Posts tagged: VT600

Hardtailing My Honda Shadow - Custom Frame or Kit?

Hardtailing My Honda Shadow - Custom Frame or Kit?

 

Is it easier to hardtail a custom Honda Shadow frame or buy a kit? Today on the blog we'll discuss your options. Let's get started!

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It’s far easier to use a hardtail kit than build a custom frame. TJ Brutal Customs sells a very simple 50% hardtail kit for the Honda Shadow VT600 that you can weld into the Honda Shadow VT600 – and we’re working on creating more for additional bike models.

 

50% Weld-On Hardtail Kit - Honda Shadow VT600 VLX - 88-07 

 

When considering the process of hardtailing your Honda Shadow, it’s much easier to use the existing forward frame loop on your Honda Shadow and simply hardtail the rear end. If you wanted, you could even cut the whole rear end off and hardtail that, but you’ll need to make sure you keep the forward frame loop. Your Honda Shadow’s forward frame loop is where your motor mount points are—and your steering stem is already attached, so it’s pretty easy to build off what’s already there.

 

If you were to build an entirely new, custom Honda Shadow frame, it can get super complicated. There’s a LOT that goes into building your own custom Honda Shadow hardtail frame in order to get it to ride smoothly. We recommend you leave that to the experts.

 

Bottom line? It’s definitely much easier to hardtail your Honda Shadow with a kit.

 

For more on hardtailing your Honda Shadow, watch this video!

 

Shop TJ Brutal Customs hardtail options & get more advice like this here.

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Looking for something else? Explore our Honda Shadow collections below: 
 
 
Want more how-to's, tutorials and other chop info for your Honda Shadow? Visit our Knowledge Base! Go to https://shoptjbc.com/ and click "Support."

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Relocating a Headlight on Honda Shadow - STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Relocating a Headlight on Honda Shadow - STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Today on the blog we’re talking headlights—relocation, high vs. low beams, which wires to mess with and more. Let’s get to it!

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Need help relocating a headlight on your Honda Shadow? Here’s a quick and simple step-by-step guide that’ll explain exactly what to do and answer these common Honda Shadow questions:

  • Which wires are/aren’t necessary when relocating a headlight on a Honda Shadow?
  • WAIT A SEC—which wires go where??
  • Do I even need my low beams?

 

All your answers are below - keep reading!

 

Finding the power source

The first step in relocating a headlight is choosing your headlight’s power source. On a Honda Shadow VT600, it’s a black and red wire on the back of one of the 9-pin plugs underneath your neck cover. For a Honda Shadow VT750, the wire actually looks the same (black and red). Once you find it, we’ll use this wire to power the headlight.

 

High vs. low beams

So you’ll see three wires coming out of your headlight—one is for high beams, one is for low beams and one is for the off position. In our experience, we’ve never found a need to use low beams on our Honda Shadows, so we don’t usually bother wiring it. We prefer to run our Honda Shadows with the option of “high beam” or “off” only.

Depending on where you live, this might not be an option for you. Although it’s definitely the simplest course of action, be sure to check your state’s laws first to make sure your custom bobber isn’t required to have a low beam setting. Better to be safe than sorry!

 

Wiring the headlight

Now, back to wiring. The black & red wire will function as your power source. When you take your headlight switch and your switch clusters off the bar, you’ll see a blue and white wire and all sorts of other wires up in there. If you leave all that intact, the blue and white wire will act as a cutoff for the headlight (meaning, when you start the bike the headlight dies). We recommend just using a simple on/off switch, that way your Honda Shadow’s headlight is either “off” or on the “high beam” setting.

Fasten the black and red wire to one pole of your switch and the blue and white wire to other pole of the switch. Once that’s done, you’ll need to ground the green wire from the headlight by attaching that to the frame.

Once all those steps are taken, you should have a switch that does one thing: turns the headlight off or on. You don’t have to worry about the blue and white wire unless you’re wanting low beams (as mentioned earlier).

Still confused? Check out this video for more details from “the man” TJ himself!

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SHOP TJ Brutal Customs NOW!!!

 

Honda Shadow Headlight Adapter Bracket

If you haven't yet, grab our Headlight Adapter Bracket because you'll need it!

 

Honda Shadow Toggle Switch

TJ Brutal Customs also sells a Toggle Switch for Motorcycle Headlights (on-off-on) – go ahead and get that, too!
 

NEW!!! Honda Shadow Tail Light - Satin Black

Tired of breaking those shitty dual filament bulbs on your rigid chop? 
Try this LED tail light!
 
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Looking for something else? Explore our Honda Shadow collections below: 

VT600 Collection
VT750 Collection
VT1100 Collection
Phantom VT750 Collection

Aero VT750 Collection

Want more how-to's, tutorials and other chop info for your Honda Shadow? Visit our Knowledge Base! Go to https://shoptjbc.com/ and click "Support."

Are you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet??? GET ON THAT SHIT!!! Go here and hit "Subscribe": https://www.youtube.com/user/TJBRUTALCUSTOMS 

We're on Facebook and Instagram, too! Make sure you're following us!

 

 

 

 

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Can I Install a BIGGER Motor on my Honda Shadow VT600?

Can I Install a BIGGER Motor on my Honda Shadow VT600?
So you want a BIG ASS motor...

A customer writes, "I have a VT600 and I want to put a bigger motor in it."

98% of the time this is a TERRIBLE IDEA so let's discuss why.

(And for the 2% of you who are determined to IGNORE this advice and do it anyway, we've got some words for you, too.)

WATCH NOW!!!
 
 
First of all, if you have a traditional stock VT600 frame, you can't just grab some other random motor and slap it in there. It doesn't work like that. Each motor is made to fit the model of bike and its frame. (For example, if you have a VT750, then no you can' t just drop a VT600 motor into your frame.) However, if you can find another VT600 motor and want to swap that in, that's totally doable. (Between the years 88-07 all VT600's pretty much have the same frame. There are a few minor differences with tank, side covers and fenders, but the motors are interchangeable.)

Now if you REALLY REALLY want to try doing this (against my warnings) you'll need to do a LOT to make it fit. If that's your jam (you've got the time on your hands, skilled buddies, a welder, a grider, etc.), it's going to take a lot of work to get the motor in and out of the frame. Not only that but you've gotta ensure you have a secure and stable mount, which is hard to achieve in most cases.

In this video, TJ reviews a few other possible problems and issues that might arise if you're trying to get a bigger motor into your bike.

BOTTOM LINE: If you really want a bigger motor, save yourself the headache and go buy a bigger bike.
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Looking for something else? Explore our collections below: 
 
 
Want more how-to's, tutorials and other chop info for your Honda Shadow? Visit our Knowledge Base! Go to https://shoptjbc.com/ and click "Support."

Are you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet??? GET ON THAT SHIT!!! Go here and hit "Subscribe": https://www.youtube.com/user/TJBRUTALCUSTOMS 
We're on Facebook and Instagram, too! Make sure you're following us! 

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