Muscle Bike

[timleslie1957]

So I am browsing through my area Craigslist and see a huge 2002 Honda VTX1800c advertised with the heading of MUSCLE BIKE (see below).  I read on, and during my intake of that poorly written ad, I was wondering ... just how much HP DOES that thing have?  I mean .. dayum .... 1800 cc's!  My 1200 inline with its 1188.00ccm heart pushes around 120 to 125, right?  So ... I looked it (2002 VTX1800c) up on various places on the net ..... about 87hp on the dyno. 

I swear I just do not GET why full grown men opt to pay and ride on something so ... anemic.  A Honda trying to be a Harley, and then trying to manifest muscle bike status?  I just don't get it.  I think I will stop waving at cruisers.  After becoming an FJ fanatic, I now have no use for V twins and all of the vibrating, loud, chrome laden hype.  Or am I just ... old and opinionated?  Hey, I'm okay with that!   

2002 VTX 1800C muscle bike - $2800 (Floyd)
© craigslist - Map data © OpenStreetMap
(google map)

honda
fuel: gas
transmission: manual
22000 miles
Good shape
Fast
Aftermarket pipes and fuel tuner

No joyride without cash in hand.
Put 'serious' in subject line to weed out spam or I will not respond.

[Bill_Rockoff]

87 hp on a dyno is pretty strong for a V-twin cruiser. A stock FJ "pushing 120 to 125" would probably show about 105 hp at the rear wheel on a similar dyno, +/-5.  Mine was 103 - dyno sheet is in my gallery here on this site. Of course, that was almost 100,000 miles ago, and it would probably have a tough time matching even the 87 rwhp Honda if I tried it today. 

Considering how hard an 87 hp bike would pull, combined with the way a twin feels compared to an I4, and considering how much stronger a cruiser always FEELS like it's pulling thanks to the feet-forward / lean-backward seating position, I'd say calling it a "muscle bike" is probably pretty fair. We willingly call a Road Runner or a Chevelle a "muscle car" even though either one would get left behind by plenty of smaller-displacement sporty cars of the same era in top speed.

Also, I doubt a Honda was ever trying to be a Harley, I would guess it was actually being what a Harleys *pretends* to be. (You know, powerful.) "Normal" Harleys back then (i.e. "not a V-Rod") were ~65 hp at the wheel. If you had that Honda and you wanted it to be more like a Harley, you'd have to pull off one of its spark plug wires. A friend of mine had a 1300cc version of the Honda you're talking about, and it pulled pretty hard. Not my cup of tea, but fun to ride for a little while when we switched, and if he was working his Honda hard in normal street riding, I was having to work my 115,000 mile FJ pretty hard to keep up.

Still, if you want to stop waving at cruisers, you may as well. It'll make you happier, and it's not like they'll notice.

[Pat Conlon]

Horsepower is just a part of the equation.
Check out the torque #'s on that 1800cc twin and compare those #'s with your FJ.

[giantkiller]

Yah twins are all about the torque. My chopper has 120hp/120ft lbs torque. My 1350 has 163hp/114 ft lbs torque. My chopper is a lot of fun to roll on the throttle at about 20mph and feel the 250 back tire spin as it walks the back of the bike over.
Totally different but both are fun.

[Country Joe]

I've ridden a VTX 1800, a VTX 1300 and a Star 1300 bagger, all on the same day. I found the 1800 completely underwhelming, the VTX1300 was really nearly as quick feeling as the 1800 and I dramatically preferred the Star over both the Hondas. My bride found the passenger accommodations less than acceptable. The dealership had about 8 used GL 1800 Gold Wings backed up against the wall of the showroom. I just sighed and asked the salesman to roll one of them out  to the parking lot. After about a 15 mile test ride my wife proclaimed the passenger accommodations to be more than acceptable. That's how we wound up with a Gold Wing. It was a whole lot more fun to ride than any of those V twins, anyway. I'm kind of looking forward to a test ride on the 2018 Gold Wing. I think Honda took it in a great direction with this generation.

[ribbert]

I don't think the use of the term "muscle bike" is inappropriate. Muscle refers to strength not speed, that is, torque not horsepower.

Noel

[HydroDog]

It's a whole different feeling with a big V-twin. The rush you get on the FJ at 6k is what you experience at 2k on a big cruiser. I just recently purchased a Victory Vision. Ya I know all the crap I have been hearing but the bike handles great.
Anyhow I was getting on the freeway the other day and hammered the throttle hard at 2k rpm and I broke the rear tire loose while leaned over. It wasn't bad for a 900lb bike.   It just a different feeling of power.

[Bill_Rockoff]

My VTX1300 friend had a bit of an accident with the VTX, and replaced it with a Victory. Nice bike, pretty brutal-feeling, very different kind of fun than the FJ or than a V-twin sportbike.
period.

