ST1300 vs. FJR1300

[oneshot]

while i have pretty much decided on my next bike (ST), i would like to hear anyones opinions, that may have compared the st to the fjr when they were looking. i have looked at both and the st seems to fit me more like my concours does, and i am very comfortable on that bike. also, it seems that the st would be more comfy for the passenger, and most of my riding is 2-up.

how do they compare as far as maintenance goes? what about insurance costs?

[Kempo-STer]

One shot
been there done that...
Here is a post on this subject..
FJR VS ST (http://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4820&page=1&pp=20)


Here is my excerpt from my last post on this subject:
Over the winter I did my homework..Believe me I did my homework..
It was back and forth between FJR, BMW RT1150/1200 and ST..
I spent all winter lurking on the FJR and RT boards listeining to the raves and complaints looking for patterns and trends..

On paper, my original choice was the FJR..

The engine power and lightness were pretty much the universal raves between fans and non fans alike..
The downsides (Consistent trend in complaining among owners of the Feejer)were:
The way Yamaha treated their customers who have problems..
Some people complained of engine ticking.(To be fair probably only 15% or so but still often enough to rule out it as being an abhoration)
Also, consistent off and on about engine heat.
Vibration - Bars are not rubber mounted like the ST so the vibes go right to your hands..

I still liked the Bike so I went to NYC to the Bike show to see it for myself..
Once I sat on it, this is when my longing for it immediatley died..
My personal issues:
Fit and finish -- Very chinsy (is that a word?) Exposed screws bolts and rivets everywhere. Plastic hanging off at the end of the fairing bottom just waiting to break.
The front end felt very small. It felt like a pocket bike. (to me)
The fairing does not wrap around the frame like RT and ST. The frame is exposed and there a stupid weld sitting right in front of your thigh..(Does not bother people but it does me. Just my own quirk)

I met an FJ rider three weeks ago and he echoed the same complaints almost immediately in our conversation..
Handlebar vibration and engine heat.
The two bikes were parked side by side and all I can think of looking at them was Cadillac and Lumina.
Yes the Fj is faster but shees..The ST hits 60 in mid 3s..Plenty fast enough for me and besides I don't plan on entering any races anytime soon..

As to some commenting on the heat of the ST..I don't understand it. Yes its warm..But thats all..warm..There is abolutley no SEARING heat etc...

[oneshot]

thanx. guess i could use the search feature (insert "embarrassed" smiley face)......i'll be sure to do that before i start asking questions about oil and tires....

kevin

[curmudgeon]

thanx. guess i could use the search feature (insert "embarrassed" smiley face)......i'll be sure to do that before i start asking questions about oil and tires....

kevin

I don't think you have to do that. Most on this Forum are happy to rehash these questions, and often other points of view will come forward as a result.

Phil

[SpEd]

I've heard the FJR rides and handles similar to the trike in Oneshot's avatar.:hotpepper

[Bones]

I, too, considered the FJR1300 and R1150RT along with the ST1300.

I didn't ride an FJR (no test rides that I could find) but when I sat on one in a dealership I was turned off by the seating position. That ended it right there for me, with the lousy convenience storage and wind coverage adding to it.

I always liked but never rode a friend's R1100RT. When the 1150 came out I sat on one and liked the riding position, equipment, and overall execution. The BMW community is tight and a great resource. I went to the dealer with checkbook in hand planning to ride a silver 1150 home. The dealer insisted I take a test ride. I did. Half an hour later I returned to say "No thanks." I found the motor coarse and buzzy. It also sounds like a blender. I understand the 1200 is improved, but there's only so much you can do to smooth a large twin.

The ST had great riding position, wind coverage, and overall execution. The design is beautiful to my eyes. I would have liked heated grips standard, but that was a relatively minor farkle (FYI, my first set died after two seasons and Honda replaced/reinstalled even though I installed the original set). The motor is smooth and powerful and I like the turbine whine.

