The MagSab FAQ, while providing an enormous amount of information on SabMags in general, has a large gap in providing specific information on customization, and other specific areas, as evidenced by a lot of the questions I receive via e-mail.  This section will attempt to address that gap, with the aid of SabMaggers who have braved the "afraid to ask stupid question" gap.  Unlike the MagSab list, you will not be 'flamed' or treated poorly for asking any question, no matter how many times it has been asked or discussed. As a matter of fact, I encourage those questions, since it gives me more material to add to this section.   The flaming of 'Newbies' is IMO is poor and unacceptable, no matter how a few listmembers try to rationalize it.
    This is a relatively new area of this site, and I have a lot of topics to post, so it will take time.  I eventually will put an index, so it will be easier to access the information.  If you have any MagSab related questions at all, please ask!  If they are not covered in the MagSab FAQ, or if the answers are too broad or too hard to find in that area, I will include them here.  Remember, you will never be flamed by me for asking any question, no matter how bad that you percieve the question to be.

I have a bit of rusting on the cylinder bolts of my 84 V-65. Can I remove them for replacement or cleaning, maybe one at a time, without disturbing the seal on the cylinders? Also, are there any springs or bearings or etc. that would be released if I removed the bolts?
Yes, you can remove the head bolts without affecting  the engine or heads.  It must be done carefully and as follows.  First, you must drain the antifreeze. All of it from the engine. You wouldn't want any leaking through the passages to mess up the heads and gaskets. Secondly, do them one at a time, to avoid warping of the heads. Use the proper torque with a torque wrench.  I have done this successfully on three of my magnas.  There is really no way to prevent them from rusting once they start.   The starting of rust  means the protective coating is gone, and you must keep them extremely clean (daily) to prevent it from recurring. That's why I had them chromed.   I took all eight bolts and had them chromed which not only looks good, but prevents the inevitable rust from forming.

I just changed the oil and filter on my bike with the Honda synthetic 10w-40. The owners manual says it takes 3.2 qts which I added, but the dipstick still showed that it was low. I added a bit more oil until the level was up to the top line on the dipstick. I then looked inside the oil filler hole and still could just barely see the oil inside, but it did not reach the level of the starter gear. Is the dipstick an accurate measure of the correct level? What has been your experience as to how much oil to add after an oil and filter change? 
First of all, make sure you are checking the oil with the dipstick NOT screwed in. I personally have never gone by the amount of oil, I have always relied in the dipstick level. 3.2 is a little low I always add at least 3.5 quarts after an oil change. 3.2 quarts is probably the crankcase capacity, not counting the oil filter & other things. I always fill the oil SLIGHTLY over the full line on the dipstick, it seems to ride better for some reason.

What Oil should I use?  How about the MC specific oils? etc.
Motor oil is a very highly  debated subject for SabMaggers everywhere.   There is a lot of info in the FAQ and other places.  Let's cut through the BS right now.  As long as you change the oil regularly, the oil will work for you.   IMO, synthetic oil is the only way to go.  MC specific oils are overkill.   The .001% improved performance does not justify the added expense.  Synthetic oil will not make your clutch slip unless your clutch is in poor shape to begin with.   Forget the old 70's  stories of the 'horrors of synthetic oils.'  You old timers must remember these.  They are not true, they are the result of uninformed 'urban legend' type thinking.  Semi-synthetic oils are better than dino oils, only because they add a percentage of synthetic.

Should I use additives like Slick 50? 
No!  Again, check the MagSab FAQ for specific info and links, but all of these 'additives' are just an advertising gimmick to get you to purchase their product.   They provide no advantage at all over synthetic oil, and in most cases, have a negative effect on the engine.

The Hondaline fairing!? 
I receive many requests for info on the Sabre Hondaline fairing.  It is not made anymore.  The ony place to find one is a junkyard or a private sale.   Usually, people (espically junkyards) ask insane prices for them.  I wonder if they ever sell them!  I will try to compile a list of suggested places and prices soon.

Looking for info on the possibility of increasing the fuel tank capacity of my 1986 V65 Magna. Is there an optional tank available? Is customization possible? 
This subject has been addressed many times. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. I have explored the options myself, as have others, and as far as I know there aren't any right now. A SabMagger recently went to a Yugo-davidson type shop to see what they could do with expandinng the existing tank. That was about a year or so ago and there are still no results. There are definitely no aftermarket solutions except an ironbutt-type ugly box style aux tank. Aftermarket shops probably would not even touch it since it is such an old bike and it would cost them more in time than what it would be worth. If you find a shop that will expand the tank, please tell me because I have had no luck at all. And I've tried!!

