Tag Archives: v-45 sabre

HeliBars-25 years of Comfort without Compromise (part 3)

26 Thursday Jan 2012

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We were saddened to learn recently that Dana Sawyer, the founder of the Honda V-4 Sport Touring Association passed away last summer. Dana was a great guy who carried out his vision in 1982 to bring together like-minded motorcycle enthusiasts who shared his passion for the new Honda V-4 motorcycles. There are those who credit Dana with coining the term “sport-touring” motorcycles. The V-4 HSTA organization grew to include all sport-touring motorcycle enthusiasts, and it continues today as the Motorcycle Sport Touring Association.

RIP Dana.

Continuing our history…after he bought his 1982 V-45 Sabre, Harry spent lots of time getting together and talking with Dana and other Sabre owners about the attributes and deficiencies of the bike, as motorcyclists are prone to do when they’re not riding. These conversations led him to do some tinkering with the handlebar position to make it more sporty.

This review was from the V-Fourum, Official Newsletter of the         Honda V-4 Sport Touring Association, December, 1983:

“Harry Eddy’s modified low handlebars…Harry’s bars are a tremendous improvement over the stock bars! They do NOT require extreme forward lean. The quality of workmanship is impeccable and the finish first-rate! The bars (about 2 ½” lower than stock) come with stainless steel adjustment adapters. Cost for members is $79.95 plus $5.00 shipping and handling ($95 a set plus $5.00 shipping for non-members). Prior to February 1st, members may have their bars modified for $65.00 plus $5.00 shipping. No modifications needed to install; they work particularly well with the Corbin Canyon solo seat (and the double bucket touring seat, for that matter). Make check payable to Heli Modified; the bars will be modified within 48 hours, and returned by U.P.S. Allow one week for delivery time…”

Harry’s handlebar designs weren’t called HeliBars® until 1987, which is why we’re celebrating HeliBars 25th anniversary in 2012.

Prices sure have changed since 1983, but the innovative, customer-driven HeliBar designs that Harry and team continue to put into production has not changed. Our craftsmen and women at HeliBars takes pride in the impeccable quality of the workmanship that we produce in our shop in Maine, and with the guaranteed satisfaction that comes with  every HeliBars product that we ship.

 

Brought to you by Heli Modified, Inc.:  The Makers of HeliBars

HeliBars – 25 years of Comfort without Compromise (part 2)

16 Monday Jan 2012

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In 1982 Honda introduced their brand new sport bike, the V-45 Sabre with the revolutionary V4 liquid cooled engine.  Harry picked one up at Cycles 128 in March, 1982 and it was motorcycle love at first ride. It was very evident that Honda had created a motorcycle that people were passionate about, as Road Runner Magazine wrote in  November/December 2003:

“ It all started with a bike! In the case of Dana L. Sawyer, HSTA founder and member #0001, it was a 1982 Honda V-45 Sabre, which he enjoyed riding very much. Wondering if other people were having the same experience with this bike, he sent a short one-paragraph letter to the editors of motorcycle magazines. A stack of replies arrived in his mailbox with some enthusiasts asking for the foundation of a club. One of them was Dave Nicolson, a Texan who became member #0002 and assumed the duties of Vice President. Together, Sawyer and Nicolson formed the Honda V-4 Sport Touring Association.

They published their first newsletter in August 1982 with nine members counted in the HSTA fold.   That number climbed near 100 when the second newsletter was mailed in October 1982 (Harry was member #48).  The initial members’ meeting was held during Daytona Bike Week in 1983. For the May issue in 1983, the club counted 296 members in 44 states and three foreign countries. The first National Rally was held June 13-16, 1983 at Prairie Creek near Rogers, Arkansas, attended by 100 people, including folks from American Honda and Honda R&D…”

Harry and I, along with his cousin Chris, and our kids – 8 year old Aaron, 5 year old Dara and 3 year old Lana – attended, but I’m pretty sure they only counted Harry as one of the 100 attendees. Our 3 week road trip was an adventure!

At that time Heli Modified had a contract with Fomac of Wilmington to build the first 120 frames for the Avatar 2000, a unique recumbent bicycle. In his spare time Harry rode his Sabre lots of miles, and he began to identify what he could change to make it truly his own custom fit motorcycle – the process which would lead to the creation of the “Inter-Sabre”- which will be the subject of my next entry.

25 years of HeliBars-Comfort Without Compromise- will be continued…

Brought to you by Heli Modified, Inc.:  The Makers of HeliBars