Tag Archives: Magna

Automotive

Sold the Honda Magna

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Saturday I unexpectedly made a deal with a family to sell my beloved Honda Magna. The day before, I was having lunch with my Bride and we talked bikes. I decided to just keep the Magna and tweak it to better suit my needs. Seat, tank, pipes. Simple enough.

Then after lunch on Saturday some folks come in to the gun shop and we come to an agreement.  I’m actually kinda torn on selling it.  The VF750C’s engine is truly one of the very best engines ever put into any motorcycle.   Honda really needs to bring back the Magna, but with some more modern upgrades.  But as I say farewell to this bike, I’ll be able to make acquaintance with a new bike.  There are three main options.
First option, is a Kawasaki ZX-1100.  Full sized sport-touring bike.  This is a long range road interstate warrior… exactly what I want and need.  This bike has the range that I wish I had invested in off the bat when I got the Magna.  But it had been awhile since I rode, so it was wisdom to get into something to get my Biker Blood flowing again without spilling it.   But a bike like this… it’s a lot of machine. It’s a Starship that can cross the country at Warp Factor 10 like other bikes cruise at 60.
Second option, if the first one is taken before I get to it… is a Yamaha FZ1.  A Standard Liter Bike, all around easy bike to run on, but with good sized fuel tank that would get me where I wanted to go.  Not the most exciting of machines, but an all around solid bike that would do very well for me.
The third choice actually surprised me.  A Zuke Boulevard.  It’s not much bigger than the Magna, but it does have the fuel tank that I want.  It lacks the Hasty that the Magna has, but with the better fuel economy, bigger tank… it doubles the range that the Magna had. Electronic ignition, computer controlled fuel injection… it would be a very nice machine.  And it’s larger, more comfortable than the Magna… I could deal with that happily but it would be settling.

A lot of guys are telling me that I need to get a Harley.  Sure, I could do an XR1200.  Or a cool Dyna set up like Jax Teller’s… but I don’t want a bike that is loud, and you are just not finding them for around three grand, because that’s all that I’m spending.  I don’t want to Bank Roll a Bike.  I’m not going to carry a note on something that can so easily be ripped out from under you by an idiot in a Cage.

I’m crawling all over KSL.com’s Classifieds.  But if anyone out there knows of a GOOD bike for around 3 grand… hit me up.  I’m open to good suggestions.

 

Uncategorized

It’s only Feb 2nd.

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Today was a great day… Here we are in the second day of the second month in North Eastern Utah… Dead of Winter.  Snow is usually measured in Feet…

And today I rode my motorcycle, got my first Prairie Dog Kill of the year, and had a Pelican Burger.  Awesome Day.

The ride was just a couple miles at the most… from where my Bike was parked to the Shop where it’s getting a new chain and tire and some general servicing.  The rear tire is completely bald and squared off from all the miles I put on it last year… starting out with a brand spanking new set of tires.   That’s a lot of miles.  I hope to put on a lot more this year.

While at Beers Harley Davidson, I took a look at some of the bikes for sale.  The Honda Fury is still there.  Give me a million bucks and my first Splurge Purchase would be that.  But there was a Harley there that caught my eye too.  One I’ve never seen before but is evidently old hat to a lot of people… The XR1200X.  It’s a classic Harley, but set up as a Standard and not a Cruiser or Touring bike.  But it has something the other Harley’s don’t.  Lean Angle.  I don’t know why… I can’t explain it… But I really really like that bike.  To the point that I want one.  It’s about the same price as the Honda Fury, or close enough so that price doesn’t matter.  But it looks like the XR1200X would be a better Daily Driver.

The Prairie Dog kill was fun.  Fenris and I just kinda rolled around one of our desert areas.  He got the first one of the year.  Then the next two.  Then I finally got one myself.  About a 60 yard thump with my Savage 93R17, Killswitch.  I would have had more, but the magazine self destructed.  The feedlips decided to go in two different directions.  This turned Killswitch into one of the worlds most awkward single shot rifle.   I need a new magazine, and I need to put it on paper and get it fine tuned adjusted again.

The Pelican Lake Cafe remains awesome.  I had an Ouray Burger there… which is two thin patties stuffed with onions and cheese… filling the burger full of flavor.  It was very good.

All in all… a very satisfying day.  And it’s only Feb 2nd.  This is shaping up to be a great year.

Automotive

I need a fairing

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My Honda Magna has a windscreen that looks like a police riot shield.  I took it off and blasted up the highway… and it’s not good without some wind protection.  I need something a lot smaller, something streamlined a bit…   Maybe something like this:

I like the nice sleak bullet shape it gives the front end, while still having enough to channel air flow away from most of me.

If anyone out there sees a fairing like this that would work for a ’95 Magna, Let me know, please!

