New bike... best feeling ever. 1985 VF500F

I've had it for a couple months and I'm already in love... I'm a new rider and it's still all so exciting and new! Any recommendations you guys have about these bikes? Maintenance/mods/etc? Always ready to learn.

 

I would sell it and buy a 3rd gen. 90-93 Best vfr's made.


Welcome to the Viffer world.

 

What an awesome find!

Welcome to the site. I think you will find lots of good input here from VF 500 guys. I rode with a fellow VFRW member who had an 86 and that bike looked like a lot of fun.

Here's to many good miles on her!

:cheersaf:

 

Thanks guys! It's got 15 thousand miles but you'd never guess it just looking...

 

good looking bike...best advice I can give anyone who is just getting started riding, always wear your gear, and never try to keep up with the fast guys, ride as fast as you feel safe and just enjoy it!

 

*cough*cough*

 

Great looking bike! I'm sure you'll get many years of enjoyment out of it. When I put away my bigger/newer bikes and pull out one of my 500's I always get a lot of looks and comments. I'll get more thumbs-ups when I ride that bike than I will on the 1098. The VF500F's are truly a great bike!

 

Thanks! I've been spending a bit of time on the forum and it seems like you're the guy to go to for F2 wheel kits... I may be a customer of yours in the future.
I do have a question though: The way the bike is geared, the RPMs cruising at highway speeds are a little high. If I changed the sprocket(s), would that be a good idea? Would it change the performance characteristic of the bike a lot? Like I said I'm still pretty new to all this so feel free to assume that I have no idea whats going on...

 

In fact, the V4's like to have taller gearing. Don't be fooled into thinking a smaller front and/or a bigger rear sprocket is better - that only works on inline four cylinder bikes that don't have any midrange or bottom end power. It allows them to get to the high revs quickly. You don't have that problem, quite the opposite. You have a lot of mid and low end (for a 500cc engine anyway) but lack a lot of top end rush. Going to gearing that provides a taller overall ratio is not a bad idea at all.

 

That makes sense! I think I read that the front sprocket is a 16 tooth and the rear is a 42 or a 44 tooth.. what would you recommend instead?

 

I'd either go with -2 or -3 teeth on the rear or +1 tooth on the front. One tooth on the front sprocket is approximately the same as three teeth on the rear, so either would net the same result.