Any way to slow down the 1300 steering?

JimGregory said:

My 92 RS is definitely well behaved. It is the same as a 1976 RS but with the improved monoshock swing arm and the last airhead forks. I massaged the forks and installed a nice shock in the rear. She handles well now but has limits plainly. It's still old tech stuff really.
But I myself don't handle all that well either and have left the peg scraping behind.
And the RS is MUCH better behaved at 90 then the ST. Longer legs or geometry or fairing or whatever. But again it has limits and 90 is plenty fast to go on the old girl.
The ST has MUCH quicker steering and much better suspension but that doesn't mean the old RS can't get around. It's a fun bike to ride for sure. But she WILL shake her head and spit you right off if everything is not up to snuff! Part of her "charm"
For the record though, the ST is far more capable. Road trips it's the ST all the way. No contest.

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Nice RS. The monoshock airheads did handle somewhat better than the twin shock bikes. I still toured quite a bit on my naked R100 and it did teach me a lot about fine throttle control when cornering. I think my airhead experience is why I like the NC700X so much. Its the modern airhead.

Lovely white bike..I love white bikes! That's a fine looking example as well!

Embrace the agility it is the S (sport) in ST. The bikes geometry is made to be agile. I agree with your initial feeling of quickness and needed to learn how to handle it. My prior bike was a Wing and you could press it down into a corner, take a nap, then pull it back up. High speed sweeping corners are still my nemesis, can't seem to hold a sweet line through them. Slight inputs to the ST has me lifting and dropping in the lane slightly. Maybe we are each missing the "riding on rails" feeling the RS and GW offered. My :tc1: don't put a bit (damper) in the STallions mouth. Ride safe and far!

JimGregory said:

I WISH there was a steering damper for the ST to settle it a bit more on the highway but there seems to be no easy way to get that done.

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Try lowering the windshield. All the way down and the bike is like a missile at speed. All the way up and you've got a sailboat. Add a Top Box and you've got a spinnaker. It is all about wind resistance.

Before you spend any money or take anymore of your time thinking about this, go out on the highway, lower the windshield all the way, and spin the throttle. Report back once you stop grinning.

I just skimmed the thread, but didn't see this mentioned. I also didn't notice your weight mentioned. Anyway, have you set the sag? Even is you have it set properly you might try letting the rear down a little more to help with the issue you are concerned with. Especially if you are a light person.

I haven't had an ST for a while and can't remember if the forks can be slid up in the triple clamp. It's possible someone has done that.

RCS said:

Try lowering the windshield. All the way down and the bike is like a missile at speed. All the way up and you've got a sailboat. Add a Top Box and you've got a spinnaker. It is all about wind resistance.

Before you spend any money or take anymore of your time thinking about this, go out on the highway, lower the windshield all the way, and spin the throttle. Report back once you stop grinning.

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Stamford sailor? I'm a Milford sailor. I like the windscreen up some on the highway. It's nice and quiet. Guys this is about my 15th bike. I'm not new at this. I'm not damning the bike or dumping it. I like it! I was just wondering out loud about a damper. I'm not the first.

Very informative thread. I jumped on the 1300 after owning two Moto Guzzi's. I absolutely loved the ST - and thought I had to work hard on the Guzzi's. If the MG was not set up for a turn, changing the line mid curve took effort - something I did not like when I wanted to avoid a pot hole or road kill. The ST simply goes where I point it. I've had to break in turns, change the line, and the bike behaves itself - with grace and great composure. This is absolutely the best bike I have ever owned - (and my experience on bikes is very limited). Twitchy at speed? I never noticed it - but then, I don't think I've done much into the 3 digit range and usually ride a few mph above traffic's speed. I'm not a hot shoe and other than my own mistake in playing with preload and dampening at the rear shock the bike has been fine.

Hey, the top box is a mizzen - it keeps you pointed straight ahead.

Tires have a lot of effect on steering. I owned an ST1100 which as standard had the Bridgestone Exedra tires. I commuted through the Banning Pass in I-10 - seventh windiest place in the world. With the Exedras, high wind days (40+ mph) were frightening. Another lister from a windy area recommended the K591 tire and the behavior in wind was amazingly better. I'm not familiar enough with all the tires available for the ST1300 to say which tires affect handling in a way that would make it better in wind but maybe someone else is. In that case, you wouldn't need a stabilizer.

JimGregory said:

Stamford sailor? I'm a Milford sailor. I like the windscreen up some on the highway. It's nice and quiet. Guys this is about my 15th bike. I'm not new at this. I'm not damning the bike or dumping it. I like it! I was just wondering out loud about a damper. I'm not the first.

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The model has been out for 12 years and steering dampers are not readily available. There has not been a market for it. I have ridden the bike over 55,000 miles on the highway and have never even thought about the need for more stability at speed. Probably check basic stuff like your tire choice, tire inflation, tire wear, suspension settings, front and rear wheel bearings, swing arm and steering head bearings for wear.

