Getting Re-acquainted with the 500

Last weekend, I pulled my '86 500 out of the basement after being in hibernation for the last 4 years. I put gas in the tank and it fired right up - not surprising at all since it is a Honda. I've had it out a few times this week and I forgot what a fun little bike this is to ride. It is down on power compared to my other bikes, but it is the most fun to ride. It feels like you're riding a bicycle as it is so light and flickable. It does bring back fond memories as the 500 was the first street bike I ever owned. I've had many more since then, but this bike still makes me smile. I'm probably going to put a few hundred miles on it before putting it back in storage. And yes (squirrelman), the valves are in check, so I shouldn't be dropping one!

 

Nice to read on a Sunday morning.

500s are great bikes. Too often the naysayers have something in common...they have never owned one ;-)

 

I must agree. I had an '84 in high school, some years ago, and for the first year I was in the Army. I just found and purchased an '84 in about the same great shape. So easy to ride, so little effort to go fast, it goes where you see yourself going, you don't have to get physical with it at all. I do miss the bottom end torque of a V-twin or liter bike but I'll get re-used to having to downshift to pass. I should get some more riding in this week, weather permitting.

 

That is an absolutely gorgeous 500! I know what you mean about the :smile:, I can't wipe the grin off when I am on mine.

 

IC - Yes, they are GREAT bikes. However, I do understand the advice that is given out about these bikes with new / first time buyers. You do need to keep on top of them, especially the valve adjustments. However, all bikes need maintenance. I don't know if the bike is the problem or the expectations of the buyer.

InterFester / creaky - I'm glad that you guys feel the same way. If I ever had to reduce my bike inventory, I think the 500 might one of the last to go.

 

Same here on all counts. Rode the 85 500 for the first time in a while to the Apple store on sunday. Been on the VFR750 too much lately. Had perma-grin the whole time. Couldn't wait for the Geniuses to get done so I could ride some more. What an absolute blast. Same here: If I had to sell something, the 500 would be last to go. Surely Honda can bring this back, right? What's keeping them from doing a new version of this bike?

PS 4 years is downright shameful. We may have to revoke your membership for that. How dare you, Sir? How dare you indeed!

 

My Excuse = 1 wife, 3 kids, house, work, work and work.
The Problem = 4 street bikes and 4 dirt bikes (including kids) - there's not enough time to ride them all.
Resolution = Your analysis is right on. It is shameful. Going forward I am going to make it a point to run each of the older bikes at least 300 miles a year.

And yes, why doesn't Honda bring a 500cc bike like this one back? They would sell a ton of them. I think the new CBR250 should have been a 500.

 

I have the same problem. Sorta. 5 bikes. No wife or kids though.

I solve it by riding a different bike to work each week. Each Monday, a new one comes up in rotation, and I ride that one for 5 days straight. And I commute by bike year-round, so that way I keep from having gas gum up the works from sitting too long.

And putting out a new V500 or VF500 instead of a 250 would have been a stroke of genius. No one would buy an EX500 over a VF500. I know, I bought a new EX500 in 1990. No soul for sure. Plus, I bet 90% of 250 owners are gonna sell in a year anyhow & upgrade to....an EX? I'm sure Honda is hoping for a jump to a 600, but I say that's too sporty for some entry-level riders. Big insurance jump too.

 

That is the way to do it. With all of the other stuff in the garage, I can only have 2 of the street bikes going at any one time. Riding year round is a just a dream for me. The earliest you can get started in NY is late March and you can't get much into November. You're basically down for 5 months of the year. It sucks.

 

Good to find this thread, as I am in the process of dusting off my old '86.
Best Wishes.

 

How about the details and some photos?

 

Will do. I'll get some photos next time I go to the shop. As far as the details, I bought my '86 new, and while it was still under the 12 month warranty, I dropped a valve. And this one is for those who say top speed is 122 mph or whatever: I was doing 138 MPH, and power just kind of dropped off, and the bike burst into flames. I pulled over, and noticed very little braking power, and tires were sliding from all of the oil. The flames went out almost immediately, as it was just a bit of oil on the pipes that was burning. I left the bike running, and peeked down to see my starter laying in the lower cowl. And in it's place was a nice hole in the block, and a connecting rod poking in & out as the engine idled. Well, I figured the engine was toast, so I hop back on and ride the 5 miles back home. Very little power, and brakes were still slick also. I turned it in on warranty (@ 10 months/17,000 miles), and the rep then proceeded to show me the fine print in the warranty regarding "ABUSE & NEGLECT". So it came back to me in 1987 in a box. I found a used '85 engine, and swapped over the cooling & what not from my '86 engine. It ran pretty good, but not as well as the '86 engine. I have since clocked a total of 34,000 miles. But things have been real tight financially for the past few years, so I have not rode the bike since 2005. I have run the engine regularly, but two years ago the battery went, so it has sitting since then. I still don't plan to ride any time soon, but I could not stand to continue neglecting my old Interceptor. So I set aside a few dollars and put in a battery. The engine would fire but not run. The cylinders would fill with gas and lock up hydraulically. So I knew the carb bowls would need to come off. I cleaned everything and replaced the float valves and bowl gaskets. Then of course I changed the oil & filter, and flushed the other fluids as well. In the course of flushing the brake hydraulics, I discovered I had two brake pins corroded & frozen, so I am replacing those along with some of the grease seals, and all pads also. I think I'll take it out on the road this Spring.

 

This story just made my day!

Great to see you held onto the bike all these years. Look forward to seeing the photos and welcome!

 

+1 on being the original owner and hanging on to it for all these years. That is cool.

As far as the warranty, how did they come to conclusion that it was abused? Did you divulge more details than you should have?

Money wise, this bike costs next to nothing to insure. If you've got it running, which is sounds like you pretty much do, it should be cheaper to run it in place of the car.

 

Honda looked at the other valve stems, and as I recall there was some "mushrooming" on at least one other, which showed the fact that I had not kept up proper valve adjustment. No argument there...that bike would fly and I rode it really hard all the time. Reckless in those days...rode too much, did maintenance too little. Learn the hard way, know what I mean?

 

Interesting intel. Here is a little light reading on this topic:

 

138 mph! That was down the side of Mt Everest I assume? I'm lucky to see 120mph on the clock of mine. At indicated 138mph you'd be well into redline I think.

 

Yeah brother, I think that's what did her in.
PS: Long straight road, PLUS it was about 12 degrees Fahrenheit, and that bike always loved the cold air. Getting past 130 was always a strain in warm weather.

 

+1

I had a new 1984 back then and I could never get it past 205 km/h (about 126 mph).

 

Well, the 500 went back into the basement this past Sunday after putting on 326 uneventful miles. It isn't blessed with tons of power, but as stated before, it is the funnest to ride out of the bunch that I have. It is also the smoothest. I'm moving on to the 750 now, but can't wait to break it back out come next summer.