Test: Honda Shadow 750 C-ABS
Whether it's a small number of units sold or a lack of interest from dealers, I don't know, but I do know that the number of test grinders under my ass over the past decade has not exceeded the number of valves on both cylinders. motorcycle in the photo.
I've ridden Harley-Davidson Street Bob 1500, Triumpha Rocket III, Hondo VT 750, Guzzi Gris Moto and Nevada (these two strands are not classic choppers, but let them be) ... aaam ... hmm ... and this Hondo Shadow. Were there more than 200 other two-, three- and four-wheeled motorcycles with handlebars and six choppers?
Yes. Therefore, I say straight away frankly that the test probably would not be very different if we were talking about the Kawasaki VN or Yamaha XV. I can explain the difference between a Husqvarna SMS and a KTM SMC or an Aprilio Shiver and a Suzuki GSR, but I don't know much about cruisers. If you don't try, you just won't know.
The impression after walking around a pile of steel and chrome and the first few kilometers is fun. But not because I stopped on the first wheel or jumped pavements before a red light at a traffic light, but because of the difference, since the Shadow, unlike the VT 750 tested last year, is more of a “real” cruiser: with a long wheelbase , with baroque fenders, a huge seat and a fuel tank, it gives the impression that there are at least 1.500 of them, but in fact there are “only” half that number. The small size of the cylinders brings out at first a more pleasant and quieter than loud sound from a two-chamber, and then performance.
I understand that this is not a superbike, but on the road it turns out, especially with a passenger in the back seat, that you need to spend a little more time on overtaking than on a regular one, for example, a 600cc motorcycle. It's not worth rushing to Shadowk, which is not bad from the point of view of traffic rules.
Speaking of the passenger: after 150 kilometers she complained of back pain (thank you, same thing), and earlier - about the catapult function of the last pair of shock absorbers. On the roads through Sorica and Pokljuka, we tested three of the five different offset settings and finally made it back to the factory center. For bad roads, a chopper is not the best choice, and for very winding roads.
A former classmate who joined the ride with the intention of launching a brand new 800cc GS was otherwise pleased with the pace... Motorcyclists, technology has advanced in recent decades! There are more choppers - which, from the point of view of a lover of just such a motorcycle, is probably the only true one.
Well, this Honda has ABS that makes sure the tire doesn't slip when braking hard on poor surfaces. The emphasis is on the "strong" and "bad" because, given the performance of both the coils and the jaws, the electronics only intervened in an exaggerated way. If I'm exaggerating: ABS on a motorcycle with these brakes works the same as traction control on a moped. However, ABS is welcome and we recommend it.
How far does it pull? Up to 150 kilometers per hour, but it makes sense to ask at what speed the air resistance in the body is still tolerable in the absence of any protection. The likelihood of speeding with such a motorcycle is much lower, and your wallet will also be grateful for its low fuel consumption (4,6 fluids per 100 passed) and low maintenance requirements.
It has a good working driveshaft, so lubricating the chain and spraying oil on the rim is a waste of time. It has a speedometer, but not for revs. It has a good gearbox that leaves no doubt on slightly longer strokes. It has a pin lock hidden somewhere under the fuel tank behind the rear cylinder.
God forbid chrome may the crowds of lovers of wide rudders forgive me: in the subalpine world, transportation on such a ship seems to me almost pointless. With a CBF 600 or Transalp, you can also move slowly, but at the same time more comfortable and safe.
Hey, don't be mad. Everyone has their own: but you probably do not understand the suffering on a wobbly single-cylinder with a hard narrow seat ... If you like stretched classics - go for it!
Matevž Gribar, photo: Aleš Pavletič, Matevž Gribar
Face to face: Denis Avdich, radio host
My experience with motorcycles can be compared to Maria's experience with women, but if there is a woman among motorcyclists who would immediately want to cut her, then it is definitely a Honda Shadow.
You see her, you even call her alive in your mind, and the first thing you want to do is ride her, hear her sound and go to an unknown place. If women talk to flowers, I kind of talk to my Honda. As soon as I see her, I smile at her, mentally greet her and even ask where we are going.
She likes regional and local roads, but I think she resists the highway. The greatest pleasure is between 80 and 110 km / h, at 130 km / h, after a few kilometers the body tells you that it doesn't like driving anymore, because the wind resistance is constantly annoying, but it does not resist the three of us. ...
If I am ever asked if I have found one with whom I am willing to work to the end, I will undoubtedly answer YES.
Basic data
Sales: Motocentr As Domžale
Test model cost: 8.790 €
Technical information
engine: two-cylinder V, 52 °, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 745 cm3, 3 valves in the head, electronic fuel injection.
Power: 33,5 kW (45,6 KM) at 5.500/min.
Torque: 64 Nm @ 3.500 rpm
Energy transfer: 5-speed transmission, propeller shaft.
Frame: steel tubular, double cage.
brakes: front disc Ø 296 mm, 276-piston calipers, rear disc Ø XNUMX mm, single-piston caliper, ABS.
Suspension: front telescopic fork Ø 41 mm, travel 117 mm, rear two shock absorbers, travel 90 mm, 5-stage preload adjustment.
Tires: 120/90-17, 160/80-15.
Fuel tank: 14,6 l.
Wheelbase: 1.640 mm.
We praise and reproach
the look of a real classic chopper
good gearbox
flexible motor
fuel consumption
pleasant, fairly quiet sound
has ABS
weight
capacity
brakes
comfort (especially on bad roads)
windshield protection