For what it's worth, I've had both Harley dudes and Beemer dudes complain to me that Hondas in general and ST's in particular lack "character." My view is that smoothness and reliability IS Honda character. I bought the Honda and have been pleased with the bike and the ST community. I've even had good luck with Mother Honda and the dealer.

:03biker:

[jackpine savage]

thanx. guess i could use the search feature (insert "embarrassed" smiley face)......i'll be sure to do that before i start asking questions about oil and tires....

kevin


I don't think you have to do that. Most on this Forum are happy to rehash these questions, and often other points of view will come forward as a result.

Phil

I agree totally with phil. I don't see it very much on this forum but on many others there are people who act like it's our duty to keep them entertained by only bringing up new topics. For them discussing "old topics" not amusing. Typically when you do find the old discussions in the archives they really don't answer the exact question you need an answer for anyway.

So ask away Kevin. You can bet someone else has a similar question. It's why the forum is interactive.

[joema]

...compared the st to the fjr...
It's already been stated, but the ST has a three year unlimited mileage factory warranty, which can be extended to a seven year unlimited mileage factory warranty for about $300-400. Warranty includes parts and labor and is transferrable.

There was even a deal (don't know if it still exists) for a $100 extended warranty rebate from Red Rider magazine, putting the price at about $255. Incredible.

[duSTy]

As you can see when you search the archives, I have both the ST and the FJR. My wife drives the FJR and absolutely loves it. She rides the ST from time to time, but doesn't like it as well. If you look at the FJR forums (I can give them to you if you don't already have them), you will see just the opposite opinions than at this forum. There was a guy named Mighty Joe or something like that who just did the same comparison and I think he got the FJR.

They are both great bikes and I could live with either one. I think the ST fits me better than the FJR, but that FJR motor is really intoxicating.

Tom

[clmixon]

I agree totally with phil. I don't see it very much on this forum but on many others there are people who act like it's our duty to keep them entertained by only bringing up new topics. For them discussing "old topics" not amusing. Typically when you do find the old discussions in the archives they really don't answer the exact question you need an answer for anyway.

So ask away Kevin. You can bet someone else has a similar question. It's why the forum is interactive.

Not only that, sometimes we change our answers just to keep it interesting :rolleyes:

Chris :biker:

[Ozzy]

200,000 miles on myST1100 and never been overhauled and still going strong. WILL an FJR owner be able to say that , I doubt it!

[joeseedoo]

I bought the FJR and know the ST-1300 better then the FJR
St1300 is a much better long distance bike. Fjr1300 is a better commuter.
Both has its pro's and cons. No one can say which is better because they are too different in many ways. You need to figure out which is better by what you will be doing with it. Day runs or over nighters. Fit and Finish Honda is always the best choice. But FJR is much lighter and quicker. Both are great choices. Good Luck

[exploreinman]

I've been reading ST and FJR reviews on both this forum and the FJR forum site, and it's unbelievable how much childish bickering there is between the owners on which bike is better. The bottom line is that both the ST and the FJR are great bikes. Why is it so hard to see that? I suppose there's too much ego resting on the set of wheels one owns. Each bike has strengths and weaknesses that need to be tailored to the rider and the type of riding one does, but honestly, I've ridden both and I could be happy with either one. I'm currently riding an '04 FJR-ABS with 16,000 miles, and I'm willing to give whatever objective feedback that I can on the bike, both pros and cons.
I'm fascinated with all types of bikes, whatever the brand.

Good Riding!

[Kempo-STer]

I've been reading ST and FJR reviews on both this forum and the FJR forum site, and it's unbelievable how much childish bickering there is between the owners on which bike is better. The bottom line is that both the ST and the FJR are great bikes. Why is it so hard to see that? I suppose there's too much ego resting on the set of wheels one owns. Each bike has strengths and weaknesses that need to be tailored to the rider and the type of riding one does, but honestly, I've ridden both and I could be happy with either one. I'm currently riding an '04 FJR-ABS with 16,000 miles, and I'm willing to give whatever objective feedback that I can on the bike, both pros and cons.
I'm fascinated with all types of bikes, whatever the brand.

