The Japanese Used Cruiser That’s Worth Every Penny

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Saturday, 22 Aug 2026 10:31 0 3 autotech

Cruisers have long been the most approachable motorcycles on the market, and that reputation hasn’t faded. Whether you’re chasing your first bike or adding a laid-back companion to a more aggressive machine in your garage, a cruiser is hard to argue against. The catch? New motorcycle prices have climbed steadily, making the used market the smartest place to shop. The trade-off is the usual one: no warranty, and reliability becomes your problem the moment you sign the title.

You Can’t Go Wrong With A Used Honda Shadow

Price Range: $4,500 – $6,500

The Honda Shadow series has been around for over 40 years, and in that time has run engine displacements from 125 cc all the way to 1,100 cc. However, the range narrowed itself down to a single 750 cc displacement a while ago for the US market, so our discussion will be limited to the VT750 Shadow. For the sake of simplicity, we’re limiting ourselves to the Honda Shadow Aero, the version with the classic chrome cruiser styling.

2016 Honda Shadow Aero Pricing

Trade Value: $3,355
Typical listing price: $4,875

The 2016 Honda Shadow Made 43 Horsepower

44 Pound-Feet Of Torque Matched It

Shot of Honda Shadow Aero V-twin engine, studio shot

Honda Powersports

The Shadow runs a 745 cc, 52-degree V-twin that keeps its power low in the rev range — exactly where a cruiser rider wants it. Torque peaks at just 3,000 RPM, giving the bike an authentic, relaxed power delivery. It’s also a historically interesting engine: liquid cooling has been part of the package since the very first Shadow in 1983, and it launched with an SOHC, three-valve-per-cylinder design — two intake valves and one exhaust valve per cylinder.

Fuel injection arrived in 2011, so if you enjoy carb tuning and old-school wrenching, an earlier example suits you fine. If you’d rather just thumb the starter and ride, stick to 2012 and newer. One detail worth noting: each cylinder uses two spark plugs, so budget for four plugs at service time. The clutch is cable-actuated, the gearbox is a straightforward five-speed unit, and final drive is handled by a shaft. There’s no assist-and-slipper clutch here — the system is deliberately simple — so inspect the clutch cable and give the driveshaft a basic once-over when you make your purchase.

2016 Honda Shadow Aero Engine Specifications

Engine Configuration	52 degree V-twin, liquid cooling, SOHC, 3 valves per cylinder
Displacement	745 cc
Bore x Stroke	79 x 76 mm
Compression Ratio	9.6:1
Power	43 HP @ 5,500 RPM
Torque	44 LB-FT @ 3,000 RPM
Fuel System	PGM-FI Electronic Fuel Injection
Transmission	5 speed manual, shaft drive

The 2016 Honda Shadow Had Typical Cruiser Styling

In This Context, That’s A Good Thing

Shot of Honda Shadow Aero front wheel and brake

The Shadow’s chassis hasn’t changed dramatically over the decades. It uses a traditional double-downtube frame with a backbone up top, and the engine is bolted in as a stressed member. Suspension is as straightforward as it gets: telescopic forks up front and twin shock absorbers at the rear, with preload adjustment at the rear being the only tuning on offer. The front forks do benefit from a 4 mm fork brace for added rigidity.

The brakes follow the same keep-it-simple philosophy: a single 296 mm disc up front gripped by a two-piston floating caliper, and a rod-actuated drum brake at the rear. A rear disc brake wasn’t introduced on the Shadow Aero until 2024, but single-channel ABS does appear on the 2020 Shadow Aero. If you want both a rear disc and ABS, you’ll need to track down a Shadow Spirit instead — that model ran a chain final drive through 2007 before switching to a shaft.

2016 Honda Shadow Aero Chassis And Suspension Specifications

Chassis	Double downtube frame with backbone
Front Suspension	41 mm telescopic fork; 5.0 inches travel
Rear Suspension	Dual outboard shocks with 5-step preload adjustment; 3.5 inches travel
Front Tire And Wheel	120/90 17
Rear Tire And Wheel	160/80 15
Front Brakes	296 mm disc with two-piston floating caliper
Rear Brakes	180 mm drum
Length	96.8 inches
Wheelbase	64.6 inches
Rake	34 degrees
Trail	6.3 inches
Seat Height	25.9 inches
Ground Clearance	NA inches
Curb Weight	573 LBs (wet)

The 2016 Honda Shadow Had Barebones Features

Shot of Honda Shadow Aero tank and instrumentation

The Shadow’s simplicity is a genuine selling point for the used buyer, though it does mean a short features list. Instrumentation is limited to a tank-mounted speedometer and the associated warning lights. The footpegs are machined from solid aluminum — an interesting material choice from Honda. The pillion seat is detachable if you prefer the cleaner single-seater look.

The Shadow’s decades-long production run with minimal changes is actually a hidden asset: the aftermarket is deep, parts are plentiful, and nothing is expensive or hard to source. For a used bike, that kind of parts availability is as valuable as any factory feature.

2016 Honda Shadow Competition

Kawasaki Had A Different Take, But Was The Closest

The closest rival to the Shadow Aero is the Kawasaki Vulcan S 650, which has also remained largely unchanged over the years. It uses a 180-degree parallel-twin engine rather than a V-twin and remains in production today with periodic updates. If American iron is what you’re after, a Harley-Davidson Iron 883 from 2016 can typically be found for a couple of thousand dollars more than a comparable Shadow. It offered a larger-displacement engine with slightly more power, but relied on air cooling. It’s also been discontinued for some time now, which can make sourcing parts and finding service support more of a challenge than it is with the Shadow.