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Irresistible Compulsion

  • Thread starter Thread starter brownford
  • Start date Start date
B

brownford

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As my sig specifies, my first road bike was a 1985 V65 Sabre purchased used in 1986. I sold it within a year or so to help fund a domestic domecile project. That particular bike has always held a special place in my heart. In the early 2000's I was looking for a V65 but settled for a VMax after reading how difficult parts were becoming to get for the V65s. Fast forward 12 years and I STILL have a desire to rekindle my youth by owning a V65 Sabre. Am I nuts? Parts are like hen's teeth for these things now. I still get butterflies every time I see one though. Need psychiatric help!
 
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I've never ridden "Mr. Max", but I've lusted after him for decades now. Also, to a (much) lesser extent a V65 Saber.
 
I think these bikes had a run of soft cams
you might be able to check some honda registry to see if they were changed I do not know.
My friend had one back in the day and he was out of warranty and out of luck 1400 bucks to do the work and buy the parts.
 
JEEPRUSTY said:
I think these bikes had a run of soft cams
you might be able to check some honda registry to see if they were changed I do not know.
My friend had one back in the day and he was out of warranty and out of luck 1400 bucks to do the work and buy the parts.
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Back around 2000 when I was looking for a bike I frequented a Honda V4 forum. I don't think there was a soft cam issue but rather a top end oiling issue. There has been a top end oiling mod kit out for 20 years or more that fixes the problem. I also seem to recall reading about sporadic catastrophic transmission failures. Not real common but if it happens the trans is toast. I still want one!
 
I've seen a couple V45s trash their trannys. My favorite time was with a buddy on a spirited run with his interceptor. When he lost his tranny and it sounded like nuts in a blender all the way he limped it home. He got a rotax powered Aprilla and never though about another Honda V4 again. I heard the Vmax also like to eat up the Cogs on Second gear (is that what goes on them?) so the bike won't hold second. I haven't heard anything bad about the NEW GEN Vmax... Other then you loose traction allot!!! ;)
 
I heard that 2nd gear thing on early XS750 and xs1100 Yamahas, never heard it about a V max, tho. I kind of remember Honda having some cam troubles on certain Intercepters,
 
I had a well-modded '99 VMax. Fun bike, but not faster than the GS1150 really anywhere, handled less well. Sounded awesome, but TERRIBLE fuel range. I sold it to further some SCCA racing in a Miata. That said, a VMax is a better bike in almost any measure than a V65 Sabre, but if that's what you want, that's what you want. I had an '86 VF1000R and loved that thing, and the newer V4s Honda have produced are bulletproof.

VMaxes did initially eat 2nd gear, but that was eventually addressed. I don't think the V65 Sabres had much of the cam issues, and I've never seen a Honda grenade a gearbox (it certainly wasn't a common issue).

Get what you like, deal with the consequences. Some bikes are harder to keep on the road, but if you love them enough, you'll put up with the difficulties.
 
GS1150Pilot said:
I had a well-modded '99 VMax. Fun bike, but not faster than the GS1150 really anywhere
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The VMax didn't feel like it pulled harder right off idle? I have an '82 GS1100e, and I'm trying to convince myself that I'm not missing much. Someday I'll throw a leg over Mr. Max and find out for myself.
 
a lightly modded 1150 will beat a lightly modded V max . At least mine did over and over. And once it was no longer "lightly modded" and became "really modded" even the heavily modded V maxs were fair game.
 
Mr Max had the motor, but was hampered by a power robbing driveshaft and it's considerable weight. The big Suzukis were easier to launch well regularly. I ran a couple with my EZ, pretty close till nearing the end of the 1/4, any further and that freight train was leaving. Most street racing is done with rolling starts, and the Max was pretty hard to handle then, for anybody. I once saw a shootout where Byron Hynes was amazed at the lightly modded V Max. It ran quicker by a lot than Byron thought it would.
 
skip said:
a lightly modded 1150 will beat a lightly modded V max . At least mine did over and over. And once it was no longer "lightly modded" and became "really modded" even the heavily modded V maxs were fair game.
Click to expand...


The 1150 is easily as quick and fast as the VMax and handles far better.
 
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