dare to bring this back

[rphillips]

A buddy of mine, who rode a CBX, borrowed his cousins V65 Sabrer, just to beat my GS 1100. Didn work, I beat him 3 out of 3. He was so embarrissed he didn't even stop when we got back to the shop.

[jinxz]

You obviously haven't ridden one, in stock form, it will spank any stock GS1000 or GS1100E in existence. Sub 11 second quarter miles in 1983, fastest production motorcycle ever made at the time. Great all around motorcycle, one of the best ever made, and Honda reliability to boot. The internet noise you hear about bad cams are all just BS, propaganda so a few unscrupulous vendors could make thousands of dollars on unnecessary "oil mod" kits. Total waste of time and money. They are notorious for bad 2nd gears though, but that's the same with the VMAX, and it's just because people bought them and rode the $hit out of them. I've personally owned several over 100K miles with nary a problem with cams OR 2nd gear. Here's some good reading on the REAL story behind the cams "issues."

http://www.motorcycleproject.com/text/v4_cams_what.html

Ime with you,honda reliability,fast,smooth and cool looking and for $350 maybe less its well worth it and it looks to be all there.

[glib]

You obviously haven't ridden one, in stock form, it will spank any stock GS1000 or GS1100E in existence. Sub 11 second quarter miles in 1983, fastest production motorcycle ever made at the time. Great all around motorcycle, one of the best ever made, and Honda reliability to boot. The internet noise you hear about bad cams are all just BS, propaganda so a few unscrupulous vendors could make thousands of dollars on unnecessary "oil mod" kits. Total waste of time and money. They are notorious for bad 2nd gears though, but that's the same with the VMAX, and it's just because people bought them and rode the $hit out of them. I've personally owned several over 100K miles with nary a problem with cams OR 2nd gear. Here's some good reading on the REAL story behind the cams "issues."

http://www.motorcycleproject.com/text/v4_cams_what.html

Great article! Thanks for sharing.

[GS1150Pilot]

Back when I had a VF1000R, I raced a guy on a V65 in a stoplight to stoplight drag and got handed my ass.

83GS1100E, quick question: What's the fuel range on the Magna? 150 miles or thereabouts?

[greg78gs750]

ya know, might not be as bad as it looks under that patina

[mikerophone]

The V65 was a mean machine in the day, my buddy had an 83 in high school and it was wicked fast. I've had a 83 V45 Magna for about a decade now, loved the bike but finally had to replace the engine 2 years ago when it started spitting coolant out of the pipes and it still sits in pieces because I've since DISCOVERED THE GS, became addicted and haven't had the desire to wrench on the Magna. The hydraulic clutch is now frozen, the damn thing is so much more complicated than a GS - hell, it has a fuel pump on it even though its carburetored! Add to that the hassle of liquid cooling, the brakes are now locked up, it needs tires and the wiring is a mess, so it sits in pieces while I tinker with my GS's!

Speaking of which, I need to update my sig, I recently bought a 82 750T that I'm restoring over the winter and a 80 550L that I'm going to do a mild cafe or tracker on. I know, I know, I'll get lectures on it and if it was an E I wouldn't, but it's got mismatched tank and side covers IT'S AN L and I've always wanted to strip one down and try my hand at a cafe or tracker. MAYBE when I'm done with that I'll finish my 750 projects and maybe then I'll tackle the Magna.

Like has been said, someone take this thing to the car wash and give it a new home - can't believe the seller wouldn't have at least cleaned it up a bit, that's terrible!

[Griffin]

ya know, might not be as bad as it looks under that patina

I was kinda thinking that too. Maybe a quick blast at the car wash, and it might not be as bad as people think.

Of course, that green gunk may also have covered every aluminum part with deep oxidation corrosion too. Probably no way to tell until it gets a good pressure washing.

[83GS1100E_Tornado]

The KG Slider rails on that bike are worth a hundred bucks, if he has the backrest for it laying around somewhere, it's a 300-400 dollar accessory on eBay, all day long! Would basically pay for the bike!

[storm 64]

Tornado, I think your Magna looks awesome, as all your motorcycles do. I was more just pulling your chain more than anything with my boat anchor comment. However I've never really been a Honda enthusiasts. I gess it goes back to my Motocross days late 70's early 80's and with Donnie Hanson, David Bailey and all of team Honda... I was a Yamaha and Bob Hannah fan. Then when I got into drag racing, the Suzuki was the most logical choice to race. Tornado, I'd love for you to bring your Honda to Mid-Ohio next summer. We can line them up and see if you can SNAP that second gear!

[83GS1100E_Tornado]

That's a nice bike. It's a rotten shame it doesn't get ridden much!

I found this bike 3 years ago with 325 original miles, stuffed in the corner of a garage for 25 years after the original owner wrecked it during the 2nd week of ownership! I had to replace the forks, front wheel, gauges, mirrors, basically everything from the tank back, but the tank itself was mint, as were the rest of the body panels, and of course, the engine. Also had to go through the fuel system and hydraulics of course, but it runs just like a new bike. I've put about 500 miles on it in the 2 years I've actually been riding it, mostly to shows and that sort of thing, I hate putting miles on such a low mileage example. I will never part with it either, unless I find one in a crate somewhere!!!!

[habsdoc]

Ok, so who grabbed it??? Come on now don't be shy.