (which I suspect came from a Honda VF750) and hard panniers; these were in basic white so, at a glance, the bike looked not dis-similar to the Police patrol bikes. I quickly gave the fairing and panniers a coat of spray-can black, which did nothing for the looks of the bike, but as they were exceptionally functional - and it was only an interim bike - they all stayed put.

My first decent ride on it, was approximately 1000 kilometres, and at the end of that trip I was massively impressed. I couldn't quite believe what I had bought. It had far exceeded my expectations. As it was my primary mode of transport, it was tasked with city commuting, long distance touring, off road camping trips, spirited sports riding in the hills, and even a few track days. While the VX800 didn't excel in any of those roles, it did a fine job of all of them. So much so that despite my test riding many other fine machines looking for 'the right bike', every time I got back on the old VX, it didn't feel so bad at all. Certainly not for the sort of money the replacement bikes were asking. They simply weren't that much better for the extra money.

As such, the VX soldiered on for a total of eleven years ownership. I loved every minute of it. It was quick on acceleration, but only up to maybe 140 Kph (70mph) where progress was more gradual after that. Power was more about torque than horsepower, and this made it an absolute joy to ride in the hills and twisty bits. Similarly, loaded up for touring or with a pillion made little difference to performance. Mid-range was its forte. Brakes were adequate, but really would have benefited from a second disk up front.

Comfort was exceptional for the first couple of hours in the saddle, but then became an iron plank thereafter - I used to carry a square of sheep skin to ease the pain when required. At a little over 200 kilograms (420+ lbs) it was lighter than many of its 750-900cc peers. Ergonomics were excellent, aided by the very narrow saddle. Low speed maneuvering was never a problem. High speed handling was confidence inspiring, but not racer sharp, while the suspension was - for my weight - adequate, but maybe a little soft for the more sporting activities. I always used good quality tyres, and averaged around 5000 to 8000 kilometers between changes, sometimes better. Servicing was straight forward, and I undertook as many services myself as I did put it in the workshop (which usually co-incided with getting tyres replaced). Services by the workshop were not particularly expensive compared to four cylinder, chain drive bikes.

When I finally sold the VX800 and replaced it with a Triumph Tiger 955i - as I'd promised myself - I realised that the old VX was probably the most versatile and functional motorcycle I'd ever owned. It just did everything I asked of it, without fuss or trouble. I do miss it, and if I found another - they are pretty rare these days - I'd happily buy it and proudly park it beside my current BMW F700GS (another un-glamourous, do-it-all machine).

Faults:

No major faults; the start of cracking on the front cylinder header pipe (it is double skinned).

General Comments:

I bought the bike when it was around 3 years old with about 20,000km on the clock. I had it for some 3 years, putting around another 20,000km. I liked the look of the thing, and the slender profile.

The suspension was standard, and needed attention - the front forks were dropped through the triple clamps some 20mm, given heavier oil, and stiffer springs. The rear shock springs were pre-loaded with 12mm fitted sintered nylon disks. Cornering clearance was limited by the center stand and the mufflers; the stand was trimmed and the mufflers modified to allow approximately and extra 10 degrees of lean. Narrower, lower bars were fitted, and a small bikini fairing fitted.

With these changes, it made an excellent touring bike, capable of being a lot of fun on winding mountain roads. It was stable & comfortable on long hauls. It was very comfortable for a pillion.

My complaint? It could have been a great bike, if it had been spec'd differently. If the VX had shed some weight, with an aluminum alloy frame & less unsprung mass (those massive wheel spokes!); if they'd put another disk on the front; and if the engine had been just a little more sharply tuned, it would have had better sales, and way more enthusiasts. Nevertheless, I sold it reluctantly.