Wondering about the Honda VT500? Here’s some information I’ve found on it… though I’m still trying to figure out if this wee scoot was called an "Ascot", or if it was one of the old Nighthawks. Anyone know? (yeah, I know, I’m a noob at all this)
- 1985 Honda VT 500 C specifications and pictures
- Honda vt 500 ft ascot 1983: technical specifications
- Honda VT 500 C engine performance, reliability, maintenance costs, etc. rated by riders
Kelley Blue Book (KBB) Values (KBB for motorcycles)
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Globetrotter, homebrewer and writer Anthony St. Clair has walked with hairy coos in the Scottish Highlands, choked on seafood in Australia, and watched the full moon rise over Mt. Everest in Tibet. Anthony’s travels have also taken him around the sights and beers of Thailand, Japan, India, Canada, Ireland, the USA, Cambodia, China and Nepal. He and his wife live in Oregon and gave their son a passport for his first birthday.
Yeah, it’s called an Ascot, not a Nighthawk (you may note that all nighthawks are inline-four engines).
I owned this bike for a season before selling due to stupidly high insurance here in Ontario. I wish I hadn’t sold it. I’m now looking at another one, but in black not red (the only two colours).
Amazing starter bike, easy to maintain and ride.. crashes well, too. Only damage usually consists of signals being bent (but still operable). Mine had the engine gaurd bar, which helps with that as well.
Powerful enough for me to take it to 180 kmh, or cruise for long stretches over 140 kmh (gas tank permitting.. I got about 180-190km per tank, with a nice split of highway/urban riding at more normal speeds).
Love the sound of this bike, even with a stock exhaust. Gotta love the v-twin Hondas.
Thanks for relating that. that one got snapped up pretty quick, if I remember right. The name still confounds me though – why did they name a motorcycle after a scarf?
The Honda VT500 Ascot was sold in 1983 and 1984 in the US. The 1982 & 1983 FT500 Ascot was a 500 single cylinder bike. The 1983 & 1984 VT500 Ascot was a 500 V-twin bike. The VT500 Ascot has the same engine as the VT500C Shadow, which was Honda’s first V-twin. The VT500C Shadow was a cruiser (hi-handlebars and hi-tank) with a black or maroon paint. The VT500 Ascot looked totally different, more like the flat-track racing bikes and was either red or black. It was named after the ASCOT flat-track racing tracking in England.
Sweet, thanks for the history Mark. Sounds like it was just a line they discontinued, to focus on the Shadows?
I had an FT500 Ascot for a few years, and it was my favorite bike. Ascot Park, by the way, way in the Los Angeles area, not in England!
I pulled the wiring harnesses out of the headlight bucket on my 1986 VT500C, and I’ve been unable to get them back in properly. With great effort I can get everything back together, but then I can’t tilt the assembly down far enough for proper headlight alignment. Is there a diagram anywhere to guide placement of the harness inside the headlight bucket? Thanks,
Mark
I don’t believe the VT-500 was Honda’s first v-twin. That title goes to the cx-500 silverwing. a transverse v-twin that was water cooled and a pushrod (no ohc) at that. They also made a 650cc version that was a factory turbo….
I just picked up a VT500 Ascot. Seems to be in pretty good condition, but I’m a novice, so what do I know? One thing maybe someone knows the answer to; when I open the throttle up to accelerate quickly, it cuts out for a sec or two before going – what’s the deal?
Thanks for any reply – nj
I just picked up one and noted the same problem (cutting out for a second before the RPMs go up).
My son just got a ascot it runs but not great yet [it set for 10+ years]. Don’t know much about bikes does this one have a waterpump, if so where is it and are they hard to change, as this bike gets hot after a few minutes. Thanks
i just bought a honda vf500c magna v30.and i never rode a bike before in my life.grew up around biker family tho.but this is my first and it has to be very easy to learn on well it is for me.i just want to know were do i find after market parts and is the parst easy to find
i just bought a honda vf500c magna v30.and i never rode a bike before in my life.grew up around biker family tho.but this is my first and it has to be very easy to learn on well it is for me.i just want to know were do i find after market parts and is the parst easy to find
I am thinking about buying a 1983 Honda Nighthawk 500 from a friend here in Boston. I’m no mechanic, but it looks in great shape. I kind of balked at the asking price of $1,000., though. I mean, the damn bike is 26 years old! What do you all think???
I recently rebuilt the carbs on my ’84 ascot. It now will start and idle but as soon as I hit the throttle it dies. any help?
jluethard, sounds like it might be the chokes are stuck. For the issues of the bike cutting out for a second or two before the rpm’s go up, sounds like the carbs could be out of sinc if there is two carbs on there, otherwise if there is only one it might just need adjusted.
Had the red 85 savor. Loved the bike. However did experience the darn issue but only after letting it set for a year. The carbs gelled up and it literally idled at 65 mph. Sold it but Do still miss it. Don’t know how I got the 95 year tho. They weren’t sold in the US.