Editing Honda VT1100C3 Shadow Ace Tourer

{{Infobox Motorcycle
|name             = [[Honda]] VT1100C3 Shadow Ace Tourer
|image            = [[File:Honda-VT-1100T-Shadow-Ace-Tourer.jpg|frameless|Honda VT1100C3 Shadow Ace Tourer]]
|aka              = 
|manufacturer     = Honda
|parent_company   =
|production       = 1999-
|model_year       =
|predecessor      =
|successor        =
|class            =
|engine           = Four stroke, 45°V-Twin, SOHC, 3 [[valve]] per cylinder.
|bore_stroke      =
|compression      = 8.5:1
|top_speed        =
|power            =
|torque           =
|fuel_system      =
|ignition         = CDI
|spark_plug       =
|battery          =
|transmission     = 5 Speed
|frame            = Double cradle
|suspension       =Front: 41mm Telescopic forks, 150mm [[wheel]] travel <br>
Rear: Dual shocks, spring preload adjustable, 100mm wheel travel
|brakes           =Front: Single 336mm disc 2 [[piston]] [[caliper]] <br>Rear: Single 276mm disc 1 piston caliper
|front_tire       = {{tire|130/80R-18}} 
|rear_tire   	  = {{tire|170/70R-16}} 
|rake_trail       =
|wheelbase        =
|length           =
|width            =
|height           =
|seat_height      = 730mm / 28.7 in
|dry_weight       = 265 kg / 584.2 lbs
|wet_weight       =
|fuel_capacity    = 15.8 Litres / 4 US gal.
|oil_capacity     =
|fuel_consumption =
|turning_radius   =
|related          =
|competition      =
}}



==Engine==
The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Four stroke, 45°V-Twin, SOHC, 3 valve per cylinder.. The engine featured a 8.5:1 [[compression ratio]].  

==Drive==
Power was moderated via the Wet multiplate.  

==Chassis==
It came with a 130/80R-18 front [[tire]] and a 170/70R-16 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single 336mm disc 2 piston caliper in the front and a Single 276mm disc 1 piston caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a  41mm Telescopic forks, 150mm wheel travel while the rear was equipped with a Dual shocks, spring preload adjustable, 100mm wheel travel. The VT1100C3 Shadow Ace Tourer was fitted with a 15.8 Litres / 4 US gal. fuel tank. The bike weighed just 265 kg / 584.2 lbs.  
== Photos ==
[[File:Honda-VT-1100T-Shadow-Ace-Tourer.jpg|600px|Honda VT1100C3 Shadow Ace Tourer]]

== Overview ==
Honda VT 1100C3 Shadow
Ace Tourer



(Photo Mark Salsgiver)















Exclusive Features

· The Shadow Tourer engine uses an offset-dual-pin crankshaft for added
power and smooth performance for all-day rides.
· Engine smoothness is further enhanced with a rubber cushion engine-mounting system.
· Specially designed free-flowing two-into-two exhaust system featuring
right and left-side mufflers and long muffler-extenders.
· Large handlebar-mounted windscreen offers excellent weather protection.

· Large-capacity, 35-liter color-matched, locking hard saddlebags offer
secure, weatherproof luggage space protected by chrome bars.
· Unique cast aluminum 11-spoke wheels feature strength and
light weight.
· Wide, low-profile radial tires offer good wear characteristics, handling
and comfort.
· Chrome front and rear fender-lower covers provide protection and great
looks.
· Wide passenger seat gives good long-distance comfort.


Engine

· The Shadow's liquid-cooled, rubber-mounted 1099cc 45º V-twin engine pumps
out massive low-end and mid-range power.
· The engine's broad power delivery and five-speed transmission offer
exceptional rideability around town or on the open road.
· Three-valve cylinder head design utilizes two spark plugs per cylinder for
efficient combustion and high power at all rpm.
· Maintenance-free hydraulic valve-lash adjusters make routine valve
adjustments a thing of the past.
· Other maintenance-free features include solid-state digital ignition and
automatic cam-chain tensioners.
· Dual 36mm CV carburetors offer crisp throttle response at all rpm.
· Reliable electric starting system.
· Extensive use of chrome finishing on engine parts, including crankcase
covers, clutch cover and starter cover.
· Black-finished crankcases and cylinders with buffed fin edges complement
chrome finishes.


Chassis/Suspension

· Specially designed steel frame gives the Shadow American Classic Edition
Tourer a long, low custom stance.
· Massive, 41mm extended front fork provides 150mm of plush yet responsive
travel.
· Dual chromed shocks feature an advanced internal valve system for a
comfortable ride.
· Large-diameter front disc brake with twin-piston caliper combined with a
rear disc brake provide excellent stopping power.
· Shaft final drive system provides smooth, low-maintenance operation.
· Relaxed, comfortable riding position results from a long, low chassis and
low, 28.7-inch seat height.


