Suzuki Volusia 800 Vs Honda Shadow Aero 750: Detailed Comparison

There are several old bike models that get more classy and valuable over time. Classic cruisers from the 2000s are the most crucial entity in the American used motorcycle market as most enthusiasts still prefer the old-school appeal and vibe of a cruiser.

Honda and Suzuki may not be the biggest names when it comes to the competition in the cruiser segment; however, the old cruiser models produced by these two Japanese manufacturers are still relevant and desirable. Two perfect examples of such bikes include the Suzuki Volusia 800 and the Honda Shadow Aero 750. Continue reading this article to learn about the detailed comparison between the Suzuki Volusia 800 vs the Honda Shadow Aero.

Both the Suzuki Volusia 800 and the Honda Shadow Aero 750 share a slight resemblance in terms of build, attitude, attire, and traditional vibe. However, the former is an old cruiser that was discontinued a long time ago. The Volusia 800 has a more classic silhouette due to its rough look. This motorcycle features a vintage-looking gas tank design which includes a dual-tone paint job. The front and rear plastic fenders are curvier and elevate slightly upward from the center. The fenders are chopped enough to ensure a full view of classic wire-spoked wheels.

Note: The fact that the fenders and other chrome parts are made of plastic is a huge turn-off point for most riders to buy this motorcycle.

Towards the front, there is a round headlamp, slightly less bulging than the Shadow Aero, enclosed inside a chrome cover. The Suzuki Volusia 800 has a peanut-shaped gas tank with a bulbous look, making the motorcycle look smaller than the Shadow Aero. However, this motorcycle is bigger in terms of wheelbase and overall length. The Volusia 800 has a longer wheelbase, but the seat height is 1.6 inches taller than the Shadow Aero 750 in favor of keeping the ground clearance a little higher. The bulbous-looking gas tank has a decent capacity of 4.5 gals. The Suzuki Volusia 800 also boasts a lustrous chrome finish, including the twin extended slash-cut chrome mufflers.

The Honda Shadow Aero has always remained the simplest, yet the most complete cruiser with both modern and classic touch-ups. The chopped full-sized front and rear fenders, vintage-style tail light, wire-spoked wheels, gas tank-mounted gauges, chrome mufflers, and conventional cruiser-style round headlight provide a highly bold classic cruiser look. Meanwhile, the blacked-out engine, stylish gas tank paint job, graphics, and saddle texture provide trendy aesthetics. Being a modern motorcycle, the Shadow Aero 750 is lighter, smaller, and more practical than the Suzuki Volusia 800.

The Suzuki Volusia 800 looks like a bigger and full-size cruiser, but as soon as you sit on this bike and start riding, the size and numbers do not intimidate you. This bike is an easy-to-ride cruiser with manageable power. The Volusia 800 houses an 805 cc 45° V-Twin engine with a liquid cooling system and a shaft drive to ensure a smooth and comfortable experience. The engine is borrowed from the base Suzuki Intruder 800 model. However, it highlights a few amendments to enhance its performance capabilities. The use of the heavier generator rotor allows for greater torque and refined power at lower rpm levels.

The liquid-cooled 805 cc engine churns out a decent power output of 51.67 hp at 6,000 rpm and a torque of 65 Nm at 5,000 rpm. This bike only looks bigger but it is easily manageable, which makes it suitable for new riders who want to ride a big-sized cruiser.

The Honda Shadow Aero has been around for more than 20 years now and is one of the longest-produced Shadow bikes in the lineup. There must be several good reasons why this bike is still being produced. The company did not want to lose one of its perfect cruisers which is doing pretty good in terms of sales. The Honda Shadow Aero is one of the finest imitations of a Harley Davidson cruiser. However, it is more reliable and performance-wise, one of the smoothest entry-level cruisers in the market.

The Shadow Aero features the iconic 745 cc liquid-cooled V-Twin engine which is a proven powerplant technology by Honda. The 745 cc engine platform offers a base-level performance and the rider must not expect a quick and thrilling response from it. However, the V-twin powerplant ensures a nominal pick-up and throttle response, and as you pull the throttle, it makes the bike run super smooth. If you are a beginner, you will be thrilled to ride this bike as the engine keeps pushing the bike smoothly throughout the ride. There is only a negligible amount of buzzing produced at the handlebars by the engine.