Good Riding!

Don't know what you mean by childish bickering..I don't see it here...
Most of us are here at this site because of the obvious choice we made..
I, like most of the guys who replied to this post attempted to state our own personal reasons for choosing the ST over the FJ because the thread poster asked for them. For example that the controls on the yammie felt chinsy to me does not constitute childish bickering..Its how they felt TO ME...Hey he asked..what kind of opinion do you want..if you want mine ask..if not, don't..Like I said about the yam..beautiful bike and a rocket I am sure..But when I sat on, it didn't like what I was looking at...Likewise a guy on the FJ forum will feel the same towards the ST..

[Carl_T]

Bike (I think it was Bike, it was a UK mag.) just compared the BMW, ST, FJR, and Sprint. They had some interesting comments about the difference between the ST and FJR. The magazine isn't in the STudio tonight it's down at the house, but I'll post some quotes tomorrow. In the end they felt the Sprint outdid them all overall.

STill they took all the bikes on a long trip over varying roads and from their comments on the ST you could tell they actually rode one (which you can't tell from some US mags.) Their comments on the FJR were ones I'd heard hinted at elsewhere as well.

[Rider]

Bike (I think it was Bike, it was a UK mag.) just compared the BMW, ST, FJR, and Sprint. They had some interesting comments about the difference between the ST and FJR. The magazine isn't in the STudio tonight it's down at the house, but I'll post some quotes tomorrow. In the end they felt the Sprint outdid them all overall.

STill they took all the bikes on a long trip over varying roads and from their comments on the ST you could tell they actually rode one (which you can't tell from some US mags.) Their comments on the FJR were ones I'd heard hinted at elsewhere as well.

I need to pick up a copy of Bike.
In the absence of that, any quotes you can provide would be helpful. :D

[Mellow]

I've been reading ST and FJR reviews on both this forum and the FJR forum site, and it's unbelievable how much childish bickering there is between the owners on which bike is better. The bottom line is that both the ST and the FJR are great bikes. Why is it so hard to see that? I suppose there's too much ego resting on the set of wheels one owns. Each bike has strengths and weaknesses that need to be tailored to the rider and the type of riding one does, but honestly, I've ridden both and I could be happy with either one. I'm currently riding an '04 FJR-ABS with 16,000 miles, and I'm willing to give whatever objective feedback that I can on the bike, both pros and cons.
I'm fascinated with all types of bikes, whatever the brand.

Good Riding!

Childish Bikering? And this was YOUR first post..... Ah, have you really read this board? First of all, it's an ST board so pretty much everyone here has choosen the ST and will have an obvious level of pride in that bike, I'm sure the same thing goes for the FJR, VFR, Duc or Hog sites. I had a Wing, got the ST and then went back to the Wing because it fits me better. But, I still love the ST and it will always have a place in my heart.

I appreciate all bikes as they all have their pros and cons and those are all subjective depending on the person providing those pros and cons. Many here will agree with that statement.

This specific forum was not created to put down the FJR but to help those trying to decide on which of the two bikes would be better for them, again, this is an ST board so many of the opinions will weigh heavily on the side of the ST. I also did this for the ST vs. Wing board, I may change this to "OR" instead of "vs." maybe that makes more sense. I know of a Wing and ST owner that would probably be happier with the Wing and an FJR but that's okay, everyone has their own decisions to make and everyone here is happy with theirs, or they'll make adjustments and again, that's okay.

I also take pride in this board and it's members and the level of integrity they show when posting so when you say there's childish bickering... well, you're wrong, plain and simple.

If you are an FJR owner and you have looked at the ST but it didn't quite work for you then please post your opinions on why, I'm sure there are those here that would appreciate your point of view and any attacks because of that point of view will not be taken lightly by the admins (I'm an admin). We appreciate information and knowledge here, not emotional rants (okay, mine are accepted but I'm an admin :D ).

