There was just a little bit of confusion at Honda.  The V-Twin Shadows were obviously Honda's mainline cruisers, but the Magna looked quite similar.  Was the Magna a cruiser, or did its V-Four engine make it a performance bike?  One look at the redesigned 1987 Magna will tell you:  It's the latest performance-cruiser from Japan, a customized, hot-rodded boulevard special that mixes styling influences from Yamaha's V-Max and Fazer with a little bit of the first Kawasaki Eliminator, and adds a dash of Batmobile just for flavor.

Beyond a doubt, the scooped-out side panels and the upswept four-pipe exhaust system will be fuel for sidewalk styling critiques, but there's much that's familiar about the Magna.  Then engine, for example, is basically the same silky-smooth powerplant that was introduced in 1982, although Honda claims that the engine makes about three more horsepower, due mainly to the new exhaust system.  In any event, its meaty, but not particularly muscular, powerband stretches linearly from idle to the redline, making controllable and highly usable horsepower.  The Magna doesn't care what gear it is in as it pulls from virtually any rpm.

Complimenting the incredibly smooth engine, the chassis contributes to making the riding experience comfortable and reassuring.  The bike handles around-town and freeway tasks with ease, and it even performs surprisingly well on twisty back roads, given its moderate cornering clearance.  What makes this possible are shocks that work well in a wide variety of situations, and a compliant, yet firm front fork.

In addition, the riding position ranks as one of motorcycling's best.  The bike's footpegs are in a reasonable position for average-sized riders, and the handlebar has the right bends and shape, even though it's 90-degree elbows look like material stolen from a plumber's scrap box.  The only real problem with the ergonomics is the step in the seat, which may bee too far forward for taller riders.  But then the seat itself is thick and firm.

With good, usable power, a responsive yet rigid chassis and a comfortable seating position, the Magna is indeed a reasonable motorcycle, regardless of how it is packaged.  It's far less intimidating than a V-Max, and the power is easier to use than the Fazier's.  The biggest question is whether the radical styling will keep otherwise interested buyers from giving it serious consideration.