Anyone have a clue how to put this thing on? It’s got a bracket that won’t go over the top of the battery…? How do you fit it? Any help would be greatly appreciated cause the other thread I saw doesn’t explain how to go around this on a 2004.
Battery Cover
- Thread starter Sparkflint
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W0QNX
Blacksheep Tribal Member
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Is it the right size battery? ST1300 stock is a YTZ 14S 4.38 inches tall.
YTZ 14S size= 6.00 x 3.44 x 4.38 inches tall
YXT 12BS size= 6 x 3.44 x 5.125 inches tall
YTZ 14S size= 6.00 x 3.44 x 4.38 inches tall
YXT 12BS size= 6 x 3.44 x 5.125 inches tall
Andrew Shadow
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If yours is a 2004 it was not designed by Honda to have these covers. They were included starting with the 2008 model year. They need to be Jerry-rigged to fit pre 2008 model years. The below article may be of some help.
www.st-owners.com
Article [13] - ST1300 - Mounting 2008 side panels | ST1300 Articles
A few people have emailed me recently wanting to know how I finished the mounting of the 08 side panels on my 05 ST1300. Sorry I couldn?t post earlier as I have been very busy with work. Here is an explanation and some pictures of how I made mounting plates for the 08 panels. I will note here...
That's a damned good question. I put the bike back together before I measured it but I sure as hell believe it's the taller one. I guess the previous owner rigged things up a little mickey mouse cause I don't see the battery bracket. Instead they used a mini elastic tether you see people strap things down with on their trucks over the battery.. Looks like I'll be buying a new smaller battery cause the thought of hacking up an oem part made for the bike bugs the hell outta me.
Thank you! This helps a ton. It just got me scratching my head because the part still doesn't clear the top of the battery but as W0QNX mentioned It may be the larger battery which explains why.If yours is a 2004 it was not designed by Honda to have these covers. They were included starting with the 2008 model year. They need to be Jerry-rigged to fit pre 2008 model years. The below article may be of some help.
Article [13] - ST1300 - Mounting 2008 side panels | ST1300 Articles
A few people have emailed me recently wanting to know how I finished the mounting of the 08 side panels on my 05 ST1300. Sorry I couldn?t post earlier as I have been very busy with work. Here is an explanation and some pictures of how I made mounting plates for the 08 panels. I will note here...
Could you trustworthy battery brand? Thank you
I use AGM batteries from Chromebattery.com. I usually get 5-6 years out of a battery- but to be fair, I do use a Battery MInder ( NOT Tender) on mine, which is 'sposed to desulphate the battery. The Batteries from Chromebattery.com are really reasonable, and are delivered quickly.
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That battery cover is the one intended for the 2008 models and later. However, I fitted one to my 2006 model. It doesn't have the rubber sockets for the pegs at the bottom to push into, but it is held in place quite firmly once the side panel is on. It's always a struggle to get the panel snapped in around the wiring. Put it in top first at an angle and then drop it down.
The left hand one is a different matter. I have some photos of how I fitted mine if you want them. I didn't create an article because having worked out a method and taken the photos, I discovered someone else had already posted. My solution is slightly different. Bute here are a couple of pics - one of each side before the side panels were added. I think I had a strip of velcro along the bottom of the cover and the top edge of the 'step', but I reckon that was overkill.
The left hand one is a different matter. I have some photos of how I fitted mine if you want them. I didn't create an article because having worked out a method and taken the photos, I discovered someone else had already posted. My solution is slightly different. Bute here are a couple of pics - one of each side before the side panels were added. I think I had a strip of velcro along the bottom of the cover and the top edge of the 'step', but I reckon that was overkill.
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As @Andrew Shadow said the covered weren't made for the earlier years and need to be DIY'd to fit. I've got both sides for my '03 but haven't got around to it in the last 5 years yet... 
John. What is in your rear master cylinder reservoir? Could be the photo but is it empty?
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That'll be pretty fresh fluid. Photo was taken October 2010 and we had recently returned from a tour of Spain and France - a celebration retirement tour. The brake fluid was getting changed every 18 months - sometimes sooner. I changed it a couple of months later. But it had had brand new pads fitted for the tour so there would have been an element of topping up and bleeding. It will be full to the max line. My brake fluid has never been anything other than the weak green tea colour it is when it is poured out of a new bottle.
The plastic looks opaque - due to the flash - so its almost impossible to sea the level on the photo.
