hello all, i just aquired one and have a few questions. It was meticulously maintained till it sat for 4 or so years. what parts are interchangable from other models? why whould fuel pour from the vent tube on the carbs while cranking? are there any aftermarket parts avalible for this bike still?
I own an '86 VF500F and here is what I can tell you. The '84 & '85 are pretty much the same where the '86, even though looks the same, has many differences. Some of the differences are that the '86 does NOT have a fuel pump where the earlier models do, and the carbs are very different as well. The carbs are 30mm as opposed to 32mm units. Another thing to look out for are the electrical items such as the coils. The resistance and readings are different on the '86. If you plan to buy used parts on eBay, then you will need to make sure that they are from an '86 or get a shop manual and verify that the part you're looking at has the same specs as the '86. Most eBay items are incorrectly listed for an '84 - '86 when that isn't entirely true. Get a shop manual to be sure!!! As far as your carb problem. There is a fuel line between each bank of carbs that is fitted with an o-ring on each end. I bet that you have a bad o-ring. I've have had that exact same problem. You won't find much as far as after market accessories go. You will find that eBay will be your best source for getting things. Another issue is many of the items are discontinued, so ordering through Honda is never a guarantee for getting what you need. Congratulations on your purchase. It is a great bike and it's nice to see them still out there.
Your fuel leaking from the vent tubes is most likely due to one (or more!) of the floats sticking open. It sounds like a full carb cleaning is in order. Aftermarket parts are tough to come by these days. That's why I've resorted to making them myself. You can check out my site for details. Feel free to e-mail me if there is anything else you are interested in because I've done a lot more than I have listed on my site.
