Helmet: Shoei
Jacket: Shift...
Helmet: Shoei
Jacket: Shift Avenger
Boots: Alpinestars Soho
When Honda rolled out a bona fide 2010 Shadow RS a couple of months ago-after taunting us for nearly a year with claims that it was a "Sportster-slayer"-we thought, Eureka: we can finally stage a clash of new, lightweight standard-style cruisers. Harley's iconic, 50+ year-old Sportster versus Honda's venerable Shadow line, in existence for over 25 years. Both series now sported new machinery, and both models were eerily similar in looks, specifications and price. But something happened on the way to the comparison. The standard Sportster, as we had long known it, had disappeared; 2008 was the last year for the non-lowered XL 883.
In This Corner
Honda says "RS" stands for "retro standard," though really, the bike doesn't bludgeon you with nostalgia, nor is it really a standard. The Shadow 750RS (MSRP: $7799) has been slotted in as a companion to the long-lived Shadow Spirit 750 and Aero, (and more recent Phantom). While the other variants share basic architecture, this newest Shadow actually has a lot of new componentry, even if it's basic. The mechanicals are about as bare-bones as you'll find on a liquid-cooled bike; a single-crankpin, V-twin engine transferring power through a five-speed transmission to a sealed O-ring chain that twirls a 16-inch rear tire. That engine is Honda's tried-and-true 745cc, 52-degree twin, though it's now fed by Honda's programmed fuel-injection system-like the Phantom. The RS skips the showiness of its blacker Phantom brother, instead aping the standard lines of the seminal Harley XL 883 (the one we remember) complete with a smaller version of Harley's famed peanut tank.
The Iron 883 (MSRP: $7999), on the other hand, isn't far removed from its older sibling, the Sportster Low (seen in our last issue); they share the same narrow steel frame and lowered dual-shock rear suspension. True to its Dark Custom branding, the Iron is slathered in ebony, and gets many of the same style cues of its bigger-displacement Nightster brother, with a flip-out, side-mounted license frame, and a chopped rear fender with combination stop/tail/turn lights.
It also gets the Nightster's low-slung stance, which means less than two inches of suspension travel out back and a one-piece solo saddle just 26.3 inches off the ground (same as the Nightster and Low). The dark theme extends from the mid-mounted controls to the 19-inch front and 16-inch rear cast wheels, belt guard, and low-rise drag handlebar. The front fork is 39mm, and the rear shocks are preload adjustable. The centerpiece of the Iron 883 is an 883cc Evolution engine with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection.
Eye of the Beholder
As you've likely sussed out by now, for all their similarities, the two bikes are practically visual opposites. The Harley rides low and dark while the Honda's posture is upright, and uh....bright.
Even in the subjective area of styling, most onlookers would agree that the Iron is a smash hit. The raw industrial feel and matte finishes give it an air of steam-punk chic, while details like fork gaiters play up the nostalgic vibe. A pair of shorty dual exhausts represent the only shiny bits. For such a grunge-y machine, the Iron is remarkably refined in terms of fit and finish.
Unlike the Iron, the RS doesn't bring unique styling to the table, but its clean carapace is still appealing, taking its tidy lines from the pre-2004 era Sportster. A too-large chrome air cleaner feels overdone, but the shotgun dual exhausts are nicely contrasted against blacked-out engine cases and cylinder barrels. There's no missing the seam on the small, 2.8 gallon tank though; along with plastic fenders and rocker box covers, it gives the RS's price-point status away.