Honda VT700C Shadow reviews

I bought this bike from the orignal owner who said he never had to any thing to it but replace the battery and tires and regular maintenance. A lot of its life has been spent in Florida and Ohio. It still looks nearly new, shiny chrome and perfect candy red paint. It still runs and rides great. It's a very nice and well built bike, loads of fun. My only complaint is, I am 69 years old and the seat is a little uncomfortable for me. If you can find a nice one buy it. You won't be sorry. PS. I also have a 2004 Yamaha 1100 Silverado with Mustang seats, hard bags and trunk and a lot of extras for long rides. Show less

I purchased mine used with 31K miles on it. It is short framed for my body size for more than about 50 miles at a time. The Stator went out at 35k miles, I replaced it with a Electrosport High output for less than a third the cost of honda parts. It now puts out enought amperage to reliably run a heated riding suit. In the 7 months I have owned it I have logged almost 10k miles on it and it has been the most reliable road bike I have had thus far being I used to ride mid 70's Harleys and always worked on them. I have repainted it black with silver ghost flames. In an all out drag race with my buddies screaming eagle equipped Harley XL1200C he gets me for the first 75 yards or so then the higher HP and revving of the Shadow blows by him litteraly shutting him down. Good mileage, easy maintenance. Running strong at 45k miles the bike is more of a crossover between a cruiser and a sport bike, handles very well with the proper tires and rider placement. I have scraped the pegs many times on turns, hooks up well. Show less

I must say my 1986 Honda Shadow is very nice. I bought it in 2008 with only 1,400 miles. I am so proud to have this bike, it looks brand new and rides very well with no worries. I take it on long rides with my fishing tackle and rod straped to the back. With my chrome sparkling and the throttle wide open, I am off to see the sun set. Show less

Thanks to everyone's review, I just purchased my 1986 Honda Shadow VT700C yesterday from a dealer who specializes in classic Honda's. This one was in "like new" condition. Only a little under 6K miles, no rust, and cherried-out! The shop replaced the fuel pump prior to my purchase in which the motor stalled after 10 miles and put on new tires (Dunlop Qualifiers). I was in the shop for less than an hour and immediately went on a 250 mile ride home. What a ride! Cruising speed of 85MPH with more HP for passing. The overdrive makes for less vibration, the low seat was perfect for my 5'5" frame. You don't see them built like this anymore...cruiser looks with musclebike power! If you find one in good shape, don't pass it up. Show less

I bought the bike for $3000, with 19000 kms on it. Just barely broke in I'm told. I haven't got off it since I got it. It's so much fun. My first big trip is going to be through the rocky mountains this year. Lots of chrome which turns heads. Hard to find aftermarket parts for it but I'll keep trying. I might upgrade to an 1100 next year and hand it off to my girlfriend. Like to get a bigger tank and a backrest. I'll keep it for sure. Just as good to me as a $30,000 Harley. Show less

Ok, first let's start with the age. The bike is almost 20 years old and it runs like a beast! I got this bike two years ago with about 19,000 miles on it. My wife loves to kid me that I bought a girl's bike. The lady I bought this from was looking for something bigger. Her loss, my gain. With the redline at just over 8000rpms (plus it has a tach), the bike can haul with the big boys. Having been able to keep up with bigger cc crotch rockets and pass bigger cruisers like they were standing still, not quite sure what she was looking for? 6 speed, shaft drive, hydraulic lifters, hydraulic clutch, liquid cooled... what is to complain about? I did have to replace the stator and rectifier which did suck, but besides that, this bike has been more reliable than my car! I love this bike, rock solid. I don't understand why Honda doesn't make anything like this anymore. The new Shadows in this class are not up to par with this bike, even the 1100cc would be a compromise. They are all 5 speeds and get pretty nasty gas mileage on the expressway (where they get in the high 30's I can get about 50+ mpg going 80mph). I have looked to try and "trade upto a newer bike, but have found I would in fact be trading down. I would like hard bags, but can't seem to find any for this model. Honda, just make one of these as a 20th Anniversary bike or something and I will by it! VT700c, there is nothing better. By next year I will have over 37000 miles on it, almost doubling the original miles. Show less

Most awesome bike. Bought it last year from original owner; only 12,000 miles on it. This is my first bike; friends keep telling me I need a bigger bike and I surely DO NOT. Rode it to the Honda Hoot from MI to TN and back this year and it was a great ride. Of course I am a new rider, and this is my first bike . . . but I can't imagine anything being better. I've put about 8,000 miles on it since I bought it. I am hooked!!!! Love the shaft drive, low seat, looks, fact that it's water cooled -- EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. Great for cruising; great on the curves. I would like to find a luggage rack and engine guards to fit it if anyone has any ideas. Would love to hear from you!! Show less

I purchased an 84 VT700c that was in a shed for a number of years. After refurbishing it with new rubber, batteries, fluids, plugs,etc. I took it for a ride. The pegs are a little high for me and the handlebars a little too much back. I'm 6'0". This bike was designed for someone between 5'4" and 5'10". The power is very good and handling is up to par for an 84. My wife has started to ride it as it fits her better than me. A good women's bike. Bob Show less

I've owned mine now for over 15 years and have truly enjoyed it. I've averaged right at 3,000 miles per year. Averages 48 mpg but needs premium gas. My only maintenance problem was a burned out "stator & volt. reg. at about 30,000 miles and a choke cable replacement. Highly recommend Metzler 88 Marathon tires. They give me the best handling and at least 20,000 miles durability. I can never get more than 30 months from a battery no matter how you nurse it. Totally reliable, and has never leaked a drop of oil. There's little to no after-market accessories available.................woody Show less

I LOVE this bike. This is my second bike. I've moved up from 400cc's to 700cc's. This bike handles the freeway quite well. I have a high windshield and that really makes a difference. The wind is NOT and issue. She gets about 120 mpg on a full tank. Not bad. I am only 5'4.5" female and my feet touch the ground. that's always a good start. The weight is such that I can handle her quite well even during slow maneuvers. She does get a little buzzy when I reach 60mph. However, I've ridden her as fast as 75mph and still had plenty of power left over. I can pass the trucks with this bike. that's REALLY important out there on the freeway. I would recommend this bike to anyone who intends to ride in the city and on the freeway. She has just what the doctor ordered. Show less