Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 20??

ST Gui

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

The F6B is about 60 pounds lighter and carries its weight lower. It almost has to handle better than the 'Wing... Honda intended the F6B to compete with the baggers like the Harley Street Glide. I don't think they want it to compete with their own GoldWing. Of course, the Street Glide has an excellent cruise control
I think this is spot on. Lower weight however it's arrived at, has a more noticeable when it's pared off the top. The electric motor and tracks for an adjustable windshield put weight up high and even 10lbs from there could make a difference.

Honda's ad copy bills the F6B as a week-end getaway bike, and not as a tourer. Paring down the feature set makes sense and with Honda's pride in pricing, probably does keep the cost down a bit.

I really like the F6B and the CTX1300 doesn't appeal to me that much. I don't like the bars and muffler, and the seating position looks more comfortable for me than the ST. Aside from that I like the looks of the ST better.

At this point I don't even remember what it was that I wanted added to the ST except maybe a competent suspension. Wait-- a gear position indicator. And another gear. That's it. Ok, heated grips. If Honda threw in cruise control it wouldn't be deal breaker but if it was an extra cost option I'd pass.
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

I own an F6B as well as an st1300, st1100 and a few other bikes. I love them all, but even without all of the stuff Honda took off of the F6B it is still the best touring bike I've ever owned. I just added a throttle lock, taller windscreen and highway pegs---perfect.
 

Mellow

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

I said the Valk had more of a cruiser personality, not that it was a better tourer. I don't equate cruiser personality with touring ability.
My bad, I read your post incorrectly. The Valk is a cruiser, that's the category Honda always put it in from what I remember. I'm not even sure the Tourer/Interstate version were ever considered anything other than cruisers but I just don't recall. I don't know what 'personality' means with regards to bikes. You can tour on anything and you can cruise on anything so it basically comes down the category a company creates for it's product and what products they want to include in those categories - even across manufacturers they can't agree on names.
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

My bad, I read your post incorrectly. The Valk is a cruiser, that's the category Honda always put it in from what I remember. I'm not even sure the Tourer/Interstate version were ever considered anything other than cruisers but I just don't recall. I don't know what 'personality' means with regards to bikes. You can tour on anything and you can cruise on anything so it basically comes down the category a company creates for it's product and what products they want to include in those categories - even across manufacturers they can't agree on names.
Personality (for me) is two things. One, is when you first lay eyes on it and decide which pigeon hole (category) to stick it in. Two, is when you ride it and discover whether the riding experience supports the category (or not). When Two doesn't agree with One, then you get confusion, like what seems to have happened with the Versys 1000 and the DN-01 (as just two examples). For me, I think that the engine characteristics of the ST13 are at odds with what I would expect from a cruiser.

Looking at the CTX1300 handlebars and footpeg position tells me that this bike will not have the long-distance comfort that I associate with my ST13. Too much weight on the tailbone. What I look for in a bike is to have my ankles more or less in line with my shoulders, but little or no weight on my hands. I get that in the ST13 and the DL650. And with no windshield, too much pressure on the arms, I think that CTX1300 would be less comfortable in the long haul. You can fix the windshield, but not riding position.

My rule of thumb is that when I put my feet down, if the pegs are in the way, then they are in approximately the right position. Under certain circumstances I want to be able to stand on the pegs while riding, and I can do that on the ST13.

If you accept that the ST13 was always more tour than sport, then I think that one would expect that the CTX1300 is less tour than cruise. And since the F6B essentially is the Gold Wing, I think it would be more tour than cruise.
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

The riding position looks a lot like the position you are in on the Wing and that is a comfortable bike to ride for a long time. I've done 18 hours days on the wing and never could do more than 11-12 on the ST.
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

The riding position looks a lot like the position you are in on the Wing and that is a comfortable bike to ride for a long time. I've done 18 hours days on the wing and never could do more than 11-12 on the ST.
I think the pegs are little farther forward on the CTX1300. I do know from having rented current Gold Wings the past two years in AZ, that the GW seat is great and it is also quite long, so you can scoot forward and hug the tank for slow manoevering and to change up the riding position.
 

