1987 Honda VF700C from United States of America

Summary:

Stylish, reliable, and fun!

Faults:

Not much, really. Drive shaft seals have started to weep, but not enough for me to need to fix them.

Carburetors need regular syncing.

Seat stitching came undone way too early, about 20,000 miles.

The transmission has shifted oddly very infrequently. Usually a 'first to second' miss, it winds up in neutral. Also sometimes a false neutral when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. This has only happened a handful of times and less and less as the bike gets older, it seems.

If front brake caliper starts to leak, the geometry of the brake setup can cause the fluid to deposit directly onto the disc. This will cause increased stopping distance, which you will notice right away. A quick inspection once a month should prevent any problems.

General Comments:

I've owned a few Honda's, and I find them to be super-reliable. This Magna has been as reliable as the sunrise! Very low maintenance.

The styling is very unique! The VF700C was only made in 1997 and 1998, and while it may not be a 'collectible', it sure stands out amongst the bikes of its year.

I love this bike because of the low maintenance requirements, and its reliability. Find and keep one if you can!

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th June, 2009

20th Feb 2016, 15:40

Just a note, and not a big deal but...

You wrote;

"The VF700C was only made in 1997 and 1998, and while it may not be a 'collectible', it sure stands out amongst the bikes of its year."

Should be 1987 and 1988.

14th May 2016, 03:07

Poor ground clearance for harder turning or taking evasive maneuvers.

Pipes easily fill with water if left outside; many are scraped and rusted.

Paint doesn't hold up well.

Seat fell apart on mine also.

Odd tire sizes by today's standards, rear drum brake is quite dated since the gen 2 Magna has a rear disk.

Shaft drive is nice, 6 speeds, peppy 80-85hp.

Odd solid rear wheel.

Hard to find any accessories for it, and no room at all for saddle bags.

Fits smaller riders.

Carbs are hard to remove and reinstall when service is required (cleaning).