The only childish bickering I've noticed are my posts.

[kingprawnokay]

I've said it before...

The FJR is a great bike if there are no corners on your commute. The steering is awful. The windscreen is crap and the finish is well below the Honda. Read the Bike article this month, or the TWO article from a couple of months back. The FJR is quickly fading from the scene and has lately been place 3rd in comparisons.

[Mellow]

I've said it before...

The FJR is a great bike if there are no corners on your commute. The steering is awful. The windscreen is crap and the finish is well below the Honda. Read the Bike article this month, or the TWO article from a couple of months back. The FJR is quickly fading from the scene and has lately been place 3rd in comparisons.

I don't understand the reviews.... When the FJR and ST first came out, it was all FJR and STs were 2nd place in almost all of the reviews... Neither bike has change much at all. Are there any reveiws that re-reviewed the bikes and adjusted their original placement or are the reviews spoken of here new ones?

I would think that the FJR, being lighter, faster and more nimbler would eat up the ST in the twisties, seems like plain physics... I've never ridden one so I don't have any personal experience, I sat on one once and it wasn't what I wanted becuse it was too 'sport bike' to me... but, that's me...

I take mag reviews with a grain on salt anyway as you don't always know what motivates the reviewers or their riding styles or any hidden agendas, I'm somewhat paranoid...... An ex-Winger would almost always pick the ST and an ex-Duc rider would almost always pic the FJR... that's my opinion...

[kingprawnokay]

I don't know what it is, but all of the magazines are (correctly) changing their tune about the FJR. These are all new articles and the FJR is placed last. I rode a used FJR and didn't think it was sportier at all. I equate sportiness with cornering not straight line performance. The ST handles much better. The FJR was slow to lean into turns and city driving was abysmally choppy. I think in this case the term "sportier" refers to a chassis that isn't very sophisitcated or sorted. It will go fast in a straight line though.

[Diggers1300]

My two cents...

The motorcycle media (mm) seems to be like any other type of media. They all have their biases. In my opinion, the mm has long held a bias against Honda. Once public opinion goes against them (the mm) they slowly start to come around. I believe this explains the recent change in reviews since neither bike has changed since inception. That is why I formulated my own opinion of the two bikes from first hand experience.

My dealer sells Yamaha and Honda. I saw both on the show room floor, took both for about an hour test drive. I rode the ST first because I liked the looks better - point one. Point two- both were fast, the ST somewhat smoother and the FJ somewhat quicker. Point three- For the type of riding I do (commuting and long distance, 43,000 miles on my '03) the ST was clearly (subjective, yes, but the what is TO ME) the better choice. The FJ felt like something I might have built in my garage. It wasn't as refined as the ST. Point four- Other than fluid changes, there was no maintenance needed on my ST, not even valve adjustment after 36,000 miles! Previous ST's (and Honda's in general) have very good reliability records, while over the years several Yamaha owners that I know personally have not been so blessed.

Granted an hour on each bike is probably more time than most get to test drive before buying and probably not enough time to form a definitive long term opinion either way, but one has to trust their gut. And in this case my gut didin't let me down!

[coldoughboy]

I've said it before...

The FJR is a great bike if there are no corners on your commute. The steering is awful. The windscreen is crap and the finish is well below the Honda. Read the Bike article this month, or the TWO article from a couple of months back. The FJR is quickly fading from the scene and has lately been place 3rd in comparisons.


I respect your opinion but I do not agree with your analysis of the FJR. I just spent a week in the mountains on some of the best motorcycle roads in the US riding with 2 04 FJR's and a BMW. The FJR owners loved their bikes and more than kept up in the mountains. I actually switched with one of the guys for a while. I would not trade for the FJR but here are my impressions:

- FJR felt lighter and quicker 0 - 60
- FJR had a nice electric screen (I have an 03 with manual)
- FJR handled well
- FJR was a good bike
- ST was more comfortable
- ST had a more upright riding position
- ST was more stable on the highway
- ST had a bigger gas tank
- ST had the better brakes

I could have been happy with either bike but I feel that the ST will provide more maintenence free riding for the longer period of time. While other bikes do certain things better than my ST, no one bike does as many things well for the investment to me.

