Honda VT750 Shadow

I have a 2007 Honda VT750c (aero in the US) with 9000 km on the clock. I've done 3000 km on it. I was looking for a mid-size bike - 500cc, maybe 600 cc, when I saw one of these at the bike shop and despite the weight and being a 750, I took it for a ride. And immediately loved it. The power is mild. Lazy. The ride quality is good. The cornering is easy. I can't believe that a 750 can be such a mild thing. It's an excellent bike for the open road.

The best things: the smooth, easy, mild power of the engine. The quiet exhaust, the seat, the high quality chrome. The styling is really good (some people hate it, but I love it). The paint is very good.

The worst things: bars are too low, the exhaust is too heavy and ugly, and there are too many plastic parts.

I've ridden the 2004 and the 2007. The seat on the 04 isn't nearly as good as the 07. Otherwise, they're quite similar. I didn't like the standard exhaust because is is very heavy and very quiet. So heavy that if you ride no-hands, you have to lean WAY over to the left to compensate for the weight of the exhaust. It really can't be good to be continuously counter-steering to compensate for an unbalanced bike. I've now got much lighter Vance and Hines short shots*. In my opinion they look a lot better, too.

The controls are all good. The front brake is good, and the back brake is ok. I am a bit tempted to change the bars. They are quite low and forward, which encourages slouching. I like to sit upright (Arnie style) and the bars end about 5 cm short and 5 cm too low for me. Because I ride sitting up, I put a lot of weight on my spine and buhm and need a good seat. This seat is excellent. Not too hard and not too soft. The back suspension does a good job of softening the bumps, too. The front forks are ok, but have some 'stickion' (static friction, that holds the fork before letting the fork move). Maybe a change to lighter fork oil will help?

The gearing on the bike is interesting. Not great, but not bad, either. First gear is reasonably high, so some dragging of the clutch is needed for an uphill take-off. Two, three, four are good. Around town I can purr along in 4th gear or have some power available in 3rd (@60 km/hour). Fourth gear takes me up to 100 km/hour. But the change to 5th doesn't drop the revs much. It would be good to have a slightly higher 5th gear. The advantage of the current setup is that it gets over reasonable hills with changing down to fourth. The drivetrain is as solid as a rock. 100% high quality components. I have no doubt that everything will last for years and tens of thousands of km.

I didn't expect to find so many 'chrome' plastic parts on the bike. It's not a cheap bike. It surely wouldn't have hurt to put some more metal bits on the bike, and especially on the engine. I've tinkered a bit with the tuning, and found it easy to work on the engine. A luggage rack has been a handy addition to the sissy bar. Also a small windshield to make longer rides more comfortable.

Although I've concentrated on the negatives, there are a million reasons to ride this bike. It is solid as a rock. The quality is great. Some people will want more power, but I say that there are other bikes (and other sports) for them. I'm looking forward to owning the bike for a long time and touring extensively on it.

Cheers.

* I've changed a few things, including the exhaust. I went for Vance and Hines short shots. Mine were badly made and too loud, but are ok with quiet baffles in them. The bad welding messed with the fitting of the quiet baffle. No Asian manufacturer, and certainly not Honda, would ever sell anything as bad as my Vance and Hines pipes.

It doesn't matter who Honda claims the VT750S is likely to buy the the bike, you'll either love it or hate it.

If Harley still made the Sportster XL883, with the spoked wheels that it turned out through the nineties and early 2000s, then the VT750S would sell far fewer. Harley doesn't, so that's Honda's gain.

A thousand miles after picking the machine up I felt it was time to give to write a review.

Spoked chrome wheels are class, they are a pain to keep clean, but nothing says motorcycle to blokes of a certain age than spokes.

Honda has built a simple bike. It's not a cruiser, its a 'proper motorbike'. Engine, wheels, frame, tank.. that's it. It's deserves the tag retro simply because it's what you would have bought in the 1960s. So you can have the classic look, without having to check the bolts every time you park up.

The tank, in the Honda red, white and blue, is simple and gorgeous and even though it holds just 10.7 litres, it'll take you 120 miles before the warning light comes on and there's another two litres in reserve giving you around 25 miles until to find fuel. Surprised? I was, but for the first 1,000 miles I've worked out the consumption and it's seen a maximum from a tank of 67 mpg (imperial gallons, that's 56 mpg in the USA)and a low of 58, which is spectacular.

During the first 100 miles I feared that 44hp wasn't going to be enough, but as the engine loosened up it's clear that the VT has plenty of power for normal road conditions and she'll cruise at an indicated 80mph without problem. The speedo over reads by about 2mph at an indicated 60. (Flat out she'll show 100 on the clock which I may well have done with my son on the back when we were desperate to get home quickly, or I may not have done if there is any likelihood of incriminating myself)

I don't subscribe to all this 'I felt like a parachute' nonsense anyway (well not up to an indicated 80). If you are sitting at a PC now reading this, hold your hands out in front of you at just below shoulder height and that's the riding position. It is perfect and if you can't ride this bike comfortably for an hour in that position at around 70, then it's time to quit bikes eh?

