Is the Honda VT500C Shadow a good bike?
The seat was ok, but not exactly a dream comfort-wise. The wide bars made the bike have a ponderous, slow handling feel. The shotgun pipes made a nice enough sound, but not really very Harley-esque and the motor shook worse than any Honda mill I’d had with the exception of my 1975 Honda CB500T.
When did I trade in my 1985 Honda VT500C?
After only three years in my inventory, I finally traded it in on a 2003 Triumph Bonneville America. Fast forward to 2017 and the showroom of one of my favorite bike shops in the far north, Backstreet Cycle and Machine in Ironwood, Mich. On display was a 1985 Honda VT500C Shadow.
What kind of engine does a Honda VT500C have?
With its big 1100cc liquid-cooled V-twin, three valves per cylinder, dual spark plugs per cylinder ignition, shaft drive, dual staggered shotgun pipes and common crankpin a-la Harley, I envisioned a cruiser with the technical sophistication and smoothness of a Honda, with the throaty “thrumpty-thrump” sound of a Harley clone.
How much horsepower does a Honda VT 1100 have?
The VT 1100 produced a claimed 50 hp @ 4500 RPM and 65 lb./ft. of torque at 2500 RPM, fueled by two 36 mm Keihin carburetors. In stock trim, it weighed in at a claimed 615 pounds.
The seat was ok, but not exactly a dream comfort-wise. The wide bars made the bike have a ponderous, slow handling feel. The shotgun pipes made a nice enough sound, but not really very Harley-esque and the motor shook worse than any Honda mill I’d had with the exception of my 1975 Honda CB500T.
After only three years in my inventory, I finally traded it in on a 2003 Triumph Bonneville America. Fast forward to 2017 and the showroom of one of my favorite bike shops in the far north, Backstreet Cycle and Machine in Ironwood, Mich. On display was a 1985 Honda VT500C Shadow.
What was the horsepower of a Honda VT500?
The VT500 produced a claimed 47.5 horsepower at 9,000 RPM and 31 ft/lbs of torque at 7,000 RPM, fueled by two 32 mm Keihin carburetors, weighing in at a claimed 443 lb. If those numbers are anywhere near true, it explains, at least in part, why my VT500 feels a lot more energetic than the later VT1100.
What kind of rims did the Honda VT500C have?
The VT1100 saddle was a two-piece affair that was broad for the driver, but not so much for the pillion and each was a little too hard for all-day comfort. The VT1100 had traditional spoked rims, while the VT500 came with ten-spoke cast rims. The VT500 came with tach and speedometer; the VT1100 only had a speedometer.