Additional Features

· Comfortable riding position with low, wide handlebar, broad, deep rider's
seat and removable passenger seat.
· Powerful halogen headlight.
· Convenient push-to-cancel turn-signal switch.
· Comfortably padded large-diameter handgrips.
· Polished aluminum handlebar switch housings and triple-clamp assembly.
· Large, 16.8 litre gas tank offers extended range and added custom styling.

· Transferable one-year unlimited-mileage limited warranty.


CRUISERS AREN'T JUST FOR
CRUISING ANYMORE.

No longer relegated to the boulevard, they are becoming regular fixtures on
the open road. Granted, Harley-Davidson has been building touring-capable
cruisers for years. And now, the Japanese manufacturers are getting in on
the action. Witness Yamaha's Royal Star Tour Deluxe, Honda's Valkyrie Tourer
and Kawasaki's soon-to-be-unveiled Vulcan 1500 bagger.

These are big, hairy-chested
mega-cruisers, however, and they aren't for everyone. Enter Honda's
early-release 1998 VT1100T Shadow American Classic Edition Tourer. A
combination custom and touring machine, the Tourer caters to those who crave
torquey V-Twin power, but in a smaller, more nimble
package.

Such versatility isn't exactly cheap, though. At $11,499 our two-toned
Tourer (available in solid colors for $10,999) costs as much as Honda's
highly touted, 174-mph CBR1100XX, and $3200 more than Yamaha's unadorned
Virago 1100 Special.

But the VT comes equipped with
full cruiser-touring regalia-that is, windscreen, saddlebags and padded
sissy-bar. The injection-molded plastic bags are identical to the Valkyrie
Tourer's-same front-hinge design, same easy release fasteners, same 20-pound
capacity-and are more than sufficient for daily commuting or weekend trips.
Up front, the non-adjustable polycarbonate windscreen is small enough to see
over and offers good coverage, though some taller testers complained of
minor buffeting.

The VT1100T is actually the
latest in a long line of Shadows. Now, this gets a little confusing, so bear
with us. . The VT's family tree is multi-branched and dates back to [ the
1985 debut of the original Shadow 1100. Honda redesigned that bike in '87,
and the result was a more Harley-esque appearance and increased bottom-end
power. Eight years later, Honda attempted to inject even more
eau de Harley into its cruiser line with the Shadow ACE, which used a
single-pin-crankshaft design. This year, the ACE is unchanged, while the
Shadow receives engine and cosmetic updates, including a revised riding
position, and an ACE-like seat and exhaust. It also gets a name change, and
is now known as the Spirit 1100.

And then there's the subject of
this road test, the Tourer, which mates many ACE parts-frame, gas tank,
engine covers, etc.-with the Spirit's engine.
Honda wanted to revert back to the Shadow's original horsepower and torque
levels. So instead of the ACE's single-pin crank, the Tourer was given the
Spirit's offset dual-pin design.

The liquid-cooled, 1099cc,
45-degree Vee-motor has three valves per cylinder-two intake, one exhaust.
Rubber-mounted, it breathes through a pair of 36mm Keihin carbs, and spent
exhaust gases exit through a new 2-into-1 -into-2 system.  But does it make more power?

On
the CW dyno, the Tourer produced 53 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 63
foot-pounds of torque at 3000 rpm. That's a slight decrease from our 1994
test Shadow, which made nearly 59 horsepower and 69 footpounds of torque. On
the other hand, that's a noticeable increase over the ACE, which made only
44 horsepower and
61 foot-pounds of torque.

Furthermore, the Tourer's
five-speed gearbox was the recipient of some serious twiddling. Perhaps
responding to complaints about the ACE's lack of acceleration off the line,
Honda configured the Tourer with a lower first gear and a lower secondary
reduction ratio. The result is plenty of bottom-end grunt, thank you very
much. So much so, that the bike will accelerate cleanly from a dead stop in
second gear. Engine and gearbox modifications weren't the only changes. The
swingarm was reinforced, and the wire-spoke wheels were ditched in favor of
heavier-duty cast-aluminum jobbies that accommodate tubeless radial tires-a
Shadow first.

Finally, the suspension was
recalibrated for a firmer ride. Up front, the 41mm Showa fork offers 5.9
inches of travel, and the dual chromed shocks have 3.9 inches. Only the
shocks are adjustable, via easily accessible five-way preload ramps. While
the ride isn't Cadillac-plush, the suspension does soak up most pavement
bumps and ripples, a big improvement over earlier ACEs.

Last on Honda's Things To Tweak
List was the seat. Appearance-wise, the saddle is identical to the ACE's.
But denser foam was added, and the contour was altered to provide more
support in general, and to the inner thigh area in particular.