(Note: on 700 miles, came home after three hours riding, the last half hour at indicated 80-85, and my neck muscles took a bit of a battering. At 70 the VT's fine, over that and you are pulling yourself forward. Fun and enjoyable but a screen is going to be vital for the planned Euro tour later this year.)

The seat looks lovely though it is pretty useless for a full size pillion, and gets a little uncomfortable after an hour or so for the rider. But shift your backside a little and it's ok again. But over the weekend away along the south coast I had two five-hour riding days and I was still able to walk at the end and my fingers hadn't swollen at the joints as they used to on the Sportster thanks to the vibes. The VT is perfectly comfortable.

I weigh 13 stone (Americans work it out for yourself, 14lbs in a stone) and I'm 5ft 10ins. It fits me fine and I'm not getting any younger and sports bikes hurt my knees. I am considering a single seat replacement but, if I can stand the ribbing from less sympathetic mates, I do intend to try a recently purchased sheepskin cover. My girlfriend is 5ft 4ins, loves it and is already on the point of selling her beloved CBR600F to buy something similar.

The bike needs riding properly, little flick of counter steer going into a bend,lean, set it up and gently accelerate through the bend, it's an easy bike to ride and immensely satisfying to chuck through a series of S bends. Slower than a sports bike but just as enjoyable because you know unless you are on a race track, you are nowhere near testing the ability of most post 100 bhp machines so achievement aboard them needs far harder riding (come on, I've seen a few of you boys in the PowerRangers' leathers with squared tyres and anyone who rides on the roads like they do at Brands Hatch wants shooting).

The brakes are perfectly adequate. The rear drum has been criticised by some testers for not being a disc, like most machines these days, but I like it for two reasons. Firstly it looks a whole heap better than a disc and blends beautifully with the spoked wheel (easier to clean the hub too). Secondly, you don't have to be too delicate with the pedal. I like the long travel but there's no danger of locking up the rear even in an emergency (and its lovely for controlling your turn if you go into a bend that tightens, a little too fast. Handy see?).

No one's going to claim the ride it plush. The front suspension is definitely slightly under-damped (but felt fine two up) and if you accelerate hard banked over and hit a bump, or cat's eye, and the steering gives a little nod though it retains balance thanks to the gyroscopic effect of the 19-inch front wheel which keeps you running in the right direction.

And at the back, even which the twin shocks on their softest pre-load number one setting (two is recommended one up), you know when you've hit a bump. But it's never dangerous nor particularly upsetting for the rider and many sports bike boys will envy the fact that Britain's potholed rods hold no fear for the VT750 rider. (I live in Kent which has got to have the crappiest road maintenance in Britain - 4x4s are chosen down here for their on-road ability).

Ordinary folk and wannabe motorcyclists love the Honda. I've had more people speak to me in the last couple of months as I've filled up with petrol and parked that I have in the past three years with a Suzuki B-King, Yamanha V-Max and Honda Fireblade. It's exactly the sort of bike that makes non bike owners want to speak to you because it fits their idea of what an old motorbike should look like. They're wrong but that's the effect.

I have a mate who wouldn't buy a Honda if it was the only bike on earth. He's wrong too. Honda's build quality is in my experience still the best in the market, though the VT's switchgear looks a little bit cheap. But the company has a genuine 50-year heritage and an un-matched record of innovation and revolution in the motorcycle market (CB72, CB750, CBX1000, CX500, CBR600F, CBR900... the Goldwing). So as Honda has a bike heritage to match and better almost everyone.

The VT750 can trace its parentage back to the VT500 of the eighties. That bike, an 'all-rounder which sold in droves to couriers in the UK, replaced the CX500 (which couriers loved more). The Shadow custom has been around since '83 first as a 600 and now 750 using that same motor. Some of the early incarnations suffered from the Japanese interpretation of a custom which looked a little odd, but Hondas always looked less awakward than the efforts of rivals: think Kawasaki EN500 or some of the eighties Yamaha Viragos.

For other uses of the lump, check out that other couriers' favourite from the late eighties the NTV600/650 or look at all the tourer most people will really ever need, the NT650V/NT700V Deauville and for the adventure crowd see the cheap Long Way Round machine, the Transaplp 600/650/700.

So VT owners should have I have no fears that this new bike will be reliable in the engine department. Three valves a cylinder and, unusually, twin plugs in each, in a low state of tune should equal economy (tick box) and reliability.

By comparison I reckon this motor is more torquey than the carbed 883 Sportster lump which, even with the necessary Stage 1 pipes and carb sort out, still needed more gear changes for rapid progress. I might be wrong though as a couple of American magazines last year remained convinced the cheapest Sporty still wins over the VT750S.

