The VT Ascot is on my list of bikes I would like to own. I think it would make a great commuter and weekend day tripper.
Mine is a hoot to ride. It pulls strong all the way to redline, which at 9500 rpms, is pretty high for a 500cc v-twin. Fairly maintenance free, with shaft drive, water-cooled, and maybe self-adjusting valves, I'm not sure. Really easy to work on, very light and nimble on its feet, and charges hard thru the tight twistys around So Cal. Not great for triple digit speed runs at all, but in its element, it can hold its own.
I did some mods to mine that aren't shown in that one pic, which was taken when I just got it. I put on a GP-style handlebar, black rectangular mirrors, drilled front rotor with s/s brake line, and removed the large upper baffle in the muffler and put a s/s cap on it. Looks and sounds good, had to do a little fiddling with the fuel/air and idle set screws, but nothing too complicated. Here's a clip of the exhaust after the mod was done:
