Honda Shadow Phantom 750 Vs. Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200

Honda and Harley Davidson are two successful motorcycle brands with a rich history of producing reliable, high-performance motorbikes. Harley Davidson is an American motorcycle brand that has been around since 1903. Harley Davidson specializes in old-school cruisers with modern features. Meanwhile, Honda is a Japanese motorcycle brand that specializes in creating reliable motorcycles from almost every category. Honda motorcycles last longer, have low failure rates and require less maintenance.

The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 and the Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 are two modern cruisers with simple designs. Both motorcycles are beginner-friendly due to being fitted with low-powered engines capable of producing smooth low-end torque. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 has a classic cruiser design with a chopper-style look. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 has an extended wheelbase due to its raked-out front end and larger overall size than the Harley Sportster Iron 1200. It also has a slightly larger fuel tank and more ground clearance. Despite the Honda Shadow Phantom 750 having more ground clearance, both motorcycles have similar low seat heights. Meanwhile, the Harley Iron 1200 has a bigger engine and weighs more than the Honda Shadow Phantom 750. The Harley Iron 1200 has a unique cruiser design, a solo rider seat, and mid-mounted foot controls. This article is a detailed comparison between the Honda Shadow Phantom 750 and the Harley Sportster Iron 1200.

The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is a bobber-style cruiser with a simple and minimalist design. It has a raked-out front end, giving it a chopper-style look. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 has mostly blacked-out parts, including its front forks, handlebars, engine, frame, air filter cover, and chrome separate dual exhaust pipes. It comes with a peanut-shaped fuel tank with a capacity of 3.7 gal with gauges mounted on it. Due to being a chopper-style cruiser, it has a longer wheelbase of 64.6 inches and a planted design with a low seat height of 25.8 inches. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 has a bobber-style front fender and a chopped rear fender with an integrated LED tail/stop light. It also has a classic, round headlamp fitted inside a black nacelle. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 also has semi-sweptback, bent-shaped handlebars with standard risers. It also comes with a single-piece, gunfighter-style seat capable of two-up riding. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750’s custom look is improved by its steel spoked wheels with black rims.

The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 is a unique cruiser with a minimalist design. It is also fitted with a bobber-style front fender and a chopped rear fender with bullet-shaped rear turn signals and a small LED tail/stop light. The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 is a motorcycle with an innovative design with color schemes and fuel tank graphics that were inspired by 1970s Harley motorcycles. It has blacked-out parts, including a small nose fairing, separate dual slash-cut mufflers, battery cover, engine, classic round air filter cover, and stylish nine-spoke aluminum wheels. The blacked-out side mirrors, gauges, and front turn signals are mounted to the tall, mini-ape handlebars. The Harley Iron 1200 is also fitted with a café racer-style solo rider seat.

The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is powered by a 745 cc four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 52° V-Twin engine capable of a horsepower of 44.6 hp at 5,500 rpm and a torque of 64.94 Nm at 3,500 rpm. It has a wide-ratio, five-speed transmission that connects to the rear wheel via a shaft drive. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 utilizes a programmed fuel injection (PGM-FI) system to deliver fuel to the engine and provides a fuel mileage of 56 mpg. The raked-out front end and longer wheelbase ensure a low center of gravity, better linear performance, and better maneuverability. The final shaft drive is easy to maintain and provides a smooth riding experience and a wide torque distribution at all gear levels.

The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is ideal for weekend rides, daily commutes, city travel, and long rides. It is not a fast motorcycle but provides adequate power and torque for comfortable cruising on open roads. A single 296 mm front disc with a twin-piston caliper and a 180 mm rear drum brake provide adequate braking. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750’s 41 mm front fork and spring preload adjustable, dual rear shock absorbers ensure a comfortable riding experience on paved and bumpy roads.

