1982 Honda Magna 750 - Horror or Vintage Jewel? - NGC

[Pasta Hog]

Anyone familiar with the venerable Honda Magna 750? Someone local is unloading a 1982 model for $500. I've been thinking it would be nice to have a rat bike I could modify and also keep outdoors. Also, it would be fun to have a bike that would break 13 seconds in the quarter and rev past 7000.

I have read that these bikes have some transmission and oiling issues. On the other hand, parts appear to be dirt cheap (maybe that means a lot of the bikes have blown up), and there is a $150 oil line modification kit out there.

This thing has 30K miles on it. The owner claims it shifts and does not smoke or make noise. I'm sure he wouldn't lie. That never happens.

He does say it has some kind of charging issue. A glance at Ebay suggests that I can replace the alternator's guts for $40.

I remember the Magna from back in the days when I was too wimpy to get a bike. A tenant abandoned one in an apartment belonging to my dad, and my mother went ballistic when I tried to scrounge it for myself. Back then, people talked about the V65 Magna the way people talk about the Hayabusa now (assuming they still talk about it).

[oldbike54]

 Is this the cruiser model ?

  Dusty

[rboe]

Yes. Sabre's were the standard.

That motor had cam problems; oiling issues. Exterior lines fixed it up. PITA to do a valve adjustment, seems like half the bike came apart to get to the valves.

But the sound is great, lots of power. Nice machines.

[oldbike54]

Yes. Sabre's were the standard.

That motor had cam problems; oiling issues. Exterior lines fixed it up. PITA to do a valve adjustment, seems like half the bike came apart to get to the valves.

But the sound is great, lots of power. Nice machines.

 OK , the couple of these I have ridden hopped up and down on the bevel box pretty badly , and the handling was a bit odd .

  Dusty

[Pasta Hog]

Thanks. It's kind of tempting. Having Googled a bunch of bikes, though, I am also drawn to the XV1100 Virago. Simpler motor, very light, and there are no downtubes, so it looks cool when you customize it. And I am not excited about having another shaft bike.

It's really something, seeing all these cheap Japanese parts on Ebay. After buying Guzzi parts, it's surreal. I saw a working motor for $299.

I just found out Florida will want $225 for a tag, which is pretty ridiculous.

[Pasta Hog]

Well, dang. The Virago has a shaft.

[jackson]

That motor had cam problems; oiling issues. Exterior lines fixed it up. PITA to do a valve adjustment, seems like half the bike came apart to get to the valves.

This.

I owned one and had this identical problem.  Turns out that many of them also suffered from this malady.

[oldbike54]

 The Virago is probably a better choice . Bulletproof engine , simpler design .

  Dusty

[Pasta Hog]

I like the Virago. The ones that keep coming up for sale are the little ones. The only decent deal I can find right now is a 700, which supposedly did 13.7 in the quarter when new. That's not too good. It is my understanding that the 1100 was about a second faster.

[screamday]

When I lived in Florida I bought a new '83 Sabre as my second motorcycle. I loved the motor on that bike. Never had any problems with the motor. I had a 4-1 Mac header put on it and it sounded pretty awesome. I put about 35,000 miles on it in three years. The only mechanical problem I had was the hydraulic clutch would fade occasionally in the Florida summer heat. Other problems were mostly cosmetic. The plastic dash rattled off and the rear turn signal stems cracked and fell off. I actually got a good buck for it when I sold it. I think it would make a great rat bike.  :BEER:

[skromfols]

I bought a new V-40 Magna (700 cc's) in 84 and put about 45,000 miles on it.  The only problem I had was with the starter that had to be replaced at around 40,000 miles.  I took it to Germany with me and ended up selling it to a German Police Officer, so that I could buy a Harley Davidson.  Big mistake.  There were no problems that I remember with the smaller Magna's.  The small Magna was very smooth, and would easily keep up with much larger machines on group rides.

In 1999 I purchased a used V-65 Magna (1100 cc's) with about 8,000 miles on it.  I put another 35,000 miles on it with no problems, and made the mistake of selling it in 2005 and buying a Harley Davidson.  The big Magna was a beast.  Great engine, handled well for a cruiser, and was always fun to ride.

I used both Magna's for fairly long rides and often with a passenger and had no problems.

A $500 Magna sounds like a great deal if it runs good, and the SabMag chat forum has loads of information to help you maintain the bike. http://www.sabmag.org/

Some of the big Magna's had problems getting oil to the top end and I installed an after market set of oil lines to solve that problem.  I think I also modified the thermostat that controlled the radiator fan so that the fan came on earlier.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

IIRC, Viragos have their own set of issues - starter clutch mechanism and carburetors being the two biggies.

I was at a friend's shop last Fall and a guy walked in trying to give him a couple 750s and 1100s. He didn't want them even to part out and sell on eBay.

[Pasta Hog]

I appreciate all the great information.

My mechanic told me Virago carbs have problems when they're allowed to sit. That doesn't worry me too much, because I can actually work on a carb.

I saw a little Virago at his shop, and I assumed it was a 250, but he said it was an 1100. That surprised me. I like the compact package. It would be great to have a light motorcycle.

[Lannis]

I guess the question is "How involved do you want to get with a 33-year-old Japanese bike?"

