The ST1300 thread!

[MarkH]

I've been loving my ST1300 Pan European and have now run up more than 13,000kms since buying it in March, I've been thinking for a while that this great machine needs its own thread in the Touring Bikes section here.
Maybe others are thinking about this bike and want to know more about what it is like while owners might like to give some info and impressions of this beasty.

I've been thinking about how this differs from my previous recent rides - the Burgman AN400 and the RF900R, I'll give some detailed posts here.

The ST1300 itself:
This has been my dream bike for a few years now and it hasn't disappointed!
I love the great weather protection and I can ride for several hours non-stop.
The electric screen is fantastic, this is definitely no gimmick and I really do find the feature to be very useful.
I LOVE the V4 engine, such a nice motor!
Having a shaft drive is great - so much less time and effort and money required to look after compared to a chain drive.
The bike rides VERY well despite being a big and heavy bike, doesn't even feel heavy when moving even at slow speeds.
I really appreciate the convenience of plenty of lockable storage, makes bike riding more practical for every day use.
When I got the bike it had a 42 litre Give top box, I bought a new 55 litre Givi top box and it fitted on to the existing mount - I live the huge storage space it gives me.

Other ST1300 owners - feel free to post your own thoughts and opinions on this bike!
Curious potential owners - feel free to ask questions.

Here's my bike at the Cold Duck rally:
302371

[MarkH]

Compared to my Burgman AN400:

I loved the Burgman for Auckland city commuting, great machine for moving about the city.
I liked the decent storage with ~65 litres under the seat and a 35 litre top box - good for doing the shopping or just having the storage available while commuting.
I liked not having to maintain a chain & sprockets, the belt drive was really low maintenance.

The ST1300 also has great storage, something that I missed when I had the RF900R and loved with the Burgman.
The Burgman gave better fuel economy which was good, but the ST1300 has way better power.
Now that I am not living in Auckland and my commuting is mainly open road I feel that the bigger bike is the better machine for the job with most of my riding now being at 100-110 kph.

Burgman Pros:
Better fuel economy.
Easier around the city with no gear changes or clutch to control.
LAMS approved - big pro to some.

ST1300 Pros:
Better power by a LOT.
More storage and that storage is removable.
Better open road handling.
Better weather protection (despite the Burgman being pretty good in this respect).
Lower RPM at open road speeds.

A lot comes down to what you want in a bike and how you use the bike, for me now the ST1300 is the best machine for what I want a bike for.
Both the Burgman 400 and the ST1300 red line at 8,500 RPM but when riding at 110kph the Burgman was revving over 7k which made it feel like it was working a bit hard, the ST1300 is only purring at ~3,500 RPM at the same speed which makes it feel like it would be more comfortable travelling at that speed all day long.

[MarkH]

Compared to my RF900R:

The RF900R is a great bike, handles well and is a really fun ride.
But the ST1300 is more comfy over longer distances and has much better weather protection.

After moving out of Auckland I decided that my Burgman 400 which I loved so much as a city commuter wasn't quite the ideal bike for primarily open road riding. Unfortunately I didn't have the money for my ideal bike (ST1300) and I ended up buying an RF900R which was in my price range. I enjoyed the RF with so much better power than the Burgman (about 4x the power and around the same weight) though I did miss the storage capacity.
Then I started a new job which involved commuting from Morrinsville to Cambridge, starting early in the morning and would be all year around including winter.
When the new job became permanent and full time I realised that I had a lot more money to work with and getting my dream bike was now possible.
When I had to get a new chain and sprockets for the RF I knew I really didn't like all the fucking around a chain involved (lubing, cleaning, checking tension, adjusting tension, replacing).

So I changed to the ST1300 and gained these main (to me) advantages:
MUCH better weather protection, my legs we way warmer riding to work at 3:30am in the middle of winter and my face didn't get numb with cold.
Lockable storage again (yay!) and way more storage than the rack pack had given me.
No more lubing a chain, shaft drive is so damn easy to maintain - Honda recommends replacing the final drive oil every 32,000 kms.

I found that the ST1300 uses less fuel than the RF900R despite being bigger and heavier, I guess that newer tech and fuel injection really help here.
It is nice to not have to worry about a manual choke too.

The main pro for the RF900R is the price, it also is a little sportier and probably corners at a higher speed. But for me and for what I want in a bike the ST1300 is just better.

[MarkH]

No one else wants to contribute to this thread?
I know there are plenty of members with the ST1300!

Can anyone give a run down of the comparison to other bikes?
I'd love to read about how the ST1300 compares to the FJR1300 and to the ST1100 if any ST1300 riders have also ridden those.

[Maha]

My next bike will something in this category Mark, why is that the ST1300 is perhaps fourth on the list for me? The Concourse/FJR1300 and BMW1300GT stay ahead at this point, there is a real deal on TM at the moment for an 08' ST http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/tourers/auction-806289447.htm which is very tempting buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut yeah dunno, they kind of look a bit frumpy. I guess when the time comes, I will test ride several brands and get true feel for each before buying.

