Sabre vs. Spirit Comparison
Written: Feb 03 '04
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Pros: Comfortable seat, handle bars, riding position. Great handling, relaxing ride.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: Buy! I did a direct back-to-back comparison and the Spirit is my pick for comfort, handling, and smoothness.
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| stevetexas's Full Review: 2000 Honda Shadow Spirit |
Like many of you probably have, I spent a long time trying to decide exactly which brand/model bike is right for me. I am a fairly new rider. I took the MSF course about four months ago (Sep 03), and bought my first bike, a 1990 Yamaha XT350. I've been playing the dual-sport game for a while and practicing my newly-learned skills on back roads away from traffic, (I put 2,000 miles on that little dual-sport in three months). Now, I'm ready to move up to a cruiser, and I had narrowed my search down to two models. The Shadow Spirit 1100 and the Shadow Sabre 1100. I found a dealer nearby who just happened to have both models in stock (pre-owned) that they would allow me to test-drive. I got on each bike, left the dealership (DFW Honda), and went to a nearby large parking lot for a few minutes of figure-eights to get a feel for the handling. Next, I headed out through some industrial area streets for a few minutes at about 30 to 40 mph. One of these roads dumped me out onto the service road of a highway, where I was able to get the bikes up to about 60 mph for a couple of miles back to the dealership.
First, the Sabre. I had read that the Sabre has lower gearing and I certainly found that to be true. The Sabre really wants to leap out from under you right from a standing start. Just a little throttle, and if you're at all abrupt releasing the clutch, you'll know you have a tiger by the tail! The Sabre also has nice, responsive handling and handle bars positioned a little forward, encouraging you to lean into the ride. It is quick, nimble, with plenty of acceleration. I was only on it for about fifteen minutes, but I think that the seat might be just a little firmer than I would like. I also found myself "reaching" for the hand grips, unless I leaned forward slightly (I am 6'2", 175 lbs.).
Next, the Spirit. I had also read that the Spirit has higher gearing, and I also agree with that. The Spirit is much gentler pulling away from a standing start. I'm not saying that it feels under-powered, just that the power curve seems smoother to me. Actually, I would say that the Spirit overall felt more friendly throughout the speed/gearing ranges than the Sabre. As to the riding position, I felt much more comfortable with the pull-back chopper style handle bars on the Spirit. I simply had to sit down on the seat, bring my hands up to a nice comfortable position with my arms slightly bent, and my hands fell exactly onto the hand grips. I also found the handling of the Spirit to be just a little smoother than the Sabre. It is sensitive enough when you need it to be, but also stable with no tendency to encourage over-controlling.
The result of all this is that I chose the Spirit. In fact, as soon as I got home, I called the owner of a Spirit that I had already gone and test-ridden and told him that I had decided to take it. He is currently out of town, but I am anticipating going to get it the day after tomorrow. It is a 2001 Shadow Spirit 1100, black, stock except for Cobra pipes. I plan to immediately add Leatherlyke saddle bags and a Memphis Fats windshield. For those of you who prefer the sportier handling and power response of the Sabre, I completely understand. I just decided that the Spirit is a better match with my personality and riding tendencies.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 5400
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2001
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stevetexas
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Reviews written: 1
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