Many of the older bikes, like our Guzzis, or like old Harleys or Britbikes, seem to be rebuildable easily and forever.   Many people here on the list have done it, or there are guys like Charlie who can do it for you with reasonably available parts.    

A 1955 Harley panhead dresser can be made almost new again with parts you can buy anywhere, and you don't have to be a mechanical genius to keep one running regularly.   Same is true with a 50's BSA (I do it myself) or a 70's Norton.    

One advantage that these bikes I've mentioned above have, is that the current value of a running, mostly-stock bike is holding up well, IF that matters to you.   The panhead Harley will always be worth $10,000 or more, the nice Norton $7500+, the nice old BSA or Triumph $4,000 and up.    So if you like riding it, it's not so painful to put some money into it getting cylinders relined, transmissions rebuilt, frame lugs re-brazed, that sort of thing.    

The same (may not) be able to be said about an old common-or-garden variety Japanese bike.   Some special-interest bikes (RZ Yamahas, GT Suzukis, Kaw triples, GB500 Hondas etc) are bringing fair money in good shape, but old Sabres and Magnas and Viragos and Visions and such ... ?    Hard to see ANY of them going over $2500 or so any time soon.   So it makes it hard to put any kind of big money into it, IF you're looking at it as a long-term thing.    If it's just going to be a rat bike that you ride it till it quits and then scrap it, then the money doesn't matter.

And someone may chime in with "How rebuildable are these things really?"   I mean, the bearing journal of the overhead cam on most of these actually rides directly on the metal of the cylinder head; it's not a simple heat-it-up, tap-out-the-old-bushing, tap-the-new-one-in proposition.    And the crank sprocket for the cam chain may be cast right into the crankshaft, and not meant to be replaced - the economic life of the bike is driven by the life of the lower cam chain sprocket.

I'm sure that a dedicated enthusiast that decides "I'm going to be Mr. Magna and learn all about these things and join the forums and collect parts bikes and all the service manuals and special tools and I'm going to ride this thing despite the cost because it's something I enjoy doing" could make one run forever, but it would have to be a love affair and would probably take more love than doing something similar with a V700 or BSA Thunderbolt .... !  

But just as an on-the-side rider or rat bike?   Might be very frustrating!

Lannis

[rocker59]

OK , the couple of these I have ridden hopped up and down on the bevel box pretty badly , and the handling was a bit odd .

  Dusty

Yep.  Shaft-Jacking was noticeable on all the early 80s Honda shafties.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Lannis,you make excellent points. ..On the other hand, a properly maintained bigger Japanese machine with lower miles and not a model history of mechanical issues can last maybe 80,000 miles without a serious problems????  Ride it until  the crankshaft falls out, then scrap it.

[youcanrunnaked]

Lannis,you make excellent points. ..On the other hand, a properly maintained bigger Japanese machine with lower miles and not a model history of mechanical issues can last maybe 80,000 miles without a serious problems????  Ride it until  the crankshaft falls out, then scrap it.

While I agree with Lannis, it should also be noted that none of those "special interest" old bikes that he cites are today available in running condition for $500. Even ratty ones are bringing $1,500 - $2,500.

Also, as the OP noted, Florida's vehicle registration, tag and and title transfer fees and taxes need to be figured into the purchase price of any "bargain" bike.  When I picked up my DR for not a lot of money about a year ago, the taxes and fees to put it on the road totaled $300.

[smartin108]

IIRC, Viragos have their own set of issues - starter clutch mechanism and carburetors being the two biggies.

I was at a friend's shop last Fall and a guy walked in trying to give him a couple 750s and 1100s. He didn't want them even to part out and sell on eBay.

Yep.  Most Yamahas of that vintage had starter problems.

[Lannis]

Lannis,you make excellent points. ..On the other hand, a properly maintained bigger Japanese machine with lower miles and not a model history of mechanical issues can last maybe 80,000 miles without a serious problems????  Ride it until  the crankshaft falls out, then scrap it.

Oh, I know that for sure ... I owned a 1976 Suzuki GT750 kettle that had over 80,000 when I sold it and was running great.   And I hear that there are racing shops that will rebuild that pressed crank for you, and there are places that will rebuild the injector pump, and you can source nicely repaired and rechromed headers and pipes for some real money.   

And even a rusty project starter bike, for the popular ones, will cost a lot of money.

For all I know, there is a rabid worldwide following of Honda 750 Magnas that have a spares and rebuild exchange scheme, and an active forum, and they have people that ride them everywhere and have bikes with 250,000 miles on them.   With the Internet, almost anything is possible these days .... !   But you have to get into it.    I have everything I need for my Guzzis and my BSAs, but I don't know a thing about the Norton Interstate that found its way into my shop last year - no manuals, not special tools, no spare parts, no technical forum, no rally schedule ... I may be getting stretched too thin with 3 different brands ... !

Lannis

[rocker59]

 
I don't know a thing about the Norton Interstate that found its way into my shop last year - no manuals, not special tools, no spare parts, no technical forum, no rally schedule ... I may be getting stretched too thin with 3 different brands ... !

Lannis

The Lake O the Pines rally rocks!

http://www.ntnoa.org/

http://www.ntnoa.org/15loprallye.htm

But Texas is a long way from Virginia...