If you’re looking for some hardcore 1980s Japanese muscle, you’re going to be all about this 1984 Honda V65 Sabre. Currently up for sale via Bring A Trailerit has 32,000 miles on the clock and is almost completely original.  

This black and silver, red-accented 36-year-old bruiser has obviously been well-cared-for, and it shows. The grips and tires are the only non-original things present, according to the selling dealer. There’s some slight wear on the left side tank decals, as well as the seat cowl. However, it’s the kind of thing you’d expect from a bike of this age, and that was ridden for 32,000 miles.  

The liquid-cooled 1,098cc dual overhead cam V4 engine made a claimed 121 horsepower when new. It’s mated to a six-speed transmission, and this V65 Sabre is of course shaft-driven. Dual discs stop you up front, while a single disc setup does the job in the rear. The stock three-spoke alloy wheels currently sport brand new Kenda Kruz tires installed by the selling dealer.  

Gallery: 1984 Honda V65 Sabre

The suspension is where things get interesting, because this is a Honda bike that featured its Torque-Reactive Anti-dive Control system, or TRAC for short. Introduced in the mid-’70s, the TRAC system was Honda’s way of mitigating front-end dive in the forks by stiffening up the suspension whenever you pulled the brake lever. Naturally, where Honda went, the rest of Japan’s Big Four followed, but eventually all these elaborate anti-dive systems fell out of favor. 

Whether you’re interested in experiencing this system out of nostalgia, or just out of a sense of historical curiosity about this technological innovation that no longer exists today, there are a number of reasons this very original V65 Sabre might appeal to you. Heck, it even comes with the original owner's manual and tool kit, which is always a plus in my book!  

This bike is being offered with no reserve by a seller in Menasha, Wisconsin. The auction ends on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. At the time of writing, bidding is up to US $1,500, and the seller is happy to ship this bike to the winning bidder upon payment. You won’t actually need a trailer for this one, since you can hear in the video how strong and clean it runs.  

Sources: YouTubeBring A TrailerClassic Motorbikes 

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