Honda Vtx 1800 F Service Manual

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2
Important Saf ety Inf ormation
Motorcycle Saf ety
Always Wear a Helmet Your motorcycle can provide many years
of service and pleasure if you take
responsibility f or your own saf ety and
understand the challenges you can meet
while riding.
There is much that you can do to protect
yourself when you ride. You’ll f ind many
helpf ul recommendations throughout this
manual. The f ollowing are a f ew that we
consider most important.It’s a proven f act: helmets signif icantly
reduce the number and severity of head
injuries. So always wear an approved
motorcycle helmet and make sure your
passenger does the same. We also
recommend that you wear eye protection,
sturdy boots, gloves, and other protective
gear (page ).44
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							3
Important Saf ety Inf ormation
Motorcycle Saf ety
Make Yourself Easy to See Take Time to Learn & Practice
Ride Def ensivelyYou and
Your Motorcycle: Riding Tips and
Practice Guide, Always pay attention to other vehicles
around you, and do not assume that other
drivers see you. Be prepared to stop
quickly or make an evasive maneuver. For
other riding tips, see the booklet,
which came with your
new motorcycle (USA only).
Some drivers do not see motorcycles
because they are not looking for them. To
make yourself more visible, wear bright
ref lective clothing, position yourself so
other drivers can see you, signal bef ore
turning or changing lanes, and use your
horn when it will help others notice you. Even if you have ridden other motorcycles,
take time to become familiar with how
this motorcycle works and handles.
Practice in a saf e area until you build your
skills and get accustomed to the
motorcycle’s size and weight.
Because many accidents involve
inexperienced or untrained riders, we urge
all riders to take a certified course
approved by the Motorcycle Saf ety
Foundation (MSF). See page .
The most f requent motorcycle collision
happens when a car turns lef t in f ront of a
motorcycle. Another common situation is
a car moving suddenly into your lane.46
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							4
Important Saf ety Inf ormation
Motorcycle Saf ety
Ride within Your Limits
Don’t Drink and RideKeep Your Honda in Saf e Condition
Pushing limits is another major cause of
motorcycle accidents. Never ride beyond
your personal abilities or f aster than
conditions warrant. Remember that
alcohol, drugs, f atigue, and inattention can
signif icantly reduce your ability to make
good judgments and ride saf ely.
Alcohol and riding don’t mix. Even one
drink can reduce your ability to respond to
changing conditions, and your reaction
time gets worse with every additional
drink. So don’t drink and ride, and don’t
let your f riends drink and ride either.It’s important to keep your motorcycle
properly maintained and in saf e riding
condition. To help avoid problems, inspect
your motorcycle bef ore every ride and
perform all recommended maintenance.
Never exceed load limits (page ), and
do not modif y your motorcycle (page )
or install accessories that would make
your motorcycle unsaf e (page ).6
551
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							Improper accessories or
modifications can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt or
killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
5 Accessories
Accessories & Modif ications
Motorcycle Saf ety
Modif ying your motorcycle or using non-
Honda accessories can make your
motorcycle unsaf e. Bef ore you consider
making any modif ications or adding an
accessory, be sure to read the f ollowing
inf ormation.We strongly recommend that you use only
genuine Honda accessories that have been
specif ically designed and tested f or your
motorcycle. Because Honda cannot test all
other accessories, you must be personally
responsible f or proper selection,
installation, and use of non-Honda
accessories.
Check with your Honda dealer f or
assistance and always follow these
guidelines:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, reduce ground
clearance and lean angle, limit
suspension travel or steering travel, alter
your riding position, or interf ere with
operating any controls.
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							6Modif ications
Accessories & Modif ications
Motorcycle Saf ety
We strongly advise you not to remove any
original equipment or modif y your
motorcycle in any way that would change
its design or operation. Such changes
could seriously impair your motorcycle’s
handling, stability, and braking, making it
unsafe to ride.
Removing or modif ying your lights,
exhaust system, emission control system,
or other equipment can also make your
motorcycle illegal. Do not install any f airing or windshield
unless it was designed and tested by
Honda f or your motorcycle. Some
f airings or windshields, even smaller
ones, can cause unstable handling of
your motorcycle. This is especially true
if the f airing or windshield is poorly
designed or improperly mounted.
Do not add any electrical equipment
that will exceed the motorcycle’s
electrical system capacity (page ).
A blown f use can cause a loss of lights
or engine power (page ).
Do not pull a trailer or sidecar with your
motorcycle. This motorcycle was not
designed f or these attachments, and
their use can seriously impair your
motorcycle’s handling.201
186
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							7Motorcycle Saf ety
Saf ety Labels
Saf ety labels on your motorcycle either warn you of potential hazards that could cause
serious injury or they provide important saf ety inf ormation. Read these labels caref ully and
don’t remove them.
If a label comes off or becomes hard to read, contact your Honda dealer for a replacement.
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							ª«
ª«VTX1800F
For USA
For Canada
8Motorcycle Saf ety
Saf ety Labels
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							ª«
ª«VTX1800C
For USA
For Canada
9
Saf ety Labels
Motorcycle Saf ety
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							10Motorcycle Saf ety
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							11
Instruments & Controls
Instruments & Controls
This section shows the location of all
gauges, indicators, and controls you would
normally use bef ore or while riding your
motorcycle.
The items listed on this page are described
in this section. Instructions f or other
components are presented in other sections
of this manual where they will be most
usef ul............................ Component Locations . 12
.............. Gauges, Indicators & Displays . 18
...................... Multi-f unction Display . 29
...................................... Speedometer . 30
........................................ Tachometer . 30
........................................... Odometer . 31
............................... Tripmeter A & B . 31
Odometer/Tripmeter A & B/
........................ Digital Clock Display . 31
Changing the Speed and
...................................... Mileage Unit . 33
..................................... Digital Clock . 34
............. Odometer/TripmeterDisplay . 37
Controls & Features
.................................. Ignition Switch . 38
........................................ Start Button . 39
........................... Engine Stop Switch . 39
................ Headlight Dimmer Switch . 40
............................ Turn Signal Switch . 40
....................................... Horn Button . 41
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