My 2002 Honda Shadow VLX 600cc is not a good beginner’s bike- the clutch is a little tricky and abrupt, the feet forward cruiser pegs are more difficult than standard pegs below the seat, and the single carb 1999 to 2007 version badly needs rejetting, an oiled foam air filter, and a freer flowing exhaust to take off better. The 1988 to 1998 VLX had two carbs, and the 1999 to 2007 VLX only has one carb, for better gas mileage and a cleaner exhaust, but less horsepower. The two biggest problems are the auto fuel valve on the 1999 to 2007 version often fails and needs to be bypassed, and the gas tank mounts often need to be made thicker so the gas tank does not rattle.
The very low seat height is best for someone less than 5 feet 8 inches tall. I added both a Dynojet kit and a Dial-a-Jet to increase the fuel to the engine with a freer flowing intake and exhaust. I only know of one person that has had to rebuild their VLX engine, after 300,000 miles on it. It takes a long time to warm up the engine, even with rejetting- I always pull out the choke knob all the way to start it, and after it starts I put the choke knob in except the last quarter inch, let the engine warm up while parked for about three minutes while I put on my helmet and gloves, and rev the engine a little while pulling the clutch lever in and out a few times to better oil the clutch plates, then ride it about half a mile before putting the choke knob in all the way, after getting past several stop signs. Adding four NGK iridium spark plugs make it start better, especially at 40 degrees F, and these spark plugs last a lot longer than the stock steel plugs, which should be replaced every 4,000 miles according to the owner’s manual.
This professional customizer for Cobra can afford to ride a $50,000 custom Harley, but he chooses to ride a bike like mine as his daily driver, with a small amount of customization:
http://www.metricthunder.com/mt/2005/08/from_average_to.html
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