Rider Review: 2004 Honda Shadow 600

Pros – Looks great and has good power

Cons – Cornering at high speeds and too big to squeeze in and out of dense traffic

Note: The writer of this review earned $15, and so can you. Details about writing a review here.

The Honda Shadow was first introduced in 1983 and was available across the US and Canada from then on and continues in production today. The bike is a cruiser with a leaning seating position with your feet pushed out towards the front end.

From its entry to the market the signature colors have been black or a candy red with different variants creeping in every once and a while. The speedometer and indicator lights are located on top of the tank which means the rider is exposed to the wind more so than other bikes. However, this is an interesting feature and Honda has made it look good by putting stylish chrome strips under these lights and gauges. One problem with this has been scratching from the keys in the ignition but once you only keep a modest amount of keys on your set you should be okay.

All engines fitted to Shadows are V-Twins with sizes ranging from a lean 125cc up to a grumbling 1100cc. However, all of these engine sizes offer a fair amount of torque on the Shadow and you should have no problem pulling away from a set of lights even on the 125cc version. The engines come fully chromed on some models with a great big exhaust stretching right along the chassis to the back tire in a straight line parallel with the ground.

Riding the shadow is a good experience. Cornering at high speeds takes a bit of getting used to because of the stretched out position but other than that she rides like a dream. The engine gets you where you want to go every time without so much as a flinch and the seat and sissy bar for the passenger are really comfortable.

Overall, the Shadow is a good bike. I wouldn’t recommend it for daily commuting because of its size and indeed the noise over 700cc but as a motorcycle it’s a lot of fun and well worth the buy for weekends and evening cruises around the countryside.

The opinions and observations stated  are solely of the writer of this article. Seattle-Motorcycles.com makes no warranty as to its accuracy; if you’re interested in a Honda Shadow you should do your own research before buying.

Honda Interceptor (VF or VFR models) have a dedicated web community, VFRDiscussion.com. One of the first questions I had about my 2002 (aka “6th Generation VFR”) was regarding its engine temperature. Running at over 200 degrees F threw up a red flag for me. I’ve never ridden a bike that gives a precise digital readout of the engine temperature, and seeing temperatures above the boiling point of water freaked me out. I found the VFRD board and posed this very question to the uber-experienced membership; the reply was, to paraphrase, that the bike normally gets up to 220 especially in stop-and-go surface street traffic, and it’s normal. As long as the fan comes on at about 220, no worries.

Currently, there’s a discussion about the next iteration of Interceptor… and if pictures are in circulation…

Yes! Finally! A deal was struck, and I am riding an awesome motorcycle.

I began looking through craigslist ads of private motorcycles for sale. My first spark of interest was a 1982 Kawsaki GPz 550 that was selling for $900… that was sold before I could see it. I checked out a 1986 Yamaha FJ1200, and a 1984 Honda V65 Sabre.

Then, I moved up the price bracket and found a very nice 2000 Kawasaki ZRX 1100.But, get this: I completed a credit application, and was notified that I was approved for credit. (I was putting $1,000 down and the bike cost $4,000 so I wasn’t financing too much, really.) I took most of Friday off from work to drive 35 miles to a dealership… I presented my pay stub… and was told there was a problem. The financing guys assumed that, given the monthly gross I make from my job, I’d have X dollars year-to-date. Well, I had earned about about one thousand bucks less than that amount, and they said that I would have to have my wife come in and cosign for the loan and have her income figured in.

1) one hour and forty five minutes in driving time round trip to and from the dealership

2) Took most of Friday off of work to go down there and fiddle around.

I therefore decided I’d stick within a 8 mile radius of dealerships from  my house. Luckily for me, RideWest BMW had a couple of good candidate bikes to check out.

I went in on Saturday morning expecting to make a deal on the 2005 Ducati Monster Dark 2SR, a lovely 800cc hooligan naked bike. Thing is, its seating position was way more aggressive and sporty than I liked.

Right next to it was a lovely blood red 2002 Honda Interceptor VFR800Fi. It was just $500 more than the Ducati. A set of hard luggage installed, just over 18k miles on the odometer.

Now, I’ve not kept up with Interceptors since 1987, when the Interceptors of that vintage were the motorcycle on the streets. Interceptors have changed since then to become more sport tourers than canyon carving sportbike kings.

Which was fine with me.

I made a little walk-around video and it can be seen here:

“I have got a V-65 1100 up for sale at an unbeatable price…been well taken care of and has an after market supertrap pipes.sounds and runs excellent..the price is $3,000 to sell quik…no low ballers and first with the cash can have it…”

I love a V65 Magna from the 1980s. And it’s probably a terrific motorcycle he has for sale here… but the price ain’t exactly as low as he thinks it is, and I doubt it will really “sell quik” [sic]. To prove my point, here’s a screen capture of the most recent completed sales of Honda V65 Magnas from eBay, and his price of three grand, is, contrary to his argument, indeed quite beatable (-click the image to see in full size-):

I’m not saying this bike can’t be worth $3,000 – it very well could be, I haven’t seen it. A ‘quik’ sale would be at a $2,400 price point, in my opinion. But his desired price isn’t in the neighborhood of unbeatable. But since he says “no lowballers” I guess you shouldn’t check the bike out unless you have three large, end of story. He’ll have to sell it to someone who doesn’t want to do any research on the bike’s selling history.

**UPDATE, 4/16/09: The seller has reconsidered his price, it’s now $2,800.

>>Click Here<< to contact the seller of this 80’s-vintage Honda V65 Magna. If the bike’s image at the top of this posting is gone, or the craigslist ad is no longer there, the bike may no longer be for sale. And I’m sure there are more V65 Magnas for sale here:

“Turn key VF750F classic crotch rocket 30,000 miles good rubber and brakes. This bike runs strong and sweet and even has a radar detector. $1,500″

Aftermarket F-1 exhaust pipes are clearly seen in this classic sportbike’s picture. $1,500 seems like a great deal; the mileage is no problem. It goes nice and stops nice, the owner says. A great collectible non-tariff displacement Interceptor here.

>>Click Here<< to go to the owner’s Craigslist ad for this Honda VF750F Interceptor for sale in Puyallup, WA. If the picture above or the ad is gone on the craigslist site, the bike may no longer be for sale.

More Interceptors for sale nationwide? Yep! Here they are:

Some more Honda ST1100s may be available outside of the Seattle area here:

2nd owner, 37,680 miles. Reciepts for all work done, comes with suit and gloves. $1,600 Marysville, WA.

This is the first year for the Interceptor from Honda. In 1984, Honda offered a 700cc version (called just Interceptor, the true 750cc engine Interceptor was the V45, and cost $800 more, thanks to the Reagan Administration’s Harley Davidson protective tariff). This vintage Interceptor could be a collector’s item.

If this Honda V45 Interceptor is gone, more may be available here.

>> Click Here << to go to the owner’s craigslist ad for this Honda Interceptor classic. If the ad is gone, then it’s possible the motorcycle is no longer for sale. Please read the disclaimer near the top of this posting.