A look at the Honda 2003 VTX 1300S

One of the surprising things about the VTX 1300 is the engine design. It is not a sleeved-down 1800 by any means. It is an entirely new design from a "clean sheet of paper" given to Honda engineers. Displacing 1312cc, the liquid-cooled, 52 degree, V-twin features a single-pin crank (the 1800 has a dual-pin crank) and cylinders offset by 13.5mm to reduce piston fluctuation. Two-axis primary counter-balancers minimize engine vibration, while the single-pin crank still transmits plenty of "rumble" to the rider for that traditional cruiser feel. Three-valve cylinder heads have 31mm intakes and a single 40mm exhaust valve. While big brother is fuel injected, the 1300S is served its combustion mix by a 38mm CV carb. 1312cc is still big for a V-twin, and Honda found two spark plugs per cylinder to increase combustion efficiency and power.