Fortnine Video

This is an interesting video.  Fortnine has a whole bunch of them on Youtube.

+1 It’s hard to beat F9. Always interesting and you usually learn something.

Fortnine has another video.  This one is funny!

Hahaha. That was funny. Friend of mine sold his 4 or 5 years ago. Quirky machine. Awkward to work on. 2 plugs per cylinder (i think) but almost impossible to get at. Try doing a simple compression test. Doing 60mph/100kph was flogging it. No comparison to the 70s CB 500 /4.  I read they were popular with UK motorcycle couriers.

 

JR wrote:

Hahaha. That was funny. Friend of mine sold his 4 or 5 years ago. Quirky machine. Awkward to work on. 2 plugs per cylinder (i think) but almost impossible to get at. Try doing a simple compression test. Doing 60mph/100kph was flogging it. No comparison to the 70s CB 500 /4.  I read they were popular with UK motorcycle couriers.



 

I've had an Ascot for about 12 years.  There's little difficulty getting plugs out and a compression test is very simple with one of each cylinder's two plugs readily accessible on the cylinder sides.  Bike will easily do 100mph - if you felt like it was flogging at 60, it was probably only running on one cylinder.  With the VT500FT's quarter mile being about a second faster than the old CB500/4, you're right, there is no comparison.  

I also owned an 84' VT 500 Ascot for a few years. A lot of that video is BS. The Ascot will easily crack 100mph and if the one he was riding won't there's a bunch of stuff wrong with it. With a good set of tires they will carve corners pretty good. The motor makes good power in the mid-range. I never experienced any bad shaft jacking and I rode the bike really hard. This was the first Fortnine video I've seen that was kinda full bad facts. Personally I think he already disliked the bike before the test.

Kelly E wrote:

I also owned an 84' VT 500 Ascot for a few years. A lot of that video is BS. The Ascot will easily crack 100mph and if the one he was riding won't there's a bunch of stuff wrong with it. With a good set of tires they will carve corners pretty good. The motor makes good power in the mid-range. I never experienced any bad shaft jacking and I rode the bike really hard. This was the first Fortnine video I've seen that was kinda full bad facts. Personally I think he already disliked the bike before the test.
 

Of course, I'm completely biased, but agree 100%.

Well, based on those  two posts above (which I dont dispute)I guess my buddy had a less than optimal experience with his Ascot

Kelly E wrote:

I also owned an 84' VT 500 Ascot for a few years. A lot of that video is BS. The Ascot will easily crack 100mph and if the one he was riding won't there's a bunch of stuff wrong with it. With a good set of tires they will carve corners pretty good. The motor makes good power in the mid-range. I never experienced any bad shaft jacking and I rode the bike really hard. This was the first Fortnine video I've seen that was kinda full bad facts. Personally I think he already disliked the bike before the test.

I have no experience so can't comment, however I do agree that shaft drive with a motor this size is unnecessary and does sap power. ( transmitting drive through 90 degrees always does)

Thinking of buying a new helmet?  This video is worth a look beforehand.

HJC has come a long way recently with the safety ratings of their helmets. You still have to check each model but they make five star Sharp rated helmets for a third or less of what the expensive brands cost. In fact the safety ratings of the HJC are often higher.
Sharp hasn’t yet tested the C10 but will soon.