[sherob]

That was excellently written Rob! :)

[kingprawnokay]

I absolutely agree. Yamaha went halfway with the FJR and in doing so they sacrificed on both ends. It is no longer a great touring bike (especially for two-up riding), nor is it a truly fun and fast cult bike like the FJR1100. Even the three year old ZZR-1200 is cheaper, faster, and more comfortable (I know that's my opinion).

The Yamaha's are breaking and the used market values are begining to reflect the poor build quality.

I also agree that everybody wants to like the Yamaha. Everybody's heard it's good. They want it to be so much more exciting than the boring old Honda, but in reality it's not. That's why reviewers are starting to come around. Now that the dust has settled, people can see that the Honda is the better all around choice. Honda's bikes are only boring on short, biased test drives.

[Bones]

"Character" to some people equates to "tempermental, quirky, and unreliable" to others.

"Boring" to some people equates to "smooth, refined, and reliable" to others.

Personally, I think smooth, refined, and reliable constitutes excellent character.

[GRN]

"Character" to some people equates to "tempermental, quirky, and unreliable" to others.

"Boring" to some people equates to "smooth, refined, and reliable" to others.

Get this man a HARLEY :D

[sherob]

Nah... he needs a Lark!

[Clark]

I struggled with this decision for months before buying my ST. I did not have a chance to test ride either bike, so I made my decision based on reading as many reviews from as many varied sources as I could find, in addition to personal observations.

I like the lighter weight and power of the FJR. And, I love the styling of the FJR -- until I sit on one. The dash/fairing looks cheap to me -- and that's what we end up staring at every time we look down at the instruments. On the other hand, it's interesting to me that several people have pointed out the linked brakes as a benefit on the ST, but no one has been negative about them. I think this tells a lot about the customer base. Linked brakes are a great idea on a touring bike. However, you will not find them on a sport bike, and it's not just because of weight. I personally am not a fan at all of the linked brakes. I have learned to live with them, and I've learned to love the ABS.

I ended up making my decision based on my daily use at the time. I was commuting 100 miles/day on the L.A. freeways. I decided that at the end of one of my typical workdays, I would want the smoother, quieter, more refined bike. Although I love my ST, once in a while I start to think I'd be happier with the lighter, sportier FJR. Then I go out on a ride with a bunch of guys on sport bikes. They tease me and make fun of my heavy bike -- until they can't drop me. Even in the twisties. Several times I've ended up with a crowd standing around the ST at the end of the day amazed at what it will do when pushed a little. Then I ride home from my 500 mile day in comfort.

The ST is a great bike. I just need a ZX-6R to go with it!

Net, net, I think another poster on this board hit the nail on the head:

ST = sport/TOURING
FJR = SPORT/touring

IMO, of course.

[Carl_T]

So here are some snippets I promised you guys.

When I first started reading ST and FJR tests in the US magazines, all mentioned the FJR was less responsive in corners, took some extra effort to turn and a bit tougher to push in the twisties. It was FJR for acceleration performance and ST in the corners. However all seemed unanimous in loving the FJR’s extra power and so gave it extremely high marks due to that.

As the model years passed this appeared to translate into a repeated mantra in US mags. that said ST more touring, FJR more sport. The cornering differences were no longer mentioned. When they wrote “more sport” all most often mentioned the additional horses and slightly more forward riding position on the FJR (I guess to them seating position and drag times equals sport). When I purchased the ST I began to wonder if the US magazines were even bothering to ride the bike anymore, as some of what was written didn’t match what I experienced.

The European rags are now writing more of what I remember in initial US testing. The mag. I was referring to in the previous post turned out to be “Bike.” Here are some clips.

