Friday bike

Another 'bike I nearly bought', but this time it I didn't buy it due to the seller.

On my regular commute back in the 80s, I used to see a white Honda VT250F fitted with Krauser panniers, then one weekend saw it for sale in a local bike shop. I knew one of the guys in the shop and he told me that the customer had bought it from them new, had it regularly serviced, and had only used it for commuting into the city centre. My BMW was getting a bit 'tired' at this point and I was looking for something smaller and more modern, so the Honda potentially filled the bill.

Never a common bike in Britain, it had lots of typically 80s features - hydraulic clutch, anti dive forks, watercooling, 4 valve heads, plus some that weren't so cool like Comstar wheels and enclosed disc.

I'd been offered £515 by a friend of a friend for the BMW, and as the Honda was priced at £599, it looked like a deal was on the cards. I told the shop owner that I was interested, and he arranged to move the bike nearer the door so I could take it out for a test ride the following weekend (the shop was quite small and the Honda was near the back).
The following week arrived and I noticed that the panniers and frames were missing and the price tag now read £699. I questioned the shop owner about this and he said that the panniers weren't part of the deal and it had always been priced at £699. Meanwhile, I could see my friend that worked there shaking his head and mouthing 'no' over his shoulder! I told him to forget it, and walked out. The bike was probably worth £699 even without the panniers, but I wasn't going to be taken in by a blatent con like that.
Shame really as I always thought it a really pretty bike (in an 80s sort of way), and it probably would have been a fun bike to own.

Specifications

Engine	Two-cylinder 90° V Twin, Four-stroke
Displacement	248 cc
Bore & Stroke	60 mm x 44 mm
Valvetrain	DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Compression ratio	11:1
Maximum power	26.1 kW (35 hp) @ 11,000 rpm
Maximum torque	21.5 N·m (15.9 lb·ft) @ 10,000 rpm
Starter	Electric
Cooling system	Water-cooled
Transmission	Six speed
Drivetrain	Chain
Seat Height	780 mm (30.7 inch)
Fuel capacity	12 litres
Brakes	Front: single inboard disc Rear: drum
Dry weight	149 kg (328.5 lb)