RIDE REVIEW I 2024 HONDA SHADOW PHANTOM
P88
Engine noise is a vital part of
V-twin cruisers, and the Phantom is
the best-sounding Shadow I've ever
heard. Previous Shadows have
never sounded inspiring, but the
Phantom will turn heads when you
press the button. Not because it's
obnoxiously loud or raspy but be
-
cause it has a nice, low, respectful
look-at-me rumble that is pleasing
to the ear. And those matte black
exhaust pipes that match up nicely
to the rest of the bike look great
and even have that old H-D Sport
-
ster kind of look. Nice.
The Phantom performs as well
as it looks. It has excellent torque
for a middleweight V-twin and is
sufficiently powerful. The clutch
has a good feel, making it simple
to launch from a stop. The Phan
-
tom changes gears well, with no
big clunks. It wastes little time
getting up to freeway speeds and
is completely comfortable staying
there.
It's a good idea to avoid pot
-
holes, though; remember, there are
only 3.5 inches of travel back there,
and you'll be quickly reminded
of this if you do whack one. I'm
speaking from experience; I have a
lot of California freeway miles on
one. Luckily, the Phantom doesn't
stay upset for long and recovers
nicely and quickly when you do
smack a bump at speed, which is
something you often do in Califor
-
nia. Overall, its suspension does an
admirable job of soaking up road
irregularities despite its lack of
wheel travel and adjustability.
The Phantom can be ridden
aggressively on the twisties if
you so choose because it corners
well, with little wiggling involved,
but cornering clearance is limited.
You'll safely figure out what that is
The Phantom has several strong
points and comfort is one of them.
