2008 ST

[RTETR]

Should the 2008 ST be sold "fully dressed" or should most of us have to add the Honda accessories after we've already bought the bike?

[stonecarver]

Fully dressed please....with an on board bacon dispenser.

[STratus]

with an on board bacon dispenser.

Get a 'Wing. It'll go with the latte maker that's 7th button from the left, 2 rows down on the left switch console. Rob or Joe can show you.

[mtripp]

It would be nice to have options. If Honda offered a Garmin GPS, Autocom and a top box I would have purchased them all at the time of original purchase. I'm going to have them eventually and if I do it right of the start I benefit from the 3 year warranty.

These options aren't for everyone, but if they were available as assesories they would have had my money.

[Tim4255]

It would be nice to have options. If Honda offered a Garmin GPS, Autocom and a top box I would have purchased them all at the time of original purchase. I'm going to have them eventually and if I do it right of the start I benefit from the 3 year warranty.

These options aren't for everyone, but if they were available as assesories they would have had my money.


You don't want Honda to offer a GPS on the ST. The Honda ones are made by Garmin and have way less features than a Zumo. You can't turn off the safe mode so that you can fully use the GPS while moving. :(

Honda should stick to adding the following items:

Heated Grips
Cruise Control
Mount Point for GPS
15AMP Powerlet Plugs instead of 2AMP Honda 12V Plug
Electronic Preload Adjustment (afterload?) :D

I think aftermarket Intercoms have more options and Honda would charge double the price anyhow. The topbox is cheaper out of Europe than it would be if Honda North America offered it.

#1 thing I have learned in 4 years of ST Ownership - Don't let the dealer touch it ever.

Tim :03biker:

[PNWSTMan]

Oh yea +1 on that dispenser

[Steve Jones]

Drop the wet weight 100 lbs, bump up the carrying capacity 100lbs, and leave the rest to the professional farklers.

[M&M Take2]

Just support the ST with the accessories like they do for the Pan-European. The bike's more likely to drop 100 lbs than I am, so make it lighter. I'm not interested in GPS/Audio/CB/ or intercom, but that's just me, so let me tailor my ST the way I like it. Vive le Difference! If all that stuff was standard I probably couldn't afford it as a package. JMHO :04biker: Marty

[Snoweyowl]

I initally checked with better seat, changed my mind and put as is. My reason being that whatever stock seat is produced, since it will have to be an average, a lot of people will not like it.

I prefer "options" individually sold. Do not like how the Gold Wing trim levels are marketed.

[Sylvain]

Better seat or optional seat!

All the other farkles are personnal items. Wether we like it or not, we are just like the cruiser crowd, instead of adding chrome to shine we add "usefull" farkles to ride :D . We personnalise the bike to suit our preferences. :o:

BTW all bikes are great :chop1: :sbs1: :ygw1:

[motoman]

Absolutely not.

I never liked the Valkyrie Interstate either. :mad:

[John Anthony]

Better seat, that's a given. Cruise, heated grips, electronic suspension, and self-cancelling blinkers would be sweet. (There are some things I like about Maggie's RT). After that, I'd like the option of getting different packages ala Wings.

While I've really enjoyed working on my ST, I'd like to do a little less heavy duty farkling on my next ride.

John

[Sink]

Did soneone say BACON????? I'M IN!

[swampfox]

Hi guys ... long time no post ... sorry about that.

IMHO, fully dressed means different things to different people.
Besides, the FARKLE options are what tailors your ride ... they identify you.
How boring it would be if we all rode the same bike, no options , no personal touches.
If I wanted fully dressed, I would have bought a BMW K1200 LTSE or something similar.
With the ST, I choose whether I have AM/FM radio, SATNAV, CRUISE CONTROL, whatever ... and I have the enjoyment of the install.

My 2 bobs worth.

Stay upright :04biker:

[Herleman]

If they make it any heavier, they will need to add dual wheels in back.

The main thing I'd like to see is a LIGHTER ST and perhaps adjustable front shocks and/or an electronic steering damper.

ABS should be standard on a bike this size.

[CDNolddude]

It would be nice to have the choice, like the goldwing.. one setup like now and a fully loaded one. Better screen and seat would be good though.

[ajax5777]

Fully dressed please....with an on board bacon dispenser.

mmmmmm, bacon.:D

[Reiner Kappenberger]

Please, please, spare us the options of the GoldWing.

In order to buy ABS you have to buy the heated seat/grips (which tries to be smarter than the rider), GPS (which is the worst POS ever designed for a bike - designed by the legal department that has never seen a bike). Thus ABS costs now $4500+ and is the main reason I left the GoldWing scene. If they continue that game I will be glad to go to Kawasaki, MotoGuzzi or BMW (not necessary in that order).

I like a bike where I for myself can decide what I want and in which combination I want it. I don't need Honda to make a decission for me what is best for myself - I'm old enough to do that on my own - and take responsibility for that if it needs to be.

Reiner

[Mellow]

Please, please, spare us the options of the GoldWing.

In order to buy ABS you have to buy the heated seat/grips (which tries to be smarter than the rider), GPS (which is the worst POS ever designed for a bike - designed by the legal department that has never seen a bike). Thus ABS costs now $4500+ and is the main reason I left the GoldWing scene. If they continue that game I will be glad to go to Kawasaki, MotoGuzzi or BMW (not necessary in that order).

I like a bike where I for myself can decide what I want and in which combination I want it. I don't need Honda to make a decission for me what is best for myself - I'm old enough to do that on my own - and take responsibility for that if it needs to be.

Reiner

I agree 100%... which is one reason why I bought an '05 ABS Wing.. the last year that you could just get one with or without ABS only... I want to decide the options myself.

I don't think it's a bad idea to have the options but I think they should be something that can be picked from and not delivered in a package..

Honda has got to get on the ball and change this point of view... now, I know it's not easy for dealers to order a bunch of bikes with certain items installed and not installed but it would be nice to give a buyer the option to order one from the factory with just abs if that's their choice..

If they continue with this and if I can't find a used Wing w/abs for my next bike, when it's time for one.... I might just be coming back to the ST-family officially... of course, we are still a few years off.

[ParkerBill]

I marked "as is" because I believe "to each his own". While I agree the seat is not the greatest for a lot of people (I have a Corbin, for example), others are happy with it and seat selection is pretty personal anyway, like most farkles are. I would like to see some options available though, such as:

1. Cruise control
2. Louder stock horn (big safety feature IMHO)
3. GPS
4. Self-cancelling turn signals (big safety feature IMHO)
5. Powerlet outlets

I would like to see a lighter ST1300, but I'm not sure how that would be accomplished and still be the bike we love, since I'm no engineer.

I would also like to see the stability issue corrected that seems to exist in many ST1300s (re; all the threads we've been reading about it), perhaps with a dampener or whatever (again, I'm no engineer).

How about a more accurate speedometer and odometer?

Ride Safe & Smart!

[Sink]

So is this a smart marketing scheme on Honda's part? Maybe so. I want ABS so I have to buy all the other things. Depends how important they are to you. They have the ST if you don't want all the stuff built in. Maybe they should make an ST1800 with an opposed 6 cylinder engine?

Personally, I think it should be left up to the customer as to which options you get. Maybe sell the bike without a seat? I don't want to have to get the airbag to get the BACON cooker and ABS.... oh, and cruise should be standard.

[Bones]

I propose Honda introduce the 1000 cc V4 love child of the VFR and ST. Power shield, heated grips, power port, real horn, looks good with bags on or off, under 500 pounds, more than one color choice each year. Optional ABS and cruise, and "GPS ready" so you can plug and play your own model.

Sign me up.