[MarkH]

My next bike will something in this category Mark, why is that the ST1300 is perhaps fourth on the list for me? The Concourse/FJR1300 and BMW1300GT stay ahead at this point, there is a real deal on TM at the moment for an 08' ST http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/tourers/auction-806289447.htm which is very tempting buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut yeah dunno, they kind of look a bit frumpy. I guess when the time comes, I will test ride several brands and get true feel for each before buying.

Test a few bikes and post your thoughts on how the ST1300 compares to others - this could be helpful to many others thinking about what sports tourer to buy.

I don't know about frumpy, to me the ST seems like a good bike for . . . well for riding and riding and then riding some more.
I've added over 16,000 kms to mine since buying it in March and I still like riding it.
I've been to the Cold Duck, Cold Kiwi and in 2 1/2 weeks I'm off to the Roast Duck Rally.
I'll be doing some touring this summer and I'm looking at a nice long south island trip next summer.

I'd love to read a comparison with the FJR1300, that was a bike I was going to look into if I didn't like the ST1300. They have many similarities and several differences, I would presume there would be fans of both but I really want to know from someone's first hand experience on both bikes about the key differences.

[george formby]

I guess when the time comes, I will test ride several brands and get true feel for each before buying.

This is a biggie when your looking at putting a continent (or country) crusher in the stable. A mate of average stature sold his ST1300 because it became uncomfortable on his knees after a few hours. It also stewed his plums when stuck in traffic over the summer.
Mind you, he could punt it over the Mangamukas, 2 up, faster than his Fireblade. Easier to ride.
When the time comes Maha, a comparo of the class would be interesting reading.
Personally having spent some time on an ST1100 & a short time on the 13 I think they are great bikes and yup, I love the turbine, er, motor.
Just to big for my shed & to big for the way I enjoy my favourite roads.

[caspernz]

The ST1300 was on my list before I bought my Busa a year and a bit ago. Now I'll be fair and admit I spent a few weeks fanging an ST1300 around western Europe a few years back, so I'm familiar enough with the bike. Now I agree with your prognosis of it being a great bike to log lots of clicks on, and without running the bike down, I still prefer a bit more get up and go for now.

When I compared the FJR/Concours/ST the easiest bike to ride was the ST for my way of riding. In a few years when it's time to take a more sedate pace, this subject will be revisited of course.

Great to hear you're enjoying your ST for now though! :2thumbsup

[george formby]

Interestin. The ex ST owner now has Busa. I have had a fang on it & gelled instantly. Not sure how Suzuki have achieved it but the bike is sublimely easy to ride & fits like a glove.
A big thing with the ST in Europe was it's ability to get past multiple trucks in one hit. My up over TDM ran out of puff and I think a Busa would have put me in prison.
A joy with the ST was walking into the hotel / lodgings with funky suitcases.

[KoroJ]

The ST1300 was on my list before I bought my Busa a year and a bit ago. Now I'll be fair and admit I spent a few weeks fanging an ST1300 around western Europe a few years back, so I'm familiar enough with the bike. Now I agree with your prognosis of it being a great bike to log lots of clicks on, and without running the bike down, I still prefer a bit more get up and go for now.

When I compared the FJR/Concours/ST the easiest bike to ride was the ST for my way of riding. In a few years when it's time to take a more sedate pace, this subject will be revisited of course.

Great to hear you're enjoying your ST for now though! :2thumbsup

One can't argue that the Busa has the goods to go, but having ridden a lot over the years with my mate Steve who was riding a Busa, my take is that the ST has truckloads of docile power and the tighter the roads get, the ST would go better than the Busa because I could be quite brutal with power application, whereas Steve would have to show more constraint to prevent the front coming up or arse going out. For a big, heavy bike, the ST is very easy to throw around and it's possible to keep up with most sprotty riders.

I've never considered the Concours because I prefer being able to get over 400km from a tank (although that's subject to change with an aging bladder) and I don't see the point in paying the bucks for a Beemer.

XP@ has just gone from an FJR to an ST and he seems to prefer the ST, whereas Hitcher has had both and swears by the FJR.....it's been some years but he still gets a far-off dreamy look in his eye when sees or talks of FJR's! Mr Honda might put paid to the discussion soon enough as the ST's seem to be getting harder to get, but they are built to last and there will be 2nd-hand ones around for years.

[Maha]

I witnessed an ST go around the outside of a Ducati going down the northern side of the Paekok hill. Well impressed. Duc fulla must have spewed in his helmet.

[MarkH]

I still prefer a bit more get up and go for now.

That's something I certainly don't need.
The ST1300 has enough go that if I were caught :Police: using it I'd be in BIG trouble.
For riding on the road I don't really need to be travelling over 200kph so a super sports bike that can do 300+ just isn't all that necessary for me.
To be honest I prefer the luxury of the luggage space.

