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Evolution--VTX to Stateline?

10K views 27 replies 18 participants last post by  Rowie 
#1 ·
I was cruising craigslist, amazon and other sites looking at prices and accessories. The wife has a Saber but has been eyeing my 2006 1300R. I'm not sure what she has in mind, almost afraid to ask. She threw me a question and it stalled me. Is 2009 the last model year for the VTX, and did the Stateline models replace them? They seem comparable in many ways so now I'm curious.
 
#5 ·
The Stateline doesn't look like a bad platform to do a build off but I have NEVER seen one on the road. My dealer says the Fury and Stateline just do not sell but baggers are selling reasonably well across all lines (Vaquero, Nomad etc)

1800's ended in '08, 1300's in '09
 
#6 ·
I may be wrong, but I feel like Honda missed the mark with the look of the newer 1300 bikes. They are more chopper-like. While they look sexy, I doubt they'd sell all that well. They had a great cruiser in the VTX line already. I think they would have been better off to just tweak what they had. Add FI, better brakes and improve some finish details with the VTX 1300, and they'd be even more of a stand-out. But they went and got a little too cutesy with the design, IMO.

If they wanted to kill the 1800, I would have suggested replacing it with a 1600 and keeping the 1300.

Oh well. They are still ours to treasure.
 
#8 ·
sat on a 2013 interstate the other day at a dealer
i really like the way it feels and it looks great to me
i just don't like the empty space between the trees front bottom of the tank and engine
i like the 5-spoke wheels
the curve on top of A-frame
bike looks Longer then any other bike
i'm liking the bike more and more every time i see one
but i have never yet seen one out on the road in action
 
#9 ·
sat on a 2013 interstate the other day at a dealer
i really like the way it feels and it looks great to me
i just don't like the empty space between the trees front bottom of the tank and engine
i like the 5-spoke wheels
the curve on top of A-frame
bike looks Longer then any other bike
i'm liking the bike more and more every time i see one
but i have never yet seen one out on the road in action
It looks good from some angles but the skinny tank and stock pipes look weird imo. Bags look cheap, bad "C-like" seat.......................... I like this color though

 
#12 ·
My Bro n law (Poboy) traded in his 05 1800F a year or two back on an Interstate.
He seems to be happy with it.
He has gone as far as I did on a few rides so I would guess the tank is large enough.
He said the seat is more comfortable than the stock VTX C seat. He had two 1300C..
If Honda shrunk the backbone then the tank would hold more fuel.
I never looked close enough to see.
 
#14 ·
Same block

Dead and gone like my V65 Magna. Wish that bike would come back.... I'll keep my 1800c for a long time I think.
The engine block on the Stateline, Interstate, Cobra, and modern, 1312cc Honda cruisers is the VTX1300's engine. Difference is that the Stateline series of motorcycles are fuel injected versus the VTX1300, which, as you all know, was a carbureted motorcycle.
Last year of the 1800 was 2008. Last year of the VTX1300 was 2009. The largest cruiser motorcycle you can get nowadays in a Honda is one of the injected, 1300 Stateline type bikes. When I was looking for a new motorcycle, after I had to sell my 1800, I looked at a Stateline. I just didn't like the extended rake on the front fork, and I did not like all the plastic on the bike. Dam! The whole bike is made out of plastic!! Both fenders, side covers, valve covers, sideplates - all silver colored plastic!!! I also wanted something bigger and more powerful. Once you've ridden an 1800, your standards are pretty high.
The VTX1800 was all metal parts in these areas, with a lot of real chrome parts.
My new Victory is also a steel bike. Steel fenders, steel valve covers, side plates, and so on. I think Victory is a good quality machine all the way around - just like my 1800 was!
 
#16 ·
The Vt 1300 stateline is nice bike with gobs of low and mid range power. I don't like the fact that honda has ecu limited it to a 100 mph top speed. The bike can go much faster but honda resticted top speed for safety reasons concerning a chopperesk raked out fork. All vt 1300s are regulated at 100. I dislike honda for doing that. What if I wanted to go 105. I can't for factory safety measures. :(
 
#18 ·
V65

I came close to getting a 750 mag. I like the way they look.
bought the v65 Magna from a co worker that hardly ever rode it, Speedo had been replaces and read 7,200 miles. I put 172,000 miles on it when it blew a head gasket. Fixed it and bought the 03 X instead of putting more into the V65 to fix it up. Sold the magna, man do I miss it!!!!
 