I like what Willie G supposedly said a few years ago, "We all need four or five different motorcycles."

[timleslie1957]

87 hp on a dyno is pretty strong for a V-twin cruiser. A stock FJ "pushing 120 to 125" would probably show about 105 hp at the rear wheel on a similar dyno, +/-5.  Mine was 103 - dyno sheet is in my gallery here on this site. Of course, that was almost 100,000 miles ago, and it would probably have a tough time matching even the 87 rwhp Honda if I tried it today. 

Considering how hard an 87 hp bike would pull, combined with the way a twin feels compared to an I4, and considering how much stronger a cruiser always FEELS like it's pulling thanks to the feet-forward / lean-backward seating position, I'd say calling it a "muscle bike" is probably pretty fair. We willingly call a Road Runner or a Chevelle a "muscle car" even though either one would get left behind by plenty of smaller-displacement sporty cars of the same era in top speed.

Also, I doubt a Honda was ever trying to be a Harley, I would guess it was actually being what a Harleys *pretends* to be. (You know, powerful.) "Normal" Harleys back then (i.e. "not a V-Rod") were ~65 hp at the wheel. If you had that Honda and you wanted it to be more like a Harley, you'd have to pull off one of its spark plug wires. A friend of mine had a 1300cc version of the Honda you're talking about, and it pulled pretty hard. Not my cup of tea, but fun to ride for a little while when we switched, and if he was working his Honda hard in normal street riding, I was having to work my 115,000 mile FJ pretty hard to keep up.

Still, if you want to stop waving at cruisers, you may as well. It'll make you happier, and it's not like they'll notice.

LOL .... GREAT reply.  Good logic and great info.

[timleslie1957]

I've ridden a VTX 1800, a VTX 1300 and a Star 1300 bagger, all on the same day. I found the 1800 completely underwhelming, the VTX1300 was really nearly as quick feeling as the 1800 and I dramatically preferred the Star over both the Hondas. My bride found the passenger accommodations less than acceptable. The dealership had about 8 used GL 1800 Gold Wings backed up against the wall of the showroom. I just sighed and asked the salesman to roll one of them out  to the parking lot. After about a 15 mile test ride my wife proclaimed the passenger accommodations to be more than acceptable. That's how we wound up with a Gold Wing. It was a whole lot more fun to ride than any of those V twins, anyway. I'm kind of looking forward to a test ride on the 2018 Gold Wing. I think Honda took it in a great direction with this generation.

I hear ya!  I traded an AR15 straight up for a nicely running 85 Interstate.  Man, that was one nice rolling recliner for two up!  All jokes aside, it was smooth, stable and had enough throttle to keep you rolling at safe speeds and then some.  I am funning a bit about cruisers as I just sold a mint 84 V65 Magna to purchase my now present FJ.  The Magna was a monster!  I am just so thrilled about the FJ that I cannot fathom riding anything else ... except for an FJR1300, or a Kawasaki Concours, or a VFR, or a V Max even ... so it goes on and on.  I can only keep one decently going as my kids have priority to my play around money. 

[timleslie1957]

Horsepower is just a part of the equation.
Check out the torque #'s on that 1800cc twin and compare those #'s with your FJ.

Yep, the torque is understood.  I once owned a Farmall Cub in Vermont I used to mow with ... 12hp draw weight but my God would that thing pull!

[timleslie1957]

I don't think the use of the term "muscle bike" is inappropriate. Muscle refers to strength not speed, that is, torque not horsepower.

Noel

I agree with you absolutely.  Was just trying to have a bit of naughty fun is all.  I actually contemplated going to have a look at the bike but decided to resist another bike presently.

[giantkiller]

Horsepower is just a part of the equation.
Check out the torque #'s on that 1800cc twin and compare those #'s with your FJ.

Yep, the torque is understood.  I once owned a Farmall Cub in Vermont I used to mow with ... 12hp draw weight but my God would that thing pull!

He he he

[fj1289]

I hear ya!  I traded an AR15 straight up for a nicely running 85 Interstate.  Man, that was one nice rolling recliner for two up!  All jokes aside, it was smooth, stable and had enough throttle to keep you rolling at safe speeds and then some.  I am funning a bit about cruisers as I just sold a mint 84 V65 Magna to purchase my now present FJ.  The Magna was a monster!  I am just so thrilled about the FJ that I cannot fathom riding anything else ... except for an FJR1300, or a Kawasaki Concours, or a VFR, or a V Max even ... so it goes on and on.  I can only keep one decently going as my kids have priority to my play around money.  

In a few more years you can get them started on motorcycles too!  Then, as they grow, "your" fleet of bikes can too!