My brother in law rides a ZX-14 and it seems nice, but I prefer my bike.
I've recently bought a 2nd hand Redverz Expidition II tent for $400 from trademe - kinda need a big bike to take a tent that big, not sure if I'll park my bike in the garage part or just use it as a lounge area.
For camping the amount I can carry on the ST is pretty darned sweet!

[cynna]

i thinks this is a st1300 - was crossing the river in lees vally which is about 70km of rough gravel. i was pretty impressed

[Maha]

Now that is impressive, I know a couple of lads from up this way that would do that off road stuff on a road bike. Having a 320kgs bike helps with crashing through the water with ease.

[buggerit]

i thinks this is a st1300 - was crossing the river in lees vally which is about 70km of rough gravel. i was pretty impressed

Dem rentals can go anywhere!:headbang:

[cynna]

Now that is impressive, I know a couple of lads from up this way that would do that off road stuff on a road bike. Having a 320kgs bike helps with crashing through the water with ease.

crashed in the water ok - was pretty heavy helping him to pick it up. road tyres didnt help over the slippery rocks


Dem rentals can go anywhere!:headbang:

lol na was his - seen him a few months later in kaikoura with a flat battery. was in a rush to catch the ferry. thats twice he owes me and thepom now

[Maha]

Would have thought something like the ST would carve through a small river like a Sherman tank, similar weight...:blip:

[Gremlin]

Would have thought something like the ST would carve through a small river like a Sherman tank, similar weight...:blip:
Take it from me... one wrong rock at the bottom and you go from winning and looking pro, to losing and looking like a dumbass... real fast :weep:

[Maha]

Take it from me... one wrong rock at the bottom and you go from winning and looking pro, to losing and looking like a dumbass... real fast :weep:

Wet grass on terra firma can conjure up the same result.

[KoroJ]

Take it from me... one wrong rock at the bottom and you go from winning and looking pro, to losing and looking like a dumbass... real fast :weep:


It was alleged that I hit a rock in the water a couple of years ago. If that had happened, I'd know exactly how he felt. Can't confirm or deny I do though but IMHO, ST's and gravel don't mix well and crossing the Mississippi like that is just plain stupidity.

It's a Sports Tourer for God's sake! It was designed to sit at 140kph all day and every day on the autobnahns and autopistas and autostrades of Europe...not to mention scoot up the Alps, H'otes and Pyrenees passes with consumate ease. Unfortunately it doesn't do 500km on a tank at 140kph but!!

[ruaphu]

I witnessed an ST go around the outside of a Ducati going down the northern side of the Paekok hill. Well impressed. Duc fulla must have spewed in his helmet.

Dang i would have paid to see that, lol. Very impressive.

Shame the ole Paekok is only 70kmh now eh. Spent my youth fanging it over that stretch of road. Done it two years ago when i got back down there on my ole boulevard 1500 of all things! erm, shall we say, very entertaining spectre dragging everything through most corners, haha.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ruaphu]

Whoops

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ender EnZed]

Shame the ole Paekok is only 70kmh now eh.

60km/h for much of it. There aren't many spots cops like to sit though.

[MarkH]

I've been loving my ST1300 Pan European and have now run up more than 13,000kms since buying it in March[/ATTACH]

Update: Now done 20,000kms.

Rear tyre was looking not so great 4,000kms after buying the bike so I bought a new PR3.
Today I replaced that tyre after 16,000km made it look worse than the previous tyre at replacement time.
Got me a nice new PR4GT!

[nzspokes]

There was one in my group at a trackday yesterday. :cool:

[bgd]

I've been thinking about one of these for NZ roads. Some of questions;

What is the service interval?
What's the tank range at legal limits?
Do you ever encounter roads or routes that you avoid because of the bike, e.g gravel?
And lastly, I guess pillions are pretty happy with the level of comfort - this is strong influencer :msn-wink:

My natural inclination would be the Super Tenere but always liked the big tourers so might be time to try something different.

[Old Steve]

I've been thinking about one of these for NZ roads. Some of questions;

What is the service interval?
What's the tank range at legal limits?
Do you ever encounter roads or routes that you avoid because of the bike, e.g gravel?
And lastly, I guess pillions are pretty happy with the level of comfort - this is strong influencer :msn-wink:

I ride a 2000 ST1100 ex police bike over here in tropical QLD. My 2000 ST1100 cost only $A4000 with 120,000 km on the clock, and when I sell it it'll have 140,000 km and I should get $A3500 for a quick sale. The details for my ST1100 should be ballpark for the ST1300.

15000 km service intervals

550 km range on a 28 L tank at 100 km/hr

I avoid gravel roads and one particular sealed road which goes up the front of the coastal range inland from Mackay which has steel grates across it to drain the summer floods.

