Honda are well-known for making lean and mean sports bikes like the CBR 600RR and the Fireblade, as well as their smooth and frugal commuter range in India and other parts of the globe. But in the US of A, their motorcycle line-up wouldn’t be complete without some proper touring and cruiser models. The Gold Wing has been around for a while and has been one of the foremost names in touring motorcycles. However, Honda’s recent plunge into the custom-look cruiser market has been quite interesting. Their 1300-cc Fury was rather well-received and now, there’s a new line.
Honda’s 1300 Custom Line offers more specific features as far as choosing a motorcycle go; all models look like raw metal finished to artistic levels. The Stateline, Sabre and Interstate form the line-up, which starts at $12,150 (Rs 6.5 lakh). The Stateline is the essential cruiser, offering a no-nonsense design, complete with flowing fenders and rock-solid build quality.. The Sabre is the bad boy cum dragster of the range, with a large 21-inch front wheel and minimalistic fenders. Both, the Stateline and the Sabre, are available in just one colour – black. The Interstate is the most tourer-friendly model in the Custom Line, sporting a metallic silver paint finish, big fenders and saddle bags. Everything from the front windscreen and the custom black wheels to the chrome topped blacked-out engine look fluid and smooth, yet don’t exude an air of a heavyweight.
The VT1300 Custom Line is based around the 6V, V-twin motor displacing 1312cc, with Honda’s PGM-Fi and running two spark plugs per cylinder. The engine makes just under 60 PS and a considerable 107 Nm of torque, more than enough for whatever journey you have in mind. Honda already has the Fury on sale in India. It will be interesting to see if its resultant darker spawn make it here as well.
Story: Jim Gorde
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