10 Years with a VT1100

[tbm5690]

I've now had my 2007 Shadow VT1100 Spirit for 10 years. This was the last year the 1100 was produced, and now it has basically no modern peer as the middleweight cruiser class has disappeared. In 10 years I've put a little over 15k on it, and besides consumables the literal only thing I've had to do to it was replace the starter about 7 years ago. This is bar none the most reliable piece of equipment I've ever owned. I could sell it today and likely make a profit, but I won't. If you want an affordable used metric that will never die you probably can't do any better.

 

[riff1006]

Nice bike. I had it's little brother the 750 for awhile. I miss riding sometimes and I've done LOTS of it.

 

[daves87rs]

Nice!!!

 

[Passport1]

That's a beautiful piece of equipment. 10 years is a long tenure for anything with two wheels. I've had my 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400 for fifteen years and has been drop dead reliable except for a couple of batteries, a starter relay and a bad spark plug (NGK).

Sixteen thousand splendiferous miles.

 

[Oliveoil2]

She’s a keeper!!

 

[gman2304]

In 10 years I've put a little over 15k on it

Nice cruiser but, you need to ride more!

 

[tbm5690]

Nice cruiser but, you need to ride more!

Hey I do my best living in the state of perpetual winter! It gets a full hibernation from mid October to mid April every year, so at 6 months of no riding every year it is a slow process

 

[Oillover]

I'm hoping my "new to me" VFR1200 will provide the same level and duration of enjoyment.

 

[alarmguy]

I had a 2008 bought used around 2010 or 2011 Yami V Star 1300, loved it. Was one of my most memorable bikes. Took it everywhere ...
Someone I knew had a VT ____ (forgot the CCs) same deal, awesome bike.
Maybe I am crazy, but it seems like those "days" are gone. So much of the bikes are now about electronics etc instead of the ride, my thrilled is the road and bike riding on that road, not about how loud my stereo can go or a cluster of instruments to catch my attention.
Im not knocking it, it's just something not for me.
It's one reason why when I bought a new bike I stayed away from that and bought the Road King instead of the Road or Street Glide.

 

[repairman54]

It's one reason why when I bought a new bike I stayed away from that and bought the Road King instead of the Road or Street Glide.

2x, that's why when I bought my '01 RK new I went with the carburetor and not FI option. And why I'm still riding it, carb simplicity.

 

[tbm5690]

2x, that's why when I bought my '01 RK new I went with the carburetor and not FI option. And why I'm still riding it, carb simplicity.

Yeah everyone is afraid of carbs, yet I haven't had to touch mine in a decade of ownership. Always E0 gas, always stabilized when stored for the winter.

 

[Bonz]

Seems to me folks are afraid of carbs because a lot of folks have grown up with fuel injection and plug in a diagnostic tool. It's becoming a lost art. However, the smoothness and natural (literally) response of carbs is tough to match with fuel injection in many cases. Like listening to vinyl records, they do something no other medium can.

 

[02SE]

I have 2 carbed bikes, and 5 with FI. The carbed bikes have required more attention. Some of the early motorcycle FI systems could be a bit abrupt, but it's been a long time since a modern FI bike felt that way to me. I mostly prefer a well-tuned FI system.

My last carbed streetbike was a ZX-11D. It definitely had flawed fueling from the factory. Obviously to pass the emissions regs of the time with carbs.

 

[dnewton3]

It's kinda funny how 1100cc seems "small" these days. I remember when a metric cruiser was considered "big".

Honda m/c reliability is hard to beat.

 

[Bonz]

I have 2 carbed bikes, and 5 with FI. The carbed bikes have required more attention. Some of the early motorcycle FI systems could be a bit abrupt, but it's been a long time since a modern FI bike felt that way to me. I mostly prefer a well-tuned FI system.

My last carbed streetbike was a ZX-11D. It definitely had flawed fueling from the factory. Obviously to pass the emissions regs of the time with carbs.

Right there is how carbs have gotten a finicky rap, they had to meet emissions. Tuning the carbs with needles and adjusting the fuel screws makes a world of difference. That's the kind of carbs I'm talking about, LOL.

My next bike is going to be FI. I am not going to die on the carburetor hill in the grand scheme.

I adapted ZX11 carburetors to work on my ZRX 1200. The CVK40 carburetors from the ZX11 are finicky with respect to outside air temperature, a cold day in the winter or a hot day in the summer can make a guy want to rejet them daily. I can see how the factory had a hard time with them.

 

[02SE]

Right there is how carbs have gotten a finicky rap, they had to meet emissions. Tuning the carbs with needles and adjusting the fuel screws makes a world of difference. That's the kind of carbs I'm talking about, LOL.

My next bike is going to be FI. I am not going to die on the carburetor hill in the grand scheme.

I adapted ZX11 carburetors to work on my ZRX 1200. The CVK40 carburetors from the ZX11 are finicky with respect to outside air temperature, a cold day in the winter or a hot day in the summer can make a guy want to rejet them daily. I can see how the factory had a hard time with them.

Well, aware. That's why I tuned them to work better, even though it made the bike no longer emissions compliant. I still prefer a well-tuned EFI system. I can ride my FI bikes from sea level, to 14k feet with perfect AFR, without having to mess with rejetting a carb or a bank of carbs.

Our 2T carbed dirtbikes are a compromise everywhere, except for the ballpark air density they are jetted for, where we ride most often.

 

[Nesterenko]

This is bar none the most reliable piece of equipment I've ever owned.

Hard to judge reliability doing only 1,500 miles a year, no?

 

[repairman54]

I put a carb kit in mine to eliminate the lean factory settings of the time. Early FI was not worth the hassle. Years later FI has gotten better for sure. Only downfall is needing a scan tool so I'm not dealer dependent. I'm old school 2 stroke schooled on carb jetting in snowmobiles. FI in my current sleds is flawless so far. I've switched to 4 stroke in them also, no more 2 smokes for me.

 

[tbm5690]

Hard to judge reliability doing only 1,500 miles a year, no?

I feel that the short-tripping and low mileage is harder on it than if it was used more. Like cars, highway miles are easy and aren't taxing. It's time that's the killer.

 

[Nesterenko]

I feel that the short-tripping and low mileage is harder on it than if it was used more. Like cars, highway miles are easy and aren't taxing. It's time that's the killer.

Most people knowing that would probably make the effort to bring the bike up to operating temps and take the long way home.