When I first started riding, a Honda VT 500 Ascot was the first really nice bike I owned. I had a 350 Scrambler before it, but it was a vibration machine. That little ascot, while no superbike, would do 100 plus MPH, had great acceleration for a 500, was plenty light enough, handled good, was smooth, water cooled, shaft drive, and also a good looking little bike.

Looking around on the net now for used ones, I can't believe people are asking more money for them that they cost new.LOL Hope someday to find another for a decent price, even a fixer upper.

That bike had an offset crank which was very rare for a v-twin.  Made it very smooth.

A lot of really cool innovations used on that little bike. Loved it, but had to get,'Bigger, faster, better" and bought an Eliminator the first year they came out. That was a nice bike too, but I miss the little Honda more.

I was able to take a ride on both the 500 single and the VT500 Ascot.  I remember them as feeling very nimble.  The single was not the kind of engine I would want on the street.  I liked the twin a lot better, and it had a very traditional style to it.  The Shop owner was about 5'4" and loved them.  At my 6'2" they were just too cramped.  Yamaha had a water cooled  V Twin around that time.  The lack of any traditional styling or even fake fins made the engine look really funny, but it rode great.  Maybe it's my age, but there used to be lots of interesting bikes in every showroom.  I just don't find as many interesting new bikes these days. 

I never rode the single, but I did have a buddy with an XL 500 (same engine) and that was a great dual purpose bike. I think, I'm going to start looking for a VT500 more actively next year.

. . . Yamaha had a water cooled  V Twin around that time.  The lack of any traditional styling or even fake fins made the engine look really funny, but it rode great.  Maybe it's my age, but there used to be lots of interesting bikes in every showroom.  I just don't find as many interesting new bikes these days.

I had that Yamaha, an XZ550 water-cooled, shaft drive, 4 valves per cylinder, rode it for 20 years as a mid-displacement tourer. Comfortable, plenty of power, minimal vibration.The only reason I move to the Concours was the Yamaha was kind of unreliable electrically. The Concours is really bigger than I need but it has shaft drive, it's comfortable, handles and doesn't fall apart, and it wasn't too expensive to purchase or run.

Compared to these bikes, the current offerings of medium displacement water-cooled parallel twins with EFI are kind of bland. What I really want is an SV650 with shaft drive.

I think the Yamaha was called the Vision? Nice bike, too advanced for itself. Yes, the VT is becoming a bit of a collectible, no matter the condition, many are asking over $3000 for them around here, silly.

Wow! I think I gave 1300 bucks for mine back in 84. It was used, with about 1000 miles on it.

That was the one George.  In those years Yamaha came out with quite a few models that were great bikes but no one bought.  The XS 650 seca with the huge front headlight was a wonderfully balanced bike with great performance that you could not give away. I put close to 100,000 miles on a 1982 XS850 standard.  The old three cylinder.  Strong midrange torque, narrower, lighter and better handling than the XS1100.  Also a lot cooler in hot weather for the rider.  ( I owned both)  Americans just cannot wrap their minds around a three cylinder.  Electricians understand the benefits of three phase electricity, especially in relation to electric motors.  I tried in vain for years to explain to people that 360 degrees of crank rotation divides evenly by three as does 720 degrees between each cylinders power pulse, it is not a 4 cylinder with a dead miss! Very few understood.  BTW, that old bike made the run to the 'nam vets wall in DC with a bunch from the legion in Lafayette this year.  About 140K on the old bike now.