2001 Spirit - A great cruiser
Written: Nov 08 '04
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Pros: Price, reliability, economy of ownership, smooth motor and standard passenger backrest and saddlebag guards.
Cons: Windshield required for higher speeds.
Forgotten model by accessory makers.
The Bottom Line: Shadow Spirit is a great bike without pretenses. Not a head turner if that is what you looking for, but the virtues are there to discover if you ride one.
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| shadowlover's Full Review: 2000 Honda Shadow Spirit |
This bike is so wonderful and goes unappreciated by the biker community that I have really learned to love it. I am a 44 year old male, 5-10 and 200 lbs. I put that in because it lets you compare yourself to me for my ergonomic and styling comments. I waited till I had three years riding this bike before writing a review. Before I bought my Spirit new I had '97 Harley that I also bought new. A back injury left me hurting after 50 miles on my solid mounted Harley but I didn't want to give up riding. A fellow rider had a Spirit and told me to try one. I also read up including here at Epinions.
I can confirm all the praise and the few nitpicks others have mentioned. Harleys have, in my opinion become a parody of themselves. They are everywhere and I don't miss the $90 per hour service fees and all the cleaning I did which probably equaled the riding time.
The Spirit cleans up easily and is a snap to maintain because routine oil and filter changing is all you do to these bulletproof bikes. I use synthetic and change the oil once a season and thats it. The motor starts and runs perfect all the time on regular grade gasoline. I see no reason to mess with the carbs or exhaust on this bike. Honda engineers got the drivetrain sorted out on this bike long ago and it is best to just leave her stock and enjoy it. The exhaust deepens and mellows after several thousand miles anyway as the baffles wear in.
The stock seat is one of the best you will find. 400 mile days give me no trouble. The old school buckhorn bars and ergonomics of the bike suit me just fine for all day comfort. The engine is smooth and the mirrors clear up to 75 MPH which is where I back off the throttle. About 150 miles to hit reserve is average and I look for gas by 180.
I like the style of this bike. It agrees with my age where in my youth the simple chopper look was the rage. That the bike is actually made in America takes away the guilt about the American iron thing. It actually proves what a great reliable bike we can make here, ey Harley!
I would note to, you won't find any other bike in this price range that comes with a passenger backrest and saddlebag guards standard. I also like the safety of the alloy rim and tubeless tires. Spokes look cool but tubes blow out catastrophically. Tubeless tires escape air much more slowly and allow you to get the bike slowed and off the road. As a father with responsibilities I think of those things.
Well to sum up, if you have reached the point where the quality of your riding is much more important to you than what name is on the tank than buy a Spirit and never look back. They are cheap to insure too. The braking and handling are fine for a cruiser and the drivetrain will run forever if with basic maintenance. The suspension far smoother than a Harleys. I am going to keep mine till it falls apart or I do whichever occurs first.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 7500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
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Epinions.com ID:
shadowlover
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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