Honda Magna v45 750 good starter bike? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Honda Magna v45 750 good starter bike?

Johnny5

Johnny5

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'84 Honda Magna v45 750 good starter bike?

Hi all.

I took my m2 course and passed in july but have not ridden since, was saving up for a bike. I have been looking at a 84 Honda Magna 750 due to the fact there are a lot of them out there for under 2 grand.

Question is, are these good bikes for beginners? I have read that the 83-85 Magna's had quite a lot more horsepower and acceleration than other bikes of comparable size then and since. In fact on the wiki page it says they were the fastest production motorcycles of their time and could top 160mph and could beat even some of todays sports bikes off a standing start. So is this a good idea for a newb?.. is the throttle very sensitive and jumpy when you take off in first gear?

Also does anyone here have one, what is the insurance like on an 84 750?

Thank in advance for any advice.
 
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Re: '84 Honda Magna v45 750 good starter bike?

I have an '83 V45 Interceptor. It has a tuned up version of the same engine. The V45 Sabre had the same engine & shaft drive (none of these bikes will top 160 MPH, not even close, but that's beside the point.) In their day they were pretty much the baddest 750s out there.
I've only ridden a V45 Magna a short time, a long time ago.
By today's standard they are quite docile. The engine is liquid smooth and has a wide useful power band. The engine is very easy to live with. (A stock V45 needs a jet kit to contend with today's gasoline) Pulling away from a stop is quite easy and drama free. (a V45 would only beat a modern SS off the line if it had less than 600 cc or the rider was fast asleep) The low seat can help with stability if you are height challenged. Basic servicing is about as easy as any bike out there.
However; the bike is heavy (500+ lbs) and more than fast enough to get into serious trouble. Parts are starting to be difficult to find, and OEM parts only come in the gold plated version (very expensive). Major service on a V45 engine can be tedious and time consuming. If you are paying someone to do service, valve clearance checks and carb work can become expensive.

Would I recommend this as a first bike? Probably not.
 
Re: '84 Honda Magna v45 750 good starter bike?

Thanks VFR. i am surprised about the lack of parts. That was one of the reasons i was considering this bike because i saw so many of them on kajiji and the like that i assumed there must be many of them sold for parts. I talked to Ontario Cycle Salvage a few weeks ago about some parts that the bike i am considering needed (seat etc..) and they did have those in stock at a good price, but i guess engine parts are another story.

Size-wise.. i am 5'11" and about 240, so i'm thinking the weight of the bike won't be too bad for me. I have looked up the specs for the '84 and it said something like 487lbs.

The bike i am looking at is currently plated and the person uses it as their daily driver so i am also assuming it must have that jet kit already. I'll have to ask. This bike is in great shape and seems too good to pass up price wise, i may just buy it and flip it later on if i find it's too much for me. Not much time left to ride this season anyway :/
 
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My definition of an ideal starter bike is under 400 lb, <50HP, which puts you at a max of a 500cc bike. The Magna exceeds this in every way. Still, you could do worse. Have you checked insurance rates? Check eBay for spare parts. There are a lot of Magnas out there.
 
It was a good bike 20 years ago........................ Cheap, plenty of parts, reasonable to insure.

If you have a good line on parts and maintence ability, it can still be a good bike. The engine isn't exactly easy to work on. It's got more than enough power even by today's standards. As long as you know what you're getting into, I'd say pull the trigger.

If you end up needing any major engine work that would be too costly to repair, I'm sure you could part it out to recoup the money put in. Although, some folks have that intention and end up with a poor/non running bike parked for years afterwards.


If I was in the market for an older cruiser bike, I'd look for something air cooled and a little easier to maintain. Suzuki GS series comes to mind. Sub 2k entry, strong ownership base. Maybe not quite as powerful as V45/V65 but, still a good bike.
 
I caved and got the Magna v45. The price was good ($1000) and it's running perfectly so far. Insurance is only $1000 a year which surprised me, as a new rider i was expecting that to be higher, especially since the bike is rated at something like 80hp. Everything on the bike is super clean and the paint is original with the original decals and the tank is mint, never been dropped. I have seen several of these bikes on kajiji and this one is in better shape than others that have been on there a month plus now and selling for $500 to $1000 more than it was. If it gets me through the last couple months of this year and through the spring i'll be happy.
 
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