1997 Honda reviews

I bought my '96 1100 ace from and old guy who hadn't ridden since the ark had been built! It had 6000 miles on it, covered in dust, and had gummed up carbs and a tank load of 2 year old gas. In a matter of a couple of days of cleaning, this bike looks like new. It now has over 17000 miles on it, which were put on in less than 5 months. It is a real nice smooth ride with plenty of power, it looks great. The only thing that lets it down is the underpowered front brake. Show less

As an owner of, now down to 4 motorcycles, 3 PC 800 and a Goldwing, handling and riding the PC besides little or no repair ever, is a true statement. Not all bikes are on one island; keep one in Las Vegas, Oahu and 2 on Kauai. Must have my 2 wheels where I travel frequently. I am looking for someone to share this information I read in a cycle book. A PC rider said he increased his 800 to 1000 cc. Does anyone out there know how he did this 200 cc increase. Show less

Bought my VLX new. Put 38,000 mi. on it in 4 yrs. Will never sell this bike. Has origial chain and battery. Went up one tooth on front sprocket. Will do 92 mph. With small shield will get 65 mpg. Will get 60 mpg with larger shield and heated clothing on. Put on highway pegs, bags, rack, thermostat for clothing, and conversion kit for rear lights. I like the seat and the prongs underneath so I can carry a lot of cargo. Will never sell this bike. Show less

AFTER OWNING AN '84 V65 MAGNA A FEW YEARS BACK, THIS BIKE PUT A BIG SMILE BACK ON MY FACE. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF GETTING USED TO THIS STYLE OF BIKE, I STILL HAD THE BIG GRIN ON MY FACE EVRYTIME I RIDE THIS BABY! IN MY OPINION, HONDA DID THIS BIKE RIGHT. HOPEFULLY HONDA WILL DO IT'S NAME JUSTICE WITH THE ALL-NEW 2004 CBR1000RR. Show less

I have a short 2 year or so history of riding offroad bikes (always a buddies bike). I have been dying to get my own "Road Bike" for the last 10 years. I was initially intending on purchasing a cafe style bike. After calling around for insurance ($1300 - which I am 28 years old & am married with a great driving record) I decided to change styles of bikes. I hated bikes other than cafe'. I knew I could not afford the insurance for the style bike I wanted, so I switched gears & started looking at cruiser style bikes. I saw the VT600 Deluxe, which was yellow & black & will fell in love. The insurance dropped to $158 per year, and the bike cost me only $3800 (1997, 6,800 miles) which included tax & other fees. I wanted to write this for the people that are in a situation close to what I was in. BUY ONE!!! I love this bike, and it is great for someone who has little to no experience on a cycle. The seat is low, the bike is light, and the feel of freedom is priceless. This bike has a low center of gravity, which is great for taking corners & curves. I highly recommend this bike for anyone with a small budget & a big sense of adventure. Rob- Show less

I rode motorcycles in the 70's but put it away when jobs began to pay better so I could afford the second car and babies began to come along. Now the babies are grown, and the job affords me the opportunity to have a little money for play. It was time to get back on a motorcycle. The Pacific Coast was the perfect bike to come back with. It is heavier than my old Yamaha 350, but so much smoother. It is incredibly forgiving for a new "experienced" rider. It also has all the torque I need for crusing at 70+ mph on the highways. I truely believe it would cruise at 5000 RPM for a 16 hour day without skipping a beat. No its not a perfect bike for everyone. However if you are looking for a rock stable platform that can easily handle the twisties, is very usable on super-slab trips, as well as making the commute through urban streets - you may have just found YOUR dream bike. The down-sides: 1. If you like to personalize your bike, good luck because there isn't much available. Part of that is because it is out of production, the other is that the bike is pretty well out-fitted coming off the showroom floor. 2. The gas tank is too small and depends on a gas guage that is very reliable, only after you learn how to read it. "E" doesn't mean empty on this bike. Typically you are good for 160-170 miles on the 4+ gallon tank, but that can be a real downside if you've got a 400 mile round-trip to make in a day. 3. It will be underpowered for some. If you and your significant other are each in the 250# range - go for the Goldwing, the PC will be too slow on the uptake. It won't blast off the line and rocket to 90+ mph, but the first morning I owned it, I hit the throttle pretty hard getting on a divided highway and before I realized it, I was passing 85 mph and I weigh 230#. Show less

I OWN A 1998 HONDA XXBLACKBIRD IT IS THE BEST REFINED BIKE I HAVE EVER OWNED I HAVE TOURED UP TO 1700 MILES ON IT AND LOVED IT ALL THE WAY. AND THE ABSOLUTE SMOOTHEST 4 CYLINDER BUILT! Show less

Bought it w/6k miles from the original owner before it was a year old, now 5 years later, it only has 9k miles. No problems, pure enjoyment, only complaint is the numbness in my hands that sometimes occurs pretty readily. Thinking of Heli Bars? Show less

Heli Bars, Tall Zero Speed screen (blk), FactoryPro jetting and 2 degree ignition advance make this Honda a Holiday! Comfortable, long-legged and scary-reliable (16,500 miles as original owner so far)with all the above mods make the desire to own new bike just a fleeting afterthought. Tank bags, tailbag, and saddle bags (all by Tour Pro) complete the Sport Touring package and hold more than the Givi hard bags at a fraction of the cost. The bike is dead-stable up to an indicated 155 with luggage (actual speed per GPS was about 140) until I ran out of road... I routinely experience the edge of adhesion and find that I touch down the fairing and exhaust (in short order) before anything else. Although the bike is now entering its 5th or 6th year, it looks great and has held value well for a product of this type. A comment about the jetting... as with any jetting project, this was undertaken to cure a factory lean condition that manifested itself during warm-up, and an obnoxious dip in torque around 5500-6500 rpm. The jetting solved both problems admirably and enhanced the ridability of the bike to such a degree that even the occasional rider-friend noted the difference! Mileage on my 2000 trip averaged 41-43 MPG, as low as 31 and as high as 48, depending on the type of riding. That was over 2500 miles in 7 days. Altitude was about 800 - 1200 feet; pretty normal. Will I sell the bike? My wife will when I am dead and gone, this is also my 4th bike in 7 years. Used ones? look at the chain, sprockets, can tell alot on how much of that torque has been used to abuse the bike. I would never sell one to a kid. Bought mine new in '98 as a '97 model. Show less

I still have my 1989 PC. IT has a custom tinted whindshield from Rifle", the Kenwood Stereo, with the pre-amp, the top and bottom spoilers, the backrest, and mud flap. I get to sit up straight, like when on a Goldwing, and I can lean it over as far as a CBR 600. It is a fantastic motorcycle, that Honda never pushed properly. My only complaint is that the back end is sprung for a pair 90 lb riders. I had to get a set of custom gas shocks, from Performance, in Northridge, California. Now it rides perfect. I still get many compliments on it, whereever I go. Some people ask me, today, if it is a new model, and who makes it. I even had a California Hiway Patrol Officer stop me and ask what I thought of the M/C for his wife to ride. I told him it was the best M/C for his wife, as it is light weight, very manuverable, and had plenty of room for to go shopping. Honda, "Get your act together, and and put this bike back on the market; and, advertise it properly, this time!" P.S.: "I call it The Poor Man's Goldwing". Show less