1100cc And 1200cc V-Twin Motorcycles: Magic in the Middle

Someone recently told us that the 1100 cruiser class was dead. Well, after spending a few weeks with a representative sample of the 1100 and 1200cc tandem V-twins, we can tell you that this segment of the market is still kicking. The arrivals of two new contenders have enlivened the class this year.

After renewing our acquaintances with some of these bikes -- and meeting others for the first time -- we are puzzled by the way some riders shun the 1100s. Though 1100s and 1200s are considered "big" bikes in most other segments of the motorcycle market, among cruisers they are regarded as middleweights because the cruiser segment is topped by bikes displacing in excess of 1500cc. However, the difference in displacement is much bigger than the performance gap. In fact, all of these "middleweights" will give the big twins a run for their money, and in some match-ups, the 1100s will flat out smoke the 1500s. What you get when you pay the extra money for a big twin is prestige, and perhaps a bit more room. In most cases, the smaller bikes offer finish comparable to their bigger counterparts.

To experience the current state-of-the-art among semi-big tandem V-twins, we rounded up samples of each current engine family. Harley's Sportster 1200 trio was ably represented by the Custom. Honda has two 1100cc Shadow models with the vibration-canceling dual-crankpin engine, and we selected the newer Sabre model instead of the popular Spirit. With the A.C.E. discontinued, Honda's only single-crankpin Shadow 1100 is the Aero, so it was included. The newest addition to Yamaha's cruiser line, the Classic, was the designated hitter for the company's pair of V-Star 1100s.

Originally we had considered including the BMW R1200C and the Moto Guzzi Jackal, but both those bikes stray from the mainstream of American cruiserdom. Though their engines are twins, neither one is a conventional tandem V. For those who are interested, both the Jackal and the new Euro version of the Beemer were included in last issue's sport-cruiser test.

You might think that four bikes with such similar specifications would play virtually the same role, but these four bikes have distinctive personalities and strengths. Picking one requires you to determine what exactly you need from a motorcycle as much as selecting a superior machine.

Consider the contenders for the middleweight crown.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 1200 CUSTON
The motorcycle primeval

Starting at $8795, the Custom is the priciest of Harley-Davidson's 1200 Sportsters but falls in the middle of this group's price range. Sportsters use an engine design introduced in the early 1980s. These 45-degree V-twin engines breathe through a single 40mm carb, operate two valves per cylinder with pushrods and fiddle-free hydraulic lifters, and use triple-row chain primaries and belt final drives. The single-crankpin design has no counterbalancer. The 1203cc engine differs from the 883cc version primarily in bore size.

We chose the Custom as the most cruiser-esque of the 1200 Sportsters. Variations from the standard Sportster 1200 start up front with a 21-inch (instead of 18) wire-spoke (instead of cast) wheel. The larger wheel makes the Custom approximately an inch longer and increases rake almost a half of a degree. The Custom moves its speedometer rear of the handlebar on a special chrome mount. It has a low-rise 27.6-inch wide bar mounted on 5.0-inch risers. The Custom still has the same 3.3-gallon fuel tank as other Sporty models. Shorter shocks and a different saddle put the Custom's seat 1.3 inches lower than the standard model's 28.9-inch arrangement.

The basic price is for a black bike but escalates by $180 if you go for pearl colors (blue, orange, purple, silver or red) or $420 if you want a two-tone paint job (blue/silver, orange/silver, red/black or our test bike's black/yellow) with another $120 added for California emissions equipment.

The word that comes to mind to describe the Sportster's ride is solid. The suspension is firmer than any of the other three 1100s -- which translates into a tauter, more controlled ride, steadier cornering, less pitching during braking, and more impact from square-edged bumps. The engine is solidly mounted in the chassis. As a result, this bike vibrates more than any of the 1100s. Depending on your personal vibration sensors and the vibration level of the Sportster you ride, vibration could be the 1200C's greatest comfort shortcoming, although the pretty saddle -- which is relatively narrow and hard-edged -- also begins to wear on the rider within 30 miles or so. But don't complain too much; it's worse for the passenger. The riding position offers a fairly standard posture with your feet about as far forward as the other bikes we tested here. Most found it acceptable, but one rider felt awkward on the Custom.

The Sportster is the only bike in this foursome without a handlebar-mounted choke control, and like the other bikes, it is slightly cold-blooded. You can reach down to the left side of the engine and push the choke knob in after half a mile or so. Once fully warm, the engine delivers impressive power in town and on the highway. Few big twins can outrun it.

