Rider Review: 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit

Now, it is my pleasure to review the 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit 750.

This is a smaller version of the Shadow, but it differs in many aspects. The Spirit 750 is aka the VT750DC, meaning "v-twin custom". The custom items include drag handlebars, forward controls, lots of chrome and a super low, two-up seat.

The bike also comes in some different paint options, including candy red flames or purple flames (my personal choice). I won't go over the specs other than to say it has a seat height under 26", a 750 displacement v-twin with 5 gears, chain driven and a wheelbase of about 64". The weight is just under 500 lbs. No center stand.

Now for the real stuff: How does the bike ride?

I never would have thought it would be easier to ride a bigger bike, but I find the Spirit to be one of the easiest bikes I have ridden. Although it is much heavier than my 250, it handles like it is 20 pounds. The center of gravity is very low and the bike is balanced really well, so the bike feels like it is sliding or melting around corners instead of turning. I used to have some difficulty doing u-turns on my Ninja because it was more top heavy and it was jerky at lower speeds. The spirit I can whip around a u-turn like it was made of paper.

I was very impressed by how smooth the throttle and gear shifting is on the bike. Even when you are rapidly accelerating, it feels like just a smooth, gradual increase. The gears are reasonably spaced and the bike is very forgiving when you are first getting used to the speeds to shift at. The only issue I have had with the gears is sometimes it is hard to shift up - most often between second and third. I will push up but it won't catch, and I have to really do a dedicated shift to get it to change. I spoke to the dealer and they assured me this was just a characteristic of it being new.

The gas tank holds about 3.4 gallons with a decent .9 gallon reserve. The tank is wide but tapers by your legs so it is comfortable for a smaller rider like myself. (I found the V-star tank a little too wide for my liking). The forward controls were a lot easier to get used to than I thought and are a lot more comfortable. They are not really far forward, though, so a tall rider would probably not be comfortable. For that matter, a tall rider would probably be standing well over the seat at a stop due to the low seat height.

But, for a shorter rider like me, the low seat height and weight make this a really easy bike and I feel very confident on it. In fact, when I test drove it, I felt like I had been riding for days within the first few minutes. That is why I chose this bike over the Sportster. I just felt really comfortable. Of course the lower setting does mean some risk of dragging parts - I did that the first long ride because I was used to zipping around corners in my Ninja. There are feelers on the pegs to help prevent any damage and to warn you you are getting low.

Riding a cruiser is a whole different thing, which I will address in another review. The seat is comfortable so far, although I have not taken any really long trips. The bike has a nice fat back tire which makes the bike feel really, really stable. The stock pipes are not real loud but are better than most stock pipes and have a decent sound to them. Of course, there is always plenty of options for upgrades ...

Now the big question I've seen raised: vibration. Does this bike vibrate? Well, yes. It was kinda designed to be a sportier bike and give you that feel of the road. So, while the ride is smooth, it also lets you feel the road and the bike's power pulses. Enough to be fun and make it feel like a power bike without shaking your teeth loose or tiring out your arms. The vibration did freak me out a little to start, just because of the bad experience I had on my last bike with it starting to vibrate just before dying. However, this was just my little paranoia streak to overcome.

I have taken the bike up to 75 mph with no problems or buzzing. The mirrors do not shake much and actually show a good view of what's behind. I think this is a great all-around cruiser. It does well at low and high speeds and stays smooth and easy throughout all gears. I really like the looks of it, especially with the custom paint which only cost $200 extra.

The bike has an electronic odometer with a trip and a tool kit comes with bike and a space for you to store the owners manual in the bike, too. Price was right - asking $6299.00 MSRP and I walked out with everything and three year extended warranty for under $6700.

As many of you on the site know, I took a long time and asked a lot of questions to figure out my next bike. Well, it was worth the time spent because this is a great bike and I am very happy and comfortable with my choice.

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