New (Really) Bikes from H-D

[F6Dave]

I had a 1984 Honda V65 Sabre. It had a few issues, like cam lobe wear and heat buildup that caused fumes on hot days. But it was smooth, comfortable, and incredibly fast. Mr. Honda was still alive back then and Honda was a completely different company. Motorcycles were his passion, and he made sure his company took a back seat to nobody. Honda dominated the industry.

As good as my F6B and the new Wings are, they don't push the envelope at all. Ducatis and the new Rocket 3 are much more exciting than anything Honda offers. So when Harley brings out a 1250 cc adventure bike with lots more power with our 1800s I can't help but wonder 'what happened to Honda'?

[Frye]

Many times I wished I'd bought the Sabre instead of the Magna. For long distance and day to day riding I'm sure the Sabre would have been the superior bike and possibly faster too.

[F6Dave]

Many times I wished I'd bought the Sabre instead of the Magna. For long distance and day to day riding I'm sure the Sabre would have been the superior bike and possibly faster too.

I splurged and bought the Hondaline fairing, which was basically the same one that came on some later models of the CBX. It was a great looking bike and made a pretty good sport tourer, though the handling couldn't match it's awesome power.

At the time I remember reading that the Sabre had a slightly different header design, giving it a bit more power that the Magna. Something like 121 vs. 113 HP. Whether true or not, it was extremely fast. Mr. Honda made sure that his flagship motorcycles were second to none. If he were around today it would be interesting to see his response to a Diavel, Rocket 3, or K1600.