Honda FT500 balance weight adjustment

[david2520]

Hello TMBF,

 

I have a Honda FT500 1982.

Bike has been running well and I have covered about 3000 over the last 12 months.

 

I'm giving the bike a service and found out this model has a balance weight set up in the engine that reduces vibration.

Can anyone tell me how to adjust this?

 

Unfortunately there are no Haynes or Clymer manuals available for this bike and the Honda Workshop manual does not cover the adjustment.

I'm waiting for my request to join a FT500 forum to be approved to ask this same question, a quick search on the FT500 forum gave some information.

No YouTube Vid's that I can find.

 

Or if any one knows if another Honda that uses the same balance weight set up, I could maybe get the information I need off that model.

 

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

David Jones

Edited July 16, 2024 by david2520

[Nick the wanderer]

Hi, looks like the bike is called an Ascot in America and there is a forum dedicated to them. ascot500.com. Looks old but you may find something in the threads. 

 

For me, balance weights are fixed and non adjustable, that's maybe why you can't find anything. 

 

Good luck.

[david2520]

Hello Nick, Thanks for your information.

I had not thought it might be non adjustable.

all helps,

Regards.

[curlylegend]

12 hours ago, david2520 said:

Hello TMBF,

 

I have a Honda FT500 1982.

Bike has been running well and I have covered about 3000 over the last 12 months.

 

I'm giving the bike a service and found out this model has a balance weight set up in the engine that reduces vibration.

Can anyone tell me how to adjust this?

 

Unfortunately there are no Haynes or Clymer manuals available for this bike and the Honda Workshop manual does not cover the adjustment.

I'm waiting for my request to join a FT500 forum to be approved to ask this same question, a quick search on the FT500 forum gave some information.

No YouTube Vid's that I can find.

 

Or if any one knows if another Honda that uses the same balance weight set up, I could maybe get the information I need off that model.

 

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

David Jones

I had one of them for 25 years. 

I had to replace the camshaft around 15000 miles and two years old, bit miffed about that !  The double skinned header pipes broke up internally so I chopped them open and removed the inner pipes. The silencer gave up the ghost after 15 years and the tank developed a leak where the front of the seat chafed through. David Silver was very helpful with the silencer and a pair of fork stanchions. It gobbled cheap chains though, but I ended up with an o-ring chain and a Scottoiler and that lasted till I gave it away.

Never a ball of fire but it was a good touring bike only let down by the size of the fuel tank.

[Ian Frog]

Hello @david2520

I suspect the balance weight you mention will be similar to the one in the RS250 single that is to all intents a baby XL so the information for XL or RS  series bikes should be available.

From memory behind the clutch cover is a vaguely triangular plate with a curved gap which is clamped in place by a bolt, the bolt is slackened and the plate pushed to reduce the slack in the drive from crank to clutch.

Please check before playing with anything as the last time I was inside an XL250s or my RS250 despatch bike was before the miners strike and Thatcher lol.

Cheers 

Ian