HONDA VTX1300S (2002-2003) Specs, Performance & Photos

In addition to the VTX1800 series, the Japanese maker made a smaller line of cruisers available. In 2003, Honda released the VTX1300S, a machine with an all-new engine fitted in a traditional cruiser bodywork.

Compared to the VTX1800 motorcycle, the VTX1300 model packed standard brakes instead of the linked braking system of the larger model and a carburetor with a manual choke for cold starts instead of a fuel injection system.

Also, the VTX1300 featured a cable-operated clutch instead of a hydraulic unit as its larger sibling. At the same time, the engine had an air injection system, a catalytic converter, and a lean fuel-air mixture that controlled emissions.

The VTX1300 line of motorcycles came with a pour instrumentation system comprising a large analog speedometer with a digital odometer placed in a nacelle on the fuel tank, joined by a clock or a fuel gauge.

The bike was also built on a double cradle steel frame like the larger model, with a 41 mm telescopic fork handling the front suspension and dual shock absorbers with five-position preload adjustability.

The braking performance was achieved by a dual-piston caliper with a 336 mm disc bolted to the front wire-spoke wheel and a single-piston caliper with a 296 mm disc on the rear wheel, offering strong stopping power.

The 2003 Honda VTX1300S packed a 1,312cc four-stroke liquid-cooled V-twin engine, delivering a force of 74 hp at 5,000 rpm and 123 Nm (91 lb-ft) torque at 3,000 rpm.