Sabre

Sabre

Honda casts another Shadow

HONDA'S ONLY NEW CRUISER for 2000, the Shadow Sabre takes niche marketing to a whole'nother level. Done up in street-rod style, the Sabre joins three other Shadow 1100 models—the Aero (white-walled retro), the ACE (bagger) and the Spirit (standard cruiser).

Claimed to be “the highestperformance V-Twin custom in Honda’s lineup” and possessed of “class-leading low-end and midrange punch,” the Sabre is powered by the same dual-crankpin, liquid-cooled,

1099cc Vee motor as found in the Spirit. Last time we tested, that mill churned out 54 rear-wheel bhp with 65 foot-pounds of torque-respectable but not exactly top-of-the-pops. The Sabre’s packed on 20 pounds compared to the Spirit (blame additional sheetmetal,

heavier cast wheels and a rear disc brake), so even with its lowered gearing, it’s hard to imagine a Sabre outrunning a Spirit by much.

Except in the visual sweepstakes, that is. Minted 13 years ago, the Spirit’s styling cues-not to mention its sales figures-are starting to look a little stale. Not so, the Sabre, which strikes a happy balance between Forties fatfendered retro and Fifties hot-rod chic.

Up front, the fork has lost about an inch of travel for that requisite

ebar switchgear and thejppjrjple

are polished aluminum. Chromed fork-leg covers provide sparkle, and satin-finished wheels-the rear wearing a meaty 170-series weenie-add class. Lots of chrome is sprinkled throughout the engine bay, contrasting nicely with the blacked-out crankcase and cylinders. Aluminum footpegs with rubber trim could have come straight from an aftermarket catalog. The Zorro-esque two-tone paint schemes (in Pearl Red/Candy Red and Black/Metallic Gray) really do look custom.

Overall, the effect is appealing.

Think of it as a Far East Fat Boy-at half the price.