The Ascot 500 Forum > Welcome

Proud owner of a 1982 black FT500

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frappy:
Glad to be here.  Just purchased a new-to-me ’82 FT500 with 3,300 miles on it.  Mostly original – but it has new tires and it looks to me like the front fork legs have been refinished. It came with owner’s manual and tool kit. Bought it from the original owner who owns a local Honda dealership. Head gasket’s been replaced (due to seepage), valves adjusted, and starter has been cleaned (although it still seems a bit noisy). Also, my right side passenger grab bar is missing. (Anyone have a spare?) Choke cable was broken at the dash mount, but I found and just purchased a NOS one from Mark at Thumper Stuff. I also ordered from him the 2x oversize pilot and main jets, as well as from eBay a (used) factory service manual, and a (new) carb gasket set. I have questions about rejetting the carb, but will ask those over in the Tech Section. Thanks again for being here - ride on! 8)

Lefty:
Real nice! The rejetting's pretty easy and is explained in great detail in the "Essentials for the FT", The jets plus the air filter mod will pep it up.
Good luck & keep us posted, Lefty

J6G1Z:
Welcome to the forum & congratulations on finding an Ascot. Looks like you found a real honey of an FT Ascot. Doesn't get much better than buying a bike from the original owner, but finding one that was owned by a Honda dealer is extra nice!

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction with ordering the jets, service manual, etc. You might consider changing the countershaft to a 16 or 17 tooth to reduce the engine RPM at freeway & high speed cruising.

J.

frappy:
Thanks for the compliments, folks.  I finally found some time in between motorcycle rides and honey-do's to work on my FT500 tonight.  Removed the fuel tank and replaced my broken choke cable (plastic snapped where it mounts to the gauge cluster) with an NOS choke cable I got from Thumper Stuff.  I also started to replace my jets (see my Carburetor rejetting question post under "The Thumper Years: FT500 Stock to Lightly Modified").  Also received my FT500 Factory Service Manual.  It cost me $25 shipped from eBay and is in really good condition, but it didn't come with the nice Honda binder. :(

J6G1Z:
Twenty five bucks for a service manual isn't bad at all. I paid double that for one.

J.

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