HONDA VT1300CS Sabre (2011-2012) Specs, Performance & Photos

The 2012 Honda VT1300CS Sabre was a powerful cruiser motorcycle in its third year of production that combined performance and style. The bike was powered by a 1,312cc V-twin engine that delivered strong acceleration and plenty of torque.

When it debuted in 2010, the Sabre was part of a series of custom-cruiser lines of motorcycles, along with the Fury, Interstate, and Stateline models that replaced the VTX1300 line. The Sabre and Stateline models were introduced at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.

In addition to the Chopper-styled Fury, the three conventional cruiser models remained in production until 2014. Both Sabre and Interstate names were previously used by Honda on other models, such as the VT1100C2 Shadow Sabre, which was the most recent one.

Compared to the Chopper-styled Fury, the Sabre offered a less extreme seating position with a narrower handlebar and a lower steering head, resulting in a reasonably typical cruiser design and competing with other mid-sized cruisers like the Star Stryker.

The 2012 Honda VT1300CS Sabre was powered by a 1,312cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine that featured an electronically controlled fuel injection system and provided an output power of 74 hp with a peak at 5,000 rpm and 123 Nm (91 lb-ft) of torque at 3,000 rpm.

The stopping power was achieved by a 336 mm disc mounted on the front five-spoke cast aluminum wheel and squeezed by a dual-piston caliper, while a 296 mm disc bolted to the bobbed five-spoke aluminum rear wheel was engaged by a single-piston caliper.

The 45 mm fork with 100 mm wheel travel handled the front suspension, while a five-way spring preload shock absorber took care of the rear wheel suspension.