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First Ride: 2007 Honda Shadow Spirit 750 C2

23652 Views 86 Replies 28 Participants Last post by ofreen, Dec 7, 2006

pplassm

Discussion Starter · Dec 4, 2006

Why does every magazine/website all test the same bikes at the same time? It makes for really dull reading.

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seruzawa

· #2 · Dec 4, 2006

I'm afraid that a 750 Shadow test will make dull reading no matter when it's done.

It'd be a nice enough commter bike and something to do errands around town but aside from that all of Pete's best prose can't ever spice up something this pedestrian.

If people like them that's just fine, but for me....zzzzzzz..............

37826

· #3 · Dec 4, 2006

Next.

56599

· #4 · Dec 4, 2006

It's called event scheduling. Each bike company will hole these events etc at the same time and invite the press to it... I thought it was pretty obvious but Burns is right i.e. bikers especially cruisers riders aren't mental giants, aren't the sharpest pencils in the stack, etc. Otherwise they wouldn't ride or would ride sport bikes.

SmokeU

· #5 · Dec 4, 2006

At least they look ok.

I rode the SNOT out of a VLX in high school and the 10-15hp advantage the 750 has over it can't make it any better of a bike for the road.

Why not just get a used 1100 Shadow. It's not like they're very powerful either.

56599

· #6 · Dec 4, 2006

This is was the first cruiser, my brother in-laws, I have ridden. The HD Sportster was the second. cruiser and only other cruiser I have ridden. After riding it, I was so happy I chose a sportbike for my first bike. After riding the Sporty... I could see why the Honda sold so well. The smooth tranny, shaft drive, reliable, etc. My brother in-law has put ton's of miles going to California and back.. I don't get the whole cruiser thing since I am a leader not a follower (group person).. But you could do a lot worse than this bike..

SmokeU

· #7 · Dec 4, 2006

Leader eh?

I just ride what I want and F#CK everyone else.

longride

· #8 · Dec 4, 2006

Check out the 25 year-old pic of the Shadow. A 'HONDA' sticker with the wing on the tank with a small 'Shadow' on the side cover. Now it's a large 'SHADOW' on the tank and I can't really see the word 'Honda' anywhere on the bike without a magnifying glass. I guess they were much prouder of that 25 year old bike than they are of this one. The old one was ugly with a capital "U", but a Harley copy it wasn't. Too bad they can't take the time to think up something really different, or ORIGINAL, other than browsing the Harley model lineup making everything look pretty much like those.

56599

· #9 · Dec 4, 2006

P.S. Excellent Review...

Nice review and great pictures. I would revise my comments back on the Middleweight cruiser comparo. If I was getting a cruiser for my wife this would be it. Honda reliability and a great nearby dealer.

56599

· #10 · Dec 4, 2006

"That's right, since 1983 Honda has sold upwards of 243,000 750 Shadow motorcycles. Simple math tells us that just a little over 9,000 units a year -- on average -- were ridden out of the showroom. Impressive, no?" That's almost 25/day That's a lot of black leather fringe and beanie helmets.

56599

· #11 · Dec 4, 2006

"Too bad they can't take the time to think up something really different, or ORIGINAL, other than browsing the Harley model lineup making everything look pretty much like those. "

Really? When they do make something different Valkerye, Rune, it doesn't sell. The GPTB wants Harley copies. So we have the Shadow, VTX, etc. Can blame Honda for researching the market demographics and catering to it i.e. followers, HD groupies.

50595

· #12 · Dec 4, 2006

Re: A LOPER, OR A DUD?

The important question for a V-twin cruiser is whether the engine has a single-pin or dual-pin crankshaft.

Does the new Spirit 750 have the staccato, syncopated lope of a single crankpin, or is it stuck with the lawn-tractor-like dud-dud-dud-dud of a dual-pin crank?

To a true V-twin cruiser enthusiast, this is the acid test.

seruzawa

· #13 · Dec 4, 2006

Excellent post!

Good use of facts/data.

SmokeU

· #14 · Dec 4, 2006

Indeed it is. It's just not for me.

SmokeU

· #15 · Dec 4, 2006

Re: A LOPER, OR A DUD?

I'm thinking it's the single pin.

seruzawa

· #16 · Dec 4, 2006

You can tell that he's the Great Leader by how well he enlists others to agree with him.

He couldn't urge the eagerest lemming into the sea. The only chance he stands of "leading" anyone is by standing behind them with a gun.

sarnali2

· #17 · Dec 4, 2006

I wouldn't touch one of these with a ten foot pole, however after RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE to the IMS in Seattle sunday I'm all all over the new Bandit 1250.....

I've had a hankering for a K1200GT because contrary to SOP for the GPTB I love inline fours and the bags would be handy, but @ $20k it's a fair chunk of change. This Bandit with ABS @ $8200 is an unprecedented bargain and a damn fine looking bike to boot. Not as Japo anime` as an FZ1, not as plain Jane as a 919, still rcognizable as a Bandit but with minor tweeks all over the bike aside from the biggy of being water cooled.

I'm totally pumped about this, this'll give me my Bonnie for nice days and fun riding and a screamin' inline four to go scare the sh*t out of myself with and general performance riding. Twins are fun but I do miss inline four power. They'll be in the NW in March so that gives me a couple of months to salt away some O.T..

'Course if a low mile '04 or '05 tripped my radar I might do that instead, nothing wrong with the 1200's

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longride

· #18 · Dec 4, 2006

Get a Busa so you could really scare the shyt out of yourself.

longride

· #19 · Dec 4, 2006

Didn't you know from his last 45 posts that the cruiser market is flattening out? Now I guess it's not flattening out because Honda makes another Harley copy, AGAIN. He could see his wife on this one, even though he hates cruisers, and the market is flattening out. Maybe Honda has a biodiesel version, just for him? It's really catching on in Seattle, don't ya know.

Buzglyd

· #20 · Dec 4, 2006

I think you could say it's more Dyna Wide Glide than Softail Standard due to the twin shocks.

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