The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 is powered by a 1,202 cc air-cooled, Evolution™ V-Twin engine capable of a horsepower of 60 hp and a torque of 98.97 Nm at 3,500 rpm. Despite being fitted with a 1,202 cc engine, it is not a fast motorcycle and produces inadequate horsepower for long-distance rides. The Harley Iron 1200 also lacks the sixth gear necessary for a better touring experience. The electronic fuel injection system provides a fuel mileage of 48 mpg.

The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 is an entry-level motorcycle due to being lightweight and easy to handle while turning tight corners. The Harley Iron 1200 has a narrower design which makes it easy to handle. The 1,202 cc Evolution™ V-Twin engine produces a reliable low-end torque that ensures comfortable short-distance rides and city travel.

For a more comfortable riding experience on paved and bumpy roads, replace the stock non-adjustable Cartridge front fork and dual rear shock absorbers with better suspensions that provide more wheel travel. The Harley Iron 1200’s single front and rear disc brakes, and an optional ABS, ensure reliable braking.

The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is an ideal cruiser with comfortable ergonomics. It has a planted design with a longer wheelbase and a raked-out front end, ensuring a low seat height of 25.8 inches and a low center of gravity that ensures a relaxed riding experience and better handling. Despite having a low overall height, it is comfortable for taller riders to ride due to its forward-mounted foot controls and adequate legroom. The semi-sweptback, flat handlebars also provide an upright back position and laidback riding ergonomics. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is also comfortable for shorter and average riders. However, shorter riders must sit slightly forward to reach the handlebars.

Overall, the Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is a comfortable, lightweight cruiser ideal for beginners, taller, and average riders. For a better cruising experience on open roads and highways, the Honda Shadow Phantom 750 can be fitted with an aftermarket windscreen to block the incoming wind. Also, with the addition of saddlebags and backrests, this vehicle can be transformed into an ideal cruiser.

The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 is an innovatively-designed cruiser with unique ergonomics. It is fitted with mid-mounted foot controls and tall mini-ape handlebars, ensuring a slightly aggressive riding style. It is slightly uncomfortable for taller riders to ride on long-distance trips due to its compact rider triangle and ergonomics. However, due its high-mounted mini-ape handlebars provide enough legroom for the rider to adjust his/her knees. The Harley Iron 1200 ensures an upright back position that allows you to rest your arms at a tall height and reach the handlebars. An average and shorter rider will have to sit in a forward riding position due to its less swept-back and taller handlebars. However, the low seat height of 25.7 inches makes it an ideal motorcycle for beginners and shorter riders.

The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 is not ideal for long-distance rides due to its compact legroom, slightly aggressive riding style, and lack of storage capacity. However, it can be transformed into an ideal cruiser by replacing the mid-mounted foot controls with forward-mounted foot controls and adding a few aftermarket parts, including saddlebags, backrests, a windshield, sissy bars, crash bars, and handlebars.

The Harley Sportster Iron 1200 can attain a top speed of 118 mph and can jump from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.2 sec.

The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 and the Harley Sportster Iron 1200 have simple and unique designs. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 has a chopper-style front end and an overall bobber-style look with a minimalist design. It is not a fast motorcycle due to being fitted with a small-displacement engine. However, the Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is easy to maneuver on twists and turns due to being lightweight. It has more comfortable ergonomics than the Harley Iron 1200 due to its forward-mounted foot controls and upright back position. The Honda Shadow Phantom 750 is ideal for daily commutes, city travel, and cruising on open roads. Meanwhile, the Harley Iron 1200 is a better-looking motorbike with a slightly aggressive riding style. Its mid-mounted foot controls make it uncomfortable on longer rides, especially for taller riders. The Harley Iron 1200 is also an ideal entry-level motorcycle due to having slightly underpowered engine. Its ergonomics can be improved by replacing the mid-mounted foot controls with forward-mounted foot controls. There are forward-mounted kits available for the Harley Sportster Iron 1200 to give it laid-back riding ergonomics and adequate legroom.