The predecessor of C3 was the VT 1100 C2 ACE ( American Classic Edition ).

Those models were the first Japanese choppers which ones were made in the U.S.A. even the Harley owners noticed that it’s a cool classic cruiser and two years later the C3 models were launched. Those models followed the style of legendary American motorcycle, namely the Indian.

The post art-déco style from the thirties what the American designers of Honda designed for this series tastefully without overstatement.

The Honda factory put that series on the market of Germany. My bike has gotten VTX front lights, classical odometer, factory-made stainless crashbar and a National Cycle Dakota professional windshield too. Later the Hungarian owner equiped the bike with high quality parts: professional painted saddle boxes, lights, stainless fender bracket and a wide handlebar with 32mm diameter and all the cables were inside in the handlebar. In 2004 i bought that bike ( only 20,000. kilometers on the odometer ) as i wrote it in the previous chapters.

The old owner wanted to buy a smaller one and that time i had a 750 C2 Shadow. He liked my bike and we swapped them but i had to pay some money. I got to like that bike when i set my eyes on it and during the test ride as well.

Long but low attractive bike, torque at low R.P.M. , fantastic and stable running gear and the vibration of engine intensified that feeling that is my style. I just found one deficiency: The sound of exhaust pipe, but The Hungarian „Sima” workshop made some modification and the sound was much better. Later we manufactured an own designed 2 in 1 pipe and now the C3 has a brutal sound ! ( It was good to buy the 1.1 Shadow with the original, factory-made exhaust pipe which one was soft and not loud because if the engine had had some problem i would have found it easier.

It’s hard to find the engine problem if the bike is loud but fortunately my C3 had no any problem ) The odometer was mounted on the top of front light but later i got to like it and could see easier like which one is on the top of tank.

I manufactured a unique decoration for the fender and it’s made from bronze and moreover i made a cover plate for the elongating left part of engine block and now it looks longer. It’s just an optical tuning. Chromed holder system for horn, chromed steel bird heads for the back part and chroming the aluminum parts , and so on... ( To tell the truth this bike made an impression on me and that’s why later i decided to found a Honda Shadow club in Hungary. )

Now i would rather write something about what i experienced during the ride because it might be more interesting. It’s about good and bad experience but please forgive me if i’m biased. After 50.000. kilometers ride i can say that bike might have been stronger ( 50 HP ) but it’s just the first edition series and the strong torque balances this problem at low R.P.M. As for me it’s not a problem.

The top speed is about 160 km/h and i know there are faster bikes in the world but it’s a chopper-cruiser and in my opinion that’s enough. That 45 degree cylinder grade V2 engine resonates strongly and it’s mounted on single crank pin with connecting rods.

The rubber parts calm the resonation where the engine and the frame are connected with each other and there are some rubber parts in the fork bridge too. At first my wife complained about the resonation what she felt on back footpeg and her feet went to sleep. I figured out something and put some rubber parts under the footpeg to calm the resonation ( and plus a flower for her ).

Stable running gear, comfortable ride but the zigzagging mountain roads are not good for this bike. It’s not a “turn of the road hunter” but which retro cruiser is that? We can be critical about the brake: The single disc front brake is not enough for this 300 kilos construction but there’s a solution to this problem: Changing the factory-made brake hose for metal brake hose. The 5-speed transmission has a wide ratio gear and that’s why there’s a clack when we change gear ( pull up ).

The cardan-drive is a future-proof stuff , clean and we don’t have to care of it too much. At low R.P.M. if we suddenly get up some speed then the back part of bike will vibrate but it’s normal. That is the rigid power transfer because of cardan-drive. It’s not a problem for me, moreover...! The Dunlop tyres with white stripes on both sides are very nice and nothing problem with them. It’s safe to use them in rainy and dry weather as well and good for a long period of use...and now i’d like to write something about those problems what happened to that bike during the 16 years.

The holders of back trafficators cracked because of strong resonation ( when it was 9 years old ) and i had to change them. The wire harness plug of cables were colored because of charge heat. That part is under the seat. We found out something.

The solution to this problem is: fix corded. The holder of horn also cracked because of resonation. Last time when i changed the tyre i noticed that the wheel rim is rusty ( steel spoke wheel ). Unfortunately it’s normal because i used it in rainy weather too and it is 16 years old. That’s all, i didn’t experienced more problems. More than 75.000. kilometers and 16 years.

During the years my bike never deserted me. The engine is perfect and faultless, in other words holeproof. If i should buy a bike i would choose the same series again because that is the best motorcycle for me. It’s fewer than 1 deciliter oil what the bike uses up for every thousand kilometers. It’s easy to start the engine in winter or in summer. In short, it’s reliable.

That bike was the second place winner in that long tour.(European Shadow Meeting in the Netherlands & 3.000. kilometers) I’d like to use it for another 16 years and 75.000. kilometers. Many years ago the factory finished manufacturing the Shadow C3 but sometimes might find a couple of bikes like that.

It only remains for me to say that if you would like a real cruiser then that is a good choice.

Some years ago i wrote a book ( Shadow on the road ) what was published in 2011 in Hungary and many chapters tell stories about this bike as the bike of my life.

Ákos Angyal

www.ahsh.hu

Technical data: 1998 VT 1100 C3 Shadow ( Aero )

Engine: Liquid cooling, four stroke, 6 valves SOHC 45 degree cylinder grade V-twin.

Bore x Stroke: 87,5 x 91,4 mm.

Piston Displacement: 1099 ccm.

Compression: 8 : 1.

Carburetors: 36 mm Keihin CV type ( 2 piece )

Maximum Output: 50 HP ( 37 kW ) / 4750 R.P.M.

Maximum Torque: 91 Nm / 2500 R.P.M.

Ignition: Digital ignition.

Starting: Electeric starter.

Transmission: 5-speed.

Running Gear: Steel double craddle frame, front telescope with 41 mm diameter.

Back Wheel Drive: Cardan.

Sizes: ( Lenght x Breadth x Height ) 2540 x 975 x 1136 mm Wheelbase: 1680 mm. Ground Clearance: 143 mm. Seat Height: 725 mm. Tank: 16 L. Wheel Sizes: ( front / back ) 3.00 x 17 / 3.50 x 15. Tyre Sizes: ( front / back ) 140/80-17 / 170/80-15. Front Brake: 2-piston hydraulic disc brakes ( 316 mm ) Back Brake: 1-piston hydraulic disc brakes ( 276 mm )

Fork Degree: 57.9

Full Weight Refueled: 300 Kg.

Top Speed: 156 km/h.

Fuel Consumption: 5-7 liters/100 km.

Petrol: Unleaded petrol 91.