[dvaemakis74123]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking to get an 85 Shadow 1100, it has 15k on it and it looks likes it's in decent shape.

What should I look for when looking at this bike in person?
What are some of the known issues in this model?

The recent I am looking at an 85 is that it is shaft drive, water cooled, and it had a CENTER STAND!

Thank you for your feedback.

Im ready to get back into a Shadow!!!

 

[5l1mm]

my stator and rectifier needed replacement, so id say, be sure the electrical works, and charges.
also handle bar switches can oxidize over time, and foul up, but that is easy to rebuild.

shaft seal might be dead, check for oil leak between shaft housing, and final drive.

if its carburated and sitting a wile, theres the fuel bowl issue.
thats all i can think of

 

[gypsy]

85's and 86's hauled ballz. the drawback... discontinued parts. lots of stuff can deteriorate on any bike that old. i'd recommend considering a newer year model. shadows are great and inexpensive. from 87-96 up you have a better selection of OEM and aftermarket parts. 97-07 is even better. good luck, hoping you will find a bike just right for you.

 

[dvaemakis74123]

Thanks for the input.

I would like a newer bike, but the newer ones do not have center stands.

 

[birdhunter02]

Sure they do. It's called a motorcycle lift...

 

[jpr1968]

You can live without a centerstand. Don't make a reason to get a bike.

 

[Saber Saw43]

Make sure the engine is cold when you go to look at it. All rubber, electric and seal are suspect on an older bike. They are nice if you're handy with a wrench. Fast to boot.

John

 

[Eagle7840]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking to get an 85 Shadow 1100, it has 15k on it and it looks likes it's in decent shape.

What should I look for when looking at this bike in person?
What are some of the known issues in this model?

The recent I am looking at an 85 is that it is shaft drive, water cooled, and it had a CENTER STAND!

Thank you for your feedback.

Im ready to get back into a Shadow!!!

Ask to see the maintenance records. That will tell you how well the bike was cared for. Then do a thorough visual inspection along with a buddy who is knowledgeable bike rider/mechanic. Two sets of eyes is better than the just the buyers.

 

[jwinker]

Aren't these the years with problematic carb diaphrams? Really hard to find replacements & susceptible to rot?

If the money is right, go for it! Expect to spend 3x the price of an old bike to make it equivalent to a newer bike...with a center stand. So, if they're asking $1000 for this bike & $3000 for a 2007 Shadow with shaft drive, is the center stand worth $2000???

For me, no way! A Harbor Freight MC jack is about $100.

 

[Harryc]

As much as I love the 80's Shadows, my experience here with helping guys and gals find parts is don't go there. Many parts are obsoleted by Honda. Stick with a mid-90's and up. Let's face it, if money were not an object and you were set on older bikes, you'd be posting on a Harley forum for Dyna, Sportster, or Softtail advice. Speaking of which, I recently ran across the nicest Softtail Springer I've ever seen. Love those old springers ... http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/mcy/4851751461.html

 

[tc862011]

As allot of people on here know I love my 86vt700. Not to hard to keep them on the road as long a your doing the work allot of shops won't touch something that old, but well worth the time and effort

 

[Harryc]

... something that old, but well worth the time and effort

You nailed it. It would be a labor of love. An '85 bike is 30 years old.

 

[Bobolto]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking to get an 85 Shadow 1100, it has 15k on it and it looks likes it's in decent shape.

What should I look for when looking at this bike in person?
What are some of the known issues in this model?

The recent I am looking at an 85 is that it is shaft drive, water cooled, and it had a CENTER STAND!

Thank you for your feedback.

Im ready to get back into a Shadow!!!

Like any other vehicle a LOT depends on the History of the Bike, # of Owners
and general condition of the bike.

Unless you are a decent amateur motorcycle mechanic with experience with Carb repair I would say just don't fall in love with it, you'll likely get your Heart broken.

If you get it for next to nothing (like $300) and it runs ok and looks ok and you like it, then by all means get it and enjoy riding it you might get a year or two of problem free riding

FYI, A dealer near me charged a guy $700.00 to repair the Carb on his late 90's shadow 750.

 

[Harryc]

FYI, A dealer near me charged a guy $700.00 to repair the Carb on his late 90's shadow 750.

I know it happens Bob, but that's just sad.

 

[Bobolto]

I know it happens Bob, but that's just sad.

It was for a total rebuild of the Carb with new parts. It was also a Dealer I won't use again.

 

[Furball Zen]

I posted this from another thread

How many miles? Sitting outside or inside? Clean or filthy? Shape of the tires (no I don't mean round)?

A bike that's been ridden and maintained will have little to no issues unless the owner simply didn't fix anything. But usually a bike with low miles (especially if it sits outside) usually means a lot of work in a short time frame for the new owner.

If the current owner can tell you all the history before him, the better it should make you feel. If he has no idea what the PO did to it, if its got pipes and he doesn't know if its been jetted, it could be abused beyond what I would recommend you deal with, for a first bike.

My first bike was my 01 Shadow Spirit 750. It looked brand new, but turned over 10k on the way home. I was the third owner, but the lady I got it from knew all the history to that point. I got a 10k mile virgin and had my way with her for 26,000 and was able to pass that along to the guy who bought it back in December.

Now, im the second owner of my Fury and knew more about it than the previous guy could tell me, only because he was pretty inept at mechanical stuff and the 4 cross threaded bolts (including the neg side of the battery) were a huge clue.

So, if you can get us some pics, some history and the price we could help you much better

 

[vito]

It's a 30 year old machine. How deep can you get in with any repairs yourself, and how much extra $$$ do you have to get stuff fixed? IF you can find the parts.

That's the question you need to ask/answer for yourself.