Honda VT 1100C2 Shadow Ace

"MADE IN THE USA."

A familiar phrase, one that sends a patriotic message to most red-blooded Americans. It's easy to understand, then, why some people are surprised to see those words proudly displayed on the seatback of a Japanese motorcycle, the 1992 Honda Shadow 1100.

A marketing ploy? Absolutely. The big Shadow is back in the lineup after a one-year absence, and Honda wants to capitalize on the fact that this model has been built exclusively in the company's Marysville, Ohio, manufacturing facility ever since its introduction in 1985. Hard-core Harley-Davidson enthusiasts might argue that any custom-styled motorcycle not born in Milwaukee is illegitimate no matter where it was built; but for fans of the custom-cruiser genre who don't buy into that particular philosophy, the Shadow can be an extremely appealing machine.

Honda's advertisements bill the Shadow as "the most stylish and sophisticated big-bore custom motorcycle you can buy," and in most ways, it lives up to those claims. The 1100 earns style points by virtue of its custom-paint option, a program available only for this model which allows buyers to choose from as many as 24 different combinations of body colors, frame colors and logo styles. Coupled with the bike's classic cruiser profile, V-Twin power plant, 2-into-2 exhaust system, and liberal use of chrome plating, these graphics help make the Shadow 1100 one very attractive motorcycle.

At this point, however, getting the exact color/logo combination you desire could be iffy. Honda dealers can place orders for custom-painted 1100 Shadows only during three time periods throughout the year, and as you read this, there are only a couple of weeks remaining in the final ordering period for '92 models. Which means your choices now are four: Get down to your Honda dealership pronto and place your special order before it's too late; check around to see if any dealer already has the exact '92 model you want among his existing stock; wait until Honda allows its dealers to start ordering custom-painted '93 models; or buy one of the color schemes your dealer has in stock.

Sophistication is the other claim made by the Shadow's ad copy. True, the 1100's engine technology is practically stone-age compared to that of high-performance repli-racers, but it still is much more advanced than the run-of-the-mill cruiser motor. For instance, the Shadow's two crank-pins are offset 90 degrees, a trick that fools the 45-degree V-Twin into thinking it has the perfect primary balance of a 90-degree V-Twin. This allows the big Shadow to give off less vibration than other narrow-angle V-Twins.

Moderate levels of sophistication are evident elsewhere in the undersquare, long-stroke engine. Each cylinder is fired by two sparkplugs for more efficient combustion, and each also has three valves—two intakes and one exhaust—operated by a single overhead camshaft. Hydraulic lash adjusters eliminate the need for periodic valve adjustments, and a hydraulic clutch, a solid-state digital ignition and automatic cam-chain tensioners further add to the 1100's low-maintenance character.

What's more, even though the Shadow's engine has abundant cylinder and head finning—which gives it the traditional, air-cooled V-Twin appearance so important in this type of motorcycle—it actually is liquid-cooled. And that feature offers considerable benefits in terms of improved reliability, more-consistent performance and reduced mechanical clatter. The tall radiator mounted in front of the engine is the only clue to the cooling medium, since most of the plumbing—such as the radiator cap tucked behind the right-side passenger footpeg-is cleverly hidden from view.

Out on the road, the sophistication works nicely, but not spectacularly. The 1100's engine performance ranks it in the basement of big-bore cruisers, with slower roll-on acceleration than every one of its competitors, and quarter-mile times that are topped by all but a few of the other bikes in the class. Never an all-star performer in previous years, the big Shadow has been made even slower by Honda's decision to fit all '92 1100s with the more-restrictive California emissions equipment. The Shadow already offers 24 paint and logo combinations, and building separate 49-state and California models would have raised the number of choices prohibitively high, to a whopping 48. So, while the public's freedom of choice is enhanced by the paint option, performance paid the price.

Still, for the bike's intended purpose as a boulevard cruiser, the engine is very satisfying. It accelerates up through its clunky-but-positive-shifting four-speed gearbox quickly enough to be exhilarating, and it always seems to have sufficient power at the ready to whisk you away from traffic with a mere twist of the throttle. Even the level of vibration usually is low enough and gentle enough to make its presence rather gratifying, affording a direct, non-debilitating link with the big V-Twin hard at work down in the engine room. Only in the upper rpm ranges does the vibration stop being entertaining and start becoming mildly annoying.

Suiting the Shadow's intended purpose equally well is its suspension. The 41 mm fork and dual rear shocks are softly sprung and lightly damped, which allows them to soak up practically every pavement irregularity they encounter.

When the bike is ridden fast on bumpy roads or pushed really hard through corners, though, the suspension comes up short. Hitting bumps at speed causes the shocks to bottom easily, even with their spring preload set on maximum; and if it is ridden with any level of aggression on a twisty backroad, the Shadow quickly reminds you that it was never meant to help you polish your sport-riding skills. The Dunlop tires stick well, but the suspension allows both ends of the bike to squirm around enough to be unsettling, and hardware starts banging into the ground very early. But when the 1100 is thundering around town or cruising blissfully on an open highway or country road—in other words, doing what it was intended to do— both ends are wonderfully plush and contribute to the bike's high level of comfort.

Little else intrudes on that comfort. The slow steering caused by the raked-out front end can be a bit cumbersome during parking-lot maneuvers, but it becomes surprisingly light once the bike picks up a little speed. The long, 65-inch wheelbase provides assuring straight-line stability, and the riding position—which not only includes the usual pull-back handlebar and low-slung seat, but forward-mounted highway pegs, as well—is quite hospitable for relatively short periods of time. For maximum comfort on longer rides, we recommend you pack something behind you to lean against; a passenger works wonderfully, but a tailpack, bedroll or large backpack will also suffice.

So, while the Shadow 1100 obviously was not designed to meet the needs of every motorcyclist, it does possess a surprisingly broad range of abilities. Functionally, it's at least as good as its competition and better than most. Visually, it hits the target more accurately than anything other than the Harley-Davidsons it so obviously emulates. Emotionally, it has the unique, visceral appeal that has made V-Twins popular for nearly a century. And financially, its $6499-to-$6799 price tag (depending on choice of graphics) positions it eyeball-to-eyeball with its Japanese competition, and whopping four to five grand below a Harley Big Twin.

To some riders, of course, there is no choice in custom-styled motorcycles other than a Harley-Davidson. But for those who have a broader view of life on two wheels, the Shadow 1100, all things considered, just might be the best big-bore custom currently on the market.

Source Cycle World 1992