The plastic looks opaque - due to the flash - so its almost impossible to sea the level on the photo.
Thank you John. This was a huge help. I’m going to order the smaller Yuasa battery to remedy the cover not fitting. Looks like everyone pre 2008 had to modify something some way to make it fit. All good! I like wrenching on the bike. It’s therapeutic
- Joined
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- 000679
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- 2570
The 'step' - the alloy bracket with the footpegs on it - has some extra fittings added just for that side panel infill. The actual fitting on the 2008 models and later - the grey piece - is atatched to the bike coloured side panel, and is never separated from it. Take off the side panel, the grey bit comes with it - on the left hand side. There are two plastic plugs - with a waist - which push into rubber grommets which are an integral part of the alloy step to secure the lower end.
Here are some more details of my 2006 left hand side installation.
1. Working out where to put the supporting bracket and holes. Note the location of the panel rear hole and the fuse box holder - outlined in red..
2. The Outside view of the home made bracket. Four holes drilled - but you can only see three here. The left hand hole fits around the front side Panel screw hole on the frame. Its a large hole and here is covered in thick tape with cuts in it to provide a bit of cushioning. The end and the inside is also taped for the same reason. The other two holes have well nuts pushed inside - 5mm or 6mm - I cannot remember.
3. The same bracket viewd from the inside - revealing the 4th hole and the right angle bend at the rear of the bracket. This will rest up against the fuse box holder .
4. A detail of the bracket fitted at the rear. The red rectangle hilghlights the captive nut slipped over the top of the fuse box holder.
4a - Captive nut. This was slipped over first so that the position of the required hole could be marked on the sids of the fuse box holder. Once this was in place, the position of the hole in the right angle bend of the bracket could be determined. The photo also shows the panel bolted onto the bracket. It might be a bit annoying having three extra bolts to remove, but I don't remember ever needing to take it off ! Imust have done, but its no big deal.
5. The bracket fixed with a hex head screw. The black thing in the bootm left corner is the top of the pre-load adjuster, and the folded up pillion footpeg is on the right of the picture. So this is looking down onto the top edge of the bracket. The bolt . screw is secured against the fuse box holder.
The black strip on the top edge of the 'step' bracket (out of focus) is a strip of narrow velcro like material.
You can see the back end of the well not sticking through the bracket - just below the bolt head.
Here are some more details of my 2006 left hand side installation.
1. Working out where to put the supporting bracket and holes. Note the location of the panel rear hole and the fuse box holder - outlined in red..
2. The Outside view of the home made bracket. Four holes drilled - but you can only see three here. The left hand hole fits around the front side Panel screw hole on the frame. Its a large hole and here is covered in thick tape with cuts in it to provide a bit of cushioning. The end and the inside is also taped for the same reason. The other two holes have well nuts pushed inside - 5mm or 6mm - I cannot remember.
3. The same bracket viewd from the inside - revealing the 4th hole and the right angle bend at the rear of the bracket. This will rest up against the fuse box holder .
4. A detail of the bracket fitted at the rear. The red rectangle hilghlights the captive nut slipped over the top of the fuse box holder.
4a - Captive nut. This was slipped over first so that the position of the required hole could be marked on the sids of the fuse box holder. Once this was in place, the position of the hole in the right angle bend of the bracket could be determined. The photo also shows the panel bolted onto the bracket. It might be a bit annoying having three extra bolts to remove, but I don't remember ever needing to take it off ! Imust have done, but its no big deal.
5. The bracket fixed with a hex head screw. The black thing in the bootm left corner is the top of the pre-load adjuster, and the folded up pillion footpeg is on the right of the picture. So this is looking down onto the top edge of the bracket. The bolt . screw is secured against the fuse box holder.
The black strip on the top edge of the 'step' bracket (out of focus) is a strip of narrow velcro like material.
You can see the back end of the well not sticking through the bracket - just below the bolt head.
Attachments
Ok so your bike isn't designed to have a cover. What value does a cover provide for an AGM battery?
Speaking off battery what model is in there — YXT 12BS? I ask because ST1300s have a downsized battery compared to the 1100s. I think the stock battery is a little under-powered for the 1300.
Knowing the specs of this one compared to the factory recommended version might be helpful. If this battery isn't a problem and has greater capacity I'd consider leaving it in.
There is/was a mod done by Long Beach Honda IIRC that put a bigger battery in police STs. That took some work including modifying the battery box and mounting the battery on end.