Honda Shadow 700
HONDA SHADOW 700
CYCLE WORLD TEST
A CASE OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
MOST DOCTORS WOULDN'T call a facelift preventive medicine. But when the 1986 Shadow 700 was unveiled as a cosmetically restyled and reborn model, Honda offered only one reason for all of the bike's changes: prevention. The 700 Shadow had been one of the most successful models in recent years, and Honda simply wanted to ensure that what was healthy staved healthy.
And there was no~' question ab~t the previous Shadow's extreme good health, as far as its showroom perfor mance was concerned, at least. From its very introduction in 1983 as a 750, this particular light-heavyweight V Twin not only became Honda's best selling model, but America's best selling motorcycle of any kind, period. Only last year did it get dis placed at the top of the sales charts by another model, Honda's own ultra inexpensive Rebel 250. -
B~i it wasn't the Rebel that
sparked the reforging of the Shadow; it was a combination of the Suzuki Intruder and the Yamaha Virago. Parked next to either of those two, a 750/700 Shadow of 1983-1985 vintage looked positively lackluster. Where the Intruder showed off its dazzling chrome and highly polished aluminum, the Shadow had only plastic and flat-black paint. Where the Yamaha had a rich finish and a meaty-looking engine, the Honda seemed low-budget and flimsy.
So in a cosmetic retaliation, Honda has given the 700 Shadow a new look. But instead of going after the lean, light and radical look of the Suzuki, Honda went its own route, molding the Shadow in what it calls the “big, long and low’’ image. And the bike is long; with its 63-inch wheelbase, it out-measures just about any other motorcycle made. And with a seat just 27 inches off the ground, the Shadow is low, as well.
That basic profile is nothing new,
SHADOW
though, having originated in Milwaukee long before Honda, Yamaha or Suzuki ever considered building a VTwin in the first place. And there’s no denying that with its new look, the the Honda is getting more and more Harley-like. Certain styling licks have Milwaukee written all over them, such as the little chromeplated spring covers at the top and bottom of each shock, and the long bracket that supports the rear fender. There also are new chrome-plated bits here and there, like the oil-tank cover, the airbox and even the engine’s side cases.
Perhaps the most conclusive evidence of Honda’s concern for appearance is the fact that the Shadow’s liquid-cooled, sohc engine has real fins. Not just the stubby little fake aircooling fins that were on the previous Shadow, but genuine, full-size fins that probably have enough area to rid an air-cooled engine of all its heat.
Aside from the finning, though, the new Shadow engine is fundamentally the same as the previous one. The 45-degree V-motor still uses offset crankpins, Honda's patented
design feature that is claimed to give the engine perfect primary balance and result in an exceptionally smooth engine. That simply wasn’t the case with the older Shadow, which was rather buzzy, but the new Shadow is considerably smoother. Only a little vibration sneaks into the footpegs at around 60 mph, and it’s not at all annoying.
Honda claims that most of the reduction in perceived vibration can be attributed to the Shadow’s all-new frame, which does not transmit as much engine buzzing to the rider. But the company also insists that a small percentage of the increased smoothness is due to slightly less-potent power pulses brought about by new cams that are not quite as radical as those in last year’s engine. Honda wished to give this three-valves-percylinder engine a lot more of the strong low-end and mid-range power that V-Twins are reputed to produce, even if it meant a reduction in peak power and overall performance. So the cam timing is milder this year, and cam lift is 1mm less.
As for the rest of the engine, it retains most of the same features it had when the Shadow was first introduced in 1983. It still uses downdraft CV carbs, two sparkplugs per cylinder, and hydraulic valve-lash adjust-
ers that prevent the owner from ever having to worry about adjusting the valve clearance. The Shadow also retains the one-way sprag mechanism in its clutch that helps prevent inadvertent rear-wheel chatter and lockup during downshifting.
The revised camshafts, along with an all-new exhaust system also configured for increased power output in the lower and middle rpm ranges, combine to make the ’86 engine much torquier. It has a grunty, gritty kind of feel that includes just enough growling and rumbling to please the senses of a V-Twin lover, yet it is civilized enough not to be embarrassing in mixed company. The Shadow’s gruff side stems mostly from its exhaust note, a baritone boom with a strong helping of the uneven cadence that is a trademark of V-Twin engines. The exhaust hints at social irreverence without being loud or outright raspy.
That character works harmoniously with the Shadow’s power, which is strong right off the bottom and pulls steadily all the way to the top. The ’86 Shadow is a tad slower than the ’85 in sheer acceleration; but due to its linear power output and six-speed gearbox with fairly close ratios, it can hold its own in impromptu drag races against other V-Twins. Best of all, it has lots of usable, accessible power that is ideally suited for city-street cruising.
It’s not until you get outside the city limits and on those endless American backroads that you start finding the bike’s limitations. The original Shadow’s seating position was considered radical for a Japanese bike, with a high handlebar, a low seat and footrests mounted in front of the engine’s crankshaft, highway-peg style. And this year, the layout has gotten even more extreme. The footpegs are farther forward and the seat is lower, making for a semi-reclined riding position. At speed, this causes the rider’s body to catch the wind like a sail, and he gets buffeted and blown around quite a bit. This can be tiring on long trips and cause the rider to look for alternative positions, but there’s very little relief; the Shadow offers only one riding posture.
Conversely, for shorter rides, and even for trips along twisty backroads, the Honda’s ergonomics work much more agreeably. So long as you don’t have to spend hour after hour perched virtually motionless atop the bike, it’s a comfortable ride. In fact, the Shadow might actually benefit if the footpegs were even farther forward, giving taller riders a little more
room to stretch their legs.
Fundamentally, the same end could have been achieved if the footpegs were a little lower; but Honda wanted to keep considerable distance between footpeg and ground. Thus, the Shadow has a surprising amount of cornering clearance, surprising, at least, for a cruiserbike with a seat height of just 27 inches.
Honda must have been determined to sacrifice absolutely nothing to arrive at such a low seat, for not only is there plenty of cornering clearance, but generous suspension travel, as well. While the Intruder sits just about as low, its suspension has been
noticeably compromised in terms of travel and quality. But in lowering the new Shadow’s seat, Honda cut very little suspension travel from the chassis, and lost no quality at all. The ride is smooth and comfortable, and the bike rarely wallows, even during hard, sport-like cornering. You can get things to scrape if you really want to—but then, why would you want to? The Shadow is much better at other things, and conversely, other bikes are much better for playing roadracer through the turns.
Rather, what the Shadow excels at are the everyday tasks of motorcycling that almost all bikes wind up
performing, regardless of their stated intent. The runs to the lake, the holiday rides with friends and even workday commuting; the Shadow performs chores like these quite nicely indeed. And whether or not the end results of Honda's cosmetic reconstruction set well with you is purely a matter of personal taste. Some will see the bike as pure art, and others won't. That's the way matters of style usually work out. But there’s little doubt that the new Shadow is destined for big things nonetheless; because it has everything that made the old Shadow a sales winner—and a little more.
HONDA
SHADOW 700
$3598
