wife's observation about the ST1300

We are out for a ride and on the way home we stopped at Homedepot, she doesn't want to go in so she finds a spot in the shade to sit and wait a few minutes for me. She noticed that every guy over 40 slowed right down to take a good long look at the bike. She laughed and then said I had an old guy's bike. I told her the bike is for the old guys that refuse to get a goldwing or their backs can't handle a sport bike anymore.

Are you sure they were looking at the bike

Landon said:

Are you sure they were looking at the bike

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:bow1:

Well, already the 1100 always had the mature, distinguished image... in the UK its called "gentlemen express"...
I was 28 when I got my firST ST1100, that young on that type of bike made me a total alien... the average citizen rather associates *mid-aged lawyer/architect, married, 3 kids, mansion* with such a motorcycle...

But an ST is the proper (if not only) tool for long distance travel/sports touring...
I for one didn't buy it for "image", its means of travelling, its first class from Gibraltar to North-cap...

Yeah, I've had a couple of my boys call it a Old Man's bike! But one of them sure loved it when we did our 2,200 mile trip last September, since his Yamaha 600 wouldn't have made the trip!

SupraSabre said:

Yeah, I've had a couple of my boys call it a Old Man's bike! But one of them sure loved it when we did our 2,200 mile trip last September, since his Yamaha 600 wouldn't have made the trip!

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My son called my ST the old mans bike until I brought home the Wing. I guess the Wing is the "Geezer" bike now. LOL

He can keep his CBR600, I can't ride that bike around the block without hurting.

My pillion/wife focuses more on other rider's attire and then placing them on a type of bike based upon her observations. When at rallies or large gatherings she's usually spot on.

Cunados said:

My pillion/wife focuses more on other rider's attire and then placing them on a type of bike based upon her observations. When at rallies or large gatherings she's usually spot on.

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My neighbour looks like a pirate when he goes for a ride on his Harley, I look like an Armadillo when on the ST1300. Even armoured up when I had my last 2 Harleys.

Neighbour is firefighter and has scraped up his share of road victims but still has to dress the part....
I on the other hand know how painful/long it is to grow skin back over flesh (gets even more brutal if it gets infected, pavement is nasty dirty...)

It may be an "old guys" bike but, I wanted one since the late 90's which was my early 20's. I always needed a way to carry items, lunch, misc tools and such. I load this up every day to work. Lunch in one side, laptop in the other and the helmet my daughter wears every morning on the way to school in the trunk box. Bags are not a accessory for me they are a necessity. I'll never be old enough to want a Goldwing though. At least I hope...

Landon said:

Are you sure they were looking at the bike

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Thats what I asked her and she stated in a very dissapointed way "no they were looking at the bike". I honestly burst out laughing.

If you own two STs does it make you twice as old ??????

SupraSabre ??

ToddC

I am screwed I got 3 in the garage.

some of you are clearly approaching geezer age! Goldwing time! LOL

greentreena said:

Thats what I asked her and she stated in a very dissapointed way "no they were looking at the bike". I honestly burst out laughing.

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I hope you're not on the couch right now!

All joking aside, I am so glad I found my 1300 last year. As a 27 year old now, I can honestly say this has been the most enjoyable year of my life. It's been better than owning an airplane even. I get asked why I'm on such a big bike by the older guys I work with. Most of them have Harley's or GoldWings. I let a guy that has a GoldWing try it a few weeks ago and he was really impressed.

kendoo said:

...

He can keep his CBR600, I can't ride that bike around the block without hurting.

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My oldest bought a R1 a number of years back, I wouldn't even try it.

My youngest's 600 is not the crotchrocket 600, it is more sit upish than one, but for him to have ridden that bike 2,200 miles...yeah, right!

Guess I was a geezer in my mid twenties with a Goldwing and getting younger with an ST in the fifties. :clap2:

I rode my buddies RC51 got a 1:4 mile, stopped and waited for him to return. 30 minutes later he returned and asked me what was the matter. I told him, nothing other then your bike is a toture rack.

I'm just glad someone has more than I do .......bikes that is.....not years. ;-)

ToddC

I purchased a used 1100 at ripe age of 23 when I was in Army at Fort Huachuca. I was able to ride with sport bike crowd to Mount Lemon and anywhere else they wanted to go and best of all I was able to hold my own for just about any set of curves. I road with GWRRA group and BMW sport group also and did 700+ mile days at ease. To me it was the perfect bike. Get on freeway and go/go get on back road and run the curves. I was always comfortable and had storage room for water, food, tools, extra jackets, gloves, camping gear for KOA's, etc... Being on E5 salary a single bike was all I could afford. I took trips to California and did highway 1 form LA to Vancouver. Rode in Winter to Grand Junction Colorado and then onto Rifle so I could go snowboarding with my friend Chris. I traveled home to other side of Houston Texas. Only once did bike ever leave me on side of road and that was my fault. I wore the rear tire down to cords and it stopped holding air. It is now 19 years later and I am back to riding a 1300 and trying to find all the little groups to go ride with again on weekend. I found sport bike group again bunch of 20 something kids. They call me at 42 the old man. I have yet to find Sport Touring group or connect with a local GWRRA chapter but give me time.

Old guy's bike?

Nah.

"Sport bike for grown-ups."

--Mark