"London calling".......

[Apollo]

Hi all.

I just joined your forum !!

Sorry, I don't actually live in London, but I thought it would attract attention ( :) )

I'm about to order my first ST1300 ("Pan European" over here) - and it looks at the moment like it's my Blackbird that's going in as part-exchange.

Having 2 fairly long test rides on an ST, I can't wait to get mine and start doing some serious miles.

PS - We have our own forum in the UK but it seems a bit quiet. You guys (and girls... ?) appear to be more enthusiastic about long-range touring bikes than us 'Brits'..... :chat1:

[Carl_T]

Welcome aboard Apollo, glad to gain another member of the permanent grin group.

While we have more miles of roads available to us than on your Island and so can strike out to soak up a wide variety of terrain pretty easily, a lack of enthusiasm in the UK surprises me a bit. If I had all those nice mountains to ride in after a ferry ride, enthusiasm would be prodding me to go do so.

While I often have to stay close to home because of work, it still is easy in the rural and country areas of the US to jump on and go for an after work ride that is plenty enjoyable, without a lot of City traffic interfering. Maybe that's part of it (though I'd think it was the same or maybe even better in the UK with curvy low traffic roads and scenery)?

[nofinishline]

Hiya Apollo........and welcome "home"!

Congrats on getting your new ride. I hope you share your adventures with us as it will be fun to hear about your jaunts through GB and Europe.

Cheers,
nfl

[Gug]

Hi Apollo,

Welcome aboard. There is alot of info here on the ST's. You may live on an island, but your only a channel hop from a continent. We have wide open majestic spaces, you have that and some serious historical depth just outside. I will be in London from July 12 - 16th. Looking forward to it.

Keep the shiny side up!
Dennis

[rwl1955]

Apollo
My daughter is doing a semester at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. She`s been to London twice and loves it.
I live in massachusetts and ride a 02 ST1100.
Good to hear from you
Bob

[AgSTreak]

Ditto the above. Welcome to a collection of mixed nuts, dweebs, nerds and geeks. What color options do you have in GB? Over here we have one color available per year, which leads to the never ending childish ranting (no names mentioned to protect those utterly bereft of any class) about which is fastest. Everyone knows that the early ones got the biggest withdrawals from Honda's speed bank!!! After 2003 only dribs and drabs of mediocre speed was left in the account. :crackup :crackup :crackup
Oh BTW, good luck on your purchase and join in the fun :) .

[Carl_T]

Hey, stop making fun of my hat... besides I misplaced my Artist's Bereft a while ago.

[Ken]

Welcome aboard, Apollo. Glad you've joined us! :)

[Apollo]

Thanks for the welcome(s) -

AgSTreak, the 2005 UK colours are,

Digital Silver Metallic
Pearl Corrando Blue
Candy Graceful Red (the deep burgundy red like the 1100)

It's either the silver or red for me.... have not decided yet !!

I'm fortunate to have some other Honda's in my garage too - but the collection will only be complete when there's a "Pan" on the fleet too :)

Also, (I suppose other people have done this too) - I change bike's a lot but the Pan is a long-term investment. I'm hoping to keep it for at least 5 years (which would be a personal record :D ).

Looking forward to having clean and tidy shaft-drive on a bike for the first time too.....

Now, if I can just figure out how to pay for the thing..... :rolleyes:

[AgSTreak]

A lot of trips to the blood bank and taking a second mortgage with my eldest male offspring as collateral worked for me :D .
Selling off one of paired body organs (who needs two kidneys anyway :confused: ) might help with the down payment.
I envy your color selection and agree silver is the only way to go. Choices, choices have fun and ride safe. :bow1: :bow1: :03biker:

[Apollo]

Thanks mate ! And you too.... :)

By-the-way - I much prefer the earlier 1300 silver, called Tower Silver Metallic in the UK (I think).

The latest silver is really bright and looks nice - but I like the slightly understated grey/silver of those early one's. Actually asked my dealer if he could still find one new but he says they have all gone now.... :(

Oh well, looks like I'll have to "make do" with the latest colour... (teehee :D )

[nisbeam]

Hi Apollo & welcome to the best site. I agree it is strange that there isn't a UK site. But there again , the Pan-Clan has been running for some years now & publishes a regular newsletter, so maybe they dont think a website is appropriate. Personally I like it here - always interesting farkles (mods. to you and me), and plenty of help available if you need it. It seems the US and UK markets are quite different. The Sports in ST is more evident in the US, and as you know most UK riders will be of the, erm... "more mature" types who prefer touring. Also there doesn't seem to be a well trained dealer network in the US - judging by some of the comments I don't think they have Honda trained technicians at the dealers either. So unlike here where dealer servicing is portrayed as the only "official" option, in the US many owners seem to do their own servicing.
I bought my silver-grey Pan new in Dec last year. I do all my own servicing (keeping receipts just in case) and am more pleased with the bike all the time. I also have a tuned Fazer 1000 (FZ1 in the US), but am quicker (yes really !) on the ST The handling in corners is superb and there is of course lots of low down grunt to fire you out again. It wont match the Fazer on initial acceleration, but only just, and I have left a few sports 600s behind with ease, and it's great fun when they expect you to slow down for corners and you get around quicker than they do :p: Just done the 16k service as I commute long distance & cover about 1000 miles a week. Only prob was the bolts that hold the switch clusters deteriorated in the salt spray over the winter - one went rusty. I have since replaced with polished alloy bolt that look superb :) If you intend to let the dealer service, check what they do (like interim service - nothing but checks), you may want to do some addition oil changes & change final drive fluid - first change for that is 36k miles !! :eek:
Anyway, congrats again - I know you will enjoy, this is one great bike. Regards, Andy. :03biker:

[Mellow]

It's really great to hear from you bloaks (I hope I spelled that right :eek: ) from across the pond...

I'm sure it will be handy when you guys visit the U.S. or someone here takes a vacation there. I had a co-worker last year take a two-week trip across Europe last year, one week with his wife and one peg-scrapping week without.

Hey, you say the NEW silver is brighter than the initial Silver/Grey? I wonder if that might end up being the 2006 color here in the U.S.... You gents surely have the upper hand when it comes to color selections, any chance you could post any pics for those in anticipation of possible color changes?

And a big welcome to the site.

[Carl_T]

I simply must take a moment to suggest that multi-dimensional, warp speed red, would be the finest of color choices indeed ~~~~~~:biker: :) :) :)

[Apollo]

Thanks again for the replies as above.

I just know the Pan is going to be right for me. The funny thing is, I used to look at bikes like this and think I would never be interested in riding something like that !!

Well, how wrong was I ??

Within a short time of starting my first test-ride - which lasted almost 90 minutes total - I knew that I would end up buying one -

The test ride was my first on a bike in this class and my initial impression was just how easy and well-balanced the bike felt even at low speed as I filtered into queuing traffic from the dealers.... Nothing too drastic for the first few miles, just getting used to the size and balance of the bike. I was a bit nervous of overtaking at first and kept thinking I would clip the pannier on the car's I was going past :D Into the second half of the test and I played about with the electric screen - noting the odd sensation of being pushed forwards when the screen is at its highest position... Then, eventually, I started throwing the bike around a bit more coming out of islands (roundabouts) to find out a bit more about the handling. I should have remebered all those many articles in bike magazine's - absolutely surefooted and unexpected for its size and weight. The torquey refined V4 felt superb - accelerating smooth and hard even in the higher gears...

Returning to the dealership, I knew already the bike was right for me.

And that's where I am today - just working out the best way to finance the good deal that's in front of me....

I think the Pan is actually a good looking (almost sporty appearance) big touring bike and I'm sure it will do all that I require for the future. As I've other bike's too - this one may well see me 'til the end of my biking days.... a sobering thought at just 40, but I'm sure the bike is well capable.
(Or maybe an early excuse for buying the next generation Pan in 7 years time ???? :rolleyes: )

I really wish the grey/silver was still available - the colour really suits the business-like character of the mighty ST (or Pan European for us Brits...).

I'd like to give the following site a quick 'plug' if I may www.bikersoracle.com -where there is actually a ST/ Pan European forum - but there's not too much activity yet. Say hello if you visit !! There's a picture posted of a silver one on there too. There might be another one soon..... :D

nisbeam - thank you for your comments and I think you are brave tackling your own servicing on the Pan. I've no choice but to go to a dealership, as I'm both lazy and incompetent. I don't mind paying for the services as long as the job is done properly - which I always tell the workshop when I visit them.

PS - Mellow - I hope to visit Florida this year as part of a treat to myself for my 40th birthday. But not by bike...... It's been a dream/ ambition to see the Space Shuttle launch in person - and I'm hoping I might time my visit with the first launch since the terrible Columbia disaster. Whether I get there or not - here's wishing NASA and the astronauts lots of luck for a completely flawless and perfect mission and hopefully many many more perfect and predictable subsequent flights. As you already guessed, my forum name is in tribute to the Apollo space programme, so like so many others I'm really keen to see manned spaceflight back on track.......

PPS - ok BLOKE ???? :)

[surfacehilly]

Appolo hi
as i am from durham i guess were pretty close at 2-3 hours apart.
interesting i had two old shape pans and bought a blackbird after being teased by my mates that all i was good for was out breaking them as the old pan was not great on the breaks!!!!!!! loved the blackbird head down arse up and eventually got fed up of my mates coming off and thought my time was close..... so bought a 1150gg bema which is also a great bike but viby and the dealership is frankly **** .. it went after not doing the miles and 3--4 months ago i got an 04 blue pan after playing with the re/bound and damping its great... its no blackbird but it eats the miles and i dont get off umppty backed :) can put my kit in the luggage and don't have to walk round the lakes in me leathers lid in hand trying to make a statment
you will love it mate or should i say bloke!!!!!!!!

best regards
bill
uk co durham land of the prince bishopes