My wife only started riding pillion when I got the ST1100, she doesn't fancy touring long distance on it, but we got an airhawk air seat pad and a couple of hundred km is OK for her - and she has got hip problems. I've ridden 400 km non-stop with no problems.

The ST1300 has the following differences to the ST1100:

shorter wheel base
steeper front forks
ST1300 has better turn in (though the ST1100 is no slouch either), they both have fuel tanks below the rider's seat and with the v4 engine the c of g is really low
The ST1100 takes ULP91, I think the ST1300 needs ULP95
The ST1100 is a sports TOURER, the ST1300 is a SPORTS tourer
They both have that great V4 engine, you should get 250,000 + km out of it with regular maintenance
The seat of the ST1100 is high, I'm a little challenged in the inside leg measurement (29" inside leg measurement) and can only put the ball of my feet on the ground when I stop. Also, you back either of them into any angle park - they're heavy to push back. But once under way, they're extremely stable
The ST1100 (Pan European) was designed in Germany as a cross continent tourer to cruise on the autobahns at 180 km/hr, ST1300 must have similar performamce.
ST1100 top speed is 220 km/hr, I've had mine up to 200 km/hr and there was some left - more speed left than there was road left.
The ST1100 and 1300 handle incredibly well, that low c of g comes into it's own when a corner approaches.

[MarkH]

I've been thinking about one of these for NZ roads. Some of questions;

What is the service interval?
What's the tank range at legal limits?
Do you ever encounter roads or routes that you avoid because of the bike, e.g gravel?
And lastly, I guess pillions are pretty happy with the level of comfort - this is strong influencer :msn-wink:

My natural inclination would be the Super Tenere but always liked the big tourers so might be time to try something different.

Service interval:
Honda list 12,800 km (8,000 Mi) between oil changes.
Shaft drive requires replacing oil every 32,000km - less than 1 litre of 80w oil needed.

Tank range:
Well over 400km very easily even if giving it some gas to accelerate swiftly.
450km is not hard to achieve with gentle riding and cruising at 100 - 109 km/h
With very gentle riding you could get over 500km on a tank, but that can be a bit boring.

I am OK with gravel but would travel much slower with the ST1300 on gravel than I would with my DR650.
Taking it easy I can't really see why it would be any harder to ride a ST1300 on gravel than any other road bike.

Sorry, no experience with pillions.

[MarkH]

I've been thinking about one of these for NZ roads.

I would add this:
The ST1300 is actually quite a fun bike to ride on sealed roads, great engine characteristics from the V4 1300 and the bike feels really good pulling out of corners.
Having ridden the Gentle Annie on my DR650 I'm thinking that I really need to get my ST1300 on to that road, maybe riding it both directions for the sheer fun of it.

It is a heavy bike but also a beautifully balanced one. The weight is actually helpful if riding in high winds.

[KoroJ]

6000km with oil & filter every 2nd service
Touring within the allowable limits will get 500+km. I've had 550km and just been on reserve (so should have made 600km)....and I've had 420km when getting a little over-excited. They are a heavy beast and best economy is achieved riding "the pace" with a steady hand on the throttle. Around town they suck the gas.
I don't go looking for gravel and don't plan it into my rides but I'm not going to avoid the Forgotten Highway because it's got gravel on it.
Ann has been known to go to sleep on the back because the ST provides such a smooth ride!

I enjoy the endurance rides (Nth Island 1600; Capital 1,000km; TT2000 and the likes) and the ST is a great machine for that stuff. I'm also a part of the Capital Coast Coneheads (Slowhandling / gymkhana) and the ST is great for that too.

[CRM]

I would add this:
The ST1300 is actually quite a fun bike to ride on sealed roads, great engine characteristics from the V4 1300 and the bike feels really good pulling out of corners.
Having ridden the Gentle Annie on my DR650 I'm thinking that I really need to get my ST1300 on to that road, maybe riding it both directions for the sheer fun of it.

It is a heavy bike but also a beautifully balanced one. The weight is actually helpful if riding in high winds.

I took my ST1100 through the Gentle Annie - basically no traffic so really pushed it hard and it was the most fun I ever had on it. They really can go for it i the right setting :)

[MarkH]

6000km with oil & filter every 2nd service

So, why change the oil twice as often as Honda says?
With a bike so good at running up the kms I don't see why you shouldn't enjoy the longer service intervals that it has.

[KoroJ]

So, why change the oil twice as often as Honda says?
With a bike so good at running up the kms I don't see why you shouldn't enjoy the longer service intervals that it has.

Attached is the sheet I work off. I haven't looked for years but I'm pretty sure it's the same as on the owner's manual that came with the bike.

I used to have oil and filter changed at every service but in the end, decided that it was a waste of money with the good stuff that was going in.

