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Honda Shadow Spirit reviews

4.7 (88 reviews)
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Reliability
4.7
Overall quality
4.7
Performance
4.7
Comfort
4.6

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Voted most helpful review

Jeff Oliver

Dresden, Tennessee

Reviewed on September 23, 2012

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
I bought my bike new in the spring of 2001 and have put all but about 50 of the 82.6K miles on it. I have left it basically stock except for functional modifications. Stock pipes and carb jets, handlebars, etc. - all I can say for this bike is it is reliable as in all these years I have had to perform very... read more
I bought my bike new in the spring of 2001 and have put all but about 50 of the 82.6K miles on it. I have left it basically stock except for functional modifications. Stock pipes and carb jets, handlebars, etc. - all I can say for this bike is it is reliable as in all these years I have had to perform very few repairs. I replaced the plugs at 39K (checked at 49 and 82 and they still looked as good as new so I left them in), Stator at 39K, kill switch at 40k, diaphragms in the carbs at 60k. There was one front fork seal leaking at 70K. All together it cost less that $650 in these 11 yrs. The ride is great. I added a driver's backrest and although usually at about 100-130 miles I get a ache in my shoulders. I have the same problem no matter what I ride, including a Yamaha Venture I used to have. Riding with my wife is no problem as it has enough power for 2 up as well. It handles good and is very stable. I've done 400 miles a day on it and that's about all I want but know guys who can do more comfortably. I tried a Mustang Classic seat but it didn't agree with me so I went back to a stock one. It will cruise backroads at 40-50 mph. all day and hit the interstate at 75-85 just as well. It does lack a little in torque but once you learn to downshift and use 5th gear basically over 60-65, it's fine. Barring any major problems I am looking at over 100K on this bike as to be honest I haven't ridden anything I like better yet in its class.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Amjad

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Reviewed on April 11, 2010

Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
Bought this bike new and loved it since then. I usually don't ride long distance and low miles speak for themselves. But whenever I get a chance I ride this bike at least 80 to 120 miles in one leg. Bike is very good looking, comfortable, easy to maintain and easy to handle in any road conditions. Highly ... read more
Bought this bike new and loved it since then. I usually don't ride long distance and low miles speak for themselves. But whenever I get a chance I ride this bike at least 80 to 120 miles in one leg. Bike is very good looking, comfortable, easy to maintain and easy to handle in any road conditions. Highly recommended.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

dave colombo

st ann, Missouri

Reviewed on September 3, 2009

Motorcycle reviewed 1999 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
My girlfriend talked me into buying this bike last year. I didn't really want it, but now I am truly hooked. Only bad thing is now I NEED something bigger. don't get me wrong...it's an awesome bike. I added k&n air and oil filter, cobra pipes and jet kit and flame grips. After changing what I'm guess... read more
My girlfriend talked me into buying this bike last year. I didn't really want it, but now I am truly hooked. Only bad thing is now I NEED something bigger. don't get me wrong...it's an awesome bike. I added k&n air and oil filter, cobra pipes and jet kit and flame grips. After changing what I'm guessing was the original (clogged) fuel filter, it all came together. Scary fast and loud (no baffles). As for the guy who said weird gear ratios, the pipes and jet kit took care of that. It hits the rev limiter much quicker now if you want to, and much less downshifting and lugging. Now JUST WANT BIGGER AND BADDER! No disappointments. Ride long and safe!
Reliability
4.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

BZ

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Reviewed on July 26, 2009

Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
Great bike for country roads. Gas mileage from 60 to 65 mpg but fades to 50 to 55 on highway speeds over 55. Only abnormal problem was to replace regulator rectifier after 47,000 miles.... read more
Great bike for country roads. Gas mileage from 60 to 65 mpg but fades to 50 to 55 on highway speeds over 55. Only abnormal problem was to replace regulator rectifier after 47,000 miles.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

RJM

St Augustine, Florida

Reviewed on July 23, 2009

Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
Bought my VT1100 Spirit Oct of 08 and have put about 10,000 on it in the 8 months of ownership. Gas, Oil and plugs and of course tires are the only things neede to keep this bike running. What you don't need are valve adjustments since they are hydraulic. Good torque even with two up and fast enough to stil... read more
Bought my VT1100 Spirit Oct of 08 and have put about 10,000 on it in the 8 months of ownership. Gas, Oil and plugs and of course tires are the only things neede to keep this bike running. What you don't need are valve adjustments since they are hydraulic. Good torque even with two up and fast enough to still get you in trouble but no 1/4 mile records are planned. Seat IMO is more comfy than the VTX1300 and shifting works smoother too. Is too bad 2007 was the last year for this bike.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Gary Jenness

Garland, Texas

Reviewed on June 6, 2007

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
This was my choice for my first bike after 20 years without a bike. As soon as my butt hit that seat I knew that it was the one I wanted. It sat good and low and had perfect balance. It's a great bike with plenty of snap, my only desire for more would be one more gear on the highway. The RPM's are pretty high... read more
This was my choice for my first bike after 20 years without a bike. As soon as my butt hit that seat I knew that it was the one I wanted. It sat good and low and had perfect balance. It's a great bike with plenty of snap, my only desire for more would be one more gear on the highway. The RPM's are pretty high at 70 mph. Other than that I love the bike!
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Paul & Patricia

