Honda VF750C Magna

Honda VF750
Manufacturer	Honda
Also called	VF750S V45 Sabre, VF 750 S V45 Sabre, VF750C Super Magna V45, VF 750 C Super Magna V45, VF750C, VF750S, VF750 Magna, VF750F, VF750C Magna, VF 750 S, VF 750 Magna, VF 750 F, VF 750 C Magna, VF 750 C
Production	1993-94
Class	Power Cruiser
Engine	Four stroke, 90°V-four cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder
Compression ratio	10.8:1
Air Filter	K&N HA-7594 `94-03
Ignition	CDI
Spark Plug	NGK DPR8EA-9 `82-83
Battery	YUASA YB14-A2 `82-83
Transmission	5 Speed
Final Drive	Shaft `82-83
Suspension	Front: 41mm Air assisted forks, 4-way anti-dive adjustable Rear: Dual shocks, spring preload adjustable
Brakes	Front: Single 315mm disc Rear: 180mm Drum
Front Tire	120/80-17 Dunlop K555F, tubeless
Rear Tire	150/80-17 Dunlop K555, tubeless
Wheelbase	1651 mm / 65 in
Length	2514 mm / 93 in
Seat Height	710 mm / 28 in
Weight	228 kg / 504 lbs (dry),
Oil Filter	K&N KN-303
Recommended Oil	Honda GN4 10W-40
Fuel Capacity	13 Liters 3.5 US gal
Manuals	Service Manual

Engine

The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Four stroke, 90°V-four cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder. The engine featured a 10.8:1 compression ratio.

Drive

Power was moderated via the Wet, multiplate.

Chassis

It came with a 120/80-17 Dunlop K555F, tubeless front tire and a 150/80-17 Dunlop K555, tubeless rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single 315mm disc in the front and a 180mm Drum in the rear. The front suspension was a 41mm Air assisted forks, 4-way anti-dive adjustable while the rear was equipped with a Dual shocks, spring preload adjustable. The VF750C Magna was fitted with a 13 Liters 3.5 US gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 228 kg / 504 lbs. The wheelbase was 1651 mm / 65 in long.

Photos

Overview

Honda VF 750C Magna

Honda designed the VF750C Magna as the ultimate cruiser by taking the basic concept of a cruiser and mounting a big, sporty engine. The bike ended up being very comfortable, powerful and stylish and it gave birth to an entire new concept of motorcycle, the power cruiser. In 1982 Honda launched a 750cc power cruiser called V45 Magna. It was the beginning of a beautiful story as the Company continued to improve and mass produce the model, with some major or minor changes, for more than twenty years. The first model was available in Candy Maroon or Candy Imperial Blue for gas tank and side covers and it had chromed headlight, instruments, and fenders. The 748cc DOHC 16-valve liquid-cooled 90 degree V4 linked to a 6-speed transmission with hydraulic clutch and shaft drive could lift the speedometers needle up to 150mph around the 10,000rpm red line and the front disc brake with curved grooves offered great braking power. Compression numbers are high, and the stroke is short.

1983 is the year when Honda overshadowed the performance, reliability and refinement with the more powerful 1098cc V65 Magna. Speed was the goal but Honda’s DOHC setup was prone to premature wear of the cams. The V45 was also available that same year with the same characteristics and maroon or black color options.

The next year, Honda had to respond to the imposed tariff rates for foreign-build motorcycles by reducing the engine size for the 750s, and the Magna became the VF700C in the USA. Except black, the bike could be bought Candy Andromeda Red painted. The VF700C kept being produced until the end of 1986, beginning of 1987 when the second generation of VF700C and VF750C was introduced. For the two years (1987, 1988) the 2G Magna was produced, it was dubbed the Super Magna. In 1987, the 700cc motor developed 80bhp @9500rpm, with torque being 46 ft-lbs @7500rpm. In 1988, the Magna grew back to its original size of 748cc. The Magna V-four has endured through the first and second generations of the VF and VFR Interceptors, both come and gone by 1988. Like the original 750 Sabre and VF750, this 750 Magna engine uses a 369-degree crankshaft and chain-driven double-overhead camshafts, quite different from Honda’s last V-four sport bike engine, the VFR750 Interceptor, which had gear-driven overhead cams and a 180-degree crankshaft. The premature cam wear that plagued the earlier models was reduced with the line-bored super cams together with changed oil ducts.

The 1987 V45 Magna was either Candy Wave Blue or Candy Bourgogne Red painted and 1988 brought black paint instead of blue. The air cleaner war wrinkle black with a “V45” emblem, and the “Magna” tank decal was silver. The exhaust system was now an upsweep 4-into-4 set of pipes, truly unique for cruisers but not very practical as they didn’t permit the attachment of saddlebags. The rear wheel was a solid aluminum disc and the chin fairing was unfinished black plastic for the 1987, with matched color in 1988. This generation was also the first to have the lower seat height of a mere 27. 8 inches (706mm), more than four inches (102mm) lower than its predecessor.