The 44.9 hp of horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 65 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm produced by the 745 cc V-Twin powerplant is sufficient to compete with the Suzuki Volusia 800. Despite having a slightly smaller engine, the Shadow Aero can run faster than the Volusia 800 thanks to the streamlined design and low weight. The shaft final drive further enhances the ride quality and smoothness.

The Suzuki Volusia 800 boasts an oversized design regardless of its entry-level character. This large-looking cruiser features wide and spacious ergonomics, making it a highly efficient motorcycle to travel long miles. The Volusia 800 offers a laid-back riding position thanks to the wide and highly pulled-back handlebars, making riders extremely comfortable. The forward-mounted footrests allow riders to stretch and adjust their legs comfortably on longer rides. The dip in the rider’s seat and the high-mounted passenger seat also provide sufficient lumbar support to the rider. However, the wide footrests and handlebars' positions and weight can make it difficult for new riders to ride on busy roads.

The Suzuki Volusia 800’s seat height is comparatively on a higher side but it is still quite manageable. The seat is kept at a height of 700 mm to ensure a reasonable ground clearance of 5.5 inches.

The Honda Shadow Aero 750 is somehow a little identical to the Suzuki Volusia 800 in terms of classic styling and ergonomics. This bike also offers a wide and roomy rider triangle for riders to sit and ride comfortably on continuous long-distance rides. The legroom it offers is quite reasonable to suit most riders. However, one thing most riders have noticed is that the footrests are positioned slightly higher than usual. The seat height of 26 inches is quite approachable for most riders and the weight is comparatively lower than the Volusia 800 but it still can be a little challenging for new riders. The upright back position is ensured by the highly sweptback and low-mounted buckhorn-style handlebars.

Another good feature of the Suzuki Volusia 800 that amazes most riders due to its bulkier look is the superior handling it offers. The rider can comfortably manage the weight of this bike as it stays stable. The size of this bike can intimidate young and new riders but as soon as you sit on this bike and start riding it, there is nothing to worry about maneuvering and turning corners.

The suspension setting of the Honda Shadow Aero is quite rigid and smooth for road riding. The overall build and planted stature of this bike enhance the rider’s confidence to enter curves and corners comfortably. This bike is planted enough to provide superior handling characteristics. The Shadow Aero is not a lightweight bike, but it is adequately stable and offers superior control, empowering riders to turn corners easily at both slow and high speeds.

Both the Honda Shadow Aero 750 and the Suzuki Volusia 800 are a tough competitor of each other in the used motorcycle market in terms of performance. The Volusia 800 sets the standard higher with its bold and powerful look of a bigger bike. When you put this bike in gear and open the throttle, it feels adequately robust and agile. On the other hand, the Honda Shadow Aero is a familiar brand in the cruiser market. Owing to its popularity, this bike is still in production. What makes this bike superior to the rest of its competitors is its smooth ride quality, perfect road handling, and responsive engine.

Comparing both the Suzuki Volusia 800 and the Honda Shadow Aero 750, the latter ensures better reliability, perfect fit and finish, well-balanced performance, good throttle response, and superior handling. Meanwhile, the Volusia 800 performs exceptionally well, but the fit and finish are quite poor when you examine it up close. This bike has several plastic parts, including the large front and rear fenders which is one of the biggest drawbacks, disliked by most riders.

Looking to upgrade your bike with premium-quality aftermarket parts and to level up the performance of your bike, Viking Bags has an array of luggage options and add-ons for your particular make and model. You can find the best-suited saddlebags for your Shadow Aero and the Volusia 800 at the Viking Bags’ online store. In the cruiser category, the company offers sissy bar bags, tank bags, backpacks, tour packs, tool bags, handlebar bags, seat luggage, and much more.  To give your back the support it needs during the ride, Viking Bags also makes sissy bar pads/backrests for both Honda and Suzuki models.