On paper, the VF was quite impressive, but sadly all the good things in life have their price and in the case of the VF400F that price’ is complexity - a water-cooled, DOHC V-four, sixteen valver knocking out a claimed 55hp. 110mph and 55mpg were the result. Other features include a fork: brace, air suspension, fairing, silly belly pan, hydraulic clutch, 6 gears, typical Honda self-destructing camchain tensioners and those inboard ventilated disc brakes.
The biggest gripe that I am sure that most VF owners will have is the subject of home maintenance. As far as I am concerned anyone can service a VF400F but if you do not possess that important ingredient, patience, then you'll end up dumping it at the dealers at great expense, like twenty quid an hour for labour! The Honda manual costs forty quid. Servicing hassles include removal of tank, side panels, radiator and coils just to get at the tappets, which are supposed to be checked every 3600 miles! Changing spark plugs involves frayed nerves and grazed knuckles.
Fortunately, most VF400s are reliable compared to some VF500s and earlier VF750s. If you change the oil at 2000 mile intervals and the easy to fit oil filter every other oil change, then you should not have to spend too many weekends getting your fingernails soiled. The carbs are very difficult to balance and really need the services of a good dealer. The camchain tensioners will stick at the slightest provocation causing the camchain to snake about, eating away at its womb, but they can be modified by camchain replacement specialists.
There is little doubt that the VF is fast for a 400, it has the same kind of usefully manic acceleration as on an early seventies 750 with none of the handling nastiness. The red line is at 12500rpm and the engine pulls all the way, though there is no distinct power band. It feels silky smooth, only slightly spoiled by a jerky throttle response at low revs. The hydraulic clutch was rather strange as it will only release in its own time, no matter how quickly it’s dropped or how many revs are dialled in. At average speeds the mirrors don’t blur but are far too close together. The riding position is excellent. but the seat height could be lower to better suit the short of leg.
The motor produces lots of torque and only a tiny amount of high frequency vibes get through to the rider via the footrests between 4000 and 6000rpm. Back in 1983, the VF400 set new standards for handling and I imagine this is why it was very popular with some motorcycle journalists. How things have changed six years on and more than likely so will the handling of any VF400F still whizzing about on the original shocks, front forks and suspension bushes.
Typical of those Japanese manufacturers, who produce complex rear mono-shock arrangements just for the fun of it, the lack of grease nipples on any of the joints means quick wear is the order of the day and deterioration of handling the result. Also, the single shock is usually perfectly placed to pick up all the road debris from the back tyre and chain. It was no great surprise that the fat Showa air shock would not hold any amount of air for any length of time - you could feel the gradual falling off of the handling.
The suspension bushes become impossible to strip out if they are not regularly stripped, cleaned and greased from new; necessitating a visit to your local Honda emporium thus enriching the staff and throwing yourself into debt. The steering head bearings are not likely to last beyond 15000 miles, whilst the fork seals can easily be damaged by putting just a little too much air into the un-linked valves. What was once a fine handling bike can be burnt off by 125 Benlys around corners once the suspension wears out! There are a few things that Honda got just right, like the adjustable anti-dive system on the forks, which has yet to be bettered by other manufacturers even today. They really do make a difference.
Another big problem with the VF is that so few of them were imported. This means that there are few in breakers, which means that the other owners go around swiping bits off your own bike and you can't find any in breakers. It cost me £80 to buy a new pair of side panels after mine were swiped the other day! The other side of that is their rareness makes them unlikely targets for thieves, so they can be left outside the house with impunity. However, the same rarity makes ‘em difficult to sell as few people know what they’re really like.
In 8500 miles of use my bike has needed three oil changes, a front tyre, set of clutch plates and springs (the clutch went with 18000 miles up), fork seals and two sets of brake pads (partially due to a pattern set only lasting 1500 miles). OE pads cost £20, although £13 EBC pads do last well.
Although my bike always starts first time and is usually reliable, there were times when I wanted to drop kick it into the nearest canal. For instance, certain tasks on the bike will have some mechanics quoting you ridiculous charges in the hope that you'll take the bike elsewhere. And when the clutch pushrod seal gave up the ghost at 21000 miles, I was horrified to find that the motor had to be split to fit it - I was quoted £300! I had to strip the motor down to basics and give a dealer £60 to do the final split to fit a £1 oil seal. It has to be replaced because there’s an oil feed right behind it. The same applies to the VT250 and VF500. If you're going to buy one of these bikes do check the clutch pushrod seal - look at the exhaust collector box to see if it’s covered in oil.
Little did I know that a loose tappet was about to cost me £350 - it had been adjusted by a mechanic who failed to use the special valve clearance tool that is required for use on the rear cylinder. The bike did 1500 miles before the tappet fell out and went for a walk around the engine. The result was total engine failure - valves, guides, camchain, tensioner and gaskets were replaced plus a machined cylinder head. I also had a small problem with the electrics due to a fractured wire, but generally that side was reliable. Front tyre wear was ridiculous (knocking out a Metzeler in just 4500 miles), when the tread was down to 2mm the handling was quite noticeably affected.
Reliability is dependent on the way the bike has been looked after, regular servicing results in a dependable bike. Typical mileages that I have seen on bikes still running have been 25000 miles or less, although I have seen a despatcher with 80000 miles on the clock. The odd breaker has reported blown engines with as little as 9000 miles up!
That said, such is the poor reputation of the VF that there are many bargain bikes around if your know what to look for. As good GS550s, and the like, become difficult to find, more obscure and less popular models will have to be sought out! The question of long term ownership should be viewed with a deal of suspicion although it’s quite feasible with modified camchain tensioners and proper servicing. Nice surprises along the way will include the fact that it’s cheaper to buy new OE silencers at £38 a throw than a N-Eta or Micron, and that you can burn off many bigger bikes.
Really, the VF is an excellent middleweight sadly spoiled by its rushed development and complexity. The engine is durable, civilised but ain’t no fun to strip down, so you need to be an enthusiast to run one - do you qualify?
Floyd Taylor