Sold a crashed bike,please help!

Hi all, I'm a new owner of a1993 st1100 with 24000 miles. My hope has quickly diminished the more I get involved. The prior owner said the bike was never crashed and all maintenance including flushing the coolant and the carbs he said were all redone last year and just needed to be tuned. The bike would idle but would bog out when given throttle. Upon purchasing the bike I noticed the carbs look like they haven't been touched and the vacuum cylinder was melted, so I bought a whole new assembly off of eBay. Then I went to remove the PAIR setup and noticed the coolant was super low and brown sludge. Now for the best part, I pull of the bottom cover and see the horizontal tube by the centerstand is crushed and area is angled in. I feel super deceived and am worried is it worth fixing regarding the frame damage and how would you follow up with the prior owner. Pics attached. Any suggestions it's greatly appreciated!

Pics of frame

Depends on how you bought it... eBay, they provide methods.
Local, I don't know enough about N.Y. laws on misrepresentation.

And repairing might take a bit of change... Frames are not expensive; but, you'll hunt for one and probably have to have it shipped.

Thank you,from the look of it do you think it needs to be replaced or if it drives straight is it ok?

kilcal said:

Pics of frame

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If I recall correctly the cross tube comes like that from the factory and the side guard doesn't look bad.

If it drives true you are ok, although I would get someone to weld the area around the foot peg if it can't be replaced. It's kind of weird the damage to the tip over frame is to the top of it yet it is bent up towards the damage. usually they are bent away from the damage.

mcthorogood said:

If I recall correctly the cross tube comes like that from the factory and the side guard doesn't look bad.

Click to expand...

Can any one confirm that this is the way it comes from the factory And that it's not damaged?
The crash bar above it where the plastics mount also has a slight bend

I see no damage in those pictures. Comes from the factory like that. Just pulled the Pivot Cover off my '91 to confirm that. The engine guard/tip-over bar looks like something has been rubbing on the top of it, but other than that it appears fine to me. Do the fairing pieces line up and install properly? If so, it's fine. TruST me.

John
via iPhone 6

mcthorogood said:

If I recall correctly the cross tube comes like that from the factory and the side guard doesn't look bad.

Click to expand...

+1

went out and looked at mine, that's how that tube comes from the factory, so no issue there. The tip over guard looks fairly normal, not sure about that missing paint area, but the bottom tube looks straight. Either way, it has no effect on how the bike rides. If you really want to replace it, just find another one and bolt it on there, but I think its OK from the pics. I also noticed a small crack in the footpeg bracket, could be from the same tipover that bent the guard, but its really small and not an issue, just thought I'd mention it anyway.

Basically you've got cosmetic issues there that aren't worth worrying about, get the bike running correctly and go ride it.

Usually if an ST1100 is crashed hard, the upper fairing stay gets bent in the process. The easy way to determine that is to remove the mirrors and see if the bolt holes still line up with the bodywork.

What a relief,thank you for all your quick feedback

John OoSTerhuis said:

I see no damage in those pictures.

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Agreed in the frame, but the footrest-plate seems to have a crack there, right above the RHS riders footpeg mount...
I write *seems*, cause the pic could be deceiving and I'm only looking on some casting fin/ridge...

I had a car pull out on me at 50mph and had full impact to its side, wrote off the forks and twisted the yolks plus loads of other damage to the plastics etc but the frame was still straight and solid, it's now rebuilt and as good as ever, these things were built to last.

Mine is also a "salvage" title. Drives straight but there is a slight gap where the lower cowl meets the mid fairing. If you look, you can find it. As said previously, if the bodywork lines up, it's good. This is also why I have a few black trimmed pieces of plastic. I think the PO put it in a ditch and cracked up a bunch of plastic. He parked it for a few years and the insurance company wrote it off. These are solid machines. You have a moral responsibility to keep it on the road.

Eagle59 said:

You have a moral responsibility to keep it on the road.

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Nicely said... ;-)

John OoSTerhuis said:

... The engine guard/tip-over bar looks like something has been rubbing on the top of it, but other than that it appears fine to me. ... John
via iPhone 6

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The black paint missing from the top of the tipover bar looks as if that bar got bent there in a crash. I would get an unbent one and try mounting it as a replacement. Is the frame bent where that tip-over bar mounts? (I've seen damage there on a bike that went down really hard.)

ST1100Y said:

... the footrest-plate seems to have a crack there, right above the RHS rider's foot peg mount...
I write *seems*, 'cause the pic could be deceiving, and I'm only looking on some casting fin/ridge...

Click to expand...

The aluminum "peg holder" should be replaced (because the rider will really be caught off guard if they apply weight to their peg and it breaks off of that peg holder during a ride).

dwalby said:

... I also noticed a small crack in the footpeg bracket, could be from the same tipover that bent the guard, but its really small and not an issue, ...

Click to expand...

I disagree that it's not an issue.

Uncle Phil said:

Usually if an ST1100 is crashed hard, the upper fairing stay gets bent in the process. The easy way to determine that is to remove the mirrors and see if the bolt holes still line up with the bodywork.

Click to expand...

At that time, one should also look for damage to the grey, plastic connector for the front lights housed by the mirror.

I do not recommend shopping for another frame yet.
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The starter of this thread will please tell us how much he paid for this ST1100 (if he wants our advice concerning possibly going back to the seller).

To save money in the long run, the new owner will get a digital multi-meter for about five dollars, and then monitor the electrical condition of his battery even if he needs help from here to do that. He should not be surprised if that battery needs replacement. (A car battery and jumper cables might work while he is in the process of assessing his bike, and before he invests in a new battery.)
Early on, he should also check that all the indicator lights come on when the ignition is turned on, as described in the owner's manual. (And that manual is mandatory reading.)

John OoSTerhuis said:

I see no damage in those pictures. Comes from the factory like that. Just pulled the Pivot Cover off my '91 to confirm that. The engine guard/tip-over bar looks like something has been rubbing on the top of it, but other than that it appears fine to me. Do the fairing pieces line up and install properly? If so, it's .. TruST me.

John
via iPhone 6

Click to expand...

+1......only the tip-over bar piece is 'tweaked'.....(hit pretty hard on right side to bend that), and the OP who questioned the bend on top portion breaking paint loose.........that's the ONLY way that can happen...hit and bend UP...think about it again
Now getting a tip-over cover back on there and snapped in top corectly.........not happenin!.....DAHIK.

ST1100Y said:

Agreed in the frame, but the footrest-plate seems to have a crack there, right above the RHS riders footpeg mount...
I write *seems*, cause the pic could be deceiving and I'm only looking on some casting fin/ridge...

Click to expand...

I see the same thing. Can't be sure if that's a crack or just a scrape in the paint but it sure seems like a crack.

The OP may have been sold a bill of goods but at least it's not a pig in a poke. Good luck on your moral imperative!