They tested the BMW R1200RT, FJR, ST1300, and Triumph Sprint ST. Their test included, Racetrack, Extended slab, 2 weeks of daily grind commute, several days of hard riding including twisties and elevation changes, dyno, Datalogged performance testing at a proving ground, workshop body strip. Testers included mag.types and pro. racers.

BMW
They put the Beemer as the best boxer twin yet. Negatives were Usual clunky gearbox etc. I won’t detail them as this is not a ST BMW thread.

ST1300
The negative complaints by some riders but not others were of wind buffeting, too upright a seat position (tall riders for both those comments), back pressure with windshield up. A shorter rider in the group did not register these complaints other than back pressure.

One tall rider Simon said “I loathe that screen, he complains. I did 40 miles with it in various high positions and I hated them all. I felt like a frog in a belljar, running out of air. I tried it halfway but the turbulence made my head vibrate so much everything looked out of focus.”

The main positive quote on the ST placed front and center in a photo is “I can see why the Police ride Pan Europeans. Get a decent rider on one and you’d struggle to shrug them off no matter what you were riding.”

Other Positive Pan European snippets. “Ride quality is magnificent and the Pan is so good in the corners it’s actually fun.” (now this has been my own experience riding this bike).


“The contrast with the BMW is stark. While much improved, the RT requires its owner to adjust to it. The Honda doesn’t so much meet you halfway as get there first and hold the door open. It’s so easy to use they could sell it at the Early Learning Center.”

“I can’t think of another bike that handles the twisty Scottish mountain roads like a sportsbike, creams the motorway in total comfort (screen full up, Seal on the iPod, skating 100 miles like it’s a stroll), has peerless build quality, is so docile a child could use it, feels as composed at 150mph as it does at a walking pace and scrounges more than 300 miles from a tank. It’s genius. If you’re 6ft. or under.”

FJR
Negative comments.
“The screen’s noisy though. Pardon? And it’s not just noisy _ it’s the worst here for keeping the wind off. The trouble with upright adjustable screens is they create and unpleasant low-pressure area behind them which sucks the rider forward. With clever shaping the BMW avoids the problem, and the Honda suffers only in the higher positions. The Yamaha fails to deal with it at all and riding with the screen up is a head-buffeting no-no.”

The FJR’s 1298cc 124HP in-line 4 is the largest and most powerful engine here. But, on the road, it’s always 10mph slower than the Pan European for the same riding effort. It’s strange, says Pete. ‘Doesn’t matter how your riding, the Honda always pushes you along quicker. True: to get the FJR to match the Pan mph for mph, you have to think more, rev it harder and apply more effort.”

“Speaking of knots, something’s amiss with the chassis. It steers like a cow on acid – it’s unnerving, says Simon, frowning. You have to give it a good push on the handlebar or it runs wide. It can’t be arsed with in corners. Janie is eaqually damning: This isn’t my cup of tea – the low-speed steering is heavy and it needs a proper counter-steer to get it to turn. Is the front tire flat?

We checked and no, it isn’t. The answer is the FJR’s front wheel is raked out too far – it’s running too much trail – which is what happens when the back end sits too low. We adjust the rear preload to get more rear ride height, but it’s only a two position lever (hard or soft) There is nothing else we can do – adjusting the damping doesn’t help. It’s the geometry’s the problem, not the suspension. Confirming our suspicions, the more miles we do and the more squared off the rear tire becomes, the worse the steering gets.

“But the gearbox is notchy and the screen is awful, reminds Simon. And it feels cheaper than the Honda and BMW too. Well it is but not by much with ABS and panniers now included in the price, the FJR weighs in within a few hundred quid of the BMW and is 800 (British pounds sterling I don’t have the symbol handy) less than the Honda. Our advice is to use the money left over to swap the screen and get the back end raised.”

Captions for two FJR photos: “Mountain anxiety as rider and pillion spot a bend approaching…” “Chassis struggles as the roads tighten up. Runs wider than an all-Black winger.

