Licks Cycles: Honda Shadow 600

The “VP” from Blackout Customized Designs: Constructed for a Star…

There’s nothing fairly like driving an enormous V-twin cruiser on the open freeway. It’s straightforward to think about you’re saddled on some legendary iron horse, thundering throughout the land along with your boots kicked out within the wind.

Within the metropolis, nonetheless, the mixture of heavy weight and lengthy wheelbase can grow to be unwieldy. In a really tight city atmosphere, like that of a serious European metropolis, it may be like making an attempt to maneuver a battleship.

Just lately, our pal Marcel Galuszka of the Czech Republic’s Blackout Customized Design received in contact with well-known Czech actor Vladimír Polívka, who needed a classically-styled bobber that he might journey within the tight streets of a metropolis like Prague.

“He principally gave me free rein, I simply needed to comply with three issues: coloration, correct sound, and as he himself stated from the start: the seat have to be low :-D”

So the hunt was on! For this “gentle city bobber,” Marcel determined that the Honda Shadow 600 (aka VLX600 or VT600, relying in the marketplace) would make a really perfect donor. We will’t argue with that. The Shadow 600 was the best-selling import cruiser in America for greater than a decade, largely as a consequence of its gentle weight and reliability.

Former VLX proprietor Brent Brooks of Union Moto penned a little bit love track for the little V-twin cruiser:

“The time period ‘bulletproof’ will get tossed round so much, however the previous VLX actually suits that description. It’s dependable and refined Honda engineering at its most interesting. I by no means had a lot as a hiccup with mine within the years I owned it, and have a number of mates with VLX’s, and the reliability is second-to-none throughout the board… It can hold working nicely into the zombie apocalypse.”

Marcel managed to choose up a ’91 VLX600 in very good situation and set to work remodeling it into a light-weight bobber. He was on a good timeline, with simply three months to finish the construct. Highlights embrace the hard-tailed and powder-coated body, minimalist Motogadget electronics hidden in a {custom} underseat tube, Kellerman lighting, 10″ ape-hangers, custom-built exhaust, Porsche Oak Inexperienced paint, and extra.

The venture ended up being a particular one for Marcel:

“In the course of the construct course of, I step by step fell in love with this venture a lot that on the finish I sort of wished that Vladimir didn’t just like the bike and I might take it again house Take a look at rides and feelings from the journey itself of the completed bike solely multiplied this sense.”

Beneath, Marcel relates the total story of the construct in his personal phrases, and we current extra pictures courtesy of Nikolas Stergiadis (@nicossmodel).

Within the Builder’s Phrases…

About three months in the past, after an earlier settlement, I met Vladimír Polívka, a really well-known and well-liked Czech actor, after a efficiency within the theater. We chatted and naturally favourite issues got here up, and he talked about his hobbies and his need to get a {custom} bike.

His concept was for a motorbike for the town above all, however at any price it needed to be a traditional bobber. Which doesn’t fairly match with consolation. However in case you like one thing — in case you prefer it and also you need it — then you possibly can in all probability take care of it Inside a couple of days, we agreed on working collectively and I used to be on the lookout for a donor to construct a light-weight city bobber!

I’ve to confess that the Honda Shadow 600 got here to thoughts through the first debate. And one way or the other it stayed with me, and after an settlement we went for it.

With the rebuild planning and the deadline for when every part was to be completed, it didn’t look fairly proper at first. On the time I had two bikes underneath development and one nearing completion. Nevertheless, it turned out that area was discovered virtually instantly, in addition to the donor bike: a 1991 Honda VLX 600 Shadow in excellent situation certainly. So a telephone name, an settlement, and off we go.

We began on June 1, 2023 and managed at hand over the attractive bobber to Vladimír on August 25, 2023!

There have been principally no main technical problems through the rebuild. The bike was in actually good situation and my imaginative and prescient was fairly clear from the beginning. The proprietor principally gave me free rein, I simply needed to comply with three issues: coloration, correct sound, and as he himself stated from the start: the seat have to be low

The bike has a roughly traditional idea, however with new parts that make life simpler. Within the entrance, Kellermann Atto blinkers mounted underneath the levers on 10″ ape hanger handlebars with Biltwell grips and a Motogadget Motoscope Mini speedo.

Within the again, we additionally used Kellermann Atto, however this time within the 3-in-1 model of the lights with blinkers, mounted straight in a brief custom-made bobber fender.

From the start, I additionally knew that I needed a whole set of recent electrics and a Motogadget M-unit Blue, and to cover every part in a minimalist tube underneath the seat, which might maybe at first look evoke an previous traditional oil tank.

The following trick was to take away the previous ugly air field and its equipment and easily open the consumption with a modification of the carburetor and new custom-made exhausts, which have been alleged to create “that” sound It labored out in a completely distinctive method!

I initially meant the seat to be three-piece on springs, however in the long run it didn’t match the general look so nicely, so I stayed with the traditional and couldn’t have completed higher, in my view.

The paint used on the tank is Porsche Oak Inexperienced and it got here out superbly. The body has been modified, sandblasted, and given black satin powder coating.

The opposite painted components on the bike are in matte black. The general impression is targeted on the colour of the tank, the place the remainder of the black components solely underline it.

In the course of the construct course of, I step by step fell in love with this venture a lot that on the finish I sort of wished that Vladimir didn’t just like the bike and I might take it again house Take a look at rides and feelings from the journey itself of the completed bike solely multiplied this sense.

Effectively, the alternative was true. Handing the bike over to the proprietor was additional emotional, honest, and joyful. I believe the proprietor is pleased and I’m quietly envious. However solely in a great way. He’s an ideal man and I’m glad I helped him make his bike dream come true. I assume…