I took a test ride on a unique Chopper… a factory built chopper from…
Wait for it…
Honda.
It’s a VT1300CX Fury, a 2010, that is a bright cyan blue. So it looks crazy chopper-like. All raked out and skinny in front with a big fat rear… your foot pegs are way out on front of you, so you got whole Chopper vibe. Because it is… it’s a real Chopper.
But it’s still a Honda. A real Honda. What does that mean? It means it still makes sense. That rake on the front – isn’t actually all that rakish. The angle was carefully measured to still give you steering response. And that big huge fat rear… it’s actually not so fat that the rear end feels sluggish. On the road, it means that the bike is still very ridable, very stable. And those foot pegs.. it’s not a stretch to reach them. They are further forward than a standard, but they are still there… and the way the handle bars come back just right it puts you in a very comfortable and stable position that is “Just right.” Nothing is exaggerated. This Chopper just makes too much sense for it to be actually rebellious in any way. It only looks rebellious. This is your Sunday School Teacher with a small tattoo on her ankle. This bike is just that sensible. The engine is big, but it’s only a 1300 and it’s tuned to be mellow. Again, very sensible. It’s only doing moderate horsepower with a little more torque so it feels spry… when in fact it’s extremely economical with the fuel mileage.
The whole bike was designed to be safe and sensible…. and practical… because it’s a Honda first and a Chopper second. Because of that, my first reaction was that I absolutely love it. But that’s just my first reaction. After much consideration I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s too sensible to be a real Chopper. There is no insanity to it. A Chopper needs to be nuts with something. I’ll probably have one, one day. But you might as well just get a Shadow.
Honestly… I dont see anything “store bought” as being a *Real Chopper*.
Chopper is chopped… bobbed… modded…
Take a Honda single cam 750… rake it, bob it… make it your own.
THEN you have a Honda chopper.
I cant see anything that is built by any company as being an honest chopper.
But thats just me.
Jim
Yeah… I get that… And for the most part, I agree. Just like a good Jeep. They are built. You can buy one, but you lose something when someone else did all the work for you.. that knowledge and understanding of the machine… that emotional attachment… The “My Baby” vibe.
But then sometimes you just want a Turn Key and a Warranty.
Honestly, I’m looking at a 2004 or newer Sportster 1200. In 04 they changed the Sportsters… fuel injection and all the modern tweaks make them much more efficient, all around better bikes. Huge torque, but not so much it’s stupid. I just want one with more mellow pipes. I don’t want the loud that normally comes with them.
I really like the way the Honda Furys look. I plan on getting a bike later this summer.
I am kinda torn though. I was dead set on the Fury, until i sat on a honda Sabre. it is another chopper-inspired bike. i liked the way it felt too. I guess i’ll have to do some more “research”.
I had a Sabre… the old Sabres were the precursors to the moder Bullet Bikes. Fast as hell. Total knee dragger. After the Sabre was the Interceptor… bigger, faster… Better. Had one too. Then they put that engine into a cruiser… the Magna. Had one of those. The Interceptor became the VFR. Had one. Then for some reason I went with a Yamaha RD400 Daytona Special. Yada yada yada… and I’m back on a Honda with this 3rd Gen Magna. For some reason, I keep looking at other bikes but end up on Hondas. Which is why I dig the Fury.
Sounds like a familiar story.
After my Sabre was wrecked I got my current bike (Kawi ZX600) which is a buzzy and uncomfortable maintenance hog.
My wife wants me to have a bike she can ride bit… er pillion on without mooning everyone, maybe I’ll look for a Magna.
I looked at the Fury, in my current state of Ogre-induced motorcycle fever (Ogrus Moto Cyclus), but then I found this: http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelhome/653/0/home.aspx and I REALLY like the Raven. Check it out.
That is a great looking bike.
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