Honda Shadow Phantom 750 Vs. Yamaha Bolt R-Spec

Honda and Yamaha are two tough competitors that produce the most reliable motorcycles. Both Japanese motorcycle brands produce reliable and affordable motorbikes. However, both motorcycle brands have few cruisers as they focus on producing versatile motorcycles, including sports, track race, dirt, adventure, and touring bikes. Yamaha motorcycles tend to have an appealing design, but Honda motorcycles have better raw performance.

Both Honda and Yamaha have a long history of producing motorcycles. Yamaha introduced its first motorcycle, the Yamaha YA-1, in 1955. Meanwhile, Honda created its first motorcycle in 1903, paving the way to becoming the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.

The Honda Shadow Phantom and the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec are beginner-friendly motorcycles with bobber-inspired looks and minimalist designs to ensure agile performance. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is slightly more powerful and agile due to being fitted with a bigger engine than the Honda Shadow Phantom. It is also suitable for intermediate-level riders as it ensures a fun riding experience. Meanwhile, the Honda Shadow Phantom is a low-powered motorcycle with a low overall height and center of gravity that makes it an ideal beginner-friendly bike. This article is a detailed comparison between the Honda Shadow Phantom and the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec.

The Honda Shadow Phantom is the simplest cruiser in the Honda lineup with no fancy, heavy parts and a bobber-inspired look. It is a small cruiser with a low seat height and a planted design. The Honda Shadow Phantom is available in two simple single-tone color schemes with a matte black finish and separate short dual chrome mufflers. It has a slightly raked-out front end with thick front forks, ensuring a low overall height and an extended wheelbase. The Honda Shadow Phantom has bobber-style front and rear fenders with an integrated tail light that improves its classic retro look. It is also fitted with a small round headlight enclosed in a matte black nacelle and bullet-shaped front and rear turn signals. The classic analog gauges cluster is mounted to a teardrop-shaped fuel tank with a capacity of 3.7 gal. The spatula-shaped chrome side mirrors are mounted to wide, semi-sweptback handlebars with standard risers. The Honda Shadow Phantom is also fitted with a gunfighter-style saddle capable of two-up riding. It also comes with fat Dunlop tires wrapped around wire-spoked wheels to give this motorbike an old-school look.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is also a bobber-style cruiser with a tall, slim front fork and a low rear end. It has a minimalist and lightweight design that is easily customizable. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec has a simple, small peanut-shaped fuel tank with a capacity of 3.4 gal and a flat solo rider seat. It also comes with a bobber-style front fender and a small-sized chopped rear fender with a small LED tail light mounted on top. Unlike the Honda Shadow Phantom, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec has a small LCD display meter mounted to simple drag handlebars. It also comes with a small round headlamp and bullet-shaped front and rear turn signals. To ensure a taller front end, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is fitted with a tall and narrow Bridgestone® EXEDRA G721 F 100/90-19 front tire and a fat and wide Bridgestone® EXEDRA G722 R 150/80-16 rear tire wrapped around stylish 12-spoke wheels.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is available in only a storm gray single-tone color scheme with a matte black and gray finish. It has a stylish and uniquely-designed engine and frame with a two-into-one exhaust pipe that gives it a modern look. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec shares a close resemblance with the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 and it also has an aggressive riding style.

The Honda Shadow Phantom is an entry-level, beginner-friendly cruiser powered by a small 745 cc liquid-cooled 52° V-Twin engine capable of a horsepower of 44.6 hp @ 5,500 rpm and a torque of 64.94 Nm @ 3,500 rpm. Despite being a simple and low-budget cruiser, it comes with a Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) that ensures a smooth throttle response and a fuel mileage of 56 mpg. The Honda Shadow Phantom has a wide-ratio, five-speed transmission, a wet multi-plate clutch, and a cleaner shaft final drive for smoother gear shifts, clutch operation, and riding experience. Due to being a lightweight motorcycle, the 745 cc engine provides enough power and torque delivery to ensure a thrilling riding experience for beginners. However, the Honda Shadow Phantom would be a slow and boring motorbike for intermediate and expert riders.

The Honda Shadow Phantom’s low seat height, low center of gravity, less weight, and smaller size make it nimble and agile. It is easy to operate and balance even at high speeds. The Honda Shadow Phantom also has neutral handling for turning corners or making U-turns.