If I lift up the front end and spin the wheel hard, the right caliper squeaks and won't allow the wheel to spin more than 1.5 revolutions. At 32 degrees, when I lift the front wheel and try to spin, it won't spin. I can turn the wheel with my hand, but it won't spin freely. At 10 degrees, I have to use all of my strength to turn the wheel.
After I am riding for a while, I would expect the caliper to heat up and release, but it doesn't. The pads are constantly putting pressure on the rotor. From the people I've spoken with, it sounds like the pistons are sticking, I just can't explain the difference in pressure at different temperatures. I will try to WD40 everything (except the pads). Worst case, is it cheaper to take my caliper to a shop or to buy a rebuild kit ? (Sent in by Jim at 'MCLFLN@aol.com')
A 'Rebuild Kit' would consist of 4 gaskets per Caliper. Square o-rings available from the dealer. That's all there is to them. Of course it would be cheaper to rebuild them yourself, I think the gaskets were about $1 to $2 each mail order. I did it when I chromed the calipers.
I sincerely doubt that they need rebuilding. More likely, the 'pivot pin' is stuck, or there is insufficient clearance between the caliper and the rotor, as specified in the manual.
Most likely, it's the pivot pin, since it not only controls (or allows) radial motion (not really relevant) but it allows the in & out motion necessary as the brakes wear. If the pin sticks, then it is possible that it is not allowing the caliper back far enough to allow it to release pressure. This would be amplified when cold.
So the first step (the easiest and the cheapest) would be to remove the caliper without removing the brake lines, remove the pads, and clean the pistons with WD40 and clean the pivot pins with fine sandpaper.
The pins that hold the pads in may give you problems. They sometimes seize in place. To remove them, find a correct sized punch (or similar battering type contraption), and while cushioning the caliper, put the punch on the pins and hit the punch to push out the pins. Of course, do this on the correct side!
Remove the master cylinder cover and push the pistons back into the caliper with a cushioned c-clamp. If they do not push in, then the calipers are seized.
When re-installing the pins, cover them with a thin coating of anti-seize compound, making sure not to get any on the pads. This should solve any problems with the calipers. If the problem still persists, we can suspect warped rotors or something.

I just bought a 1983 v65 (my first bike). I sometimes have trouble starting it. Yesterday I rolled it out of the garage, turned the switch on, pressed the starter button and got nothing. So I tried shifting from neutral to a different gear but it wont shift right away. Finally after a playing with the clutch a few times it cranked for me. Also when I stall out pulling off in 1st gear I get the same problem....I hit the starter and nothing-except the headlight does dim when starter is press..Again ,shifting to another gear or neutral takes a few tries then I get cranked. Any ideas???    (Sent in by Ellis at 'smallse@acunet.net')
What it sounds like to me is that your 'gear switch' needs a little cleaning. It is located on the left side of the engine, covered by a small black cover held in by two bolts. It is located right above where the driveshaft attaches. This sometimes gets corroded and doesn't make a good contact.
It can usually be cleaned with a little wd-40.

Sorry to bother you with a very simple question, but could you tell me the difference between a V45 and a V65? I have an 85 Magna I'm selling, and I've been asked which it is, and I don't know. (I'm not a Magna fan, I won the bike in a card game!).  (Sent in by Blackjack at 'Bkackjack@aol.com')
That is a simple question to answer. V stands for (of course) the "V" configuration of the engine and the number is the engine displacement in cubic inches.
V-65 65 Cubic inches or 1100cc's V-45 45 Cubic inches or 700 to 750cc's V-30 30 cubic inches or 550 cc's.
The size of the engine is 'stamped' (it really 'protrudes') on the side of the rear cylinder in cc's. I think the V65 says 1098cc's or so. Obviously, the V45 would have a number close to 750, probably 748.

I think I may have a leak at the joint where the black cylindrical part of the shaft meets the hypoid gear housing. The bolts are tight and the leak seems slow...maybe a drop if I run my finger underneath. I looked in the Clymer manual after checking that the oil level was good. It said that the price of the specialized Honda tools for this procedure outweigh the cost of a dealer repair. Yikes, how expensive could this be? I mean, labor's the killer, I'm sure but it's probably just some gasket, right? Have you ever had this happen to you? (Sent By Nate at natesalt@midwest.net)
This is a fairly common occurrence. There is no seal between the gear housing and the place it bolts to on the swingarm. The seal is inside the gearbox, and the driveshaft slips into it. This is why its hard to change.
The first thing to do would be to remove the shaft (relatively easy) and inspect the mating area for burrs. If any are found, just sand with 600 or finer sandpaper. Other than that, its either rip apart the gears to change the seal, or live with a little leak.

When I removed the alternator cover on the left side of the bike, about 1/3 of a quart of oil ran out. Is this normal? I couldn't find any reference that said I needed to drain the oil before setting the valves. (Sent By   Donald at snyderDE@navair.navy.mil)
This is perfectly normal. No need to worry. There are no points, or anything else in there to worry about.. I am unsure why there is oil there, but it is supposed to be there, and its there everytime I pull off the cover.

I want to put K&N filters on the carbs. Does K&N make a filter set for each carb or do I still have to use the plentum? If they do make single filters, how do I get around the small air tubes that go in the plentum? (Sent By Paul at pgrage@webtv.net)
Unfortunately, there is no aftermarket filter or individual type filters for the Sabre. There is an aftermarket filter (not individuals, though) for the Magna. Completely different airboxes. The reason there are no "individual style" air filters for the Magna and Sabre is (I guess) due to the arrangement of the carbs. First off, the airbox end is not just circular, allowing a clamp-on style interface. The end is flared, and bolted into the airbox. On most models, the airbox provides the (only) structural support for the carbs. This does not lend itself for an easy slip-on type solution. Dave Dodge has been doing some work in this area, he would be the one to contact if you want to go radical with this.

Can I remove the crankcase breather hose, the little box it goes to and the tube that goes up to the plentum from this box? (Sent By Paul at pgrage@webtv.net)
Theoretically, yes. I have done it myself on one of my Magnas with no adverse effects. You must be careful to properly vent the crankcase, however. I don't know that this will improve anything, though. Having crankcase ventilation is a good thing: It allows more of the gases created in combustion to be removed from the engine.