1999 Honda Shadow VLX review from United States of America
"Great for a first bike, but you'll feel the small size once you're comfortable"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
So far nothing major has gone wrong.
Battery died during extended (2 years) storage, but that's to be expected.
I know the person who had it before me laid it down, so the pipes and mirrors were replaced. I also laid it down at low speeds and had no issues that needed professional attention.
General comments?
The bike definitely has some pickup on it. If you get a good stretch of highway in front of you, you can definitely accelerate enough to push you down into the seat. That being said, the top speed leaves something to be desired. At 55-60 MPH, I feel like I'm already pushing the bike a bit. I'm constantly finding myself trying to shift up again when I'm already in 4th gear. A 5th gear for highway speeds would have been ideal.
I'm a pretty short guy at 5'8", and this bike is very comfortable. After a few hours I get get some butt numbness, but nothing too bad. The low seat feels nice and looks great. I have scraped the pegs a few times when I didn't expect to.
Bike handles great. Corners good and has pretty smooth acceleration. It was a great first bike for those that don't want to be seen.
Recommended reviews
| Great reliability and value, and it looks good too |
|
| Good reliable, economical all-round machine |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1999 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Acceleration marks | 7 / 10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Handling marks | 8 / 10 |
| Braking marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 17000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 23000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 4th August, 2009 |