Used Honda VLX 400 (Steed 400) motorcycles for sale, used Honda VLX 400 (Steed 400) bikes for sale - bikesales.com.au
here ya go

 

Looks nice but isn't that a bit pricey for 400cc's?

 

Those are in Australia, & yes, they are pricey for a Steed. The steed has the same frame as a Shadow VLX600 but the smaller motor.
Here in NZ they go for about 3000NZ for a private sale, or 5000NZ at a dealer.
They were for the Asian & South Pacific market so I dunno how many you would have in the US.

 

Actually, the motor is the same size as the 600. What we have here is called a "reduced effect" model.

Many southeast Asian countries, particularly Japan where these models hail from, have tiered licensing and/or tax mandates. Japan has such mandates with a 400cc tier. Rather than go back to R&D to belt out numerous bikes to satisfy this, instead they take the various 500-800cc models already in production and sleeve the cylinders for smaller bore pistons, and beyond that they may either regear the tranny or merely swap sprockets to compensate for the power loss (in the case of the Steed, they split the 600's third gear and made it a five speed while dropping second down a little lower...with first and top gears still exactly the same). It's simply a matter of changing a couple steps on the assembly line and restarting production.

Hence, the VT400 Steed is still very much the same bike as its VT600 Steed counterpart (we call them Shadow VLX here), and if you were to straddle both without actually riding them it would be nigh impossible to tell the difference if you hadn't seen the information via registration or designation first. Seriously, it's something like 453 pounds versus 456 pounds. Put a sissy bar on the 400 and they weigh the same.


In the end, if you really want a 400 Steed just go out and buy one of the numerous VT600 Shadow VLXes out there made from 1988 to 2007 and detune the carburetor(s).

 

When I compared weight, length, etc ...It looked liked it might be a nice bike since I cannot find a Rebel 450 for sale anywhere locally.. But if it's the same size as the Shadow at the dealers,, I don't think I want it .. Thanks for all input.. That's one of the great things about this forum,, Lots of good folks to help me ....

 

Keep in mind it's not the same size as the Shadows at the dealers, as the VLX (Steed) went out of production in 2007. The current crop of overweight 750 models is not even a reflection of the former 750 and 600 models...

 

Maybe I should continue looking for a Steed 400.. I was comparing the Steed with the current Shadow's at the dealers.. And I didn't want that 750 pd bike.. Thank's Shadow Shack for input...

 

You won't likely find one in the States, unless you get lucky and find a serviceman who brought one home. But there are plenty of 600 VLXes out there, they had a 20 year production run and it's the same bike plus 3 pounds and 5 ponies.

 

I'll check on the 600 VLX's... Thanks again.. Shadow Shack

 

400 vs VLX compatability

I realize I'm digging up an old thread here, but...


Shack, can you say for certain that the exhaust system on a Japan-spec Steed 400 will bolt right up to the US-spec VLX 600?


I don't want to pull the trigger on an already expensive purchase & risk a silly amount of shipping cost in return freight.

 

The VT400 exhaust systems I've seen for sale were all listed for VT400/600.

Which system are you looking at?

 

some of them on the site showed both, but unfortunately the mfr for the one I want only shows the 400


this system

I like it because it appears to be stainless too...my patience is running thin waiting on Hellriser Customs, I know their hands are tied right now tho.



any idea if this would work? are the heads & angles the same?

 

Is that from Easyriders Inc. ? They used to have an outlet here in the States called West Eagle but they went under last summer.

Anyways as mentioned the reduced effect models (bigger bikes sleeved down to 400cc) retain pretty much everything...frame, block, etc with variations in timing and either tranny or final drive ratios from their bigger brethren. It was like the tariff era 700/750 bikes we used to get here in the 1980s.

 

That is a cool exhaust but very expensive.

 

It wouldn't be difficult to replicate for half that.

I can't recall which system it is but it's one of the Cobra systems...essentially you lop off their mufflers, make a cut on their top pipe-end and rotate 180º/reweld and you have a pair of upswept headpipes. Add whatever muffler style tickles your fancy from there.

DaPeach --- hit that VLX Forum I told you about, Uni-Bobber(Shatenmyster) is the one that did the aforementioned Cobra pipe modification, and there are several international guys there that own Steeds who can fill you in more on that end.

 

Yeah, it can be made...although, I'd rather spare the time & footwork to find someone to do the proper cutting & welding for me. Yeah it's expensive... It's also stainless, being shipped from japan & w/ both of those things in mind & the fact that I really don't want to screw around w/ finding someone trustworthy to do the work, price is somewhat on point compared to domestic availability.

So, IMO it will cost me just as much to buy a domestic system to hack up, plus cocktail shakers, plus labor & materials & dealing w/ finding someone who's not a complete jerkface, to do a proper job to my standards.

I have an upswept system on order for half this price, but it's backordered...& the company I ordered from cant even give a guesstimate of when it will be available. It's all very irritating.

 

And to finalize if those pipes will fit the 600 or not, here's a guy at the VLX forum who has them on his bike:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/VLXriders/messages?msg=33426.1
http://forums.delphiforums.com/VLXriders/messages?msg=33431.1

 

thanks for your help, shack. I need to take the time to look at those forums...I generally post from work (usually quick responses, when I have a spare minute) & they seem a bit more difficult to navagate vs other forum formats I'm used to.

I recieved an email back from the seller & they did confirm that they fit both the steed 400 & 600, but wasn't sure of US spec VLX. I'm pretty confident that these will be fine.