The third generation of VF750C Magna was presented in 1993 and with the early release 1994 model, Honda sough to capture the market for powerful cruisers so it lifted the engine from the VFR750 and positioned it on the Magna’s chassis. The looks of the engine were improved by adding chrome and some extra cooling fins together with the 4-into-4 exhaust but there were also some internal adjustments in order to use the VFR motor on the Magna such as: different crankshaft, smaller carbs, a 5-speed transmission and chain driven cams. The changes resulted into a mid-range pulling engine and a very broad band of power. It developed 78.2bhp @ 9000rpm, with torque of 48.2 ft-lbf @7250rpm. The seat was kept very low, at 28 inches, with the passenger seat being detachable. The bike received an all-new frame which was completed by a 41mm fork, dual shocks and a single disc on the front.

This last generation (until now) of Magna kept its original design and engine characteristics, through the years changing only paint schemes, the most distinctively being the “scalloped” design in the late 90’s.

In 2004 the VF750C Magna stop being produce but fans around the world still wait for a 4th generation of this model as they did between the 2nd and 3rd generation. Lets hope that Honda will soon come up with a new, improved Magna although they didn’t announce nothing yet. When I approached this motorcycle, I new that I wasn’t going to encounter the ordinary cruising experience and I certainly didn’t. The bike is absolutely fabulous and I am not exaggerating. Around town it rewards those willing to stir the five-speed gearbox, which is nicely staged and shifts positively. However, even those who hate changing gears will appreciate the smooth gearbox when they are scooting ahead of traffic. I especially like it because, being a cruiser, it gives the impression that it’s going to slow you down and it does the exact opposite so you won’t be able to follow it for more than 13 seconds until it will become “that small dot” in front of you. But to become a small dot you need to make some fast launches and this requires plenty of rpm and a trained clutch hand. Fortunately, the Magna clutch is able to tolerate extended slipping off the line and its chain final drive does its purpose.

The element that makes this bike so great is the engine and although the 90 degree V4 has some narrow ranges it is smooth at normal speeds and even at high rpm. The thing is that it can get to really high rpm and that is when you start thinking at what are you riding and if you should let it breathe for a while but your second thought will be (mine sure was): “let’s see if it can do more!” and it can.

The riding position is being improved by the slightly low, forward handlebars and the wide saddle. Suspensions also proved very efficient, making the bike a real friend of long journeys.

You can feel that middleweight stature in the Magna’s handling, however. The steering is light and precise and it has a better response than what is found on V-twins.

I’ve also ridden the V-max and although it is much powerful than the Magna, the engine is tuned for pure acceleration and you always find yourself pushing it to the max or pulling the brakes strongly and I don’t call that cruising. Conclusion I believe that by reading this article you have drawn your own conclusions and if you are still not convinced, I invite you to check this bike’s specs with a single thing on your mind: is it a cruiser?

Make Model	Honda VF 750C Magna
Year	1993-94
Engine Type	Four stroke, 90°V-four cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder
Displacement	748 cc / 45.6 cu-in
Cooling System	Liquid cooled
Bore X Stroke	70 x 48.6 mm
Compression	10.8:1
Lubrication	Wet sump
Induction	4x 32mm Keihin CV
Ignition	CDI
Starting	Electric
Max Power	87 hp / 64.9 kW @ 9000 rpm
Max Torque	69.6 Nm / 51.3 ft. lbs @ 7250 rpm
Clutch	Wet, multiplate
Transmission	5 Speed
Final Drive	530 chain, 40/16
Front Suspension	41mm Air assisted forks, 4-way anti-dive adjustable
Front Wheel Travel	120 mm / 4.7 in
Rear Suspension	Dual shocks, spring preload adjustable
Rear Wheel Travel	100 mm / 3.9 in
Front Brakes	Single 315mm disc
Rear Brakes	180mm Drum
Wheels Front	Cast-alloy, 17 x 3.0 in
Wheels Rear	Cast-alloy, 15 x 3.5 in
Front Tire	120/80-17 Dunlop K555F, tubeless
Rear Tire	150/80-17 Dunlop K555, tubeless
Rake	32°
Trail	129 mm / 5.1 in
Length	2514 mm / 93 in
Wheelbase	1651 mm / 65 in
Seat Height	710 mm / 28 in
Dry Weight	228 kg / 504 lbs
Fuel Capacity	13 Liters 3.5 US gal