Yamaha V Star And Harley-Davidson Sportster 1100s - Stuck In The Middle With You

Whatever Happened To?
The 1100cc Fugitives
This is one middleweight class that used to be chockful of students-and Honda used to flat-out own it, with four 1100cc V-twin models at one point (the '01 model year). Sadly, the firm's popular Shadow A.C.E. hit the bricks in 2002, and the long-running venerable Shadow Spirit 1100 disappeared this year-much to the dismay of many.

We wonder why, too. The 1100cc Shadows had been in Honda's lineup for over two decades and its carbureted, 1099cc, five-speed V-twin became something of a middleweight staple. It had a good spread of power and torque across a wide powerband and even some maintenance-free features-digital ignition, automatic cam-chain tensioners and shaft drive. Weighing in at about 560 pounds, the Spirit 1100 was relatively light, with its 28.7-inch seat height higher than the V Star's but lower than the Sportster's. You can still buy a new Spirit VT1100C today, even though Honda didn't introduce an '08 model. We've seen plenty of new '07 models on showroom floors, and loads of used ones in relatively good shape are available, too.

For its last model year, the new '07 Spirit was priced at $8699-right in line with the other two bikes in our comparison.

The supposition is that the VTX1300 series shouldered the 1100s aside. According to Honda reps, though, the 1100s had simply run their course. As 1300 sales increased and that model lineup was expanded, the 1100s were phased out. But the company has been known to hold off releasing a model only to reintroduce improved versions later, and one could speculate the 1100s are going through an extreme makeover. We'll have to wait and see.

The V-Rods meanwhile have simply graduated out of the class-first getting a 120cc-displacement bump in '05's Screamin Eagle V-Rod. The VRSCs continue to be the only H-D platform powered by a liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin, but the last of the 1130cc variants appeared in 2007. For 2008 all three models are now sporting the bigger 1250cc Revolution mill, which means they're running with a whole 'nother, faster crowd.

Moto Guzzi introduced its first 1100cc California model in 1988, but some things never change: Like all Guzzis, that bike placed its 90-degree V-twin across the frame. By 2002 there were five variants-all with that same engine/frame configuration. Alas, the touring-oriented 1064cc California Vintage is Guzzi's sole cruiser entry for 2008 (though it first appeared in 2006). When we road-tested it back in the Oct. '07 issue, there was no doubt in our minds its full-touring slant and unconventional V-engine architecture placed it in a separate category altogether. It's also priced $5000 higher-a factor that really separates it from these more mainstream entries. -AC