750ACE.com - The VT750 Shadow A.C.E.

Honda's VT750 Shadow A.C.E.
	Many people don't realize that Honda has been making motorcycles for over 54 years! You don't stay in business that long without a strong product and a loyal customer base and Honda has some of the strongest products and most loyal customers in the world. Honda has made so many models over the years that I can't even begin to cover them here, so I will just stick with a simple history on the bike that this website is meant for, the V-Twin 750cc Shadow A.C.E. line.
In 1995, Honda decided to take a run at the Harley-Davidson dominated motorcycle cruiser market with the introduction of the VT1100 A.C.E. (American Classic Edition). This beautifully made machine shamelessly took a lot of styling tips from HD, while retaining many of the stong points of classic Honda bikes. Combining classic retro styling, big V-twin torque and rumble (The ACE incorporated a new single pin crank on the standard Shadow V-twin to emulate Harley's patented "… tomato… tomato…" sound and vibration) and lower cost while keeping Honda's typical high quality made for a new cruiser that could ride with the best. And although many people at first sneered that this was just a Japanese rip-off of a Harley, it wasn't long before skyrocketing sales of this new line of cruisers proved that Honda had found a much needed niche in the cruiser market.
The 750 ACE line ran from 1998 up until 2003 with only minor changes and with great sales. Then in 2004, Honda made a big move and stopped production of the 750 ACE, instead introducing the 750 Aero. And while the 750 Aero looks a lot like the ACE and has many of the same features, it is most definitely NOT the same bike. Gone are the twin 36mm carbs, replaced instead by a single 34mm carb. Gone is the chain drive, replaced instead by a shaft drive. Dry weight of the Aero is 14 pounds heavier and the suspension and smaller rear tire on the Aero has less travel and a stiffer ride. Don't get me wrong… by all accounts, the Aero is a great machine, but in my eyes and the eyes of many ACE owners, it just isn't an ACE. We can only hope that sometime in the future, Honda will re-introduce the ACE line.
	Since the final model year of the VT750C was 2003, I will use it for the specifications below.

2003 Honda VT750C Shadow A.C.E.
Engine:	745cc liquid-cooled, 52°, V-twin, single pin crank
Bore and Stroke:	79mm x 76mm
Compression Ratio:	9.0:1
Valve Train:	SOHC, three valves per cylinder
Carburetion:	Two 36mm diaphragm-type CV
Transmission:	Wide-ratio five-speed
Final Drive:	O-ring-sealed chain
Front Suspension:	41mm fork; 130mm travel
Rear Suspension:	90mm travel, dual shocks w/ five pre-sets
Front Brakes:	Single 296mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear Brake:	Drum
Front Tire:	120/90 H - 17
Rear Tire:	170/80 H - 15
Wheelbase:	1615mm (63.6 in.)
Seat Height:	700mm (27.6 in.)
Dry Weight:	229 kg (505 lbs.)
Fuel Capacity:	14 L (3.1 Imp.gal)