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

If they are further forward... it's not by that much. I posted seating position pics of each bike, and they are almost identical... but each person will sit in the seat different than another person.

After putting over 32k of miles on a Wing, that is a very comfy seating position... not the same as your typical cruiser w/ feet out forward.
 

ST13Fred

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

Looks like Honda may continue developing/expanding the middle weight and lower classes in 2014, if the attached Sept 2013 article is any indication.

Honda is putting a new 90 degree V-4 in the FIM Superbikes that is better than the Ducati engine, by putting more weight forward, a problem Ducati has with their setup.
So Honda is building more newer design engines, perhaps making the 1261cc a dinosaur, but big torque motors are much more fun (with the right can) than the revers. :04biker:

http://blog.motorcycle.com/2013/09/05/manufacturers/honda/leaked-document-lists-honda-ctx1300-cbr650f-cb650f-vfr800f-cb250f-and-updated-cbr250r/
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

jeez, we're worse than a pack of dogs looking for scraps around the dinner table.....maybe the November show will have something....VFR800 tourer would be sweet..................ff
 

ST13Fred

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

While the talk is of Valks, Wings and F6s', does any body remember Yellow Wolf who retired from Deals Gap a few years back?
He had a table set up near the Tent Sites at the Dragon selling DVDs of him on his Yellow Wing and riders flying through the dragon.
He turned his tourer into a sport bike just in the way he rode it. I can envision him on a Yellow F6B scorching the Dragon again.

Yee-Haa! http://bikerscafeblog.com/tag/yellow-goldwing/
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

I think the most interesting line from the story Fred linked to above is this one:

"...there?s little evidence to prove the information is legitimate. Still, that hasn?t stopped the Japanese blogosphere from making some conjectures, and it?s not going to stop us either."

Conjecture sure makes for interesting banter, but it remains conjecture. With that in mind, I think Honda is coming out with an 800cc V4 sport tourer to compete with the BMW F800GT, and with Yamaha's FJR847 which of course will have that great new triple motor, and with Triumph's Trophy 800 which will share its motor with the Tiger 800.
 
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thumperjdm

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

So *maybe* there is something in Santa's bag of goodies for everyone this year...
If we get a new ST replacement, Santa's reindeer better start eating their Wheaties...
 

ST13Fred

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

I agree, an 800cc V-4, hopefully with the new FIM style engine in a sport touring package would be sweet.

My F800ST is a hoot to ride and has the sweetest sounding rev band. The lack of a Honda quality maintenance manual is a real downer for me with that bike and I would go for a 2014 VFR.

There is an article in Nov13 CW on the engine, which I believe is the same unit running currently in MOTOGP and kicking Ducati Rossi/Hayden. It is a real handful keeping the front end on the tarmac for them.

EICMA, in Milan, Italy, 7-10 Nov 2013.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/08/01/technical-analysis-90-degree-v-four-engine-motogp-racing-technology/

Here is an interesting explanation of the VFR V-4 engine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwEbwKBic6w
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

That's a great explanation, the visuals and audio really clarifies the timing.
 

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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

The visual reference has no application to the ST1300 and current RC213 MotoGp bike which both use a 360 degree crankshaft. In production VFRs Honda uses a 180 degree crank. Whereas the VFR gets that off-beat whoop when revved the ST has a flat droney sound. There is plenty of racing heritage behind the 360 crank motors - the RC30 and RC45 had them.
 
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Re: Replacement for the Honda ST1300 in 2014?

The visual reference has no application to the ST1300 and current RC213 MotoGp bike which both use a 360 degree crankshaft. In production VFRs Honda uses a 180 degree crank. Whereas the VFR gets that off-beat whoop when revved the ST has a flat droney sound. There is plenty of racing heritage behind the 360 crank motors - the RC30 and RC45 had them.
What's the is the difference in how they operate? Why would you choose one over the other?
 
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