My new bike choice, Honda Magna!

[Vip18971]

I'm sure many of you saw and commented in the thread where I was looking for advice on a new bike to get. Well, I looked around at several types and along the way I got the chance to ride the Honda Magna that I wanted to try out.


As soon as I cracked the throttle in third gear and blew the rear tire away, I was in love...well, AFTER I stopped shaking from fear, that is. Its just what I've been wanting. Maybe a LITTLE wide, but not bad. Not too heavy. And it has some balls to it - this thing is STUPID fast.

So, now I'm soon to be the proud owner of a 1995 Honda Magna. I picked it up for 2,500. Runs flayless, a little tiny bit of surface rust here and there from sitting. The seat cover is toast, so I've gotta get it recovered. But overall a nice bike.

So, aside from the fact that I'm going to kill myself on this beast, anything I should be especially wary of with the Magnas? And also, wheres a good site for parts for them? I'm going to replace a couple of peices on the bike - and I'm sorta undecided on the drag bars that are on it thus far...might like 'em, might hate 'em...So might need another set of handlebars soon. Just looking for body peices here, btw. I know I said that I wanted to build a bike's engine in my last thread, but Jesus Christ am I scared of this bike. I have absolutely no desire to make it faster.

[Motorcycle Forum]

[tallannie]

welll...for what it is worth....I am not sure it is a good thing to be scared AND in love with this machine.

I hope you dont actually kill yourself on the bike.

take it slow and......safety gear,, safety gear,, safety gear...

<< hands VIP a cookie laced with Prozac >>>

[Ext1jdh]

put me in your will. I'll also accept beneficiary on life insurance plans.

[KD57]

Congrats on the bike. Be careful.

[Vip18971]

welll...for what it is worth....I am not sure it is a good thing to be scared AND in love with this machine.

I hope you dont actually kill yourself on the bike.

take it slow and......safety gear,, safety gear,, safety gear...

<< hands VIP a cookie laced with Prozac >>>

Oh, god, I'd never ride this bike without gear. Full helmet, 50s era leather biker jacket, jeans (I know, I need some kind of riding pants), and high topped shoes that tie and velcro for a secure fit always.


I'm in love with it because its sweet in looks, sound, comfort, and performance, but I also realize that the nose will point straight up in a heartbeat if I open the throttle too fast and I realize I'm going from a mid 14 second bike to a low 12 second bike - 87HP and 51TQ is no joke in a 500 lb bike. I'll be taking it very slow on this thing, especially until I get the hang of it. Dying now would be such a shame, I'd miss out on all the years of riding I have ahead of me!

Thanks for the good wishes, all. And there will be no will - if I end up a skidmark Ima make sure this bike goes straight to biker hell with me!

[Vip18971]

One question, though. The front brake is kinda grabby. It goes in a little and stops the bike just barely, then it gets really firm and you've gotta squeeze it like you mean it - it just 'grabs' at that point and all of a sudden you're about to go over the handlebars. What kind of adjustments fix this?

[Clint]

Firstly, congrats! A new bike is a very exciting thing.

Here are my thoughts on the discussion thus far: I wonder why you broke traction in third. While the bike is pretty fast, it's not that fast. Is the tire old and hard? Did you hit something slippery just then? Is your clutch technique sloppy? You might check into that. There are only a handful of bikes that can overpower a tire under normal circumstances in third gear.

There's likely no adjustment to the brake that will cure what you described. I think you have a stuck caliper, and they both should be rebuilt asap (and before much more riding). Overheating and inconsistent behavior of your primary braking mechanisms is certainly dangerous.

Finally, get some riding boots. "High topped shoes" offer little in the way of real protection when sliding and slamming down a roadway. You need some ankle armor and very good abrasion resistance. You don't have to buy biker gang or race boots, but get something made by a reputable company that's designed for motorcycling.

After that, have fun!

[tallannie]

.....to Clint's comments....but I would add a request that you get knee protection...! Jeans are not going to protect your knees one bit when you go down. I know...been there..done that.

[Clint]

Good call. That's one of the gray areas for many riders, but if you really want total protection, do it. I do. (Usually.)

[omegajim]

Good choice. I think Honda quit building them because it is a very crowded market.

The shadow 1100 is still around, eyeing one up as a next possible machine.

[Thundurburd]

but I would add a request that you get knee protection...! Jeans are not going to protect your knees one bit when you go down.

Good advice, knees can hurt.

[Says Tburd limping away for more ice packs ]

[C50Hexy]

I spent a couple of years researching the Honda Magna. I'm not sure if it is still current, but there is a site called MagnaRiders.com. I remember that it had bikes and parts for sale, a Q and A area, Information about trips,etc.... If Suzuki hadn't come out with the C-50, I would be riding a used Magna. It is a great bike. Honda has nothing in their stable quite like the V-4 Magna and V-6 Valkyrie. I think 2003 was the last year for both.

Also, Motorcyclecruiser.com has reviews comparing Magna and V-rod, Warrior, etc.... They have 3 or 4 good articles involving the Magna. The reviews are very favorable, however they are a few years old.

Hope this helps.

I would like to echo the other comments ---- Please be careful, the Magna is still one of the fastest cruisers out there. Good horsepower and lightweight.

[JmalB]

I thought the Valkyrie was a flat 6. Same motor as the Goldwing.

[omegajim]

I think the Magna got cancelled 3 - 4 years ago.

That and the cb750 finally bowed out after some 35 years production.

[C50Hexy]

JmalB,

You are probably right, my apologies for any misinformation. My memory is not as good as it....... ummm what was I saying?