got hooked

[fmrharley]

:D Hi, randy here new to the site, I took a test ride on an st1300 a week ago, after logging about 9000 on my harley. Gotta tell you I'm hooked, this is a great bike, the balance, handling, and ride, meaning smoothness are all superior to my harley. I got on here to ask some of you guys who have been riding a few questions.

I'm used to a cruiser, leaning back, does the slight forward position bother anybody's back on a long ride, say 2 or 3 days? Or should I be thinking about a differant seat and some handle bar risers?

and can it handle a side car and a trailer hitch? thanks for any help, a lot of questions I know, but I'm the curious type. :

[nurseBob]

:D Hi, randy here new to the site, I took a test ride on an st1300 a week ago, after logging about 9000 on my harley. Gotta tell you I'm hooked, this is a great bike, the balance, handling, and ride, meaning smoothness are all superior to my harley. I got on here to ask some of you guys who have been riding a few questions.

I'm used to a cruiser, leaning back, does the slight forward position bother anybody's back on a long ride, say 2 or 3 days? Or should I be thinking about a differant seat and some handle bar risers?

and can it handle a side car and a trailer hitch? thanks for any help, a lot of questions I know, but I'm the curious type. :

Randy,

Welcome to the site. There are some really great people here. I'm relatively new to both the ST1300 and the site. However, the first thing I bought was a riser plate to change the pressure on my wrists (I'm 5-9). And a custom seat's the only thing left to buy (after the McCruise, Hondaline TopBox), well except for maybe a CB, and a few other things.
I can't answer the hitch/trailer question, but there are those here who can (and I'm sure will).

Bob

[beatlejuice]

hello and welcome. im 5 11" and the forward leaning position was a problem for me so i bought risers from live bait larry great name eh! anyhow just put it into your search engine and youll find it with no prob. or one of the helpful folks on this site who are better on the computer than i will add a hyperlink for ya. i hope you got the faster blue bike. just ask anyone on this site they will tell ya blue hauls the bacon :04biker: :04biker:

[MNwing]

Welcome!, you will find the people here are the best. I've added MCL raisers and a Corbin seat which took care of most of the problems I had after I got my ST in April.

Can't add anything about a side car or hitch, but as mentioned by someone else, there are probably people here that can help you with those questions.

[crp5]

Newbie to the boards and my ST. Picked up my STeed in May with the risers and heated grips already on it. Riding position is great, almost cruiser style. Next purchase will be a Sargent seat. The stocker is ok for short hauls, but after 150 miles my butt gets soar. After 300+ it just plain hurts. :biker:

[Kennedy]

Many have altered the bike some what but I came from a cruiser and after a short adjustment period am very happy with my ST just the way it is. If you get a little lazy and alow your body weight to lean on your wrist I would suspect you may experience some trouble there. I love the very slight forward lean seating position.

[STPilot]

Welcome to crazyville. You will learn more about the ST13 here than you thought possible. I have an 04 (the faster ones) and the only complaint I had was the seat. I put a Sargent seat on it and all the planets lined up for me, perfect. I'm 6'3" so I have no need for risers. If/when you get an ST, ride it for a few thousand miles in the stock configuration and make your own opinion of needs/changes. As for the trailer, I think there are just a few guys here that have trailers, they'll chime in I'm sure. Good luck, keep asking questions and reading threads. Lots of info. :D

[AgSTreak]

I'm 5'8" and have Motorcycle Larry's (aka Live Bait Larry) risers. They do help with wrist and back problems. I just put on a Sargent saddle but have not spent enough time on it. Right now it feels like a match made in heaven. I will know better in a few weeks after a 1000 mile ride thru the White and Green Mtns. Welcome to the fun. I'll repeat this is the best place to hang out if you own an ST (or if you have moved over to the dark side- GL18 :eek: :eek: )

[Bill Ishmael]

