The tank and fenders were the basic color red or black ; but the side covers were chrome. If you really want to ride, the Shadow's seating position is awkWard and irritating. This change helps reduce the backfiring that big V-Twins are infamous for. Honda has played the edges of the board before. As was noted in our 750 Shadow test in March of 1983, however, perfect primary balance and perfect smoothness are not one and the same.
The tank also wore a simple Shadow decal, rather than the Honda wing. The footpegs, by company standards, were way far forward, the farthest ever on a Honda. The engine is a 583 cc 35. Gold color was added to wheels, crankcase cover and headlight trim. If we were in charge of such things at Honda, though, we'd have made sure a little more noise escaped from the short, balony-slice mufflers. Stock came standard at 40hp.
Farther out, we think, than other cruiser-style motorcycles, including Yamaha's Virago. The Shadow's valve stems are long and slim, and the valve heads have a tulip shape for improved flow. As of 2018 the once-extensive Shadow line has been reduced to two successors of that original model, the Shadow Aero 750 and the Shadow Phantom 750. Each camchain has its own automatic tensioner, ending adjustment worries. Therefore the Hurricane 1000 sportbike; the 800 Shadow, which had been a challenger to the Harley-Davidson Sportster; and the Magna 750 are gone.
I've maxed at top speed 104mph without a single mod. The big Ducati 90-degree V-twin, in comparison, has a cylinder offset of only 22mm because it uses a common crankpin. In my opinion, this model makes a better all-around motorcycle than any of the new mid-size cruisers. Honda Press Information in Japanese. Fork action is good on the freeway, but the rear end sacks so much under the rider's weight that the ride feels harsh; heavier testers could readily bottom the rear end over large bumps and holes.
The Shadow uses two offset crankpins separated by an unsupported flywheel like the old British vertical twins. Classic Style and a Big-bike Look and Feel. Each cylinder head had a single chain-driven camshaft and an individual downdraft 36 mm 1. Just ask any old-time Harley or Indian rider. In simple terms, this is a miniature clutch built into the starter reduction gears. Its job is to work as a mechanical fuse should the engine decide to kick back while being cranked over.
The 1100 Aero was discontinued after the 2003 model year. It ended up with some pretty curious motorcycles by traditional standards, but the buying public ate them up, plunking down the cash. When Honda revamped the Magna for the 1987 model year it did a heckuva job, turning a rather distracted-looking cruiser into reasonable facsimile of a stoplight dragster. Certainly, no V-Twin seems likely to be able to compete stopwatch-to-stopwatch with a Four of similar or even smaller displacement, but frankly, we were slightly disappointed by the Shadow's acceleration. The engine had hydraulic valve adjustment. In fact, the problem concerned Honda so much that the Shadow's ignition will not even fire below 300 rpm, because at those speeds the possibility of the engine spinning backward is greatly increased.
Power passes through the clutch to a six-speed gearbox, the bottom five normally spaced, a bigger jump to the overdrive sixth. This thing was designed as a bobber and the fat wheels, thick fork arms, redesigned handlebar as well as the entire bodywork, blacked-out and matte finishes stand by the bobber not custom side of this very attractive motorcycle. That's distressing because historically Honda has been such a strong engineering company—and it still is—and it continues to build a host of motorcycles devoted to function. The Shadow's engine is strong for a V-twin, though unremarkable for a 750. The Honda holds a number of additional labor-saving devices that make the Shadow almost maintenance-free. The buddy seat comes off as you pull the seat towards the back.
Only Honda can afford to spend the millions to find out—by building the Shadow. A rod length two times the stroke distance is fairly long for a motorcycle, but not unusual; more important, it helps reduce secondary engine imbalances. First, the clutch actuates via hydraulics rather than cable. Not too shabby for a 750cc V-Twin. The factory amended the book on V-twin design by introducing to the motorcycling world a slick bit of established engineering: staggered crankpins.
Hope this helps, Ed Engine Type: 1089 cc, 4 Stroke - Liquid Cooled - V-Four Engine Bore and Stroke: 79. The Magna disappeared after 1988, as leftovers were going for garage-sale prices. Honda Press Information in Japanese. I'm 260Lbs 6' tall The bike works great for me. A wheelbase stretched to 1,655 millimetres 65. Torrance, California: American Honda Motor Co. Overall, the freeway ride is acceptable—but not state of the art.