I owned a 2001 XL883 for five years, took it all over Europe and it's only problem in 13,000-odd miles was two snapped drive belts. In straight road test fights now by the US mags, the VT750RS is still quicker on the road than the comparably priced (in the US) Sportster Low, with it's new un-Sportster shaped tank and alleged higher power.

As an aside, I'm not anti-Harley, I genuinely love the bikes and appreciate their place in the world. But I hate the snobbery which the vast majority of riders seem to bring to the marque, the marketing machine which really has sucked everyone in... and those crappy belt drives, which remains one of the bike world's biggest swindles.

Yes belts have much to recommend them - shock absorption, without the complexity of a shaft and no need to oil like a chain - but reliability isn't one of them. I've never had a broken chain, but I've spend £350 in a couple of years with H-D replacing two belts. So, unless there is absolutely no way a small stone can get to the belt, I'll always be wary of belt drive, whatever fans claim for longevity.

For those of you who haven't checked yet the VT750S is chain drive though the pricier VT750C, with its lower seat, fat front tyre and 'dark' custom theme retains the shaft.

This year I'd already decided I wanted another V-twin and the Sportster was the natural choice really: simple, rugged and a kind of horse for the road which you can load up with a bit of luggage and cross a couple of countries at you own pace.

But a few weeks ago I'm was blatting past the Honda dealer in Hastings and a pretty red, white an blue tank catches my eye. Turn around to take a look and the decision is made. A £300 discount and zero per cent finance with 10 per cent down over three years helped the decision ... well it was rude not to buy it.

The Tricolour VT750S is new for 2011. It's a £300 premium over the gunmetal of last year (we don't get it in white like the States) and I think it looks better than the 2010 model, which continues this year.

First surprise: the deep metallic blue coloured mudguards are made of plastic... the black side panels are made of plastic and the pretty paintwork on the tank looks lovely but the paint is not that deep - it's white with laquered blue and red stripe transfers. I know because mine was chipped on the day I went to pick it up. Honda in fairness did replace it and the paint is actually pretty tough and my tank bag left no marks.

The exhausts dominate the right hand side of the machine in a semi shotgun style (copyright H-D) but it's an illusion because just below the passenger footrest the two pipes are linked.

And there is a huge catalytic converter boosting the temperature in the area to something similar to the surface of the sun. My lad's boots left rubber scuff marks, I burned a hole in my bike cover and I've melted the ends of a cargo net. All new bikes have to have a cat but the VT's is very easy to touch, so beware, it gets extremely hot. The rest of the exhaust is double skinned, chromed and shows no sign of blueing after 1,000 miles (doubtless because it's double skinned, duh).

Ideally I'd like to replace the pipes with something after-market and save them for MOT time in 2015 when I could bolt em back on. I've banged on about Honda quality, I'm still not sure about the exhausts though. I can see inside the silencer a few signs of rust, small but I guess the mild steel inside and the hidden - but only painted - plumbing linking the two pipes and the cat, may well be the first part of the bike to succumb to rust.

Between 50 and 90mph you will want for nothing on this bike... roll the throttle in any gear and she responds with a lovely rumble. If you want a Sunday afternoon machine for gentle ride outs, it wins, if you want economic head turning transport that'll do a bit of touring too if required, it wins, and if you just love the look of it, then it wins.

Fundamentally the VT750S is an economy motorcycle in many ways. It's cheap, it's functional and none of the other manufacturers offer anything exceptionally better for the cash. Incidentally, 2010 pre-registered models are still available for £4,999, which makes it a bargain.

Other retro bikes are available of course. Take a look at the Triumph Bonneville, the Moto Guzzi V7 and the new Kawasaki W800 (beautifully detailed with a rear drum too... but a grand more than the VT750S in Britain), which out Bonnevilles the Bonneville for sixties period charm and quality.

Remember Triumphs are not really Triumphs in the same way Indian is not really Indian, so in many ways the Kawasaki, which was making a 650 vertical twin in the sixties, is more authentic than the Bonneville as a retro bike any way.

So, to conclude: If you want a machine which is simple, with a sensible seating position, that feels like a motorcycle (though the vibes are nothing like any 60s big twin), decently made (in Japan as well, surprisingly), with a two-year warranty, that should retain a decent used value, you could do a lot worse than the VT750S.

Honda Shadow 2006 VT750C

Pros: Honda's lengendary reliability, a real head turner, low centre of gravity, easy to ride, smooth transmission, shaft-drive --wow.

Cons: the stock seat not the best on long rides. I added air-hawk cushions.

This was my "back in the saddle" bike after a 25year gap and I couldn't recommend a better one to start with. I love everything about this bike (except the seat). I put on Jardine slash cut pipes and OH what a sweet sound. I will miss that sound when I upgrade shortly to a sports-tourer. I always planned to use this as my stepping stone to a bigger bike and if I could afford to, I would keep it and if I did I would add a touring screen.