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Great Value and Reliability

I was looking for a good "starter" bike with the following characteristics: easy to ride, low maintenance, high reliability, reasonable comfort and a reasonable price. I looked at a number of different used bikes, Sportsters, Vulcan 800, V-Star 650, but I settled on the Honda Shadow VT75...0DC Spirit.

Honda is legendary for reliability, so I felt very comfortable buying this bike used with only 5,000 miles on it, particularly at less than $3500!

The Shadow Spirit 750 has a very low seat height, something on the order of 26", so it is very easy for the new rider to feel comfortable and confident.

The Shadow Spirit 750 does have a chain drive, so it does require a bit more maintenance than a belt or shaft drive. I am an engineer, so pretty comfortable with basic maintenance on my own. I lubricate and adjust the chain myself about every 500 miles. The cycle is not fuel injected and has a manual choke, but I have not had any problems with starting the cycle even in 40 degree weather. No experience with running the bike in wet weather, so can't give you any guidance on how it will perform in a heavy rain. My advice here is to stop at a coffee shop and wait it out. I like the fact that the bike is water-cooled. This keeps the engine and the rider much cooler in warm weather.

I don't have much to compare it to, only the Buell Blast that we used in the new rider course, but the engine is smooth and the stock exhaust is quiet compared to a typical V-twin. I do have an aftermarket Mustang seat on the bike-the stock seat is pretty light duty and it is not comfortable for me after about 30 minutes. I take the bike out mostly on 2-lane back roads, some with some pretty severe alligatoring and it handles well and is comfortable. I always ride solo, so can't attest to how the bike will handle with a heavy load. I am 5'11, about 180 lbs., and the bike has adequate power for me and a light load in my saddlebags. I get about 50 mpg with my riding pattern, which is mostly 45-55 mph on winding hilly roads.

Overall, I am very happy with this bike and not sure that I will use it only as a "starter" bike. Thinking the Shadow Spirit VT750DC has some staying power in my garage. Read Full Review

Ginger's Ride

I bought this bike as a starter bike. I found it to be very manageable with nice get up and go. I was looking for something that looked good but that I wasn't afraid to lay down if necessary while learning to ride. I am pleased to report that I have not had to do this since the manuverability was... easy and learning was a breeze. Since purchasing this bike, my son has also used this bike to learn to ride. We now are a family enjoying the open road together! Read Full Review