 

Automotive

Cycle Chops

5 Comments

“It’s just like riding a bike. It’ll come back to you.” That’s true. Getting used to riding again… brothers and sisters… it feels good. There is no other feeling like it. If I have to explain it to you, you wont understand. I should have never given up riding.
The Honda V-4 engine – I’m of the firm opinion that this is the best engine ever built for motorcycles. The strong roll on acceleration is biblical, smooth, and right now. This makes passing rock flinging trucks not just faster, but safer. Being able to get out of danger quick is a very good thing. Also the fact that my little puny 750cc engine has destroyed a number of 1200cc powered V-Twin type bikes… that just makes me happy.

Getting used to riding again is one thing. I’m also getting used to a new bike. The Magna I have now is called a “3rd Gen” by Magna Owners. The previous Magna I had was a 1st Gen… It was an 85 or 86 if I remember right. I got it for 800 bucks and it only had 2,000 miles on it. It was Cherry. Those Magnas had a longer fork, and pegs that were a bit more forward… more chopper like. After riding this Magna, in it’s more “Standard” position… I think I’d rather have the older style for the comfort.
However, the 3rd Gen Magna has more rigid forks, quicker turn in, and all around better handling. I think even has a better lean angle to it. It feels more like a Sports Bike. This makes me tempted to take curves at faster velocities, riding it like it was a Sports Bike. Which is all fine and well… very cool actually… but I’d rather like the more stretched out position of the older bike. Easier on the knees.

Then again, back then with my last Magna, I didn’t have any problems with my knees. Still. I miss that old Magna. It was a dark blue – almost black… all dark and sinister looking… it was a sexy bike. I rode that when I was going to ROTC at BYU. Not the normal BYU bike. Everyone else on a motorcycle had sport bikes or scooters.
No matter how bad I feel, how much I hurt… I get on the bike and start riding… I feel better. I forget the pain and everything… and I’m just riding.

Automotive

No, not selling the Magna

6 Comments

I’ve had messages from guys asking if I wanted to sell my Honda Magna.  The answer is a straight up no.  However if you offer me a trade… I’d trade it… for a Harley 1200 in awesome running condition and with new tires.  You have that, sure, I’ll trade you.  If not, no… I’m not selling it.  If I sell it, then my wife will take the money… if I trade, well… she doesn’t know how to ride a motorcycle.   See what I mean?  So yeah, if you have the money to buy – go buy the Harley and then come see me.  I’ll even meet you have way, and we can swap titles and keys.

Automotive

Magnas don’t get soggy in the rain.

16 Comments

But Ogres do… no riding today.  Dang it.

It's sulking there, alone in the rain...

Learned a lot about my new bike this week.  Chain tension, lube and inspection.  Saddle bags can unzip off.  And I learned that my bike gets 40 MPG on the dot, which is pretty good.  So I learned just how far my bike can go on a tank… then shortly there after, I learned just how far I can go on my reserve tank.  Which I found out was about 400 yards short of the gas station.  Luckily the bike can coast pretty good, to within 100 yards.  So it was not a lot of pushing, but enough to hammer home the lesson.   Seriously, I need a bigger fuel tank.  I heard you can get a tank off a Honda Shadow, and with some modification, make it work for the Magna.  If anyone has any detailed information on that – I’d really like to hear it.

 

Automotive

Magna Impressions

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The VF750C Magna is a great machine.  I’ve missed that V-4 engine since I sold my last Magna.  The other bikes I had after it just didn’t quite have the same mojo.  And by mojo, I mean power band.  It’s wide power band lets the bike pull in every gear without working it.  It’s not anxious, there’s nothing frantic about it.  It’s comfortable cruising in town, and blasting down the highway.  I do wish it had one more gear on the tall end, but it’s no big deal because the RPM’s go quite high.

Filled up the tank, 9 bucks.  Vehicle Inspection, 9 bucks.  Insurance, 17 bucks.

This kind a cheap to live with cost is awesome.  Tax on the bike to get the new plates was 150 bucks, but I expected that.   I’m completely and utter broke now, but everything’s golden and I have a full tank that’s going to get me to work for a week.  My truck, to fill up the gas tank for a week, almost a hundred bucks.

To ride… through the twists, along the straights… relaxed… chillin in the saddle… Guys… Guys… Guys… Why the hell did I wait so long to get another bike?

I still need to get some decent leathers, a brain bucket, and good gloves before I do any long range riding.   I am going to be eating PBJ’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next two weeks.  Worth it.  And with reports of gas going up to 6 bucks a gallon – I am very glad I got this bike now.  The news reports recently mentioned that with gas prices going up, more and more people are getting motorcycles and scooters.  So if you guys want a good used bike – get one now before they are all gone.

Okay, this is the last post about me gushing about bikes for awhile.  This isn’t a bike blog… It’s a gun blog.  Gun Content will resume shortly.