Japanese Classic Motorcycles in Indiana

Went by S+S Powersports in Clarksville, Indiana during a Christmas visit home. Nice motorcycle shop (in fact I purchased a bike from them a few years ago...the last bike I purchased in Indiana) but love their small collection of classic motorcycles. This bike is a HondaV-65 Sabre. It came out about 1984, and had an 1100cc version of the Honda V-4 engine. That engine really got a lot of use having been built in a number of versions. A really good cruiser, the V-45 Magna (750cc) was a good version, but it was most famous in the Honda Interceptor. The engines were compact and powerful for the day.

 This bike has had a huge impact...it is one of the first versions of the famous Gold Wing. Originally a four the bike was evolved into the touring bike today largely by the people who owned it. Aftermarket fairings and baggage was added (these were famous with Vetter "Windjammer" fairings) over the years, and finally Honda came out with the touring version today. The Honda Gold Wing is probably the most popular touring motorcycle out there. It has grown a great deal over the years both in engine size and weight-hard to look at this and realize this was where it all started. However, this is the child so to speak that grew into the legend.

Street/trail bikes were popular in the 1970's and 1980's, and this is a Honda version of one. The pipes were made like that to give better ground clearance, and the engine in this bike is a 450cc twin. The bars were also designed to hold up against flexing on dirt. There were a number of these types of motorcycles then, over the past few years they have made a comeback. BMW, Ducati and the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers all make some version of what were known as Street/Trail bikes, and they are very popular. BMW's big GS1200 has even been used in around the world rides...most famous on the show "Long Way Around".
   

 Finally, few motorcycles have had the impact of this one. Known for basically small motorcycles Honda's 750 Four changed the game for those companies. Amazingly powerful and reliable for the day, the 750 Four lead to changes in motorcycling which still ring today many years later. This bike had a chain drive, kickstart and was air cooled. Current in-line four versions are usually water-cooled and still exist in a number of sizes. This bike though is no longer made by Honda, though they still do make in-line fours which remains a very popular engine type .