Kawasaki Drifter 1500 vs Honda Shadow Aero 750
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Kawasaki Drifter 1500 vs Honda Shadow Aero 750. Kawasaki Drifter 1500: 67 hp @ 4,800 rpm hp, 329 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 175 km/h (estimated), Motoryk rating 7.5/10. Honda Shadow Aero 750: 45 hp @ 5,500 rpm (estimated; Honda did not officially publish power figures for this model) hp, 228 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 175 km/h (estimated; note: real-world cruising comfort peaks around 130-140 km/h), Motoryk rating 7.8/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Kawasaki Drifter 1500
Honda Shadow Aero 750
Horsepower (hp)
67 hp
45 hp
Torque (Nm)
119 Nm
61 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
175 km/h
175 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
329 kg
228 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
67 hp @ 4,800 rpm
45 hp @ 5,500 rpm (estimated; Honda did not officially publish power figures for this model)
Torque
119 Nm @ 3,000 rpm
61 Nm @ 3,000 rpm
Top Speed
175 km/h (estimated)
175 km/h (estimated; note: real-world cruising comfort peaks around 130-140 km/h)
Weight
329 kg (wet/curb weight)
228 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
6.5 L/100km (approx. 15.4 km/L, typical real-world average)
4.5 L/100km or approximately 22 km/L (typical real-world average)
Fairing
No
No
Individual Reviews
Kawasaki Drifter 1500
7.5/10
"A gorgeous cruiser worth buying only in excellent condition."
Pros
+Stunning retro Indian-inspired styling
+Punchy torquey V-twin
+Comfortable long-haul ergonomics
Cons
−Parts nearly unobtainium now
−Chrome deteriorates badly neglected
−Carbs temperamental after storage
Honda Shadow Aero 750
7.8/10
"The sensible cruiser choice that rarely breaks your heart or wallet."
Pros
+Legendary Honda reliability
+Smooth, tractable V-twin
+Comfortable upright ergonomics
Cons
−Carb sensitive to ethanol fuel
−Chrome ages poorly
−Rear shock deteriorates fast
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
