2024 Honda Shadow Phantom: Cooler Than Ever Traditional-Style Bobber

Honda Shadow is one of the most conventional and dominant cruiser series by Honda with several notable models. The Shadow series has ruled the classic cruiser market for several years and is still holding a firm position in the old-school cruiser market with its current Honda Shadow lineup.

The Phantom legacy started in 2010 and it continues with the same grace and bold style. The Honda Shadow Phantom is the most practical, convenient, and easy-to-ride bobber-style cruiser. Despite being a very basic and stripped-down cruiser, it still carries a bold and modern bobber look. It is quite low to the ground which makes it one of the most user-friendly cruisers with a highly manageable power output. The 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom model has brought a completely restyled look with exciting and bold new paint jobs and performance upgrades. Continue reading this article to learn more about the 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom, its detailed specifications, performance review, and the changes in the 2024 model.

The 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom is a modern take on a conventional-style cruiser with design and parts that take inspiration from a sports-style cruiser, like the Harley Sportster Iron 883. The most noticeable feature of this cruiser is its lower-to-the-ground appearance as it sits quite low with a seat height of only 25.6 inches. For a more sportier stance, the handlebars are relatively flat than its previous-generation models, resting on top of small risers. The gas tank is slightly wider and flat with a newly-design compact gauge mounted on top of it behind the handlebars. Upfront, the same iconic retro-style round headlamp and the tail light are replaced for a more trendy look.

To give the Honda Shadow Phantom a proper bobber-style look, it receives an extra cushioned and well-stitched solo rider seat with a little lower back support for the rider during the ride. The front and rear fenders are further chopped to shred a few lbs. The rake of 34° and trail of 6.3 inches are kept the same even in the 2024 model which works exceptionally well to improve its linear stability and front-end chopper look. The beefier and blacked-out front forks are replaced with simple fork legs and new covers. The all-new stylish paint jobs give the 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom a distinctive visual appeal and bold look.

The lightweight steel tube, double cradle frame serves as a solid structure to build a lightweight and comfortably manageable sporty cruiser around it. It helps keep the weight distribution and mass centralization low which ultimately brings down the seat height and center of gravity for a well-balanced and easy-to-learn ride. Despite its overall low wet weight of 543 lbs (246.3 kg), it feels lighter when you are riding this bike thanks to its overall low projection and geometry.

To keep the price on the lower side, the Honda Shadow Phantom features a non-adjustable 41 mm front fork with a 5.1-inch wheel travel which is slightly raked out for improved stability and linear performance on straight roads. However, the dual rear shocks are five-position preload adjustable with a 3.5-inch wheel travel adequate for smooth on-road performance.

Working in collaboration with the suspensions, the fat and bulbous tires of the 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom also ensure a smooth on-roading experience with good control and grip. To provide an overall low profile, the bike is fitted with 17-inch front and 15-inch rear wire-spoked wheels, enhancing its retro look.

Apart from the aesthetics and styling of the Honda Shadow Phantom, the stopping power is tremendously improved with a few upgrades in this unit. The front braking assembly is the same as it was present in the 2023 model, including a 296 mm single disc brake with a twin-piston caliper. However, towards the rear, the drum brake is replaced with a 276 mm single disc brake, along with the addition of the optional ABS to improve ride safety.

Before you consider buying the Honda Shadow Phantom, you must know that it is not a performance cruiser. You shouldn’t be expecting this bike to go over 100-120 mph on straight and open roads or win drag races. If you see it as a user-friendly and approachable motorcycle for most riders, you may not find a better motorcycle than this. The Honda Shadow Phantom perfectly suits the American cruiser market due to being highly reliable and a great value for the money. It falls under the middleweight bobber-style cruiser category that fits perfectly for city roads traveling, stop-and-go riding on busy roads, and cruising comfortably on highways and open roads thanks to the low overall weight.

The Honda Shadow Phantom houses a 745 cc 52° V-Twin engine which delivers 64.94 Nm of torque and 44.6 hp of horsepower at the rear wheel. This bike can comfortably go at a constant speed of around 60 mph without the engine and handlebars producing any buzz.

Another clean-looking feature of this bike is its low-maintenance shaft final drive coupled with a five-speed wide-ratio transmission which guarantees smooth operation on roads. The powerplant is capable of producing a nice and addictive V-Twin exhaust note that you would expect from a high-end cruiser bike.

The 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom is quite basic, yet a very cool-looking bobber and suits almost all riders with different riding skills. A 543 lbs of wet weight and 745 cc of engine displacement may not be highly suited for new riders. However, the low stance and approachability of this bike make it an extremely user-friendly bike when it comes to handling and keeping it stable during the ride. It is not only safe for new riders, but you can enjoy riding this bike due to its light clutch action, responsive braking, adequate throttle response, and agreeable ergonomics.

This bike features a low seat height and pleasant ergonomics thanks to the forward-mounted foot controls. The handlebars are also at an agreeable distance from the rider’s reach to ensure a sportier stance. Despite being lower to the ground, the Honda Shadow Phantom provides good room for riders to adjust their limbs comfortably. This bike comfortably accommodates both taller and vertically challenged riders due to being built smartly.

There are many things that this bike can do but most importantly, the Honda Shadow Phantom is well known for its reliability, simplicity, affordability, and above all, good value for the money. It is a great-looking bobber built using good-quality parts and has a flawless design available at a price tag of $8,399 (base model).

• Visually appealing bobber-style cruiser
• Good value for the money
• Low seat height
• Good for both taller and vertically challenged riders
• Fat front and rear tires
• Easy to manage and handle
• Good for daily commutes and city travel
• Perfect bike to ride in stop-and-go traffic
• Suitable for long miles

• Low ground clearance
• Low powered
• Base/entry-level performance
• Low cornering clearance

The 2024 Honda Shadow Phantom is a phenomenal middleweight bobber-style cruiser with good all-round performance capabilities. It is not the most exciting big V-twin cruiser with a large displacement size but if you are looking for a reasonable and useful bike for your transport, it ensures the best value for the money. Whether you choose to take this bike for short-distance rides, commuting within the city, maneuvering on busy roads, or you want to take it long miles, it will not disappoint you.