So, how does it handle? Thanks to the broad, 32-inch-wide handlebar, there's
plenty of steering leverage. The Tourer swings into fast bends with little
effort, and handles low-speed maneuvers with aplomb. Cornering clearance,
while good, particularly for a cruiser, is improved slightly by removing the
%-inch footpeg feelers. All in all, the Honda gets above-average grades in
the twisties.

Even so, the Tourer isn't about
canyon carving, it's about tooling through the countryside in comfort. And
once there, the stretched-out riding position is oh-so relaxing, no matter
the speed.

What goes, of course, must stop. And the Tourer comes up aces in the braking
department with its twin-piston gle-disc combos. Stopping distances, however, were
slightly longer than those of past ACEs, likely a result of the increased
heft brought on by the travel-oriented add-ons.
Splrlt 1100-derived engine produces more horsepower and torque than standard
ACE's powerplant. Reduced vibration is another benefit.

Does the two-tone, teardrop-shaped gas tank look familiar? It should, it
graced the ACE. In fact, a similar tank bedecked the original 1985-86
Shadow. Only, there was a catch:

The Shadow's version was really
a holding reservoir for the main tank, located beneath the seat. The
Tourer's, however, is the real deal and holds 4 gallons of fuel.

Spacious saddlebags are identical to the Valkyrie's. Industrial-strength
mufflers stifle noise, not to mention 5-6 horsepower, compared to the
Shadow's shotgun system.

Despite its mass, the Tourer
handles downtown duty with dignity. Its low 28.5-inch seat height, agile
handling and strong low- to midrange power make stoplight-to-stoplight
trolling a particularly pleasant activity. Although the mechanical clutch
performs well, small-handed riders had trouble reaching the lever. Since the
Tourer's target audience includes women, a VFR750-like, thumb-wheel adjuster
would be a helpful addition.

As content as the Tourer is romping down Main Street, it's equally happy at
speed. On the freeway, it's partial to plugging along at legal speeds. It
will, of course, go faster; when we pulled out the CW radar gun, the Honda
ripped off a 97-mph pass. And at the dragstrip, the VT knocked off the
quarter-mile in 14.10 seconds at nearly 90 mph. That may be a few tenths and
several mph slower than our last test Shadow, but the Tourer fares well when
compared to Harley-Davidson's similarly saddled Road King, which posted a
14.48-second quarter-mile at 89 mph, and a 94-mph top speed. (To its credit,
the Tourer bests both bikes in top-gear roll-ons.)

Like its predecessors, the
Tourer will be assembled in Honda's Marysville, Ohio, factory. Honda isn't
willing to quote production numbers, but those figures could be high if
touring cruisers turn out to be more than a passing fancy. Thus far,
reactions have been positive. Whether traveling crowded city streets or
parked outside a restaurant, the Tourer captured many admiring glances. And
more than one passerby stopped to comment on the bike's heavily finned
V-Twin, gleaming chrome and flowing curves.

The bottom line is that the
Tourer and bikes like it, take what used to be short-range boulevard bombers
and convert them into versatile, all-day bikes. Think of them as cruisers
with a higher calling.

{|  class="wikitable"
|- 
!Make Model
|Honda VT 1100C3 Shadow Ace Tourer
|- 
!Year
|1999-
|- 
!Engine Type
|Four stroke, 45°V-Twin, SOHC, 3 valve per cylinder.
|- 
!Displacement
|1099.2 cc / 67.07 cu-in
|- 
!Bore X Stroke
|87.5 x 91.4 mm
|- 
!Compression
|8.5:1
|- 
!Cooling System
|Liquid cooled
|- 
!Induction
|2x 36mm Keihin carburetors
|- 
!Ignition
|CDI
|- 
!Starting
|Electric
|- 
!Max Power
|67 hp / 48.9 kW @ 5500 rpm
|- 
!Max Torque
|102 Nm @ 3000 rpm
|- 
!Clutch
|Wet multiplate
|- 
!Transmission
|5 Speed
|- 
!Final Drive
|Shaft
|- 
!Frame
|Double cradle
|- 
!Front Suspension
|41mm Telescopic forks, 150mm wheel travel
|- 
!Rear Suspension
|Dual shocks, spring preload adjustable, 100mm wheel travel
|- 
!Front Brakes
|Single 336mm disc 2 piston caliper
|- 
!Rear Brakes
|Single 276mm disc 1 piston caliper
|- 
!Front Tire
|130/80R-18
|- 
!Rear Tire
|170/70R-16
|- 
!Seat Height
|730mm / 28.7 in
|- 
!Dry Weight
|265 kg / 584.2 lbs
|- 
!Fuel Capacity
|15.8 Litres / 4 US gal.

|}

[[Category:Honda motorcycles]]