I had the V-65 Sabre, the fastest I've owned. It wants a rider with a long inseam, think ideal BMW rider. My legs not so much, a very un-HD ride. The big VTX was a much better fit.
So you know exactly what I'm talking about because the Sabre was the very same motor. The only difference was the Sabre was a better handler than the Magna which was much more top heavy in it's design and the V65 Interceptor was the best handler and fastest because of frame design and weight difference. Basically the V65 Magna was built as a boulevard blaster designed to rip your facial skin back going stop light to stop light. I ate up many Suzuki GS1100s and Honda CBX 6 cyl with mine. I did get my ass handed to me one night by a vmax, after that I became a bit more selective before opening the throttle.
Liquid cooled, 67cu.in. DOHC 90° v4, 4 valves per cyl, 4 carb, 116bhp, 70 lb⋅ft shaft drive, 0 to 60 in just a tick over 3 sec. And to top it all off...assembled at Marysville, Ohio in the good-ole USA, in the same plant that did the VTX1800 and the Goldwings...what's not to like? I paid just under 5k for everything on mine, tax, licence, dealer prep, etc. I'm really surprized at that time that Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and especially Honda didn't just bury Harley as H-D was clearly behind times when it came to motorcycle technology then.
I cranked on mine one day and did 110mph in roughly 4.5 sec in 3rd gear and still had 3 more gears to go. I was told by the salesman the day I took delivery of my V65 to drive very carefully as most new V65 owners ended up dead before their 1st bike payment, and I could see why the first time I rolled the throttle...what a beast!
Jeez I miss that bike.
After all the H-D history I've recently read my conclusion to H-D staying relevant is either buyers wanting the big V-twin thump, blind allegiance (thinking made solely in the USA) or just plain ol' brand loyalty. Made in the USA is no longer relevant in H-Ds manufacturing as they've outsourced their parts and have plants in Manaus, Brazil; Bawal, India and construction of a new plant in
Thailand scheduled to begin in late 2018. Historically they started out in the USA but now H-D is a world manufacturer just like everybody else.
If you like the H-D product and can afford it that's great. I don't prefer their product line and choose to spend my hard earned money elsewhere. I've owned several different handguns in my time and never once owned a Glock. I never felt comfortable or confident with one in my hand even though most law enforcement officers carry one as part of their equipment, I never bought one. I do not push others into or away from a product line based on brand loyalty, but I will share a bad experience with a product from a factual point if it helps someone make an educated buying decision. I also listen to other's experiences of a product/services to help me make an educated purchase decision. Business practices and ethics also play a role in my purchasing decision. I want to feel the company is going to be around awhile after I buy their product. I was a big fan of Pioneer equipment in the 70s, now look where their home audio division is. And yet companies like McIntosh, Audio Research, JBL, Ohm Acoustics and many others are still putting out products and servicing their older stuff.
At the end of the day others have to decide what it is they wish to own, it's not my decision to make. My only hope is that they enjoy whatever that decision may be. I don't appreciate when others attempt to belittle, embarrass or turn their nose up to me for not making the same purchasing decision as so many H-D owners have done to me over the years, especially after I've complimented them on what they've done to their bike.
I'll say this again; When it comes to motorcycling I don't give a **** what you ride, as long as your knees are in the breeze and you do it safely.
The "Milwaukee Eight" remains as it was in 1911.