[MarkH]

Attached is the sheet I work off. I haven't looked for years

Maybe you should look at the sheet you attached?
It lists replacing engine oil at 1,000, 12,000, 24,000, 36,000, etc.
That looks like every 12,000kms for an oil & filter change to me.
Coincidentally that is exactly what I'm doing with my ST.

[KoroJ]

Maybe you should look at the sheet you attached?
It lists replacing engine oil at 1,000, 12,000, 24,000, 36,000, etc.
That looks like every 12,000kms for an oil & filter change to me.
Coincidentally that is exactly what I'm doing with my ST.

Yep, 6000km with oil & filter every 2nd service is 12,000km for oil and filter.


The Gentle Annie is a nice scoot and I've done that 6 or 7 times on the ST since it was sealed (including an out & return to Waiouru one time when my wife was playing in a tennis tournament in Napier. I do prefer cleaner roads though, where it's safer to push the boundaries, like the Mangamuka Gorge, or the Takaka Hill, or the likes of Mt Hercules on the West Coast....and I'm really looking forward to another fang Up and back down the Devil's Staircase on the upcoming TT2000.

[MarkH]

Yep, 6000km with oil & filter every 2nd service is 12,000km for oil and filter.

Damn, I think I've been reading what you wrote wrong.
I thought you meant 6,000km with oil and then the filter as well every 2nd time.

I've been pretty much ignoring the in-between services as they amount to almost nothing.
Basically I run my bike for 12,000km and then change the oil & filter.
Every 3rd time I do that I will also do the shaft drive oil.

I do keep an eye on the clutch & brake fluid levels, check my disk brake pads now and then and pay attention to how it is running - but so far mine is running very sweet with no more than routine maintenance.

[bgd]

12k sounds a lot better than 6k, especially for a tourer.

Interesting comments, thanks. Guess I just need to try one to see how I get on with it.

Did chat to a Canadian who toured NZ on one. Reckoned it was bit big for the roads, you guys seem to say different. He was used to North America though. Have ridden with one in the UK and it could handle anything thrown at it with ease. Didn't get a chance to try it myself though.

[MarkH]

Did chat to a Canadian who toured NZ on one. Reckoned it was bit big for the roads

Well, some guys ride GL1800 bikes around NZ, ST1300 is quite a bit smaller!

The ST may be a big lass, but she's surprisingly nimble for her size. I enjoy riding her through the twisties!

[rocketman1]

Glad you like your ST1300, I was a fan too, took one for a ride, and at the time had a sports bike, wanted something more comfortable, sure it was comfortable , but I found the brakes hard to get used too, the one I rode had very poor brakes, also I found the riding position was very much like a large scooter, wanted something a bit more motorbikeish.
I have ridden with friends that own them, and they seem great, handle well, fast enough, quiet and comfortable. Great for pillions
Maybe I should ride another, I may have got a bum one.
At the moment I will stick with my GS.
Some of them have overheating problems in the heat of Australia apparently, but we do not live there do we.
Good luck with the ST1300.

[MarkH]

the one I rode had very poor brakes,

I found mine had shitty brakes when I got it. The pads didn't have a lot of meat left on them anyway so I got new (genuine Honda) pads - MUCH better!

[MarkH]

Tomorrow I'm off to pick up a replacement ST1300, I'm getting one that is a little less 'written off' than my old one.

Here's my old bike if anyone is interested:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/cruiser/auction-891623612.htm

My new bike is a 2008 with 40k on the clock and it is red, tomorrow involves a trip to Whakatane and a nice ride home.

The new machine:
312268

I know not everyone would use insurance money to buy the same bike, often taking the opportunity to go to something different, but the ST1300 really does suit my needs and wants for road riding and I love the wind protection for riding to work at 3am in the middle of winter. I don't think it would be easy to find a bike with better wind protection as an alternative to the ST. I also love that reliability and long service interval, it makes running over 20k in a year and relying on a bike to get me to work just that much easier.

Despite the insurance write off I've managed to get insurance on the replacement bike at only $70 dearer, under $600 to insure a $12k bike for a year - thanks kiwibike.co.nz

[Maha]

When and where did you dump the 07'?

[mossy1200]

Its on my watch list. Likely to go up a lot though. I was trying calculate what it would cost to repair earlier.

[MarkH]

When and where did you dump the 07'?

On the way home from work about 3 weeks ago, ute pulled on to the road ahead of me going the same direction, empty road so decided to pass as I was going 100kph and he had just pulled on from a driveway, about to pass him when he turned into another driveway and I had nowhere to go - must have been still over 70kph when I hit.
As he turned the other driver saw me in his mirror, pity he didn't look before turning.

Ortho stiched up my knee:
312269

Star insurance through kiwibike was no problem to deal with, I was well pleased with them considering it was under five hundy to insure the bike.

[MarkH]

Its on my watch list. Likely to go up a lot though. I was trying calculate what it would cost to repair earlier.

