Honda Shadow 750

So I wasn't happy with the way it sounded and went out and got the cheapest mufflers I could get off eBay lol...you can skip to the last three minutes or so, I stuck several of the before and after clips together for a more direct sound comparison.

 
Much better. Not a fan of Vtwin sound, but that changed it from sounding like a poorly set up rat bike to something that has some quality. I had those megaphones on a '79 CB750F with the baffle removed by a PO and couldn't stand it. Just adding straight baffle tubes ~10" in at least made it bearable (and felt like it increased power).
 
Not much of an update beyond what I posted in the video, but I was able to get some decent pictures today. I still think it needs a touch more angle, but I don't think it looks as bad today as I did yesterday...

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Much better. Not a fan of Vtwin sound, but that changed it from sounding like a poorly set up rat bike to something that has some quality. I had those megaphones on a '79 CB750F with the baffle removed by a PO and couldn't stand it. Just adding straight baffle tubes ~10" in at least made it bearable (and felt like it increased power).
Those pipes sound great, and Holy Crud that bike is nice! Looks even better moving! Submit the plans to Honda!

Thanks guys!
 

makenzie71...you'll laugh.... Today I was on my way to work and I saw a stock Shadow 750, and I thought, "THAT'S NOT what it's supposed to look like! What did he DO to that thing!?!"

 
The Ebay ones sound good! I'm hoping my Ebay cheapy sounds that decent.

I have actually had really good luck with cheap eBay mufflers. I really don't mean to snub people running akro and yosh and stuff but when it comes to a muffler...it's a tube with some holes in it. I can see shelling out some more money for titanium or carbon fiber but at the end of the day if you're running a stainless or aluminum can then paying a bunch of money for the right name on the side is exactly that. I have different thoughts when it comes to headers, but a muffler is a tube with some holes in it.

I'm also running cheap eBay pipes on my CX500 and I think they sound rather nice, as well:



Yes, they just need to match one of the seat hoop angles to bring the look together.

My issue there is my seat isn't flat...it ticks up toward the hump. Makes it hard to match long straight mufflers to it. The cones expanded and filled the gap. I'll figure something out with it...though, as said, it doesn't bother me now near as much as it did when I started. I think the old pipes looked better but I don't think these look bad.

makenzie71...you'll laugh.... Today I was on my way to work and I saw a stock Shadow 750, and I thought, "THAT'S NOT what it's supposed to look like! What did he DO to that thing!?!"


The bike is easily dismissed because it's not powerful. I think the chain drive 750's will become more popular. Motors are easy to work on and reliable, the frame is easy to make your own, they're cheap....all the great hallmarks of a fun builder that you actually intend to ride. I have more than one friend with nice "classic" and typical cafe builds but they don't ride them because finding parts is hard. Right now there isn't another Shadow like mine and I'm not afraid to ride it. It's not a rocket but it's fast enough, handles nice, cruises at 75~80 without any problems...it's fun to ride. I don't claim to be a trendsetter or anything but it's going to click with people before too long that it's a fun, viable chassis.
 
Hello
My nephew has exactly that muffler on his hyosung GT125 - after two months fake carbon melted away an rubber padding of the bracket melted into muffler. Works just fine, sounds great, but looks dreadful ;)

The sound of new mufflers is very pleasing ;)
The old ones looked stylish but the bike sounded like some sort of farm equipment... slurry motor pump or something :D
 
I think your CX and Shadow are cool bikes man. I like that you made them functional and built them your own way.
 
Super job! Probably one of the hardest bikes to modify and end up as a good package. A couple of vintage looking Honda emblems would be great on that tank.
 
I have actually had really good luck with cheap eBay mufflers. I really don't mean to snub people running akro and yosh and stuff but when it comes to a muffler...it's a tube with some holes in it. I can see shelling out some more money for titanium or carbon fiber but at the end of the day if you're running a stainless or aluminum can then paying a bunch of money for the right name on the side is exactly that. I have different thoughts when it comes to headers, but a muffler is a tube with some holes in it.

I'm also running cheap eBay pipes on my CX500 and I think they sound rather nice, as well:





My issue there is my seat isn't flat...it ticks up toward the hump. Makes it hard to match long straight mufflers to it. The cones expanded and filled the gap. I'll figure something out with it...though, as said, it doesn't bother me now near as much as it did when I started. I think the old pipes looked better but I don't think these look bad.



The bike is easily dismissed because it's not powerful. I think the chain drive 750's will become more popular. Motors are easy to work on and reliable, the frame is easy to make your own, they're cheap....all the great hallmarks of a fun builder that you actually intend to ride. I have more than one friend with nice "classic" and typical cafe builds but they don't ride them because finding parts is hard. Right now there isn't another Shadow like mine and I'm not afraid to ride it. It's not a rocket but it's fast enough, handles nice, cruises at 75~80 without any problems...it's fun to ride. I don't claim to be a trendsetter or anything but it's going to click with people before too long that it's a fun, viable chassis.
You definitely have proven the Shadow's worthiness as a good builder. You've done wonders with it. It's just so funny to look at a "normal" Shadow, because now they look like the "Las Vegas Elvis Impersonators" compared to what you've done.

"Hey there, Mammaseena!" Hahahaha!

As far as the pipes, you're right. Plus, in my application, I just need something that will keep the SR250 acceptably quiet, without gagging it.
 
Not much of an update...but I got a fresh dunlop on the back and mirrors. These were the last things needed in order to be mechanically road legal. I'm going to start working on registration shortly...trying to decide if I should bond it or VT it. They're about the same cost with this bike because of it's age...bonding gets me a Texas plate but I have to give four different agencies money, but I can get a VT plate from my office while only wearing underwear...

I will have to figure out paint and finish soon...I think...I keep seeing that bare metal tank and feeling like that's how it should look...

For anyone interested...a dunlop sportmax GPR300 on an RC46 wheel clears the GT Hawk swingarm.


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I don’t dig a lot of the v-twin cafe projects I’ve seen but yours is pretty cool. Great work.


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Thanks! I think most of them fall short because people are afraid to chop up the frames...getting my butt where I want it means I have to. It's easier for me, though, I always build on bikes that anyone else would have written off.
 
Finally got a chance to ride for more than a few miles...had a little errand to run and took the Shadow 750. Handling is so muted over what my CX500 was that I kept turning wide. Going to have to work on that. She did well other than that but I think even that's more me than the bike. Identified a couple of oil leaks, though. I'll need to get real side cover and valve cover gaskets.

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Measure the rake and trailand swingarm droop. Looks can be deceptive but that front end looks too raked out to steer quickly. And measure swingarm droop while you are there and someone will point you in the right direction.

Just out of interest, how much lower is the steering head than a stock bike?
 
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