Starting the Tourer's engine produced the first of only two surprises we experienced on our maiden voyage. The exhaust note is so muted the distant reports seem almost embarrassed to be associated with it, and the sound and cadence are surprisingly flat and uninspiring. We suspect the combination of the cams, twin-pin crank and the two-into-one-into-two exhaust system conspire to give the Tourer its lackluster tone.
For those unfamiliar with the Shadow 1100 series, a quick introduction is in order. The original Shadow 1100, introduced over a decade ago, used a crankshaft with two crankpins, offset to quell the vibration that plagues other 45-degree V-twins. In 1995, responding to customer demand for a more traditional V-twin, Honda rolled out the Shadow A.C.E., a single-crankpin design, with a more traditional exhaust note and feel, but more vibration and less maximum power. The A.C.E. also brought styling closer to the cruiser mainstream (which some felt owed much to Harley). For 1997, the original Shadow 1100 was replaced by the Shadow Spirit, which retains the dual-offset-crankpin design combined with milder A.C.E. camshaft profiles for greater mid-range power. Foremost on the list of changes was a five-speed transmission, found in the A.C.E., but not the original Shadow 11. It also moved closer to the A.C.E. in terms of styling. For many, the Spirit represented the best of both worlds-a broad power range, little vibration, and the flexibility of five speeds.
Since the Tourer incorporates the Spirit's offset-dual-crankpin engine with only a few modifications, we expected the rubber-mounted Tourer engine to be one of our smooth favorites. The liquid-cooled, 1099cc, 45-degree V-twin didn't disappoint. With a 87.5mm bore and 91.4mm stroke inhaling through two 36mm Keihin constant-velocity carburetors and two intake and one exhaust valves, those who read our Spirit test might think they could skip over this information since it sounds so similar. While the bulk of the engine's specifications (such as two spark plugs per cylinder, maintenance-free hydraulic valve-lash adjusters, five-speed transmission and shaft final drive) are the same, Honda did throw in some subtle changes. The Tourer's first gear is slightly lower, providing the mechanical advantage necessary for smooth departures on a heavily loaded machine. Although the final drive ratio is the same, the Tourer's secondary reduction ratio (the gear between the transmission's output shaft and the actual final drive) is slightly lower giving an additional torque multiplication factor, which translates into more usable power. The clutch works smoothly, and except for a rare false neutral between third and fourth, caused in part by shift lever position, the transmission shifted well.
Honda chose A.C.E. cams for all 1100 Shadows to consolidate the parts list and gain some mid-range in the process. According to Honda, and verified in our extended riding, the extra juice in the middle didn't cost either the Tourer or Spirit up top. Honda says that it lost about two horsepower at peak power while gaining a good bit more power in the middle when compared to the 1996 version of the original four-speed Shadow 1100. Our experience collaborates this.
The Tourer's engine performed well, started easily, and never exhibited the backfire problems we experienced with the Spirit. The improved jetting makes low-speed second-gear corners, a situation where we found the Spirit needed to downshift, a much more pleasant experience for people with lazy left feet. Around town, the Tourer easily pulls away from traffic. Whip the carburetors' butterflies wide open and the Tourer bounds forward, like the Spirit. Also like the Spirit, the Tourer remains vibration free at all cruising speeds. Once the engine speed crosses over into the top end, such as at interstate speeds well above the new, higher limits, a minor amount of vibration finds its way to the pegs but, with the exception of one rpm (which can be avoided by accelerating or decelerating slightly), rarely becomes annoying. The hand grips never vibrate, thanks to the rubber-mounted handlebar risers.
Rubber-mounting the handlebar not only prevents engine vibration from reaching the rider but also soaks up feedback, reducing information about what the 41mm fork is up to. While not noticeable around town, the vague feel can be disconcerting on winding roads, causing riders accustomed to more direct response from the front end to feel that they don't have exact control of where the bike is going. Snap a steering input into the bar, like swerving to avoid an obstacle, and, although the bike responses instantly, it feels as if little is happening until the rubber mount compresses fully and begins to send the rider feedback through the grips. Since the Spirit also has a rubber-mounted handlebar but didn't suffer from same the vague feeling front end, we conclude the Spirit's softer suspension masked the sensation while the Tourer's overall firmer feel brings this issue to the fore.
However, we think most riders will rapidly adapt to the sponginess in steering inputs. Everyone who rode our test bike complained about it after the first ride and later softened their comments. The Tourer never does anything evil; quite the contrary, the Dunlop D206 radials and the reasonably taut suspension contribute to the Tourer's wonderful cornering manners. Interstate expansion joints neither upset the bike nor bother the rider, thanks to the suspension's supple initial travel. Mid-corner bumps don't unsettle the chassis. Square-edged bumps jolt more from the rear than the front. On big bumps, we did wish for a bit more rebound damping to slow spring-back after the suspension is deeply compressed. The bike was stable in cross winds and truck wakes.