First gear is taller than the other 1100s, which meshes perfectly with its additional flywheel and very linear clutch engagement. The Custom pulls away more smoothly and aggressively than the other 1100s. A new second-gear ratio has smoothed the transition from first to third gears this year. Lash is absent, and the belt final drive eliminates the jacking that comes with the shafts. The Sportster shifts positively, and finding neutral was usually pretty certain. With fuel prices skyrocketing as this is being written, the good fuel mileage of the Sportster 1200 would seem like a plus, but this bike is offset by the fact that it is the only one of the three that requires premium fuel. The smallish tank means that its range is not remarkable either.

The Harley's strong engine and steady handling make a great basis for a city bike, but its around-town manners are marred by the strong vibration, which frequently renders the mirror images useless, and the two-button turn-signal arrangement -- which becomes clumsy with heavy gloves. The short and unpredictable timing of the self-canceling turn-signal system further frustrated us, as the signals frequently seemed to turn off before we wished or expected. The speedometer's position is just about as far from where you want to look as a tank-top speedo.

Though the four-piston brake calipers bolted to Harleys this year have impressed us previously, we were less enthusiastic about them on this bike. We also think that the large reach to the front brake lever will impede control for riders with small mitts -- the kind of people who are most likely to be attracted to Harley's smaller, lower models, such as the 1200C. Nonetheless, braking was acceptable, in part because the firm suspension reduced dive under braking.

Overall, the Sportster is the least refined of this quartet. The engine performs well with fewer quibbles than some of the newer designs, but it is long in the tooth and shakes the hardest. However, that raw, unrefined character may be an attraction for some buyers. With excellent power, a tight drivetrain, the most solid handling, and a huge range of accessories and modifications, there are plenty of reasons to like Harley's big Sportster.

High-Points: Strong, easily controlled acceleration from a stop, distinctive appearance, exceptional aftermarket support, solid handling.
Low Points: Strong vibration, firm saddle and suspension.
First Change: More comfortable saddle for long rides.

HONDA SHADOW AERO
Nostalgia is better than it used to be

The most expensive bike here, Honda's $9699 Aero, distinguishes itself with a uniquely long, low, nostalgic style that speaks of forgotten elegance. It is the upscale variation of the now-defunct Shadow American Classic Edition, which stunned motorcycling more than half a decade ago with its retro engineering. Prior to the A.C.E., Honda's V-twin cruisers had upheld the company's reputation for advanced technology, using offset dual crankpins to stifle the natural vibration of its 45-degree V-twin. But, in response to customer requests for V-twins that sounded and felt like traditional V-twins, the A.C.E. -- and now the Aero -- reverted to a single-crankpin design. The engine proved extremely popular, even if it raised cries that Honda was copying Harley.

But the single-crankpin Honda 1100 V-twins weren't exactly technological fossils. They were liquid-cooled, used hydraulic valve adjusters and boasted self-adjusting cam chains. Furthermore, each cylinder breathed through its own 36mm carb and three overhead-cam-operated valves (two intake, one exhaust) and ignited the compressed mixture with two spark plugs. The engine is tuned to deliver more torque than its twin-crankpin Shadow stablemates, the Sabre and Spirit -- although it shares their five transmission speeds and shaft final drive.

When it debuted in 1998, the Aero created some shock waves of its own, mostly because of its styling. Using many cues taken from luxury cars of the 1930s, Honda drew a long, low motorcycle that evoked the lost elegance of that era. Full fenders highlighted with flowing chrome trim wrap deeply around fat whitewall tires. Covered 41mm forks and shocks contribute to the courtly appearance. Honda's first factory-fitted floorboards add to the luxurious flavor of the Aero. Perhaps its most striking feature, however, is its long 2-into-1 exhaust system, which terminates in an understated fishtail. The stylists managed to pull it all together. The eye-stoppers, notably the unpolished housing for the shaft drive and the not-quite-full-enough heat shields on the pipes, are minor. The standard color is black, but the two-tone treatments -- black/red, black/yellow, or our test bike's black/beige -- add an elegant feel to the bike and $300 to the price.

That sense of elegance is heightened when you drop into the saddle. The cockpit offers the roominess of a much larger bike, with its steering head well out in front and the 33.0-inch-wide handlebar turning back about 15.0 inches tiller-style to meet you. The shell for the 7.0-inch-diameter headlamp stretches forward, heightening the Aero's impression of length. It also houses the speedometer in a position where it's easy to acquire visually without moving your eyes too far from the road. The warning lights and the reset button for the LCD tripmeter reside in the top triple clamp.

Thumb the handlebar-mounted choke lever and the starter button, and the engine rouses readily,

High Points Elegant, nostalgic style; roomy; understated, ear-pleasing sound.
Low Points: Slightly rubbery steering feel, unimpressive front brake.
First Change: Teardrop mirrors to match styling.

