Honda Interceptor VF500F....good starter bike?

Jonny Thrice · 04-04-2007, 01:42 PM

Seems pretty similar to a Ninja EX500.....I found this Honda locally for $1500...which seems pretty good. It looks like a nice bike!

bikes&baseball · 04-05-2007, 07:09 PM

That looks like a really sweet bike!!! what year is it and how many miles does it have on it?

And i have no idea if thats a good bike for a newb.

BigMacD · 04-06-2007, 12:33 AM

I believe that is mid to late 80's...don't quote me on that though. And being a 500 and also an older bike, as long as its in good shape and runs well, should be good to go

IwakuniDiver · 04-06-2007, 01:11 AM

I have an '88 VFR400R that is very similar that bike.

I am a no stranger to motorcycles but I'm a street bike newb and I LOVE my bike. Being a bit bigger and heavier than a 250 I don't get blown around on the expressway as much by trucks but its still very nimble. Good "middle of the road" bike for beginners I think. Just be sure to respect the power that V4 is going to make about 10k.

Jim Moore · 04-06-2007, 06:12 AM

I started on one of those (in 1985). They kick ass. Nice find.

deftones156 · 04-06-2007, 10:05 AM

I think that would be a great starter bike! A buddy of mine has one, and it's a great combination of sporty and comfy. It has enough power to make it faster than most cars on the road, but you can rip the throttle without having to worry about the front end coming up hard.

Jonny Thrice · 04-06-2007, 11:34 AM

cool! Yeah, it looks pretty interesting. I beleive the one for sale is an 84. I checked the specs, and it has around 65hp....not too much, but seems to be just enough.

Ivan_markII · 04-06-2007, 02:40 PM

I used to ride with a girl who owned one of those. Being very nice she let me take it for a spin.

It isn't slow. And it makes an awesome sound. The whole bikes exudes quality.

Jonny Thrice · 04-06-2007, 04:54 PM

really? Interesting. Well, my first love is a Bandit 400...and I'm now looking at a used one in my area (went to check her out today...I love it!)...but this Interceptor seems interesting. It's cheaper, slightly faster, but most of all, it has a semi-fairing, and I DO plan to do more touring, than tooling around town. hhhmmmmmm

Ivan_markII · 04-07-2007, 01:57 AM

I've owned two Suzuki Bandits 400. They are my all-time favorite bikes. They are very difficult to ride but their performance is amazing. In Japan they ran rampant in the 400cc production class--against RGV250's, GSXR400's, etc... I remember smoking a few sportbikes with it and then the riders complained it wasn't fair because my bike was all frame.

Right now I have an SV650 which is kinda like a Bandit. Bandit is less stable and a lot more fun, though.

Ivan_markII · 04-07-2007, 01:59 AM

I'd take the Interceptor over the Bandit 400 because the Bandit requires a rejet from stock. Bandit is extremely cold blooded even on warm days...to the point that you learn to use the choke as a throttle for the first few minutes of your ride.

VermillionX · 04-07-2007, 03:52 PM

Thats an awsome bike. I would be all over that deal like a fat kid on cake.

Jonny Thrice · 04-07-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivan_markII

I've owned two Suzuki Bandits 400. They are my all-time favorite bikes. They are very difficult to ride but their performance is amazing. In Japan they ran rampant in the 400cc production class--against RGV250's, GSXR400's, etc... I remember smoking a few sportbikes with it and then the riders complained it wasn't fair because my bike was all frame.

Right now I have an SV650 which is kinda like a Bandit. Bandit is less stable and a lot more fun, though.

Really? Why would you say its hard to ride? Anything I should be looking out for?

I went to see a used one yesterday...and I gotta say, the Bandit fits me like a glove! I feel pretty comfortable on it, and I really like the look/feel of the Bandit.

But I did not get a chance to ride it (dont have my license yet, doing my courses this weekend, actually), so I dont know how it handles, the throttle response etc. I did get to turn it on and twist the throttle a bit, man, that thing revs! The throttle did seem a bit sensitive tho, but maybe thats just because it was in neutral with no load...

Ivan_markII · 04-07-2007, 11:26 PM

Engine dominates the bike. There is no power at all below 8000 rpm. On any bike you want at least some midrange. With the Bandit you get none at all.

So this means you must be quite skillful at matching revs when downshifting, and have fine throttle control coming out of the turns. It is an easy bike to highside--I dislocated my wrist years ago from a Bandit highside.

They are fine bikes...Suzuki's idea of a cheap bike was to take their GSXR400 engine and drop it into a cheap steel frame with cheap suspension.

It doesn't take much to make the Bandit a fine bike...
--rejet kit
--swap out rear spring for something far heavier
--check front fork oil; most USA Bandits came with overfilled front fork oil which essentially gives you no front suspension action.

Finally...you will never ride a bike with a better gearbox. Bandits have gearboxes that are absolutely smooth on upshifts and downshifts.

Jonny Thrice · 04-09-2007, 04:10 PM

dammit! Bandit was sold already!