The cost to repair was more than the $11.5k to pay me out minus what it will sell for. I think it wasn't even close.
There are 2 really good Michelin PR4GT tyres on that bike though :angry:

The bike was good, just coming up to an oil & filter change and rego was due, otherwise probably didn't need to spend anything for ages - this this happens.
Oh well, gotta be grateful that I wasn't written off - I'm counting my blessings.

[ruaphu]

Fook that's a grunty knee wound man, any long lasting damage to the knee? And yep ya lucky it wasn't terminal outcome, well done and all the best with the recovery.

Quite like them ST 13-hundys, good choice and all the best with the new ride eh.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MarkH]

Fook that's a grunty knee wound man, any long lasting damage to the knee? And yep ya lucky it wasn't terminal outcome, well done and all the best with the recovery.

I did take some pics before it got sewn back together if you want to see a really grunty wound!
No damage to bone or tendons or muscle - I was VERY lucky.
I should be back to work next week.
The new ST1300 this week is so I have my commuter to get me to work next week.

[ruaphu]

Errrr nah I'm all good man, that pic is more than enough. My wife seen the pic of injury, just replied replied, prrrrrfff It's a minor wound, walk it off. feckin typical medical black humour eh, first to care and all that, lol. But nah, she reckoned ya a bloody lucky bugger not have had it completely wrecked, recommended ya go get a lotto ticket and oddly.........a large hammer?!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MarkH]

Fuck me! What a beautiful day for a ride today was!
~173km from Whakatane to Morrinsville and it was great.

Got the new bike home:
312356

312357

This one has handlebar risers which was something I was planning on getting for the previous bike to take a little weight off my wrists. Apart from that there is very little difference, except the colour of course.

[mossy1200]

Wheres the luggage from your old one?

[MarkH]

Wheres the luggage from your old one?

Damned if I know!
The left pannier had damage and there was some damage to the top box, the right pannier would have been in good condition though.
Maybe the bike shop offered a few bucks to the insurance company for the luggage before it was put up for auction.

[MarkH]

I've improved the visibility of my ST with some LEDs.

313440

https://youtu.be/kgHy74bLmbY

Now the headlights look so very yellow. Previously the marker lights looked so yellow that the headlights were fairly white in comparison, but now the marker lights are LEDs and so are the flashback LEDs in the indicators.

[ruaphu]

Cool looks good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[skinman]

the old no look right turn..can relate, had a guy do that to me, closest to a big off have had, still dont know how I missed him, lucky didnt have the panniers on or would have clipped it. from the agricultural but indestructible RT, ps also no slouch on the twisties

[Old Steve]

Nice bike MarkH, red ones are faster too.

The STs are great long distance bikes, but have lovely handling for around here too. I was always impressed by a guy down in Tauranga who had an ST1100, the way he'd go up the western side of the Kaimais was incredible.

While I was in central QLD, one day I rode from Mackay down to Rockhampton for a burger and then back, about 380 km each way. Had a short stop on the way down while an officer of the law wrote me out a speeding ticket. The ST1100 was a great bike for over there, long legged, and great on the inland routes where the accepted speed limit was higher.

Just my short legs was the only thing I had against the bike. The ST1300 has a 3 position seat, but not enough adjustment for my legs.

[CRM]

Just having a cleanup and remembered these forks sitting in the basement.

I replaced the forks on my ST1100 when I got it as the old ones were showing a worn spot on one of the chrome sliders. Still got warrants and worked fine, didn't affect the seals or anything so useable as is if you are fixing up an accident damaged Pan.

Anyway of anyone needs them welcome to have them. They might be useful to someone as they are or for the internals. PM me if interested.

[zinzan]

I've just bought a 2008 ST1300 and love it. However I wasn't expecting the speedo to be so far out. I was doing 110kmph on the dial but the GPS was reading 100kmph.
I assume this is normal?
Has anyone installed a Speedo Healer or Speedo DRD? Worth the effort and cost?

[MarkH]

I've just bought a 2008 ST1300 and love it. However I wasn't expecting the speedo to be so far out. I was doing 110kmph on the dial but the GPS was reading 100kmph.
I assume this is normal?
Has anyone installed a Speedo Healer or Speedo DRD? Worth the effort and cost?

Sounds pretty normal to me. Some bikes bike be reading 105 when really doing 100, others might be reading 110. My solution is to use the GPS to find out and then I know and mentally adjust for it while riding.

To me a speedo healer just isn't worth the cost, I know that 110kph indicated is about the open road speed limit and 120kph is the danger number - faster than that and I'm risking a ticket. If I could calibrate a speedo for free then I'd set it to be only just slightly reading above the actual speed, but I definitely wouldn't pay good money just to have it accurate. As long as the speedo is consistant then you know what speed you are going, if it reads 10% over then you know that and can easily tell your speed by factoring in that amount.

