Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

EdItion Tourer FIRST RIDE content with the TOUTer's somewhat modest pull. Touring the highways, the relative dearth of power is something you'll hardly notice. The Tourer hardly strains at all at 75 mph. This. effortless cruising - and good ergonomics - shoulo make long days in the saddle a pleasant experience with the Tourer. The broad seat is well constructed (different-density foam and shape than the ACE) and the handlebars are wide and positioned rather low, with a natural-feeling reach. We haven't ridden a motorcycle this relaxing in a long time; yes, the seating position is that good. The only negative we found with regard to comfort was the turbulence coming off the large windscreen, resulting in significant buffeting for our 6-foot-1inch rider. For riders under six feet, the big screen does a perfect job of sheltering the rider; for those over, it at the very least does an admirable job of keeping the rider from getting blasted at highway speeds. The Tourer is just as content on winding roads as it is on the long straights. It actually corners quite well, requiring little effort by the rider to get the big, 6OD-pluspound bike heeled over for the turns, and once you get it there, the bike holds its lines nicely. Every once in a while, the front end would get a little weak in the knees, but overall feel is one of solid sta-' bility. Scrapping the tarmac with the footpegs is a common occurrence on the Tourer but not as much so as with some of the' other cruiser I touring bikes we've ridden recently. We were quite happy with the Tourer's strong brakes, both front and rear. TIle hard saddlebags with hinged lids the Tourer comes equipped with are nearly identical to those used on the Valkyrie touri"ng model and they're equally as simple to use - one latch and you're in. The list price for the ACE Tourer runs from $10,999 to $11,999, depending on paint scheme. The final verdict on the Shadow Tourer will have to be left until we get more time on the bike. Initial impressions indicate, though, that Honda's iron fist may have tightened its grip. fN (Above, clockwise) For casual touring, the new ACE Tourer fits the bill. Taller riders will wish lor another lew Inches out of the large windscreen. The Tourer will set you back a lew dollars, at least $10,999. The hard saddlebags are simple to use and hold plenty. The Tourer Is a looker. Honda VT11 OOC2 Shadow American Classic Edition Tourer Photos, by Kit Palmer f there is any class Honda has ruled with an iron fist, it's tOuring, Look no further than the all-conquering Gold Wing GL1500, So when Honda steps up to the plate wi th a revamped cruiser with a distinctly touring bent, the 1998 Shadow American Classic Edi, tion Tourer, one tends to take notice, The ACE Tourer is aimed at an admit- ' tedly broader target th,m the big GL, looking to fulfill at least two roles in life touring and cruising, And as Honda is quick to point out, neither of these roles is to take precedence over the other, As a result of this philosophy, the ACE Tourer naturally gives up some of the amenities of the GL1500 to fulfill its role as a cruiser - no stereo, no cruise control and less luggage space - and likewise gets some performance enhancements with regard to the standard Shadow ACE to make it a more capable tourer. The most important of these changes is to the 1099cc 45-degree V-twin. We all know what Honda did to the VT1100 twin when it came up with the original ACE - it got a single-pin crank and a heavy retuning job to produce power that more resembled the low-end grunt and rumble usually associated with Milwaukee iron, as weU as an extensive cosmetic makeover, While this had the desired visceral effect, peak-power output dropped dramatically, to the tune of around 20 horsepower. This just wouldn't do for the ACE Tourer, a bike equipped with 35-liter hard saddlebags and passenger accommodations likely to be used on the weekend getaways the Tourer seems a natural for. So Honda fauna the best compromise it could and kept the cool cruising looks of the ACE engine, but gave back the power - and smoother-running offset dual-pin crankshaft - of the VT1100 to make the machine a more capable touring mount. And to further enhance the touring capabilities, the ACE Tourer was also graced with smooth-shifting five-speed transmission, as well as a beefed-up swingarrn. Honda recently gave us an opportunity to ride the ACE Tourer and, despite ·our rather 'short time in the saddle, we came away quite impressed. With visions of our last long, thumping ride on the stah~ard ACE still vibing in our heads, the overall ride and feel of the ACE Tourer is. quite smooth, no doubt due to the offset-dual-pin crank, rubber-mounted engine and shaft drive. Even compared to the electric-smooth Valkyrie, the Shadow measures up well. Hit the start button and... ''Where's the rnmble?" This was our initial impression when we first heard the Tourer come to life. The bike is very quiet and, if you're hoping to hear some thunder out of the Tourer's two-into-two exhaust system, you will be disappointed. Your neighbors, however, won't be. They won't even hear you leave your driveway at five 0' clock Sunday morning. Overall power? Well, despite the return t6 the more-powerful VT tuning and internals, this department stiU left a little to be desired; the Tourer is no Valkyrie, that's for sure..(But then, what is?) Power comes on nicely at the bottom, though it's not what you would call a real' torque monster for a big-bore V-twin. Instead the power comes on gradually and in a smooth and orderly manner. If you want to pick up the pace a little bit, you will most likely go in search of more revs, like we did, but this strategy doesn't work as well as it might, since the bike's rev limiter kicks in fairly early. The limiter exerted its presence more than once on one particular twisty, uphill climb. So, like most big V-twins (VTR1000 excepted), it's best to keep 'er down low and be SpecIfIcalIons Engl_ type ...Uquid·cooled. V-twin. 4· stroke DilIplac._nt , 1099cc· a, .87.5 x 91.4mm Compr, ••lon ratio , .. 8.0:1 CeorttuntIGII '.. Kelhln 36mm CV (2) Ignition .. , Solid-state digital T_lulon , S-speed F\nal~ , Slartlng system CIuecII F _ type Reb/ Shaft EIectric Wet. multi-plate Double cradle. high-tenSile steel 32.2so /154.96mm Suspeneloa Front Conventional, telescopic fork ....r , ..Swinging anTI. dll8l shock .....1-...1 Front ' , , 5.9 in. ........... , •....• _.. , 3.9in. n... Front ... . 130/80-18 in. 170/70-15 In. .............. , Brakes Front ....r , , .................. , Seat ht CJeiInecJ dry weight IISRP , t Disc Disc 65.0In. 28.7 In. 630.5 Ibs. $10.999/$11,499

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