Honda Shadow Spirit 750 (2001-2007, Carburettor + Chain) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the Honda Shadow Spirit 750, also known as the VT750DC made between 2001 and 2007 with dual carburettors and a chain drive.
The Honda Shadow Spirit 750 is one of the Honda Shadow range of motorcycles, like the Shadow Phantom. It’s powered by the same 745cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin.
The Shadow Spirit 750 is a sporty cruiser, with a 19-inch front wheel and a low 27-inch seat height. It is a simple, low-power motorcycle that still has a lot of street-rod style, with a lot of handling and comfort, typical Honda style.
In 2010, Honda released a fuel-injected version of the Honda Shadow — see its maintenance schedule here.
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Honda Shadow Spirit 750 Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Honda Shadow Spirit 750.
Difficulty levels — Honda likes to tell you what you can (and can’t) do to your motorcycles. Here are their suggested difficulty levels in asterisks. They suggest taking wheels/tyres and steering head bearings to a licensed mechanic, but everything else can be done at home by someone who’s skilled with a wrench and has a service manual handy.
Maintenance Procedures:
- I: inspect and clean, adjust, lubricate, or replace, if necessary
- C: clean
- A: adjust
- L: lubricate
- R: replace
Notes:
- At higher odometer readings, repeat at the frequency interval established here
- The break-in schedule is omitted.
- When there’s a distance and time interval, follow the earlier of the two.
x 1000 km | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
x 1000 mi | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | |
Months | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | Every |
Fuel Line | I | I | I | ||||
Throttle Operation | I | I | I | ||||
Carburetor Choke | I | I | I | ||||
Air Cleaner (HA-7500) | R | R | Service more frequently if the motorcycle is ridden in unusually wet or dusty areas | ||||
Crankcase Breather | C | C | C | C | C | C | Service more frequently when riding in the rain or at full throttle |
Spark Plug (NGK DPR8EA-9) | I | R | I | R | I | R | |
Valve Clearance | I | I | I | ||||
Engine Oil (Pro Honda GN4) | R | R | R | ||||
Engine Oil Filter (HF204RC) | R | R | R | ||||
Carburetor Synchronization | I | I | I | ||||
Enigne Idle Speed | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Radiator Coolant (Ethylene glycol pre-mix) | I | I | R | 2 years: R | |||
Cooling System | I | I | I | ||||
Secondary Air Supply System | I | I | I | ||||
Drive Chain (use a Motul chain care kit) | 1000 km (600 mi) I, L | ||||||
Drive Chain Slider | I | I | I | ||||
Brake Fluid (Castrol Dot 4) | I | I | R | I | I | R | 2 years: R |
Brake Shoe/Pad Wear | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Brake System | I | I | I | ||||
Brake Light Switch | I | I | I | ||||
Headlight Aim | I | I | I | ||||
Clutch System | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Side Stand | I | I | I | ||||
Suspension | I | I | I | ||||
Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners | I | I | I | ||||
Wheels/Tires | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
Steering Head Bearings (Lithium soap-based grease) | I | I | I |
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Honda Shadow Spirit 750
The Honda Shadow Spirit 750 has the following tyres and tyre sizes standard. The Spirit 750 uses tubeless tyres.
Tyre | Size | Tyre pressure (cold) |
---|---|---|
Front | 110/80 – 19 59S | 29 psi (200 kPa, 2.00 kgf/cm2) |
Rear | 160/80 – 15 M/C 74S | Solo: 29 psi (200 kPa, 2.00 kgf/cm2) Two-up: 36 psi (250 kPa, 2.50 kgf/cm2) |
About the Honda Shadow Spirit 750
The Honda Shadow Spirit 750 is a retro cruiser stripped down, street-rod style, built with classic technology like a carburettor, but with occasional touches of modernity like in its handling.
Honda’s goal for the Shadow Spirit 750 was to make it look long and low like a large-displacement machine, without sacrificing the friendly ergonomics and ease of handling that appeal to so many first-time and reentry riders.
The core of the Shadow Spirit 750 is the 745-degree 52-degree V-twin engine. It is fuelled by dual 36mm CV carburettors. Throttle response is crisp — this cruiser doesn’t lug.
Being a simple engine than its predecessor from 1983, it’s also lower power. With a compression ratio of 9.0:1, the Shadow Spirit 750 makes peak power of 32 kW (43 hp) at 5500 rpm, or 60 Nm (44 ft-lb) at 3000 rpm. Decent pull, but it runs out of puff soon.
To help with starting in cold conditions, the Shadow Spirit 750 has an electric heating system for the carburettors. This helps it while riding in the cold, too, ensuring you won’t be fiddling with the choke.
Helping with ignition is two spark plugs per cylinder, ensuring complete combustion, for compliance with emissions regulations.
The drivetrain for the Shadow Spirit 750 is like previous models, with a five-speed transmission and chain drive.
The Honda Shadow Spirit 750 has very simple ride gear. The suspension are progressive springs at the front and rear, with 5.1 inches of travel from the 41mm fork and 3.2 inches from the shocks at the rear. The rear shocks give preload adjustability in five steps.
The front brake on the Shadow Spirit 750 is a single 296mm disc with a two-piston caliper. Very basic! At the rear, there’s a 180mm drum.
Manual for the Honda Shadow Spirit 750
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Honda Shadow Spirit 750.
You can download manuals for Honda motorcycles directly from Honda.