[caspernz]

The Speedohealer approach does work, not a big deal to fit and calibrate, depends a bit on how fussy you are about speedo being spot on. (Yes ok I'm fussy :laugh:)

The ST1300 is by no means unique in having a 5-10% optimistic speedo.

I've used the GPS approach in the past, that works just fine. The Speedohealer is cheap enough, and when you sell the bike just whip it off and fit to your next one.

[nzspokes]

The Speedohealer approach does work, not a big deal to fit and calibrate, depends a bit on how fussy you are about speedo being spot on. (Yes ok I'm fussy :laugh:)

The ST1300 is by no means unique in having a 5-10% optimistic speedo.

I've used the GPS approach in the past, that works just fine. The Speedohealer is cheap enough, and when you sell the bike just whip it off and fit to your next one.

Yeah agree mate, hate having them wrong.

[rocketman1]

I have taken one for a test ride, ie ST1300
I had mixed thoughts.
I also followed a mate to Wellington, he was on the ST, with a pillion, I was on a Sports bike.
On the desert road he was toasty and warm, I was as cold as a cucumber

The good:
Nice motor , smooth
Good quality
Apparently very reliable
Handling was good
Two up breeze, you dont notice the pillion
Nice panniers

Not so Good:
Felt like a big scooter, rather than a motor bikes I have been used too
The brakes were not good on the one I rode, maybe it was just that bike?
Seemed to lack some character, maybe because it was so alround smooth and quiet

The BMW R1200RT has beaten the ST1300 hands down in most reviews I have read.
But you probably pay for that up front.

All round I think the ST1300 is great bike and if I was into long distance cruising for a reasonable outlay I would definitley consider one.
Hope you enjoy. Good choice

[MarkH]

Not so Good:
Felt like a big scooter, rather than a motor bikes I have been used too
The brakes were not good on the one I rode, maybe it was just that bike?
Seemed to lack some character, maybe because it was so alround smooth and quiet

The BMW R1200RT has beaten the ST1300 hands down in most reviews I have read.
But you probably pay for that up front.


I suspect that the BMW doesn't just cost more up front, ongoing repairs and maintenance would also typically cost more.

I don't quite know in what respect an ST1300 feels like a big scooter - is that just the weather protection? For me riding to work in the middle of winter at 3am - the weather protection really helps a lot.

I'm not surprised about brakes, my first ST1300 never felt that great on brakes until I got new (OEM Honda) pads - then it felt nice with good strong braking force.

I have no objection to smooth and quiet, not that I mind the nice butt massage from my DR650 thumper.

[zinzan]

What Oil Brand/type should I use for the ST. Should I use fully synthetic? Semi synthetic? the manual says use 10w-30 or 10w-40 with an MA classification. I'm guessing there are a lot of options out there, so what's best? :banana:

[MarkH]

What Oil Brand/type should I use for the ST. Should I use fully synthetic? Semi synthetic? the manual says use 10w-30 or 10w-40 with an MA classification. I'm guessing there are a lot of options out there, so what's best? :banana:

I use a 10w-40 fully synthetic in mine. With the 12,000 km interval for oil changes I don't like to use anything cheaper.

[DrDarkMatter]

I have a CB1300 SuperFour, does that count?

[MarkH]

I have a CB1300 SuperFour, does that count?

I'm afraid not - it isn't a V4 sports tourer.
Looks to be a pretty nice bike though.

[DrDarkMatter]

hahaha fair enough

[zinzan]

Can anyone recommend what make brake pads I need for my ST1300, or part number, where to buy?

[caspernz]

Can anyone recommend what make brake pads I need for my ST1300, or part number, where to buy?

Try www.bits4bikes.co.nz and plug in your bike details, all quite simple.

[MarkH]

Can anyone recommend what make brake pads I need for my ST1300, or part number, where to buy?

I've always prefered the feel of the standard OEM ones. I've had both the front and rear pads changed last year at a non-Honda motorcycle shop and they had no problems getting the Honda parts. I would think that you could walk into pretty much any motorcycle shop and ask them to get you the standard Honda pads for an ST1300.

[MarkH]

So, for anyone that likes the ST1300 but doesn't own one - mine is now for sale.
I still love the bike, great sports tourer and master of eating all the kilometres you let it. But I'm now switching to an adventure tourer, CRF1000L DCT to be exact. I need to shift a bike or two first though and I also need some money to put into the new bike.

A couple of years back I considered selling both bikes to get the Africa Twin, but I decided that I trusted the ST1300 more for racking up a lot of kms. On the USA forums they claim that an ST1300 should good for over 1/4 million miles with no engine work, that's pretty hard to beat. Now I've switched to driving a car to work and no longer run up the large amount of kms per year, so changing to the AT DCT is much more viable.

