It seems like it was too much power for you.
Erik said:
It seems like it was too much power for you.
Well… I had to start somewhere right? My last bike was a 3rd gen Magna. It’s not quite as powerful as the V65, but it’s no slouch. This is my first +100hp bike, but it’s still manageable. It’s not a 200hp superbike after all.
@Levi
But it has more torque than a superbike, and it starts pulling at lower revs…
Erik said:
@Levi
But it has more torque than a superbike, and it starts pulling at lower revs…
You know… for once, I was actually being responsible and riding cautiously. It was a new bike, and I had a long way ahead to get back to my city. I had reached 200kph on my old 3rd gen Magna, and that thing felt as stable as a tank. No weaving, could handle even the roughest road bumps at high speeds. The V65 should theoretically be built to dominate the 1/4 mile, so it should be stable and safe at those speeds, right? It’s just… I feel let down by my own bike.
The bike’s handlebars aren’t original and weren’t tightened properly, so they’ve been coming loose over time.
Erik said:
The bike’s handlebars aren’t original and weren’t tightened properly, so they’ve been coming loose over time.
Could that be what caused the high-speed weaving?
It’s a great bike, but it’s showing its age. Have you checked the front wheel bearings? Did you balance the wheel? Also, have you changed the front suspension oil? And did you load the rear shock absorbers correctly?
@Erik
I crashed the bike the same day I bought it. The guy who sold it to me seemed to have taken care of it, so I trusted him. My plan was to drive it back home at highway speeds (120kph in Spain), but the bike just couldn’t handle it.
If you can get it into neutral and start it, I’d say it’s definitely worth fixing. You can find another one with worse issues (bad engine, tires, clutch, etc.) for cheap. Did you check the tire pressures? So many riders don’t know how to maintain their bikes beyond just washing them. Glad you didn’t get hurt or worse. I had a speed wobble on my ’65 Harley FL PanHead and honestly, I’m not sure how I stayed on, but it was intense. –Nate
@Thorne
Hey! Well, the engine is definitely in good shape. It won’t start right now, but I think it’s the clutch sensor. My biggest worry is whether the frame might be bent.
Levi said:
@Thorne
Hey! Well, the engine is definitely in good shape. It won’t start right now, but I think it’s the clutch sensor. My biggest worry is whether the frame might be bent.
So, try making it run and see if it shifts properly. If it does, ride it a bit to see if it pulls to one side or anything. Once it’s running, you could use it for parts. –Nate
PSA for anyone who doesn’t know: The old Magnas had a weak fork brace (you can see it in the second picture) which can break easily and cause your bike to crash. If you own one, make sure you get an add-on brace. You can find it at Honda Fork Stabilizer – SuperBrace. The Magnas are the only ones I know for sure with this problem, but it’s common to swap them out for other Honda bikes of the same generation. As for the bike, I’d recommend moving on and buying a replacement. Use the good parts from this one to keep another one running. A V65 was my first bike and I wish I still had one. They’re really worth having, especially as parts donors if you have the space. –EUC
@Jayce
Wait a second… So, if I replace that specific part, the bike won’t be unstable at high speeds anymore? I know it runs with some work, but is it still a death trap?
Levi said:
@Jayce
Wait a second… So, if I replace that specific part, the bike won’t be unstable at high speeds anymore? I know it runs with some work, but is it still a death trap?
Correct. It’s still a bit sketchy above 120mph, but that’s normal for cruisers with long rakes. Once you fix the fork brace, it won’t throw you off anymore. It’s still rideable, just keep an eye on the speed and feel when you need to back off.
@Jayce
Wait, are we talking about kph or mph? 
Mph
So, if I go over 120mph, I’m in danger… kind of disappointing for ‘the fastest production bike.’ At least, it’s almost impossible to hit that speed in the 1/4 mile.
@Levi
Lol… you won’t die. It just feels unstable. You can still reach 130-135mph before it gets scary. But once you fix that fork brace, it’ll be like any other bike; you’ll just know when to slow down.
@Jayce
My old 3rd gen Magna could handle 120mph easily and was rock steady. Maybe the 3rd gen has a more stable geometry than the V65, even though the V65 is way faster. That doesn’t make sense to me.