VF500F advice

Hello all- I just joined this forum for some 500 Interceptor advice- I have had a long string of bikes over the years, mostly British, some Italian, but among my favorites were my 500 4 Honda and my CB200T. I am an old guy so I've always liked old bikes. The only negative experience I have had with the VF500 was having the battery stolen at a grocery store lot in San Francisco.. damn! And I put 60 thousand hot miles on my 500-4...
My question is about upgrading VF500 forks and brakes. I want to keep the original forks. Are there upgrades that I could do to them?
Also, I would like to know if there is a more modern (lighter) brake caliper that would replace the original ones. Lighter rotor?

Thanks for any input.

Zach

 

Heh- I forgot another Honda I've had. I put an Ascot 500 single into a VF500F- one of the hardest jobs ever. Getting the countershaft sprocket close to the swingarm pivot took a lot of re-engineering. The single motor is actually wider than the V4!

I have always wished that Honda would have developed the 500 over the years, as they did the big v4s. A little, lighter, high-revving four stroke, ah well.

 

Upgrading the brakes is a tricky prospect (I have no idea what else might fit easily) but doing basic maintenance (new seals, lubed slider pins) on them might bring back some missing performance, and fitting a set of non-squishy braided lines and decent pads (I'm fond of EBC HH-compound pads) would allow them to give their best. For the forks these can be upgraded with some more weight-appropriate springs and adding cartridge emulators for the damping. Ractech would be a good source for these parts.

I think Honda had to make an economic decision and moved to the CBR600 in 87 which was less complex that the V4 and cheaper to produce. They did keep making a small V4 in the form of the VFR400 in various guises, mainly for the competitive Japanese market.

 

So.. no one has ever adapted a lighter, more modern Honda caliper to the 500 fork?
I'm surprised.
What were the HRC calipers for racing?

 

The TRAC anti dive system and the accompanying caliper bracket pretty much limits the options. Optimizing what is there on the lightweight 500 is the best option until you are ready to swap forks from something from the 1990s that get you the caliper mounts that are needed.

Properly set up brakes with some braided lines is more than adequate on the 500, but perhaps not as sexy as some would like. Get the rotors drilled or source some aftermarket discs for some bling.

 

Thanks everyone! I have a nice Brembo caliper from a Ducati that is narrower and lighter- if I adapt it I'll try to post photos.
Meanwhile- this is huge- does anyone have the little front fender cable guide - 4541473000- for sale? I need two of them. Let me know, and thanks again.