1986 Honda Shadow VLX from United States of America
Summary:
Great little city bike
Faults:
Nothing.
General Comments:
Best bike I never owned.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th May, 2010
Great little city bike
Nothing.
Best bike I never owned.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th May, 2010
Good reliable, economical all-round machine
Head gaskets weep slightly.
This bike, although not quick, is fast enough, certainly more than most cars.
Acceleration slows at about 80mph. Can do 100mph, but the wind blast is something else, probably due to the riding position rather than just being a 'naked' bike.
It's a very well made machine.
It is VERY economical. Worst consumption was 56 imp mpg, best was 84 imp mpg at steady 50-55mph.
Tyres last for ages, once the originals have gone.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 3rd February, 2010
Great for a first bike, but you'll feel the small size once you're comfortable
So far nothing major has gone wrong.
Battery died during extended (2 years) storage, but that's to be expected.
I know the person who had it before me laid it down, so the pipes and mirrors were replaced. I also laid it down at low speeds and had no issues that needed professional attention.
The bike definitely has some pickup on it. If you get a good stretch of highway in front of you, you can definitely accelerate enough to push you down into the seat. That being said, the top speed leaves something to be desired. At 55-60 MPH, I feel like I'm already pushing the bike a bit. I'm constantly finding myself trying to shift up again when I'm already in 4th gear. A 5th gear for highway speeds would have been ideal.
I'm a pretty short guy at 5'8", and this bike is very comfortable. After a few hours I get get some butt numbness, but nothing too bad. The low seat feels nice and looks great. I have scraped the pegs a few times when I didn't expect to.
Bike handles great. Corners good and has pretty smooth acceleration. It was a great first bike for those that don't want to be seen.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th August, 2009
I cured some of the 4 speed lack. I changed the back sprocket to a 41 tooth and the vibration isn't noticeable until around 65. Plus I did not lose any mid range drop off.
The mileage actually went up to 61 from around 58-59. It actually gives you a usable 3rd gear as well.
I would recommend the change to anyone running over 55 mph a lot.
The three B's, Big, Black, Beautiful
Absolutely flawless.
I am 68 years old and have been riding since I was 17. This Honda Shadow 1100 has been the best overall machine I have had, and I have had many.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th August, 2009
Awesome city chopper!
I have to shut the choke off to finally adjust the mixture and prevent fast sparks-plugs failure.
The generator was burned at 10000km, but I think this was my fault - I left wires naked while it was raining.
Gear-shifting little bit sticky.
I think the Shadow/Steed 600 is a perfect city-chopper.
Ideal for office and weekend rides, penetrating the traffic-jams.
But sub-urban rides more than 200km is really tiring.
The motorcycle handling is awesome.
It's allowing the hard braking with blocked rear-wheel and hard drift. But after the braking pedal is released - the motorcycle becomes stable without back-hit.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 1st August, 2008
I would buy another one
Burned out tail light.
Tripometer knob broke.
Always starts and runs without any problems.
The fastest I can get it to go is around 95 miles per hour.
The seat is not bad, but after a few hours riding, it can be a little uncomfortable.
It gets around 60 miles per gallon at 80 MPH on the freeway.
Really, the only complaint I have is the 4 speed transmission. Honda really should have given it a 5 speed tranny.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 13th June, 2008
7th Oct 2010, 22:27
Totally agree with review. I have a 2007 VLX. Gas mileage is consistently 56 - 62 mpg. Pick up is good, but not great. The only complaint is the lack of a 5th gear. I often shift into 5th (that doesn't exist). I often do 70+ mph and the bike responds great. Gas mileage still says above 55 mpg, which is awesome. An excellent first bike. Definitely recommend!