Second Generation Ascots > The V-Twin Years: Modified To Full Customs
Custom VT500FT Ascot Pictures...
Trinorman:
John,
I'm the owner of the cafe Ascot that you started this thread with. Thanks for putting it up! Best of luck with your new forum. Here are a couple more photos (if I figured this out) and a link for more photos if interested. Also, here is the build info.
I have posted some photos on my Photobucket page of my 1984 Ascot that I converted into a café racer over. It’s not an obvious choice for a café bike, but I always liked the engine, gearbox, and driveshaft of this bike. I bought the bike in 2008 just for this project. I thought you might be interested as I think it is probably one of a kind.
The last photo in the album is my first café bike that I built back around 1970 from a 1965 Honda CB77 Super Hawk. I fitted it with a Paul Dunstall tank, seat and clip-ons, among other things. It took me a few years to get around to building my second one, this Ascot, which was a bit more involved.
The Photobucket links are (the first is individual photos, the second a slideshow):
http://photobucket.com/AscotCafeRacer
http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/trinorman/Honda%20Ascot%20Cafe%20Racer/?albumview=slideshow
Here is what I did to it:
1. Custom twin exhaust system using chrome Shadow header pipes with 17” Emgo megaphone style mufflers. Custom pipes fabricated to join headers to mufflers.
2. K&N air filter and DynoJet jetting kit.
3. Seat from a 1989/90 Honda GB500 with about 1” removed from the front to allow for a longer tank.
4. Gas tank and side covers were custom made by Fred Muhlenhort of Racetec in Oxnard, California near where I live. They are strictly one-off items that Fred designed after I showed him photos of the look I was going for. Fred makes a lot of the gas tanks for AMA Pro Flat Trackers among other things. His workmanship is outstanding, a true artist!
5. Raask (Sweden) rearset foot pegs.
6. Tommaselli adjustable clip-ons. I’d like them lower for the true look, but at my age my back can’t take them much lower, so a compromise. Front suspension is stock, albeit moved up about 30mm to accommodate the clip-ons mounted above the triple tree.
7. Alloy headlight brackets (Tommaselli copies) with a 7” classic British headlight assembly.
8. Stainless steel mini speedometer and tachometer. The speedo has warning lights for oil pressure, high beam, neutral and turn signals.
9. Handlebar mounts removed from top triple tree and then polished. The fuses were relocated to inside the headlight.
10. Both wheels stripped of the black paint to the natural aluminum.
11. Norton Commando fork boots.
12. Lower fork legs polished.
13. Digital water temperature gauge.
14. Alloy fenders, front and rear, with hand fabricated mounts.
15. Lucas type alloy tail light.
16. Hagon rear shocks.
17. Stainless steel front brake line (not fitted in photos).
18. Roller bearing headset
19. Lots of time and TLC!
UPDATE: Since that description was written and the photos taken I have made a few changes, but don’t have any new photos to show the changes. But here is what has changed. The 17” Emgo mufflers were replaced with Norton Commando peashooters. I replaced the digital water temp gauge with a round analog gauge. I made a custom gauge mount for the speedo, tach, and water temp gauge. And finally, I changed out the rear end for one from a 500 Shadow for slightly taller gearing.
Chris
J6G1Z:
Chris,
Thanks for the info & the update. I have seen pics of your bike for a while, but didn't know any of the details. It is truly a unique & great looking bike!
What's it like to ride & what made you select an Ascot as your base model?
J.
Trinorman:
J,
I got interested in the Ascot about a dozen years ago when my wife learned to ride by taking the MSF course. They supplied motorcycles during training, but we needed to get her a bike of her own to ride after training. I found a used Ascot, but she thought it was too heavy for her. So I rode it a little and it just made a good impression on me. It was pretty lively for a 500, handled OK, 6th gear was a plus, and I liked the shaft drive. We sold it pretty quickly though and bought her a Honda 250 Nighthawk that suited her better. But the impression stayed with me and I felt it would be a good, but unusual, platform to build an old style cafe bike. So, some years later, looking for a project bike, I bought a used Ascot for a song and went from there.
It's fun to ride and always get a lot of comments from all types of riders no matter what their particular ride might be. When I bought the bike it had a pair of mismatched brand tires on it, but almost new, so I rode those for awhile. I finally installed new tires, Pirelli Sport Demons, and those tires transformed the handling. Went from OK to pretty darn good. Also, the fork tubes are moved up in the triple trees about 30mm to accommodate the clip-ons. To partially compensate for that 30mm, the Hagon shocks are slightly shorter than stock, about 1/2" if memory serves. The change to the forks/shocks quickened up the steering a bit so turn is faster. It did not seem to affect high speed stability. I also prefer the Shadow 500 rear end. The bike is more relaxed. I always felt the stocker was geared too low. I used to start off in 2nd gear with stock gearing without having to slip the clutch.
Chris
speedy:
--- Quote from: J6G1Z on August 17, 2013, 09:19:41 am ---Here is another clean custom...
--- End quote ---
That's my bike now. She's in Austin Texas.
Here's the build write up: http://www.johnnystoybox.com/honda_vt500fc_ascot.htm
John did a great rebuild on the bike. He does a great job on all his bikes it seems.
cdntfindanAscot:
--- Quote from: speedy on September 04, 2013, 02:40:43 pm ---
--- Quote from: J6G1Z on August 17, 2013, 09:19:41 am ---Here is another clean custom...
--- End quote ---
That's my bike now. She's in Austin Texas.
Here's the build write up: http://www.johnnystoybox.com/honda_vt500fc_ascot.htm
John did a great rebuild on the bike. He does a great job on all his bikes it seems.
--- End quote ---
That has to be one of the cleanest builds I've seen. Kudos to the man for taking the time and no little expense to produce such a beauty.
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