VF500F lowering?

Hi,

I am looking at a clean '84 VF500F for my wife's first bike. I want her to have something easy to ride, with a bit of class that I'd like to scoot around on too.

My wife is 5'0" tall. She's a little person. I'm hoping there's some way to drop the Interceptor down lower. Is there a shock swap that will drop it some? There is no ride hight adjustment on the stock shock, is there?

BTW, the bike looks to be in good shape, has 19,000 miles on it and the owner will take $900. This seems fair?

Thanks

Adam

 

I wouldn't recommending lowering the bike as this will alter the geometry and negatively affect the the handling.

$900 for an '84 with 19k on the clock sounds fair with the caveat that it has been well maintained.

 

So, would you think that the VF500F is too tall for a pure beginner to ride comfortably if she's 5'0"?

The thing is I had a VF500F last year for a few weeks. She could easily stand over it. What's odd about this is that the stats an the bike list it as being just a 1/2 in shorter than my SV650, which she could never stand over.

The bike is an hour away, but I don't want to drive there if she can't stand over it. Maybe there was something wrong with the VF I had last year?

Thanks

Adam

 

The 500's mono-shock was not greatest when new and after 25 years the one on this bike most likely has given up the ghost. The best option is to purchase a shock upgrade (i.e. an F4i conversion) from DMr.

On a side note, while the 500s are great bikes I would tend to say, simply from a parts availability & mechanical viewpoint, owning one is not for the faint of heart. Parts are very difficult to source and many shops don't have experience working on these older V4s.

If you have a decent set of mechanical skills and enjoy wrenching this could be a great find. This said it is best to know going in that this is a vintage bike and as such it comes with caveats.

 

If it makes you feel any better, I'm 5'3" and can ride the 500 at stock height no problem. Although it's not so much height as it is inseam. If she's got at least a 30" inseam she should be fine, from my own experience.

 

As said before lowering can effect geometry but... a CBR shock conversion from Jammie and a LOT of measuring you could lower it a little in the front and back and it should be no difference than my fat azz riding mine and compressing the suspension.

lowering just the front or back is where you get into messing with rake angle in comparison to the road surface. Lowering just the back will make the bike more stable straight and less willing to turn, lowering the front only will make the bike less stable and want to turn.

 

Before you start modifying the suspension consider cutting down the seat. One thing to consider is that the 500 is not that light of a bike, particularly important to short female who typically doesn't have the strength of the avg male. It is possible that the bike that you had last year had been lowered. Too bad that you didn't keep it.

I would like to add, for a first bike I would consider a 250. There are a lot of VTR250s in various states of function. My wife got one for 600 with 25,000 on it. Just needed some tlc.We have never done any engine work on it. My wife is 5'2" not 5'0" The vtr is a very tractable engine yet it revs to 14000 if you want it to. It will do 100 or better with one rider on it, not that that is a selling point for a new rider. In many ways it has the attributes of the VFR in a smaller lighter package.

 

+1 for the VTR250. That was my starter bike, it's easy to maintain, easy to mod, a blast to ride, 100lbs lighter than the 500, and I was able to put both feet flat down which is a definite plus for short people. I daresay it *is* a VF500, only divided by 1/2.

 

+1 1988-1990 Honda VTR 250

It's unbelievable fun, so narrow and light you forget you're riding a motorcycle.

Kawi Ninja 250s are very common but don't have the torque or handling of the VTR and need lots more revving and more gear change work to move.

 

lol @ squirrelman.... our bias is showing, no? :-D