Red Bluff, California

Reviewed on February 20, 2007

Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
My wife and I purchased a new 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit VT1100 on October 31, 2002 and we are still riding it. We commute, take summer trips, and joy ride almost daily. Every summer we take long trips and our last one was to Nova Scotia. With over 50,000 miles we must say we are very happy with our purchase. W... read more
My wife and I purchased a new 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit VT1100 on October 31, 2002 and we are still riding it. We commute, take summer trips, and joy ride almost daily. Every summer we take long trips and our last one was to Nova Scotia. With over 50,000 miles we must say we are very happy with our purchase. We chose this bike because it is virtually maintenance free with hydraulic lifters, shaft drive, easy access to change the oil & filter, and the cost. We have our bike serviced every year just before our summer riding begins. The only real problem we found with this bike is the small fuel tank. Around town and commuting it is no problem. But, when we are touring and have to stop every 50 to 100 miles for gas it is very time consuming. And, if you ever get caught in 40 mph head winds in Wyoming going two up, your tank of gas can only take you about 60 miles before hitting the reserve. I can still remember counting down the miles to the next gas station and figuring out how long it would take me to push the bike that far when I ran out of gas, while my wife on the back, having no idea there is a problem, shouting out to pull over for her to take a picture. Luckily, we made it! That is why on a tour I know where the next stop is and never second guess. When in doubt, stop and fill it up! When my wife and I started putting on electrical upgrades, heated clothing and fog lights, the dealer said that the alternator will not accommodate these items. To help us manage this we added a volt meter. On long trips my wife and I run heated jacket liners. In the winter I run a complete set of heated clothing. Jacket liner, pant liner, gloves, and socks. At highway cruising speed, about 70 mph, our bike runs at a constant 13.9 volts and when using one full set of heated clothing the volt meter reads 13.7 volts. Even though the dealer said we could go as low as 12 volts, we have always kept it above 13 volts. Once, on June 29, 2005 I was just outside of Cleveland, OH I noticed it was not charging and the battery was getting low. I went to the nearest dealer and they replaced the rectifier, regulator, and gave me a new battery, all of which were covered by our extended warranty. They went out of their way and took the parts off a new show room model to get me back on the road in less than 3 hours. Not all dealers are the same. In late 2006 we took our bike to where we purchased it. This is our second bike to purchase from this dealer, the first was a new 2002 KLR650. We told them about an electrical and shifting problem we were having. The electrical problem turned out to be the stator which was covered by the extended warranty. The shifting problem was when we are cruising in 3rd, 4th, or 5th gears and want to pass, the rpm's would increase, but the bike would have up to a 3 second pause before the bike would move faster. Our dealer said it was the carburetor and charged us $338 to service it. When we got our bike back we still had the shifting problem. After telling our dealer that they didn't fix it they said to bring it in and they would take another look at it. I told them they had their chance. Well, we lived with the problem up until we were about to take our next trip. We took our bike out of town to a different dealership. We told the service manager what had happened to us and if he could help us. He said he hadn't heard of this problem on a Shadow before, but had seen it on other models. He said it sounds like the clutch is slipping. In a rainstorm, on February 9, 2007 I rode our bike to the dealer and left it to have a new clutch installed. It is nice to have the extended warranty. On February 16, 2007 I picked it up and drove to Monterey, CA the next day, a 760 mile round trip through the wine country, golden gate, and Hwy 1 coast route. I came home yesterday and still no problem shifting. It shifts like a new machine again.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

Mac

Bevercreek, Ohio

Reviewed on September 15, 2006

Motorcycle reviewed 1999 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
Ran up another 4000 and still love the bike. I have read that it would be better with a tac, or with gas gauge or with disk on the back wheel. Going back to the Honda dealer I found they make a bike with all of these just different bikes. They even make one with a different gearing!!! I'll take the bike I hav... read more
Ran up another 4000 and still love the bike. I have read that it would be better with a tac, or with gas gauge or with disk on the back wheel. Going back to the Honda dealer I found they make a bike with all of these just different bikes. They even make one with a different gearing!!! I'll take the bike I have. Back to basics motorcycle, you don't work on it, you ride it.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Steve

Phoenix, Arizona

Reviewed on May 19, 2006

Motorcycle reviewed 2000 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
I was looking for a bike last year, and went into a Harley dealership. Nice bikes, but the 1200 was over $14K out the door. Insane!! A friend of mine recommended that I look at used bikes since I hadn't ridden before. Great advise. After taking the MSF class I started looking and found a used 2000 Spirit... read more
I was looking for a bike last year, and went into a Harley dealership. Nice bikes, but the 1200 was over $14K out the door. Insane!! A friend of mine recommended that I look at used bikes since I hadn't ridden before. Great advise. After taking the MSF class I started looking and found a used 2000 Spirit VT1100C in beautiful shape, and got it for $3,200. This is my first bike, and it's been great. Very forgiving, and an excellent bike to learn on. Not so big that it can't be handled, and not so small that it would be easy to outgrow. Since buying the bike I've replaced the tires with Metzlers, put on a Mustang seat and a National Cycle street shield. It's a confidence-building bike, and with every mile I ride it I get happier and happier. It's so much fun!! I'd do it all over again
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

Ian

Springfield, New Jersey

Reviewed on December 18, 2004

Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit view listing

5.0
I've found that no one produces a bike for someone my size. The Spirit offered a great canvas for the mods to fit my size and style. The performance out of the crate has been good all around. Once I had more time on the bike I found that the suspension was a little spongey for my riding style, and probably m... read more
I've found that no one produces a bike for someone my size. The Spirit offered a great canvas for the mods to fit my size and style. The performance out of the crate has been good all around. Once I had more time on the bike I found that the suspension was a little spongey for my riding style, and probably my weight.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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