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I purchased a new 2007 VLX Shadow Deluxe May 1st 2008, and now Ive got over 12500 miles on her, and I intend to tour on her next summer, due to medical reasons(bad hips, with one just replaced/) I cannot get a bigger bike (although I'm gonna test drive a Star Raider in spring) so I'm getting the engine tweeked by a Honda Mechanic at hispersonal garage this winter to get the most out of the 583 cc liquid cooled single carb V-Twin. Ive already installed open exaust, and a low rstiction intake, as well as rejetted the carb, but I still would like about another 10 HP for keeping up with traffic in the MTNS of the west with our 75 mph speed limits, loaded down with all my gear. I know that Honda has detuned this engine for EPA sake, so, any help or ideas will be welcome. She does 100 MPH with just my skinny butt on her and no headwind, but with a 40 MPH headwind, 60-65 is all she has. ( due to the large windshield ) So you can see that I need MORE POWER, as Tim the Tool Man Taylor would say.

odd I have done 90mph with my wife on the back of my 1996 vlx and together we weigh 450lbs. Going up a hill with a 30mph ish headwind I can keep it at 70mph with her on the back. I also have a huge windshield.

in reading your reply, you stated that yours is a 96 model, you see, mine is a 2007, and your has dual carbs, when Honda changed to a single carb in I think it was 1999 or 2000, they detuned it to the tune of about 10 HP, which is about what I'm trying to get ack, well, around 10-20 HP, whatever my mechanic can achieve. He is thinking that the carb from the 883 sportster MIGHT work, but I won't be able to know till this Feb. 09, as thats when it goes in for "organ transplant" I have been up against a 45 mph headwind, and not been able to even hit 60 mph in 4th gear, so I had to run in third at 65 to keep out of the way of traffic.