This page is dedicated to the
Honda Sabres, possibly some of the best sport-touring machines ever produced.
These bikes were manufactured from '82 to '85, and came in 700cc, 750cc,
and 1100cc models. I have owned both the 700 and 1100cc bikes. I bought
a used, low mileage, 700 Sabre and put 7200 miles on it in the two months
that I owned it. After racking-up that kind of mileage in such a short
period of time, I decided to trade up to the V-65 Sabre. I purchased the
V-65 in August '85, and am still riding this bike after putting 95,000
mi. on it. I must admit, that I consider it the most pleasurable machine
that I've ever swung a leg over. The bike fits me ergonomically, better
than anything else I've ever sat on, and/or ridden.
The 1100 has a rather tall, saddle height, and
may not be the ideal choice for riders with short legs. I'm 6' 2", and
find the seat height to be perfect for me. Riding position is fairly comfortable
after changing handlebars to a flatter style than the OEM units (just personal
preference) I have done 600 mi. days on this beast without severe suffering.
Those of you that ride, know that's a lot of miles to do in one day. Full
dress touring machines are much more suited for rides of that length.
One of the nicest features of the Sabre is high
speed, highway cruising, stability. These bikes feel firmly planted on
open road, swallowing mile after mile of asphalt, effortlessly. There's
plenty of horsepower on tap; enough to pass anything on 4 wheels, and a
good portion of the newer, 2-wheeled machines, currently available. Honda
rates the V65 at 121 bhp, at the crank. The driveshaft and differential
soak up a bit of that horsepower, which is typical for non-chain drive
bikes.
My bike put out 100 bhp at the rear wheel, on
the dyno, with the only engine mods being a Stage I Jet Kit, and Supertrapp
slip-on mufflers with open end caps. The only downside to having that kind
of power available, is short life on rear tires. If you're lucky, you can
squeeze 5000 miles out of sport-touring rubber, regardless of brand. Sticky
sport tires will yield 1000-1500 miles, at the max.
Sabres come from the factory, equipped with high-mileage,
touring grade, Dunlop rubber. I found them to be way too slippery for hard
riding. Metzeler, Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, and Continental, all
make sport touring compound tires that perform well on the Sabre. My V65
is currently shod with Metzeler ME-Z2 radials. So far, they've proven to
be the best all-round tire suitable for my riding habits. They're quick
on steering, give a comfortable ride, and wear well.
Click on the images below, to view a larger
image.
Sabre (700cc) V65 Sabre (1100cc)
The speedometer and tach on both models were electronic.The
V65 instrumentation included a fuel gauge, temperature gauge, gear position
indicator, and a clock. In addition to the oil, neutral, and highbeam indicator
lights, the V65 has a tail light warning lamp to alert the rider of a bulb
failure.
The following test specifications were compiled by
CYCLE magazine, July '84
This Honda
Sabre Webring site is owned by Randy
Davis 
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Sabre Webring?