I've really enjoyed the ST1300 + DR650 as a really great combination, between them all sorts of riding is well covered. But now I have a car + 2 bikes and all are registered and insured, that gets a bit pricey! So I'm looking to combine the ST1300 + DR650 into one bike and 1000cc is halfway in engine size, the AT is in between the 2 for weight and for speed and power. The DR650 would be a bit better off the road and the ST1300 would be quite a bit better on sealed roads, but I'm willing to compromise between the two to save $520 per year on rego. My main use for a bike will be touring around NZ and I'd like to incorporate gravel as needed, the AT should be able to get me almost anywhere that I'd look to travelling.

[actungbaby]

So, for anyone that likes the ST1300 but doesn't own one - mine is now for sale.
I still love the bike, great sports tourer and master of eating all the kilometres you let it. But I'm now switching to an adventure tourer, CRF1000L DCT to be exact. I need to shift a bike or two first though and I also need some money to put into the new bike.

A couple of years back I considered selling both bikes to get the Africa Twin, but I decided that I trusted the ST1300 more for racking up a lot of kms. On the USA forums they claim that an ST1300 should good for over 1/4 million miles with no engine work, that's pretty hard to beat. Now I've switched to driving a car to work and no longer run up the large amount of kms per year, so changing to the AT DCT is much more viable.

I've really enjoyed the ST1300 + DR650 as a really great combination, between them all sorts of riding is well covered. But now I have a car + 2 bikes and all are registered and insured, that gets a bit pricey! So I'm looking to combine the ST1300 + DR650 into one bike and 1000cc is halfway in engine size, the AT is in between the 2 for weight and for speed and power. The DR650 would be a bit better off the road and the ST1300 would be quite a bit better on sealed roads, but I'm willing to compromise between the two to save $520 per year on rego. My main use for a bike will be touring around NZ and I'd like to incorporate gravel as needed, the AT should be able to get me almost anywhere that I'd look to travelling.

neither have ridden or owned either of your bikes . i have had a xl600rf.
and a cb 750 intergra so its was a big old bus with a huge faring.i have a Honda vfr 750 and a cbr 900rr . the vfr are a great do everthing bike. on the road. the 1200 test ridden is amazing . i read the of road vfr 1200 . is a very powerfull beast retuned for more mid range . its got spoked wheels too and tubeless . but seeing as you want inbetween engine size . how about the africa twin dcc r manuall . i never ridden one . so i cant save for sure. watched many youtube videos . all praise it even compared to the bmw rs .
there say the dcc is esp good of road. not sure it be as good as your dr 650 of road. but be engine wise it be much more refined. yamha has that big singel that looks bloody nice too. they have a twin as well. dual sport.so much choice really . the triumph triples are so nice sounding . ditto the yamaha dual mt 07 09 versions for the adv market. the africa twin does seem to be a bit special in that regard . just nic balance between road and gravel roads . i dont think i want be doing enduro course on there standred tires though . i read there not so suited to grass etc.the suzuki 1000 vstorm is a good bike too from what i have read esp the lastest version.

[GrahamA]

I owned one of the first ST1100s in NZ. It was considered odd by many people then but I loved it. The chap who bought it after me had it for many years and then logically moved to a 1300. The only negative I recall was that the 1100 was a cold ride in winter so I cut a hole in the bodywork each side just in front of my feet and that helped a bit. If I was still young and strong a 1300 would be a bike I'd consider owning.

[MarkH]

So, for anyone that likes the ST1300 but doesn't own one - mine is now for sale.

A man took my bike! But he did leave me with a nice wad of cash.

I'm really going to miss that bike, especially certain things that I wont have on a new bike. The electrically adjustable screen in particular was so nice to have, so very easy to get it just where you wanted it. The Africa Twin has a screen that is not adjustable at all - if you don't like the air flow you have to buy another screen and hope to choose the right size. I'll miss the fuel range too, having well over 400km range may not be necessary but it is kinda nice to have. I'll definitely miss the shaft drive, so very easy to live with since there is next to no maintenance needed.

[sidecar bob]

A man took my bike! But he did leave me with a nice wad of cash.

I'm really going to miss that bike, especially certain things that I wont have on a new bike. The electrically adjustable screen in particular was so nice to have, so very easy to get it just where you wanted it. The Africa Twin has a screen that is not adjustable at all - if you don't like the air flow you have to buy another screen and hope to choose the right size. I'll miss the fuel range too, having well over 400km range may not be necessary but it is kinda nice to have. I'll definitely miss the shaft drive, so very easy to live with since there is next to no maintenance needed.

Why did you sell it again?:msn-wink:

[MarkH]

Why did you sell it again?:msn-wink:

Despite the things I'll miss there are some good points on the Africa Twin too! :bleh:

I have discovered that I find a more upright (Dual-Sport or Adventure bike) posture more comfortable. This makes no difference to me for under 200km rides, but on longer rides I experience pain in my shoulder.
I want some off-road ability, no one ever accused the ST1300 of being an off-road bike!

But for those that want a road bike in the sport tourer style, that will eat up the kilometres with no effort - the ST1300 is still a great bike!