Honda Shadow Spirit 750 C2

The always cuttingedge Honda is going retro. The Shadow Spirit 750 is a stylish V-twin cruiser with a refined, liquid-cooled mill. But instead of state-of-the-art fuel injection, it has a carburetor! While everybody’s doing full disc brakes, the Spirit’s rear brake is a polished drum that looks pirated from a 1970s beater. Instrumentation consists of a speedometer and not much else. But this bike has classic character, a laidback riding position, and a deep, throaty exhaust note; the engine is small but satisfying. And at $6,799, the Spirit is a steal.

By Bill Heald