2010 Honda Vt1300cs Sabre Left Side View

First Ride: 2010 Honda VT1300 Sabre, Stateline and Interstate

Big red rolls out the new 1300s

From the August, 2010 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser

By Andrew Cherney

Photography by Kevin Wing

When it broke the mold with its bombshell launch of the VT1300CXA Fury last year, Honda primed the pump for its new-gen VT1300 series. And not a moment too soon, it seems; in the 10 months since it was unleashed, the company says the Fury chopper has become the best-selling metric custom cruiser in America. No surprise that other new VT1300s were following close behind. The remaining three models were unveiled to us this past April in Southern California's bucolic Temecula Valley, where we sampled the machines to see how they measured up against the VTX1300s they were replacing.

The VTs have some big tires to fill; the VTXs had been selling like hotcakes (Honda says 82,000 units since its inception in 2003) and we get the feeling Big Red was loathe to phase out the line. But those pesky EPA emissions regs were lurking in the background, necessitating an update to the VTX1300 engine, which was carbureted.

Honda categorizes these newbies as 'Custom Cruisers', just like the VTXs, though each have distinct model names rather than those annoying alphanumeric combos. The Sabre, Stateline and Interstate now join the Fury-the first of the new VT1300 steeds-as the next generation of Honda's 1300cc cruiser platform. To no one's surprise, they're more evolutionary than revolutionary.

The VT1300 models are all powered by the same liquid-cooled 1312cc V-twin, with a single-pin crankshaft and dual counterbalancers to snub vibes. If that sounds familiar, it's because it's the engine from the old VTX1300: a 52-degree vee with a single overhead cam operating three valves per cylinder, compressing the fuel/air at a 9.2:1 ratio. The engine is tuned the same for all three models, so the biggest change from previous models is the switch from CV-style carbs to Honda's Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI), which utilizes a single 38mm throttle body. Power is transferred to the back via a 5-speed gearbox and shaft final drive, just as it was on the VTXs.

Another case of deja vu unfurls when you check out the brake setup on the VT models. The 336mm front disc is worked by a dual-piston sliding-pin caliper up front, while out back, a 296mm disc is squeezed by a single-pot unit, another carryover from the VTX13s. Engine bay aside, however, the three models do vary visually, and in their intended target audience.

Specifications
2010 Honda VT1300CS Sabre
MSRP: $11,799/$12,799 (ABS)
Colors: Black, Candy Red (ABS/CBS Black only)

Engine
Type: Liquid-cooled 52 degree V-twin
Displacement, Bore x stroke: 1312cc, 89.5mm x 104.3mm
Valve train: SOHC, three valves per cylinder
Compression ratio: 9.2:1
Fuel System: PGM-FI; 38mm throttle body
Transmission: Five-speed
Final drive: Shaft

Chassis
Wheelbase: 70.3 in.
Rake/trail: 33 degrees/4.6 in.
Front suspension: 41mm fork; 4.0 in. travel
Rear suspension: Single shock; 3.9 in. travel
Front brake: Single 336mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear brake: 296mm disc with single-piston caliper; Optional ABS/CBS
Front Tire: 90/90-21
Rear Tire: 170/80-15

Dimensions
Overall length: 100.8 in.
Seat height: 26.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.4 gal.
Curb Weight: 664 lbs. /676 lbs. (ABS)