Welcome!! Just like the others have said, this is the best site for information about the Honda ST's you will find. I do not know how much time you have had to spend at your Harley dealership's service department but, if all Honda had to fix was ST1300's, their mechanics would be on public assistance. We did have some minor recalls for the Honda dealerships to look at. But, if you do not mind changing your own oil, filter and rear gear oil, your necessary trips to the dealership will be limited to looking at new bikes and buying a set of tires for the ST every once in a while. I think Honda was being super safety sensitive on the recalls. My 04 did not have any of the issues being checked for. Oh, and as was previously stated, the 04 is blue and all those here know that blue is the faster color! :grin:

[fundyrider]

Welcome Randy, here is a link to an ST owner who hauls a trailer. You might want to nose around the ST1300US site, lots of info there too.
http://groups.msn.com/st1300us/miscellaneous.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=26054&LastModified=4675470840343042286
Peter

[fundyrider]

This sidecar will fit the ST1300, cost's as much as the bike though :eek:
There are probably others available.
http://ezs-usa.com/summit.htm

[Kempo-STer]

I'm 5'8" and have Motorcycle Larry's (aka Live Bait Larry) risers. They do help with wrist and back problems. I just put on a Sargent saddle but have not spent enough time on it. Right now it feels like a match made in heaven. I will know better in a few weeks after a 1000 mile ride thru the White and Green Mtns. Welcome to the fun. I'll repeat this is the best place to hang out if you own an ST (or if you have moved over to the dark side- GL18 :eek: :eek: )



Guess I'll really be testing the stock seat on this ride huh John? :eek:

[Ozzy]

Interesting comments.
I recently bought an ST1100 which has bar risers on it. I find them to be far from comfortable. The bars need to be lower and more forward. I feel as if I am always doing a pull up .
Now I added a Corbin seat and it has made things even worse!
I love the corbin foam, but they must have cut 2" off the saddle height and now I feel as if I have ape hangers for bars.
That and my knees are far to much.
The bar risers are getting cut down at least an inch to start with, and the Corbin is going to be sold.
Only 40 miles on the Corbin and it is all I can take. Its more comfortable to sit on then my oem seat or my Sargeant (bike came with both), but the position isnt for me.
Hmm, maybe this is due to me coming from 600 mile days on my ZX12R.

btw, I am 6'3".

[fmrharley]

thanks guys, if someone 6'3" can be comfortable on this bike I can (5'10"). great info, btw, the dealer where I bought my current bike gave me a quote from california side car for 4,000 out the door, I just didnt know how it would pull

[STPilot]

Interesting comments.
I recently bought an ST1100 which has bar risers on it. I find them to be far from comfortable. The bars need to be lower and more forward. I feel as if I am always doing a pull up .
Now I added a Corbin seat and it has made things even worse!
I love the corbin foam, but they must have cut 2" off the saddle height and now I feel as if I have ape hangers for bars.
That and my knees are far to much.
The bar risers are getting cut down at least an inch to start with, and the Corbin is going to be sold.
Only 40 miles on the Corbin and it is all I can take. Its more comfortable to sit on then my oem seat or my Sargeant (bike came with both), but the position isnt for me.
Hmm, maybe this is due to me coming from 600 mile days on my ZX12R.

btw, I am 6'3".I'm 6'3" also, ditch the risers, you'll be surprised at the difference. :D

[maxib]

Welcome! I am new to this place as well.

Here's a different perspective... I think you can tell from my avatar that I am sportbike to ST oriented. (I just haven't gotten time and good lighting conditions to take a pic of my ST yet!) Different but very much the same! I ride them both and love them both. They are different tools for the job at hand.

Comparing my Fireblade to the ST, the ST is a more upright ride for me. It has exceptional handling and is the long road bike I take out of the garage. This is a fantastic bike! You already know you want it...

Mathematically, your going from Harley to ST is the inverse of my CBR954RR to ST. The ST is good middle ground. You may think you are leaned way forward on the ST in relation to your HD, but the ST actually promotes good body posture and therefore longer life. I feel like I'm on a cruiser on the ST compared to the CBR. It's all relative! So, go buy the ST, you know you want it!