Positives mentioned.
“Like the Honda, the FJR has the instantly familiar riding position that comes from billions of Yen having been spent researching the most instantly familiar riding position.”

“It has decent tank range, nice clocks, great mirrors, a big engine, good brakes and decent ride quality.”

“The FJR a great motor for the open roads.”


End results.
Triumph Sprint #1 with 25 points as the best compromise of handling, performance, and comfort, it was the one most testers waned to ride most often.

ST1300 #2 with 23 points Surprisingly versatile, it’s a pleasure to use day in, day out, as well as for crossing continents.

BMW RT1200 #3 21 points – still quirky, still pursuing BM’s vision of biking, but with a broader appeal as it simply feels a bit more normal.

Last FJR 19 points It’s not as rich and experience as the Pan, but the engine’s a corker. Sadly it’s let down badly by and ill-handling set-up we couldn’t change.

"However this was a solo touring test. For long-distance two –up work, the Sprint might drop to the back of the pack , while the order of the others remains the same."

So, for whatever it’s worth this is the opinion of magazine and track riders who have spent a bit of time with the bikes.

If you can get hold of the issue it’s a good read with dyno charts, pictures of the bikes with fairings off, also some stuff on new and used bikes of various brands in there. Barnes and Nobles usually carries it around here.

[Rider]

Nice job, Carl. :bow1:
I'll still have to pick that issue up but it was nice to get a great thumbnail sketch of what Bike said. Interesting stuff.
Dan

[Clark]

Thanks Carl! All in all I knew I made the right choice!

Now, about that 6R.......

[kingprawnokay]

Nice summary! Two Wheels Only (also UK) reported nearly identical findings about two months ago.

I really believe that the FJR's "guts" impressed everyone in the beginning. Now everyone realizes that .5 seconds quicker to 60 mph doesn't mean anything.

Bike is a terrific magazine. Everyone should read it.

[EdsST]

Where to you guys get the UK mags? Can't find them here in Panama City, FL

[Carl_T]

Search out a Barnes and Nobles Bookstore Ed. They’ve got a ton of bike mags at the one we have here.

Well guys, at least you could tell they actually rode the ST a decent distance from their comments.

You know Clark I often think finding a used inexpensive light little cbr600f4i for short, quick, close, little local outings might be fun, but then maybe not since the ST is already plenty of fun. But, then if we could pick up a Ninja250 for Dawn it might be nice to do some local mountain riding together. Hah! I should just pick up 2 Ninja 250s for the price of one CBR, ride the little turtles with Dawn and laugh a lot. :D

The ST makes it so I don't need another bike, but then again... how could you have to many? Maybe a CBR f4i, 2 ninja 250s, an old Goldstar, a Triumph, a Guzzi, an Aprila, a Duc, a yami, another Kaw, a GSX, a DR, a .... yeah, that's IT! man, wish I had endless cash and lots of time.

[Clark]

The 6R was actually sort of a joke. It was the most extreme middleweight track tool I could think of.

It's interesting you mention the Honda F4i, that's the bike I'll probably buy next. (in addition to, not instead of the ST:)) Unless I hit the lotto of course, then it's an Agusta F4. With it's own climate controlled garage. With comfortable seating for viewing parties... But I digress...

I met the VP of facilities at Infineon on an organized ride in the spring. Fantastic rider, btw. He did things on an R1200GS that left the sportbike riders in the dust. Anyway, he put the idea of the Honda in my head. Nice thing is, they're good bikes and much less expensive than the more headline grabbing models.

I want something I can take to the track and flog. Don't want to do that with something shiny and new. And expensive.

[Carl_T]

Yeah, if I picked up a little "around here" bike for myself "in addition to" that would probably be amongst the primary ones on my list of financially practical fun playthings. The f4i would make an inexpensive nice track day bike for you I'd think.

