• Honda's Shadow line of bikes sport chrome trim on the pipes.motorcycle reflections image by Janet Wall from Fotolia.com
  
  The first Honda Shadow sport cruiser motorcycle rolled off the production line in 1983. Five years later, Honda released a Shadow in the 600cc class and produced the first "VLX Deluxe" trim level for the 600 model line in 1993. This trim level added a different, softer seat and more chrome fittings on the engine and exhaust. Honda's 2003 VLX Shadow Deluxe continued the same style and engine size of the previous model years.
  
  

Fuel Economy

• The Total Motorcycle website reports that the Shadow VLX Deluxe from the 2003 model year earned an average fuel economy of 50 mpg. Honda outfitted these bikes with a 2.9-gallon teardrop shaped gas tank, giving it a range of about 150 miles.
  
  

Engine

• In 2003, Honda equipped the Shadow 600 VLX with a 583-cubic-centimeter displacement, four-stroke V-twin engine. This V-twin engine consisted of two cylinders, each mounted across from the other in a 52-degree "V"-angled configuration. The engine's bore measured 2.95 inches and its stroke measured 2.60 inches, giving it a bore-stroke ratio of 1.14 to 1.
  
  The V-twin in the Shadow GLX sported a single overhead cam and a single 34 mm carburetor. Each cylinder received fuel via three valves, for six valves total. A pair of spark plugs in each cylinder ignited the fuel-air mixture inside the chamber.
  
  Honda's 2003 Shadow VLX used electronic ignition and a water-based coolant system to minimize overheating.
  
  

Transmission

• Honda's engine transferred power to the rear wheel via a chain drive. Riders can operate the four-speed, cable-operated manual transmission to shift through the gears during driving.
  
  

Output

• The 2003 Shadow VLX engine generated 34 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 35.3 ft.-lb. of torque at 3,250 rpm. The engine had three valves per cylinder, a carburetor and achieved a compression ratio of 9.2 to 1. The Moto Profi website reports that this motorcycle could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds, and had a top speed of 100 mph.
  
  

Dimensions

• The driver and one-passenger seat on the 2003 Shadow VLX stood 25.6 inches above the ground at its lowest setting; riders could adjust higher. This motorcycle spanned a length of 92.7 inches with a 63-inch wheelbase on its steel frame. It had an overall width of 33.1 inches. When empty, and without any oil, the 2003 Shadow VLS weighed 452 lb.
  
  Honda equipped the front wheel with size 100/90-19 tire and a 296-mm diameter single-disc brake outfitted with two-piston calipers. The back wheel sported a size 170/80-15 tire and a 160-mm diameter drum brake.