HONDA SHADOW SABRE
A street rod for the masses

Honda's new Sabre traces its roots to the first Shadow 1100 of 1985. That machine combined the style of a traditional V-twin cruiser with technological improvements such as liquid cooling, three valves per cylinder (two intakes), two spark plugs per cylinder, hydraulic followers that automatically adjust valve lash, shaft drive, and a staggered crankpin arrangement that fooled the 45-degree V-twin into vibrating like a 90-degree V-twin, which is to say very little. That engine design has been passed down to successive Honda 1099cc V-twins including the Spirit, currently $7999, one of Honda's best sellers.

However, faced with stiff competitions from all quarters in the cruiser market with no big twin ready, Honda needed an attention-seeking missile for its 2000 cruiser line. That bike is the Sabre, a street-rod version of the Spirit, priced at $8199.

How do you inject the middle-of-the-road Spirit cruiser with the look of a street rod? Honda wanted a long, low look, but a new chassis was not in the plan. Instead, the 110/90-19 front tire was replaced with a fatter, shorter 120/90-18 on a new near-disc cast wheel. The 41mm fork was shortened, dropping travel from 6.3 inches to 4.7 inches. Chrome covers over the stanchions fatten the bike's appearance. A lower-profile saddle, removal of the passenger backrest and a lower handlebar, drop the top line of the bike. The seat is 1.5 inches lower than the Spirit's. Fuller fenders impart greater length as does a longer, 7.0-inch headlight. The result is a low, aggressive-looking motorcycle.

Though the street-rod hype suggests a breathed-on motor, the Sabre engine is exactly the same as the Spirit's from the dual 36mm carbs to the staggered dual pipes. However, Honda did employ one hot-rodder's trick to improve acceleration: it lowered the overall gearing. This means that at any given road speed in any given gear, the engine is turning more rpm and therefore making more horsepower. This also makes the Sabre engine busier than the Spirit's on the open road, but the smooth dual-crankpin design means there is not a comfort penalty for this mechanical sleight-of-hand.

The two-crankpin engine out-accelerated the single-crankpin design of the Aero even before the gearing trickery, so it's no surprise that the Sabre pulls strongly. Though the bike lacks the low-end power of the Aero, once the engine builds revs, it quickly leaves the Aero. The drive train lacks the slop we complained about in the Aero, so there is immediacy in the response to throttle. A little play in the drivetrain does provoke lurching in lower gears if you are ham-fisted, but a bigger annoyance is the difficulty in making a smooth first-to-second shift. It's not the actual shift, but the lurch when you engage second gear. The only sure way of avoiding this seems to make the shift slowly and deliberately, but who wants to do that on a street rod? Shifting is otherwise quiet and positive.

The Sabre's smooth manners and quick-accelerating nature make it a pleasure in town. You can easily break away from traffic. The controls are conveniently positioned and the mirrors' images are recognizable at most speeds. However, no one responded to its mating call. The bland beat of the exhaust erodes the aural-cool factor.

Despite its uninspired sound, the twin-pin crankshaft makes the Sabre the smoothest bike here, which you will appreciate on a long ride. Low and comfortably shaped, the saddle makes a great first impression, but the padding is thin and firm, which chips away at its charm in time. Passengers get even less padding. Street rods aren't supposed to be plush. Though the suspension is firm, it's rarely an issue unless you are traveling choppy roads. We like the riding stance, which positions you for great control, with respectable no crowding. The low bar tilts you forward slightly, ideal for high speeds.

With its fatter front tire, the Sabre has more weight on its front wheel and slightly more front-wheel trail (6.3 instead of 6.0 inches) than the Spirit. In addition, the Sabre's steering is heavier, notably at low speeds. The Sabre is more precise and stable than its stablemates and the suspension is well controlled. You get fair cornering clearance, but the first thing to touch might be your heels, which can pull your foot off the peg.

The front brake was more powerful than our Sportster's and considerably stronger than our Aero's but not quite as good as the V-Star's. The rear brake requires solid pressure to lock.

Most of the Sabre's bits are pleasing. Honda put safety ahead of style by setting the speedo in front of the handlebar. A street rod deserves a tachometer, however. Our biggest visual complaint is the "billet-style" footpegs, which are rough and cheesy-looking. Some polishing would do much to raise its perceived lack of quality. Red/red or our test bike's black/gray two-tone paint adds $200 to the basic-black price.

The character and performance of the Sabre make it a great urban-assault vehicle. It's smooth and powerful enough for traveling, though the seat will probably cause butt burn on long hauls. The aggressive, original style gives a new life to Honda's proven 1100 engine.

High Points: Strong acceleration, great in-town manners.
Low Points: Dull-looking footpegs, dull-sounding exhaust note, hard saddle.
First Change: Polish or replace footpegs