The Honda’s new-for-this-year fuel-injection feeds its otherwise traditional 745cc, 3-valve per cylinder, V-Twin. Its liquid-cooled-but-finned 52-degree cylinders conceal that it is an SOHC, while simulating the look of the H-D’s air-cooled 45-degree, 441.5cc jugs.The pushrod-actuated Evolution engine is also fuel injected, and H-D gets kudos for having done it before Honda.
The Shadow RS’s 2.8-gallon, peanut-shaped tank (with unsightly underside seam where it was joined together) otherwise resembles the H-D’s 3.3-gallon tank. The Honda’s 61.5-inch wheelbase is similar to the H-D’s 60-inch wheelbase, as are its raked chassis, twin rear shocks, and non-adjustable forks.
Sparse instrumentation, and 19-inch front, and 16-inch rear wheel sizes, also mirror the Harley. Even the Dunlop tires are the same – 100/90 and 150/80 respectively – except the tread pattern is different for the Harley-Davidson-branded versions.
We know why Honda critics call the Shadow RS a “clone,” and they may be right in some respects, but in others, they couldn’t be more wrong.
Incompatible contestants
The Shadow’s ergonomics approximate a Standard motorcycle’s, with footpegs in a practical location below the rider and handlebar grips at the angle and location where the hands might naturally fall. Its seat, with room for a passenger, resides at 29.4 inches, some 3.1 inches higher than the H-D’s solo saddle.
And although the RS’ seat is plusher, rides of, say, 50 miles or more at a time the seat foam starts to feel overly soft. It isn’t supportive enough on long rides and gave at least one of our testers numb bum.