Picking up a new 2004 wednesday

[Brekfast]

Hi folks,


New st rider here from Canada. I will be picking up the bike wednesday, a new bike - non abs, leftover from last year (I hear the blue ones are the fastest :P). I have read some great articles here on the breaking period, the importance of the fist 100 km oil change, and what to check when picking up the bike.

Here is a question I have haven't found an answer to. This weekend my Gf and I are heading down to the cottage (200 km each way) by that time the bike will have the oil changed at 100 km, and it will have probably around 150 km on it. So here is the question, is it ok to ride down to the cottage 2 up with my girl, or during this initial break in period 2 up riding should be avoided ?

Also, what dino oil should I use for the first oil change ?

Last question, would anyone know if the BMW oil filter cup wrench would fit the oil filter of the ST ?

Thanks in advance

Brekfast
St13-04

[Horst]

Hey dude ... the 1st oil change is 1,000 kms ... and Welcome ! :biker:

[NBA336]

Brekfast, that should be fine. Just alter your speeds as you drive. I did my first oil change at 600 km, then 1,000. The one at 1,000 looked a lot cleaner than my 600 km. By the way, don't forget to finish your profile so that we know where you are and maybe a first name would be nice.

You'll really love the fastest ST :04biker: . At least, it's the fastest ST here in Canuck land!!! :)

Welcome to the club....

[trickSTer]

Welcome!!! Blue 04 non abs Alberta rider here....... 100 kms is definitely a GOOD time to change oil, regardless of what other people say. Its your bike and you are smart enough to know that after just the first few kms you will have the majority of the metal filings floating in your oil from any burs, etc from the manufacturing process. I used honda gn4 just to avoid any warranty crap. Not that they would ever check. If you do your own just mark down the kms ya did it at and keep all filter and oil receipts. As for break in, just search and you will find a wealth of info on here. 2 up is a good thing as well. Working your engine is actually good for it in moderation and varied speed/rpm. Good luck and enjoy one sweet ride!!!!! :04biker: :D

[The Highwayman]

Welcome, you're going to love the ST as a 2-up mount.

We're getting enough Canucks here we are going to have to get together sometime soon!!!

[Mellow]

Looks like the makings of a real CanSTOC 2006..... :bow1:

[Fireball18]

Brekfast,

Welcome, and you're gonna LOVE your new ST. My wife's ST is blue, and mine is the '03 silver.

I recommend a first oil change at 100 kms (60 miles) or thereabouts. Not critical to make it exact. At the same time, change your rear drive lube. Then do another oil and rear drive lube change at about 250 kms, and after that, change oil approximately every 3000 miles, and rear drive lube once or twice a year. This way you'll get most of the metal filings out early, leaving things nice and clean inside. Rotella-t dino oil is good until you get a couple thousand or so on the bike. Then synthetic oil is good. I've been using Castrol Act-Evo 10W40, which seems to be good oil. I get it at my Honda dealer. Don't know if it's available in Canada.

As for riding 2-up during break in, I don't think that will hurt anything. I recommend just riding the bike normally from the day you ride away from the dealer's on it. I babied mine and it seems to be a bit buzzy or "rough" feeling at higher rpms. My wife's was broken in riding it normally, just avoiding maintaining the same rpm for extended periods, and it seems to be smoother and a bit stronger than mine.

Have fun, and if your GF doesn't like the stock rear seat, go get yourself a Russell custom made to both your specs, or a Sargent seat. Both have much superior support than the stock seat.

[Brekfast]

Thanks guys.


I am sure I will love the bike. I am moving over from an r1150gs. Was looking for something with more wind protection and a bit more grunt. I haven't really used the gs off road capabilities, I do 95% of my riding on black top and some hard packed dirt roads when I go up to the cottage, but I shold have no problems there.

Back a few years ago I owned a crb1100 xx, the St remminds me of that bike somwhow, like a more comfortable and a bit less performant blackbird.

Thanks for the tips!


First name is Henrik BTW :)
I live in Montreal

[FritzSTr]

Welcome and congrats on the purchase. :)

Below is a website on breaking in a new engine, use with discretion. For the few dollars it costs, change the oil and filter at 100 Km.

Don't know about the BMW filter cup wrench but the ones at Walmart or Cdn Tire are cheap. Enjoy :03biker:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Dino oil, Shell Rotella for the first 1000K's then switch to Rotella Synthetic

[nisbeam]

Welcome to the site & congrats on your purchase, I know you will love the bike. I find comfort and power are second to none. What's that you say ? - OK not power alone (I have had bike with better power/weight ratio so faster), but the combination in the ST makes for a great bike all round. I agree with the others about oil changing, i.e. more frequent than the Honda spec., especially during the break-in period. My final drive oil was like thin grinding paste, a kind of light grey fluid ! so glad I changed it. Having said that, don't worry about running the bike in (as we call it in the UK), just ride as normal. Use the gearbox as much as possible and dont let the engine labour and after a few hundred miles that initial break in period will be done. This isnt a bike that needs max revs to go anywhere so this will be easy, just normal riding will be fine. What you will find is that with more miles it will get smoother, faster(slightly) and give you more MPG. This seems to be an engine built to last. I suspect the Honda oil change periods are designed to ensure engine life for an "average mileage" rider, and so avoid problems during any warranty period. Do the engine a favour and change more regularly and I expect this will be a bike that will run and run.
I have done 20k miles so far and my bike is now getting really smooth to ride! I changed to fully synthetic at 16k, mainly so that it could bed in properly before I did so. I know of one owner whose bike was burning oil as the first owner used synthetic from new, result glazed bores and a re-bore was necessary to cure the problem. So don't be "too kind" to the new engine, it need to have some wearing in to settle down. Have fun :03biker:

[NBA336]

Welcome again Henrik. My wife is actually at a chalet we go to every year in Magog/Orford. She is with her sister right now. We always go during the second and third week of September due to us getting engaged, married and spending each anniversary there.

I may take the Steed there this September and if I do, I will contact you and maybe we can go for a tour. I just love the Eastern Townships and Quebec as a whole. If I could speak French, I would consider moving, maybe!!

Anyway, enjoy the STeed and keep your right hand cranked!!! (safely of course)

[Bytes_U]

Welcome Brekfast. I wouldn't worry about babying the bike during the break-in period. I've used the "Motoman" style break-in [link above] for all my machines and I've never had a problem or burned any oil and they all matured gracefully to be high mileage items.

Enjoy that ride.

[Mark]

I changed the rear-end gear oil at 500 miles, I think it is recommended at 600m.

Mark

[Doobage]

I can't say much about break-in or maintenance since I pick up my bike on June 30th. But what I have learned on this site is that after the 600 mile change, you can do whatever you want. Synthetic, dino, it doesn't matter. Threads are left and right about which to use and when.

I suspect that if you get the machining filings out of it during the 600 mile (1,000k) break-in, you'll be fine and your bike will run a long and healthy life.

Perhaps I've over simplified it, but that's my summary from taking the average from all postings.

[Brekfast]

Barry,

THe world is so small,


My cottage is up in the hills about 40 clicks from Sheerbrook. Magog is about an hour from our place. If you guys come up arouns september definitely give me a holler and we will go for a scoot (and some beer)


Henrik

[AgSTreak]

Good luck with your new ride. I'll bet you don't get much sleep tonight :D . Remember take your time and ride safe.

[STSmitty]

I also came off a 1150GS - the oil filter wrench doesn't fit.

Smitty

[crazykz]

OH BOOOOOOYYYYY!!! TODAY IS THE DAY MAN!!!!! Gooooooo get 'errrrrr.

:D

Curt