The spec sheet is an important document. We can’t deny that. It helps us judge how good or bad a particular motorcycle is, compared to its peers. However, there are many things – important things – that a spec sheet won’t tell you. Sure, you will know the 0-60 time, but it can’t tell you how easy it is to get spares for the motorcycle. Or how often you’ll need those spares, or how much they cost.
If you’re the kind of person who wants to buy a motorcycle and keep it for many years, you’re going to have to look beyond the spec sheet. And it’s frequently the apparently quiet, boring motorcycles that are the ones that will remain by your side for decades.
Why A Cruiser Is The Likeliest Bet
Motorcycles are usually engineered to be fun. That usually means getting the maximum power for the weight. High specific output is never good for longevity, though, so if you want something that will last, you’re going to have to look at motorcycles that are unbothered about a high power output.
Cruisers are usually that kind of motorcycle that focuses on low-rev torque rather than horsepower. They are also less likely to be ridden hard (with the exception of power cruisers), so they tend to last a lot longer. If you’re looking to get in on this action, well, there is one cruiser that refuses to wear out.
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The Honda Shadow Phantom Is The Cruiser That Refuses To Wear Out
When we talk about reliability and longevity, Honda always comes up, and with good reason. It focuses on engineering products that last instead of chasing headlines (with a few notable exceptions: see Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP). That means getting a Honda, any Honda, has a good chance of lasting you a very long time.
But even among these giants of reliability, the Shadow stands out because it is a friendly yet fun machine that appeals to a wide audience. It has also been given a few modern touches that keep it relevant by today’s standards, and maintaining it is so easy, with a little elbow grease and basic tools, you could keep it running forever and a day by yourself.
The Shadow Is Priced Quite Reasonably
The Shadow series of cruisers has spanned many displacements and a couple of decades, but right now, there is only one particular displacement and variant available. That is the Honda VT750C Shadow Phantom. It has ABS standard in this avatar, and is priced at $8,699. This puts it in a niche between smaller-displacement modern cruisers and larger-displacement but dearer V-twin cruisers.
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The V-Twin Engine Is Old But Reliable
The Shadow Phantom’s 52-degree V-twin engine is one of the last surviving Japanese V-twins, and it is a gem. It is old, yes, and it hasn’t seen any real changes for a very long time, but it still has liquid cooling, fuel injection, and a short-stroke design. You also get one of the last surviving three-valve designs – two intake valves and a single exhaust valve per cylinder. Another anachronism is the two spark plugs per cylinder.
This 745cc engine has a low compression ratio of 9.6:1, and it puts out 45 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 48 pound-feet at 3,500 RPM. These are very low figures by today’s standards, but they work well for the Shadow. A five-speed wide-ratio gearbox sends the power from the engine via a driveshaft to the wheel.
The Chassis Is Traditional
The Shadow is a proudly retro machine, so it has a double downtube cradle frame. It has basic suspension as well – regular telescopic forks with a 41 mm diameter are at the front, and twin rear shocks with five-step preload adjustment. The fork gaiters are an interesting touch for a cruiser, but they work well with the design. Suspension travel stands at 5.5 inches for the front, and 3.5 inches at the rear.
The brakes are simple, with a single 296 mm front disc and a 276 mm rear disc. An identical two-piston floating caliper is used at both ends, and ABS is standard but not switchable. A 17/15-inch laced wheel rim combination is used, but we think Honda missed a trick here by not offering the Shadow Phantom with alloy wheels. This would have given it tubeless tires, which are a big safety upgrade over the current set.
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Low Seat Is One Of Its Best Features
It might seem odd to make a claim like this, but the Shadow Phantom is a V-twin, so it is as narrow as a single-cylinder engine. The twin shocks allow for a really low seat, and at 25.6 inches, it offers flat-footing confidence to all but the shortest of riders. It is quite long, at nearly 97 inches, and has a 64.5-inch wheelbase. The fuel tank seems a little small, at 3.7 gallons, but that’s okay since this isn’t intended as a tourer. It weighs 560 pounds with all its fluids, and the weight is down low – another reason it is confidence-inspiring.
Expectations For Features Are As Low As The Seat
This version of the Shadow was launched in 1997. Since then, there have been two significant mechanical updates to it: it got a rear disc brake, and it got ABS. Other than that, it hangs its hat on its simplicity and ability to keep going with minimal maintenance.
If you must know, though, there is a tank-mounted instrument cluster dominated by an analog speedometer, and an LCD screen at the bottom shows information like the odometer. Two colorways are available: a gray/black combination with the gold stripe on the tank, or an orange/black combination with a white tank stripe. The chassis, suspension, and wheels are all blacked out, no matter the color.
The pillion seat and footpegs are not standard, but they are an official accessory and will cost you $108. For everything else, the aftermarket will have your back – the Shadow has been around for a while, so there should be something for every budget.
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Competition That Refuses To Wear Out
Since we’re looking specifically at cruisers that refuse to wear out, we’ll have to limit ourselves to competitors of the Shadow. That means midsize cruisers that have many of the same qualities as this Honda – and we’ll leave out those that don’t offer ABS to be fair to the Honda. The first name that springs to mind is the Kawasaki Vulcan S. It retails at $8,149 with ABS and is a much more modern cruiser, with a trellis frame that uses its parallel twin engine as a stressed member. It is also quite fun around corners!
Another modern cruiser with a retro vibe is the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. At $7,899, it is a little cheaper than the other two, but it does have an air-cooled engine. However, this parallel twin has a 270-degree firing order, so it does feel like a V-twin, and its simplicity has now been married with a newfound thirst for quality at this India-based manufacturer. It probably won’t be on sale in the same form for as long as the other two cruisers mentioned here, but with regular basic maintenance, there is no reason it won’t outlast anything else in its segment.
Source: Honda Powersports