#19 ·
I had a V-65 Sabre and wrecked it. Bought another and eventually gave it and the wrecked one to my son. He still rides it and has plenty of spare parts. I miss the bike, but not because it was cool or comfortable or handled well, but because it was FAST.
 
#21 ·
It looks good from some angles but the skinny tank and stock pipes look weird imo. Bags look cheap, bad "C-like" seat.......................... I like this color though

Up close in person that tank does not look as skiny
cause the bike is so Low and long and you can't tell that from the picture

the seat and all around the bike is Way more comfortable then my C.
they should a had a touring seat on it since they claim it as touring bike
but yes... . that exhaust has Got to go that is Fugly :lol:
the bags upgrade to a bit bigger hard painted bags would be a must at some point

for the right price and from a private seller one day who knows .. .
i will get me one of those

few Mods and that would be one bad bike
 
#22 ·
#23 ·
Looks to me like they did to this bike what many do to their VTX's...

Longer rake... that's cool custom look.
Fuel injection... obvious improvement.
Longer sleek tank... cool. How many gallons does it "actually" hold?
Curved frame.. custom look.
Handle bars appear to have taller risers... good improvement.
Front rotor... moved to left side for better balance and improved looks.
Plastic chrome parts... what's wrong with that? Makes the bike lighter and easier to ride. Less rust too. Welcome to the plastic generation.
Saddle bags & removable windshield... typically desired and needed accessories, IMO. Mine certainly had to be added.
I'm guessing there may be a few others.

I don't know, people will complain about anything.. "nothing is as good as the VTX". But pretty much every improvement is one I would need or want to do to the VTX.

Bigger engines? Well that didn't sell well for Honda did it?

It doesn't look much like a touring bike... and maybe that's what they are going for. The "Honda crowd" is a different breed.

I think Honda has shifted it's market anyway... and the only model I would ever ride is the discontinued VTX!

Cheers!
 
#24 ·
I do know that 2008 was the last year for the VTX 1800 :cry:

a shame too..... :evil:


the 1300 is still going strong = VTX1300C line

Fury - X
Sabre - S
Stateline - R ( entry level )
Interstate T
My understanding of the S/R/T designations was for the former VTX models (both 13 and 1800)
R:Retro
S:Spoke
T:Touring. . . .

Seems silly they'd reuse the model sub designators. . . .

And the VTX1300 was discontinued like 4 or 5 years ago as well. . . .
 
#25 ·
Looks to me like they did to this bike what many do to their VTX's...

Longer rake... that's cool custom look.
Fuel injection... obvious improvement.
Longer sleek tank... cool. How many gallons does it "actually" hold?
Curved frame.. custom look.
Handle bars appear to have taller risers... good improvement.
Front rotor... moved to left side for better balance and improved looks.
Plastic chrome parts... what's wrong with that? Makes the bike lighter and easier to ride. Less rust too. Welcome to the plastic generation.
Saddle bags & removable windshield... typically desired and needed accessories, IMO. Mine certainly had to be added.
I'm guessing there may be a few others.

I don't know, people will complain about anything.. "nothing is as good as the VTX". But pretty much every improvement is one I would need or want to do to the VTX.

Bigger engines? Well that didn't sell well for Honda did it?

It doesn't look much like a touring bike... and maybe that's what they are going for. The "Honda crowd" is a different breed.

I think Honda has shifted it's market anyway... and the only model I would ever ride is the discontinued VTX!

Cheers!
I think Honda's attempt at making a chopper came about 3-4 years too late. By the time they introduced the Fury M/C sales were dying off because of the economy and riders were looking for more "everyday" all-around bikes. A fuel injected 1300 with a full-bagger option would have been a better seller IMHO.
 
#26 ·
I think Honda's attempt at making a chopper came about 3-4 years too late. By the time they introduced the Fury M/C sales were dying off because of the economy and riders were looking for more "everyday" all-around bikes. A fuel injected 1300 with a full-bagger option would have been a better seller IMHO.
Instead they let Yamaha do it with the V-Star 1300 and Stratoliner Deluxe


And Kawasaki with the Vaquero



Honda just plain ol dropped the ball and continues to do so imo although the f6b has some merit
 
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