VT500 is a common name for the family of Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

 motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

s sharing the VT500 engine; Ascot

Honda Ascot (motorcycle)

The Honda Ascot was a name given to two motorcycles produced by Honda. The motorcycles to carry the name, the FT500 and VT500FT, were produced with the Ascot name between 1982 and 1984.- FT500'82 :...

, Shadow

Honda Shadow

The Honda Shadow refers to a family of cruiser-type motorcycles made by Honda since 1983. The Shadow line features motorcycles with a liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin ranging from 125cc to 1800cc engine displacement...

 and Euro.

Specification

The engine is a 491cc liquid-cooled V-twin

V-twin

A V-twin engine is a two-cylinder internal combustion engine where the cylinders are arranged in a V configuration.- Crankshaft configuration :Most V-twin engines have a single crankpin, which is shared by both connecting rods...

 4 stroke.
The cylinders

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...

 are splayed 52 degrees apart with a crankshaft

Crankshaft

The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...

 that has its throws 76 degrees offset in order for the engine to mimic a 90-degree V-twin.

• Bore: 71mm
• Stroke: 62mm
• Valves: 3 per cylinder
• Power: 47.5 hp (35.4 kw) at 9,000 rpm
• Torque: 31 ft lb (42 Nm) at 7,000 rpm

Transmission

Both shaft and chain

Chain drive

Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles...

final drive have been used with the engine.

Developments

The VT500 is also the base for the later NTV, NT, VRX and XLV engines ranging from 400 to 750 cc.