The Honda Shadow Phantom has a 41 mm front fork and dual rear shock absorbers with spring preload adjustability to ensure a smooth and comfortable riding experience on paved roads. The wider and thicker front fork comes with a billet aluminum triple clamp that ensures neutral handling. The front suspension has a wheel travel of 4.6 inches, while the preload-adjustable dual rear shocks have a wheel travel of 3.5 inches. The Honda Shadow Phantom does not come with a standard ABS, but the 296 mm single front disc and a 180 rear drum brake provide adequate braking.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is also an entry-level motorcycle with a simple and minimalist design. However, it provides quite a fun riding experience due to being fitted with a 942 cc air-cooled, V-Twin engine capable of a horsepower of 65 hp and a torque of 80.4 Nm. The 942 cc V-Twin engine ensures smooth torque and power delivery at all speeds, while the two-into-one exhaust pipe produces a satisfying rumble. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is also fitted with a twin-bore fuel injection system to ensure a good throttle response and has a fuel economy of 51 mpg. Being a lightweight motorcycle, the 942 cc engine produces good acceleration at all gear levels.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec also does not come with standard ABS but due to being a lightweight vehicle, but the 298 mm single hydraulic front and rear discs ensure reliable braking. However, the braking is slightly inadequate while riding at high speeds. You must press the front and rear brakes simultaneously to safely stop the bike.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is also a popular and reliable motorcycle with its five-speed transmission and belt drive that can last more than 100,000 miles. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is one of the best V-Twin cruisers for beginners and intermediate riders.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec has a taller and less raked-out front end which makes the wheelbase shorter, ensuring smooth and easy handling while turning tight corners and making U-turns. The front telescopic fork has a wheel travel of 4.7 inches, while the rear dual Piggyback shock absorbers have a wheel travel of 2.8 inches.

The Honda Shadow Phantom is a comfortable motorcycle with forward-mounted foot controls, ensuring adequate legroom suitable for all riders. This motorbike is fitted with low-mounted, semi-sweptback handlebars, but the low seat height of 25.8 inches and the handlebars’ position ensure an upright back position. The rider can ride this motorcycle for 3-4 hours continuously without getting fatigued. Despite being a small cruiser with a basic, lightweight design, it is suitable for shorter and taller riders due to its comfortable rider triangle. The Honda Shadow Phantom is an ideal beginner-friendly urban cruiser suitable for cruising on highways and open roads with the inclusion of a windshield and backrest. It can also be used for comfortable light touring by installing specially designed saddlebags for the Honda Shadow Phantom available at Viking Bags.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is a sporty cruiser with an aggressive riding style and ergonomics. It comes with mid-mounted foot controls ensuring compact legroom and low-mounted, drag handlebars. The rider has to sit slightly forward to reach the handlebars. However, due to its taller front end and comfortable rider triangle, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec provides enough space for taller riders to adjust their limbs. Despite its sportier ergonomics, it is suited for comfortable all-day rides.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec has a basic design that can be easily customized. Due to being a popular customizable motorbike among custom builders, there are several small companies besides Yamaha that produce Yamaha Bolt R-Spec aftermarket parts. By installing aftermarket parts, you can transform this vehicle into a bobber, chopper, or café racer. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec can also be transformed into an ideal touring bike by installing saddlebags, windscreen, sissy bars, and backrests. With an aftermarket passenger seat, it can also be used for comfortable two-up riding.

The Honda Shadow Phantom has all the good qualities of an ideal beginner-friendly bike. It comes with a low-power engine, low seat height, and a low center of gravity. The Honda Shadow Phantom is also quite easy to handle due to being lightweight. It is a perfect fit for riders with no prior riding experience.

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is a sports-style cruiser with an aggressive riding style and basic design. The 945 cc V-Twin engine makes it quite a maneuverable and nimble motorcycle able to reach a top speed of 106 mph. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec produces adequate power and torque at all gear levels, which makes it suitable for beginners and intermediate riders.

The Yamaha Bolt is the base model, while the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec comes with additional features, including gold-anodized and fully-adjustable piggyback rear shock absorbers with remote reservoirs for comfortable riding. The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec also comes with a solo rider seat and a simple storm gray color scheme.

The Honda Shadow Phantom and the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec are beginner-friendly motorbikes with good handling and cornering capabilities. Both motorcycles are reliable, affordable, and customizable due to having a basic, minimalist design. However, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is fitted with a slightly bigger engine that produces adequate power and torque delivery at low and high speeds. Despite costing $1,000 more than the Honda Shadow Phantom, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec has better performance, styling, and value. It is an aesthetically appealing motorbike with a basic overall design and dozens of aftermarket parts available for customization. The Honda Shadow Phantom is only suitable for beginners due to its small engine size.

However, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is powerful enough for both beginners and intermediate riders. Both motorcycles also have different riding styles and ergonomics. The Honda Shadow Phantom has ideal cruiser ergonomics with forward-mounted foot controls and an upright back position. Meanwhile, the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec has mid-mounted foot controls and an aggressive riding style.

Both the Honda Shadow Phantom and the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec are popular among custom builders due to their being easy to modify. If you are a fan of custom motorcycles and are looking to modify your bike, you can easily find good-quality aftermarket parts at Viking Bags. The aftermarket parts include sissy bars, crash bars, fairings, and handlebars. There are also different luggage options available at Viking Bags, including saddlebags and sissy bar bags.