The exhaust rotted and was replaced by a Motad system for under £250.
The electrics can be temperamental, sometimes resulting in a loss of the rear lights.
This is a great little shaft drive bike with quite a punchy 500cc V-twin engine. VERY easy to ride and also quite forgiving, but the pegs touch ground a little too early for my kind of riding.
I like it so much I am now converting it into a cafe racer with drop bars and rear sets, and some nice custom made bodywork. I now have another bike too, but cannot bear to sell the VT as it has been very reliable.
Hello. I'm in the process of purchasing a VT500, and noted that the comments were generally positive, but that braking was rated very low. Can you provide more information on braking please? Thanks.
Having owned my Honda VT500E for 20 years, it has never let me down. I have only done 36,000 miles, but it still has the original exhaust.
I used to have a top box, but this affected the bike's stability a lot; my advice to anyone with a top box is take it off and use panniers.
This bike is not economic, only does 40 mpg; that's probably because it is old.
Carl.
Regarding your fuel economy of 40mpg, bear in mind it is a vee twin and they are not renowned for their fantastic fuel economy. However, in return you do get good performance and loads of grunt. 40 mpg for a bike of this design is average.
Don't criticise the bike because it is old. I feel many people do, but I would rather have 1986 FZR600 than a 2006 R6.
New bikes, are quite frankly bland, expensive, and in my opinion, just don't have the appeal of their older predecessors.
When Kawasaki revised its GPZ500S in 1994 (many improvements to the 2nd and 3rd gear dogs), its rated fuel consumption was an average of 35mpg. But again this is a quick bike (much quicker than the popular and much praised CB500). What you lose in economy, you gain in performance.
I wrote this review. I have since sold the VT as a "friend" of mine ran it out of oil and coolant... a mechanic too!
The bike still ran very well, but someone offered me silly money as I had converted it to a cafe racer.
The brakes were always poor; the front especially so being an inboard disc (it's a really big pain to change the front wheel or pads).
I can honestly say though that I would have another tomorrow as a commuter.
I have owned a VT500e for about a year now. What can I say, it's great; much better and more fun than my CBR1000.
Yes, it's as old as me, 24, but with less miles, 70 000 on the clock she still pulls upto a ton, and at the moment is returning 70 miles to the gallon (I know, it surprised me). But I'm still not sure about this twin plug per pot?
One question I have got with the VT is getting it to run rich enough; the plugs seem to run just off grey colour, is this common? I have altered the mixture screws and rebuilt the carbs (fun) but to no avail. Can somebody help or am I worrying over nothing?
I've owned 5 VT500es over the years.. the latest has done 108000 miles and still going strong..
Keep the oil and water topped up, and don't skimp on valve clearance checks...
Great all round hack...
Plastic fantastic is all very well for posing and Sunday ride outs .. but not 30k plus a year all year round ...
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