[sherob]

We had a MIGA button of sort on the Sabre group... Make It Go Away... :eek: Usually arrived when a HD rider was offended by a comment by a poster... :rolleyes:

[AgSTreak]

Great discussion and thanks to all and especially to Carl (Boring as usual- that is, smooth, refined, and reliable). When I was deciding on a new bike, the ST the boards were full of doomsayers decrying the engine heat, high speed wobble, a miserable seat and various other issues. The FJR boards were also buzzing with a bunch of issues. The BMW boards were slightly quieter, maybe the membership was into the first stages of denial (childish bickering??). I really wanted a smaller engine displacement, smooth, light tourer with great long distance capability (try to find one). Sitting on the BMW K and R bikes left me underwhelmed. I felt cramped on both and saddened about the lack of design progress. However the price increases were awesome. Made me really miss my 900R (see below). I tried siting on an ST and a VFR. The ST felt like an old friend. The obscene weight was there but felt only slightly heavier than the less comfortable VFR. I never tried sitting on an FJR, couldn't find one. I bought the ST based on the reputation of the ST1100 (see link).
So far the ST1300 has lived up to the splendid reputation established by its predecessor. The weight turns out to be a minor issue, mostly in my driveway. I'm very happy with the ST and all the original issues were either nonexistant (heat, wobble) or dealt with (seat, etc). When I find a better bike I will move on with some regret. I am now looking forward to 200,000 miles with the best possible mount for my unique(??) needs.



ST1100vsBMWK (http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mccompare/sporttour98.html)

[Bones]

Hey, John -- Is the 900R the bike you took cross country? That's an oddysey I'd love to undertake on my ST.

[AgSTreak]

No, that was my 75/5. The shot above was taken on our honeymoon tour of NH, ME, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The cross country trip was before we were married. The love of my life had to leave me in Las Vegas and return to work. The smaller Beemer was smoother and actually a better mount for long distance travel. The ST is far better due to some real advancements in M/C technology, what an awesome tourer it'll be for that purpose. Found out last weekend that the ST handles hard packed, rutty, dirt roads pretty well.
I'd love to do it again, but time is not on my side. Bones you already know that you won't find a better tool for that type of trip. Next year I plan to go to CampSTOC or whatever it's called in Arkansas. I then hope to continue to Colorado and the Southwest before returning. This would be a fine way to start a cross country jaunt. Steve is showing some interest in CampSTOC. Just a warning, even with companions I encountered on the way, the last few weeks of the two months trek were almost unbearably lonely. This led to some 600 mile days, God that little Beemer could eat up the miles even with that horrendous saddle. I have lots of terrific pictures and memories from that trip in 1976. Someday when I am up to it, I will write that trip up before the pics deteriorate completely ;) .

[Carl_T]

I'd love to read that this winter John. :)

[Mellow]

We had a MIGA button of sort on the Sabre group... Make It Go Away... :eek: Usually arrived when a HD rider was offended by a comment by a poster... :rolleyes:

This software has an 'ignore' list... If you view a members' profile you can choose to add them to your ignore list, if you do, you won't see any of that members' posts.

just an FYI, if you do a search on 'ignore' on the FAQ page you'll see that function.

[sherob]

This software has an 'ignore' list... If you view a members' profile you can choose to add them to your ignore list, if you do, you won't see any of that members' posts.

just an FYI, if you do a search on 'ignore' on the FAQ page you'll see that function.

The MIGA would blow away the whole thread :cool: It was basically a adminfunc... I don't have an issue with anything posted by anyone... it's a forum open for discussion and opinion... as long as it doesn't go to far, IMHO ;)

[ST_Jim]

Who did you do this through ? That's one heck of a deal.
Ocassionally HRCA's "Honda Red Rider" magazine has a $100 off rebate coupon for extended warrantees. Then you watch for a Honda DirectLine sale for an online purchase of the extended warrantee for another 15% off or so on their normal discounted price. HDL usually runs these sales around the holidays - like Thanksgiving and Christmas. As far as I know, the only restrictions are you must purchase prior to the original factory 3 years running out, and that it isn't good for purchasers from Florida.

Jim
Another 6 years left!