With the notable exception of the now-discontinued Rune, no one will ever
accuse Honda’s cruisers of having an excess of personality. Particularly, in the
mid-size cruiser range where the Shadow Spirit 750 plies its trade, Honda
produces machines of almost mind-numbing efficiency. The new C2 edition of the
Shadow Spirit—which is in the process of replacing the DC—is striking, in that
it takes the rebellious custom cruiser concept, then demystifies and sanitizes
it until the resulting bike is as innocuous (and inviting) as the original Super
Cub 50. As we all know, you meet the nicest people on a Honda. And, all those nice people, especially those who are just acquainting
themselves with the sport, need a bike to ride that is free of
personality—personality being defined as quirks that you simultaneously
appreciate and endure. This isn’t to say that Honda isn’t trying with the Shadow
Spirit. The designers went with what they describe as a “next-generation hot-rod
cruiser” styling package that seems more lukewarm than scalding. Changes are
most apparent at the extremities. The 21-inch spoked front wheel is something
new for Honda cruisers, and the quasi-bobbed back fender and minimalized
taillight restates the rear end. Still, the C2 is hardly a head-turner. It’s a
Shadow, after all, not a bright, bold statement, even with the Red/Flame paint
treatment. Riding the bike is an equally homogenized experience. Honda refuses to
cut corners on handling and  suspension, so the rough edges that we associate
with customs have been carefully removed. The liquid-cooled 745cc SOHC,
single-crankpin, V-twin dispenses vibration in carefully modulated dollops, and
sends the power to the 160mm rear tire via a shaft drive. The drive chain has
been banished this year, making an already anvil-reliable machine even more
unfailing.
Ergonomics are typical of Honda—relentlessly perfect. The bar/seat/peg
relationship is flawless (no extremes allowed here in the name of style), as are
the foot and hand controls. The motor refuses to do anything unexpected, while
retaining the power needed to cruise at extra-legal speeds on the Interstate. At
the other end, nothing touches down prematurely when the local twisties are
sampled with a touch of confrontation. For experienced riders, the bike does
nothing to excite, but it remains a pleasant motorcycle to ride. powersports.honda.com Riding Style
Helmet: Bell Apex Yakuza
Jacket: Cortech DSX Denim
Gloves: Icon Pursuit
Pants: Shift Denim Kevlar
Boots: Red Wing 968
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