I found a 1983 Honda FT500 on CL week before last. Its a rat bike for sure but I think I can get 'er running. I bought it on the guys word and a CL picture. He said he thought the solinoid was out. Come to find out the fuse on the solinoid was blown. The reason it was blown is because the gear reduction gear was half cog off and mashed against the ring gear on the fly wheel. Luckily the fly wheel looks ok. But its a rat bike. Hey its a thumper man! It was cheap too.
So Im thinking, "Ive got to drive 190 miles after this bike. I should find another so I can come home with a full load". Am I right?! So Im looking and run into this bagger Yamaha Virago with 1400 miles on it. Guy says battery is shot and needs a new gear on the starter. This thing is clean . . .the bags look like no one has ever opened them. I stop and look and buy it too. So here they are. Virago first and Ascot on second post.

Cool stuff dude !  More bikes are always more fun !  

Say there Gus :  congratulations on the projects , they look like good material !  

Didn't most of the Yamaha's  back then have "brush type" alternators that would burn themselves  (rotors) out before they would quit trying to charge a bad battery ?    When ya get it cranked-up beware  .

Thats super   cool that you can make a hobby pay for its self .  

The Honda , I thought they were liquid cooled ?   Didn't see a radiator on that one ??   Air cooled, 500cc , Honda reliability , Electronic ignition? , sounds really good to me !  

Gus I see your from S.D. , Don't ya'll have a big biker gathering every year ?  

MMRanch wrote on 02/24/16 at 08:00:58:


It is air cooled for sure. The later Ascot's were V twins 1982 & 83 were the singles. Actually the same motor as the xr/xl line in off road. With the exception of electric start. So the side covers are different. I've heard you can take a kicker from the xr and put it on the Ascot FT500.