2010–2022 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Honda's Wildest Factory Chopper
Honda built this one to be looked at, then engineered it so the looking costs you nothing the rest of the time. A 1312 cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin makes 58 hp and 79 lb-ft and sends it rearward through a shaft final drive. The steel double cradle stretches out to a 71.1 in (1,805 mm) wheelbase, the fork rakes forward to a 21-inch front wheel, the tail sits bobbed over a 200-section rear tire, and the tank sweeps down into the seat. Everything that makes a chopper a chopper is here, built on a production line.
On the road it delivers what the shape promises. Torque is there from just above idle, the fueling is clean, and at highway speed the long chassis sits dead steady. It ages cheaply too: roughly 40 mpg, a shaft instead of a chain, and hardware that does not ask for much. Aftermarket support is broad if you want to push the custom idea further. The honest caveat is that low-speed work is deliberate, the suspension is soft, and the footpegs touch down early. This is a bike for the rider who wants presence at a roll, not one chasing pace.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 58 hp (42 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 79 lb-ft (107 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1312 cc |
| Engine | 52° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Front brake | 336 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 200/50-18 |
| Wheelbase | 71.1 in (1805 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.7 in (678 mm) |
| Wet weight | 664 lb (301 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.4 gal (12.9 L) |
| Fuel economy | 40 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
This section isn't my ride impression. It's what riders have handed me over the years: talk in paddocks and parking lots, owners comparing notes at club nights, and the emails and messages from people living with the bike. The chatter lands in a consistent place. The praise is about comfort and the absence of trouble, the complaints about where the finish doesn't match the look.
For a chopper, riders talk about the ergonomics with real ease. The seat is padded well enough that a long day stays comfortable, the wide bar drops the arms where they naturally fall, and the forward controls sit close enough that nobody reports stretching for them. All-day rides come up as ordinary, not as an achievement. Reliability draws the same tone: in years of owner talk, nobody has brought me a story about this V-twin letting go.
The complaint that surfaces again and again is the chrome. Rocker covers, the headlight bucket, the fenders: owners find chromed plastic where they expected metal. On a motorcycle bought largely for how it looks, that gap is the thing riders keep coming back to.
Fuel tank bracket weld missing (Recall 17V-805)
A manufacturing defect on certain replacement fuel tanks (and original on 2017 models) left essential welds off the stay bracket. Vibrations can crack the tack weld, causing fuel leakage and fire risk. Honda recalled and replaced affected tanks free of charge.
Battery drain and slow cranking
As bikes age, the battery tends to weaken, leading to slow or no-crank starts. Some cases trace to a failing starter motor. Installing a fresh, high-CCA battery and checking cable connections typically solves it.
Steering head bearing wear (front-end wobble)
Owners report a noticeable front-end wobble on deceleration once the bike has accumulated moderate mileage, traced to loose or worn factory ball bearings in the steering head. As the bearings develop play, the long, raked front end begins to shake when the rider rolls off the throttle.
Speedometer/headlight rattle
Internal mounting failures in the headlight bucket or speedometer housing cause annoying rattles and vibrations. Replacing the headlight assembly under warranty has been a common fix.
Where this Honda VT 1300 CX pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the VT 1300 CX is actually built for.
You will not blend in at a rally on this, and it will get you there without drama. Just know the badge on the tank and the note out the pipes are Honda's, not the ones your crowd expects.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
This is exactly the pace it wants: small towns, easy two-lane miles, somewhere worth parking at the end of them. Plan the fuel stops close together and the trip works.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Straight-line stability is there, but a 3.4 gal tank, no cruise control and nothing to block the wind make long days hard work. Great for a weekend loop, not for crossing the country.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road