First Bike for a Big Guy

[ShawnKing]

Originally Posted by SmokeU

WTF is "managing the power band?"

LOL As a (relatively) new rider, I may be describing it wrong.

The Shadow required me to make sure I was in the right gear and the right revs in order to produce power.

For example, I was entering the interstate on the Shadow and a semi was in the right hand lane. I twisted the throttle to get ahead of the semi and.....nothing....

I was in fifth gear and the bike needed/wanted to be in 4th in order to get up and go.

Unlike my FJR which seems to have plenty of juice at *all* times!

[SmokeU]

Originally Posted by ShawnKing

LOL As a (relatively) new rider, I may be describing it wrong.

The Shadow required me to make sure I was in the right gear and the right revs in order to produce power.

For example, I was entering the interstate on the Shadow and a semi was in the right hand lane. I twisted the throttle to get ahead of the semi and.....nothing....

I was in fifth gear and the bike needed/wanted to be in 4th in order to get up and go.

Unlike my FJR which seems to have plenty of juice at *all* times!

I know what you're saying, but it seems it was more of a n00b mistake not knowing how to work a manual transmission.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by SmokeU

I know what you're saying, but it seems it was more of a n00b mistake not knowing how to work a manual transmission.

Maybe, but I gotta defend SK a bit here. A Shadow750 has a pretty lackluster engine. You'd expect a cruiser to have a wide powerband. It kind of does but it just doesn't have any excess power to begin with. Something like 35 or 40 so. And it weighs like 600 pounds stock. I could see it being a real dog under a big heavy rider.

[SmokeU]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Maybe, but I gotta defend SK a bit here. A Shadow750 has a pretty lackluster engine. You'd expect a cruiser to have a wide powerband. It kind of does but it just doesn't have any excess power to begin with. Something like 35 or 40 so. And it weighs like 600 pounds stock. I could see it being a real dog under a big heavy rider.

The 750 Spirit is more around 525 wet, but I do have to agree when you put it that way.

[ShawnKing]

Originally Posted by SmokeU

I know what you're saying, but it seems it was more of a n00b mistake not knowing how to work a manual transmission.

Oh, it was *definitely* a new rider mistake. No question.

[ShawnKing]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

I could see it being a real dog under a big heavy rider.

Yeah - at the time, I weighed 260+lbs. If the bike was 525lbs, it really didn't have the *extra* juice to get me up to highway speeds quickly.

It was a fine bike (a buddy of mine had one to start and he loved it) but for a big guy who needed to also ride interstates, it wasn't suitable under those conditions.

[SmokeU]

My first none basket case was a '94 Shadow VLX. It didn't have enough power to get out of its own way.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by ShawnKing

Yeah - at the time, I weighed 260+lbs. If the bike was 525lbs, it really didn't have the *extra* juice to get me up to highway speeds quickly.

It was a fine bike (a buddy of mine had one to start and he loved it) but for a big guy who needed to also ride interstates, it wasn't suitable under those conditions.

It lists at 525 pounds dry weight. Since Japanese listed dry weights are notorious fairy tales I figure the 600 pound wet weight is probably correct.

[SmokeU]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

It lists at 525 pounds dry weight. Since Japanese listed dry weights are notorious fairy tales I figure the 600 pound wet weight is probably correct.

I was quoting a 2001 test of the Spirit. I suppose the chain drive is lighter than the shaftie.