Monday, February 18, 2013

Not me

Righto, so today the Connie was dropped into the shop for some new shoes and of course I then had to beg a ride so I could get back to work.  Unluckily for me they had no trouble finding a bike for me so I did have to go back to work - but that's another story...

This time around I was given another cruiser in the form of a Honda VT750C Shadow.

Looks very nice from this angle
Now right from the start I'll have to admit that the little shadow was probably never going to light my fire (sorry Brenda) but if you take a look at the comparison between the Shadow and what I climbed off then you may notice the odd difference in spec and realise that it had a lot to live up to:


So in terms of performance it's not really a fair contest.  Riding the beastie I was a little surprised that it had to be revved a bit to get going (the clutch needs some adjustment as it only took up in the last few mm of travel) but once rolling she was very relaxed as I trundled through town in 3rd gear with the motor probably only pulling around 2,000rpm - perhaps less.  I didn't take the bike out of town but I'd guess that it would also be happier puttering along quietly in top gear for hours on end and that your license would  remain fairly safe.  Otherwise the motor was pretty much silent, although when you gave it a bit there was some muffled V-twin type noises (and vibes) a happening - different pipes would add a bit more character!

From the front it looks a bit like a...
Comfort-wise the shadow was a typical cruiser with a feet forward riding position and what felt like a very comfy seat.  The ergonomics that come with the riding position were actually quite good - I did not have to go searching to find anything like I did on the M109.  But the riding position kinda had me leaning back a bit (where I'm normally used to a more upright or slightly forward lean) and I think that after a while that might be a bit hard on my back.

From this angle it still looks like a...
The brakes were a little wooden feeling and you needed to give both a decent dab to brake rapidly - certainly no danger of being thrown over the handlebars.  Engine braking was pretty good though.  Handling was definitely in the lazy cruiser league and the ride was pretty soft overall.  Moderately spirited riding would probably have the bike leaving bits of shiny stuff on the road.


While I may be being a bit hard on the bike I would say that it is probably the ideal "beginners cruiser" as it does most things pretty well and is unlikely to get anyone into too much trouble.  It's a Honda too so it's bound to keep humming along happily for ever in a day without costing the owner too much in R&M.

Anyway, while the Shadow is not my cup of tea, I still enjoyed my little ride (I love getting to ride a variety of bikes) and wonder what I'll end up on next time...

14 comments:

  1. Apology accepted Andrew :-D

    Yeah it's an easy bike to ride and a great learners bike, though personally I think it wants to lie down too much at low speeds (but maybe thats just me). The 750 is actually too big an engine capcity for learners here in Aus (mine's a 400, imagine having to plan for half an hour to overtake and hope that the truck you want to overtake doesn't gain too much speed on the downhill you are planning to use).

    And hey that seat is comfy enough if you have luggage strapped to the back seat and use it as a backrest, I do find myself stretching and leaning forward when I get to towns and slow down a bit.

    But I do love it, it has been a great starting place to learn to ride, nope I dont think you are being hard on it and you've got it all bout right. Even if I had've read your thoughts on it before I bought my first bike I still would have chosen it for what it is.

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    1. It's great you love it - and that there is a bike out there for everyone!

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  2. I bet it was a big change from a Connie! I don't like to be negative, but it looks uncomfortable!

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    1. Nothing like 1,352cc of Kawasaki's finest eh Erik?

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  3. Did you find you were hunting for those forward controls and wanted to put your feet where the pegs are on the Connie?

    I ask because I had to ride SpartanBabe's Triumph America for a few miles into town after she crashed it last year and I must have looked like a drunk monkey trying to find those forward controls. Mind you it had a broken clutch lever, the mirrors swiveled aimlessly and were of no use coupled with stiff and stuck throttle, but I think even without those issues it would have been hard for me to find forward controls.

    Nice review of the bike though.

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    1. I didn't find the controls too bad - much easier to find than the one's on the M109. Perhaps the very low seat height made it easier.

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  4. A taste of things to come......lol!

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    1. You looking at making a change Rog?

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  5. Andrew - the Connie and Shadow are two totally differents beasties. I have only ever ridden a cruiser, mostly because my height limits me to it and secondly because my most gracious hubby bought me my bike as a gift. I have to say I do love my shadow because of the barcolounger type seat and I can ride all day without a sore back or toosh. I do hear what you are saying about leaving bits and pieces on the road with that is the one thing I wish I had a different bike for, I would like to try a little more adventure sport riding, but the shadow doesn't lend itself well to that type of riding. It is nice to know though a we get older that we can find a bike that rides like a couch when we want to 'slow' down.

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    1. Good on you Dar. Yes, it's great that there is so much variety in bikes out there - it makes it that much easier to find one that fits (and it's fun to try 'em all).

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  6. Andrew:

    I know what you mean about the forward controls. I had a scooter for a while and I liked to put my legs forward. It took a while before I learned how to shift my weight to go into the corners. You had to plan ahead and be more deliberate on your turns.

    With a normal (Standard) position, the bike turns by itself and you can gain more confidence by squeezing the tank. I'm not sure I could get used to the forward controls, but at least you didn't have to walk back to work

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. Most bikes are better than walking Bob ;)

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  7. Andrew I have to say, though the VStar and the Shadow look much the same I found the Shadow didn't fit me at all - feet just too far forward not to mention a few other minor details. But that's the great thing about motorcycles, there is always one that fits you and you know when you sit on it that it does. For me also, I am usually riding with a full load of gear packed behind me and it makes for a sensational back rest. I think if I were to ride for more than a few hundred km unloaded (as the norm) I would be looking into a rider back rest.

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    1. The same bike shop has a few 650 V-Stars in stock at the moment - maybe next time...

      Yep, love the variety out there - wanna ride them all...

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