Honda VF1100S V65 Sabre reviews

I owned one of these for 10 years and put 63,000 miles on it. Sold it for $200 less than I paid for it brand new at the end of those 63k miles. Can you say sellers regret? This bike is what one moto mag back in the day called a “star cruiser”: too big, too heavy, and (yes!) too fast. I’ve two upped at an indicated 145mph. Had my butt in the saddle thru pouring rain for 12 continuous hours. V-4 engine, shaft drive, anti-dive front end, easily adjustable handle bars over a wide range. Fun to hustle down a backroad? Well……hell yeah!! I weighed ~140lb at 5’8” and could get my feet flat with a little stretch…..no problem and would do it all again. This bike is a beast, comfortable, handsome, long wheel base stable, and Honda reliable. Ah, the one that got away…

Bought it new in 1984, and I still have it in 2021. That says it all. It does not have a power band, it just has power, period. The kind you can use in the real world, not at 11,00 rpm like some bikes. Have the factory fairing with lowers and just put on some Conti Road Attack 3 radials. Anyone who owns this bike needs to put those tires on. It absolutely transforms the bike and your confidence. Just the perfect tire for this bike. Sticky enough for the power even in the corners. Now I can let lose of the handle bars at any speed without a wobble, something I have never been able to do with any other tire. As others have said this bike can get you in trouble in pretty much any gear. Replaced the rear shock with a Blackbird 1100, reshaped the seat with some Pudgee foam and you can go for hours without a sore ass. I will never sell it, it means that much to me. Others may be faster, or be more nimble, but of all the bikes I have owned(7) none were more fun. And that's what it's all about. A great bike!

The bike is good if you like straight line performance, but it lacks agility through the twisties. The real power begins in second gear above 3,000 rpms. Then the fun begins with its 10,000 rpm. redline. This is not a beginner's bike and makes a great collectable.

I sold my '84 Sabre due to knee surgery. It was the only time I was truly sad to sell a motorcycle. All the rest were just machines to enjoy and use. But the Big Sabre did everything. It was an excellent commuting machine with power and maneuverability in traffic. It made long high-speed rides effortless, and was a joy in the twisties. Sure there are other bikes that do each of these things better. But none that do them ALL so well. The V-4 engine has it's quirks, but once you know them, maintenance is pretty easy and inexpensive. The engine puts out less vibration than other engine motorcycle engine I know. It is rigidly mounted to the frame, but the bike has very little vibration, and the grips don't shake. When my knee recovers, I'll be looking for another one.

I bought my 84 VF100 V65 Sabre in 2005. At the time I wasn't aware of just HOW powerful this bike is. I like the standard position. I'm a big guy and this is a big, tall bike. At 6'1", I can just put both feet flat on the ground when stopped. It's top heavy, but with my size I find I can throw it around ok. As I mentioned this bike has POWER. Most bikes have a distinct power band (good low end torque, or power that doesn't really kick in until you hit 4-5k rpm). Not this bike. This bike had tons of smooth power in every gear at every rpm. It's seamless. Just twist the throttle and accelerate as fast and hard as you want, for as long as you want. A true muscle bike. The only downside is the lack of a windscreen/fairing (they are out there, I just don't have one). At about 70 mph you have to hold on for dear life. And 70 mph comes quick!

I bought my '84 used with 1600 miles on it back in '86. It has a terrific power band that doesn't care what gear it's in. It is a HEAVY bike and with a long wheelbase, so it has to be muscled in the twisties. Absolutely no engine/oil issues (use Mobil 1). I've ridden several times up to Idaho (800+ miles) and now the bike uses about a pint of oil. Not bad. It still runs strong. It has been/continues to be a great bike. GO HONDA!!!

This bike was an incredible deal. I found it used with only 10,000 miles on it. It was like brand new. It has features that most bikes don't come with today, such as; gear indicator, self canceling turn signals, two way adjustable handlebars, altimeter, and voltmeter. This bike is incredibly quick for a 1985. It is capable of 150MPH plus, I have done 140 MPH and it just flies like a bat out of hell. It is very comfortable for long distance rides. It out-accelerates, out-climbs, out-handles and out-lasts every Harley-Davidson on the road. In fact, I've ridden a few new ST1300's that are not as fun as this machine. It would be nice if Honda would re-introduce this machine, but they would probably cost at least $25,000.00 if they re-created it with the same standards today.

This is one powerful motor , great brakes, suspension is comfortable, the anti-dive front end works great just a super bike

1984 Honda V65 Sabre I have owned this bike for 18 years. Many great trips in the California sierras.28,000 miles and I am days away from doing all of the highway 49. There has never beem a time that this great bike has let me down. It's hard to explain the feeling riding this bike at speed. Strong and stable. One of Honda's super machines...

I've owned six goldwings, and many other Honda's and not to mention one V65 Magna and three V65 Sabre's. You really can't compair this bike with many others. I love the awsome acceleration. With the factory fairing this is the perfect 100hp+ sport touring bike you can ask for. excellent fuel range (220 miles). I loved the wheelies the Magna was capable of, take it to 9,000 rpm and dump the cluth in third and hang on! I didn't like the seating position. It was easily fixed with a sleeping bag to lean against!V65's don't run right unless you adjust the valves and synch the carbs together during tune-ups. I restored my Magna from six milk crates and it took me six months taking my time and I loved every moment of it. I now have a 84 with 24,000 miles on it, I had to drive almost a thousand miles to get a perfect bike-worth every penny!!