Honda V65 Sabre

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Alan, re: the small tank,I got that from an online spec sheet that showed it had a 4.2 gal. tank? I think the source was Bikez.
IIRC, the V65 Magna had a 4.3 gallon tank and the V65 Sabre had a 5.8 gallon tank. I'm pretty sure I'm within 0.1 gallons on the Magna and correct on the Sabre.

Shitty picture of Sabre #2 from the top of Mt. Washington. I had soft bags but chose not to use them this day. The previous picture in this thread is of a very rare OEM faring Sabre which has a round headlight and relocated horns. This picture shows the stock rectangular headlight.

Sabre3.jpg


 
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So, given the bigger 5.8 gal. tank, the Sabre is still in the running.

Side note on mileage! The first time I really opened it up on my sabre, I thought I broke something! I drained the tank so fast , it almost left me stranded!

I know it's all relative, but compared to my other bikes, this one loves gas wide open! Was great at 80 or 90. As a matter of fact the engine really purred and seemed happiest at around 85! I loved every minute of it! Just food for thought before you enter a long lonely stretch!

 
...Side note on mileage! The first time I really opened it up on my sabre, I thought I broke something! I drained the tank so fast...
That's no biggie. On my V-Max I could get it down into the mid 20s real easy, that equates to about a 60-70 mile riding range. I only broke into the 20s a couple of times on the Sabre. When stock my Sabres returned 40-44 mpg, rejetted they dropped to 36-38 but it fixed the EPA power dip and added a bit more sizzle. In third gear 4k rpm was 40 mph, 6k rpm was 60 mph; fourth, fifth and sixth were overdrive gears. Sixth is a serious overdrive. The Saber could pull redline in fifth which is an indicated 138 but couldn't pull redline in sixth, terminal velocity in sixth depends on how small you can fold down on the tank and how long you hold the throttle open. Sixth was a smoooootttthhhhh cruising gear that still had good passing punch.

Other miscellaneous notes: The nice gear indicator on the dash and very effective self canceling turn signals plus anti-dive forks.

 
Ditto the mileage on my Vmax, although I don't think it has ever dipped into the 20's. I also like the fact that the Sabre has a shaft drive, something I have really grown to like on the FJR and Vmax.

Heck, it sounds like with some soft luggage, you could do some serious touring, as Alan pointed out.

One review I read said the footpegs are pretty high? Any take there? I'm 58, with arthritis in both knees and both my bikes have highway pegs. I suppose given the naked style of the Sabre, there would be engine/frame locations to mount some.

 
Any opinions on the 700 Sabre as opposed to the 1100 V65? Did they have the same oiling/camwear problems in the 1st couple of years?

 
the other bike in the runnung here is the '83 CB1100F.
If it's the bikini-fairing'd 1100F like this

cb1100f.jpg


then there shouldn't be any question about the choice.....

.....go for the 1100F!
I owned three of the '83 CB 1100 Fs, my first was the blue and white one right off the floor. I put 24,000 on it, then the son was born and it was sold (the responsible father thing to do) in 1986. By 1989 I found a red and white one with 9,800 miles and I rode that up to 34,000 when I sold it to buy a CB 1100 XX Blackbird in 1999. In the interim, I owned another red and white one that I bought just because the deal was way good, and I resold that one for a nice profit. The last one I owned and rode only took chain and sprockets in it's repair history, though I think there was the hint of a head gasket leak that may have been starting, just a trace of oil at that spot. Well, okay, I had to re-do the clutch in the first one because, at 25 years old, me and my buddies were into the big burnouts, which it would surely do. These were the hottest production bike in the U.S. in 1983 but the Suzuki and Kaw ran very close. The Yamaha XS 11s or Seca 900s were no match. If I recall, they were rated 108 hp at the shaft but made about 96 hp at the wheel. Also I believe, an 11.2 quarter at about 128. I think the magazines had it to 145 or 148. I only ever took mine to 135 indicated. One of the magazines also prepped and ran one in a 24-hour endurance race and it finished with no problems. Stock rear shocks were soon junk and if not upgraded, it felt like it had a hinge in the middle in high-speed sweepers. It also had anti-dive front end and air assist front forks, maybe compression damping. The rear only had spring pre-load I think. I had a Corbin on mine because the stock seat was a plank after a few hours. Pretty smooth and very reliable. I don't recall mpg. They had been in Europe for two or three years before being brought stateside for 1983. But that was it - one year - as the 1000 Interceptor was released in 1984. I'd like to have another just for nostalgia sake, but really no other good reason. They were VERY nice looking, IMHO. Alas, at that time and place in my life, I came within a gnat's ass of losing my drivers license over speeding tickets. I got picked up by the same HiPo twice within about three days. He was not amused. I had a luggage rack and backrest for the missus and we sport/toured on the thing with soft bags quite a bit, even having it out to the west shore of Vancouver Island in 1999. They also had a nice, raspy sound and I loved to hear all that cam and valve gear coming on the boil when it hit its sweet spot.

 
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I got picked up by the same HiPo twice within about three days. He was not amused.
YEOWCH! I got several of those "if you get ANY more points on your license, it's not your license any more" letters, back when I had my 750 Sabre. That thing had roll-on torque that was literally irresistible, at least for me.

I was lucky enough to get the rare Hondaline fairing mentioned above, and it was the most comfy ever, only beaten by my FJR with a Cee Bailey's +6 +4 on it.

One thing people haven't mentioned is working on the carbs is a bear. Just prying 'em out of the V is several hours work and you literally have to use a large broomstick, at least on my 750.

Funny story: One afternoon I was coming out of class, walking to the bike area with this ENORMOUS Marine from ROTC. He was complaining about having to push start his Sabre, so I offered to help, but he declined. He hopped on that huge bike, popped it off the centerstand, popped out the clutch, and had it running in 4 feet, all in one smooth motion. Jesus H. Christ.

 
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