Again, the bike has 11000 miles on it. Everything is up to snuff and not even broke in yet. Tires may help but this bike is just fine. It's just got quick steering. They ALL do I'm sure.
IF there were an adjustable dampener designed for this bike readily available and reasonably priced I would maybe install it. Maybe it wouldn't help. That's why I am searching for a review. Plainly I'm not going to find one. That's OK too. I'm not going to try to fix something that is not broken though. But I appreciate all the suggestions.

SMSW said:

Hey, the top box is a mizzen - it keeps you pointed straight ahead.

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The ST has a high aspect fin keel and the BMW has a full keel. Fin's turn on a dime and full keels track like a train.
I use software called SMSW at work.
My old Guzzi LAPD had very nice steering for whatever reason. I put a damper on it! Till the damper stopped working. Then I took it off. I rode that bike 14 years.

Blrfl said:

Also, if you're maintaining a death grip on the bars, relax a little.

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+1 on this comment. Assuming the bike is mechanically fit, I have found that removing the hand pressure from the handlebars helps prevent the wondering of the 1300. Hand pressure on the bars acts the same as counter steering. Too much pressure on one side or the other and the bike will drift. The ST1300 is much more sensitive to this than the ST1100. I have never driven a BMW so I cannot comment there.

Also as mentioned by others move the windscreen when encountering dirty air.

It's not a mysterious thing. It's a bike with 3.9" of trail. It acts like a bike with 3.9" of trail. There are very few with that kind of trail that don't have a damper or that people don't put a damper on. It's the same trail as a tube framed Buell. There are dampers .I started with a GRP damper. I chose to have more trail. A swap to a GSXR1300 frontend gave me 4.4" of trail. The stability is awesome , the increase in steering effort is not noticeable to me. I fact it is so much better in high speed sweepers that it's now possible to just put it on a line and run through like you're on rails with no hunt and weave from every ripple. Mid corner corrections are as easy as they ever were.

For people who don't want a full on front swap I have been considering making a run of triple trees for the ST forks to increase the trail and I'd love to have some feedback on that.

It's mainly a question of whether you're more sport or more touring I guess.


SAE member #6125340966 ( retired )

mrmom9r said:

It's not a mysterious thing. It's a bike with 3.9" of trail. It acts like a bike with 3.9" of trail.

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Would a shock that gave about a 1" drop in height make a noticeable change in the steering geometry? People here who've gone that route (to make the bike fit them better) haven't mentioned a change in handling that I can recall.

A 2005 GoldWing has 4.3" trail or so not much more than the ST1300. Don't now about an 1100.

JimGregory said:

Again, the bike has 11000 miles on it.

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One thing I might try is to stiffen the rear suspension setting. If it is too soft, at speed the bike compacts in the back and the front tire starts to hunt. The wind compounds the problem.

JimGregory said:

Again, the bike has 11000 miles on it. Everything is up to snuff and not even broke in yet. Tires may help but this bike is just fine. It's just got quick steering. They ALL do I'm sure.
IF there were an adjustable dampener designed for this bike readily available and reasonably priced I would maybe install it. Maybe it wouldn't help. That's why I am searching for a review. Plainly I'm not going to find one. That's OK too. I'm not going to try to fix something that is not broken though. But I appreciate all the suggestions.

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You might go to a STOC event and test ride someone else's bike. If the handling is the same, then you know its the bike. If not, then you have to start digging to find out the cause on yours. Swapping front ends as mrmom9r (post #33) suggested is an extreme solution for me - and unless you happen to have a donor set of forks and pieces, could be quite expensive. I have to admit I am intrigued by his comments.

mrmom9r said:

It's not a mysterious thing. It's a bike with 3.9" of trail. It acts like a bike with 3.9" of trail. There are very few with that kind of trail that don't have a damper or that people don't put a damper on. It's the same trail as a tube framed Buell. There are dampers .I started with a GRP damper. I chose to have more trail. A swap to a GSXR1300 frontend gave me 4.4" of trail. The stability is awesome , the increase in steering effort is not noticeable to me. I fact it is so much better in high speed sweepers that it's now possible to just put it on a line and run through like you're on rails with no hunt and weave from every ripple. Mid corner corrections are as easy as they ever were.

For people who don't want a full on front swap I have been considering making a run of triple trees for the ST forks to increase the trail and I'd love to have some feedback on that.

It's mainly a question of whether you're more sport or more touring I guess.


SAE member #6125340966 ( retired )

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Very nice! I won't do it but it sure proves a point doesn't it.
I have tried all the various adjustments and so on that everyone keeps recommending. I don't think my bike needs fixing, nor do I need fixing. I was simply wondering if anyone had tried a damper.
The modified triple trees I bet would be nice. Sure don't need much. Definitely more trouble then I want to go through but it's a great idea. Be nice if you could re use the stem but I don't know how they go together.

Triple tree swap would use the OEM stem which is pressed in the lower tree. Other than needing a press for that part of it it would be an easy afternoon job.

The 1" shorter rear shock was the first thing I did. On paper that a small rake increase. No help, trail is the important number when it comes to stability.

Next was a GRP damper. Very effective improvement and maybe enough of a solution in most situations.

I live in Mo. in the middle of nowhere and have lots of areas where I can ride as fast as I want. I wanted more trail.

I never thought the OEM specs were dangerous or that I was going to crash , I just didn't find it relaxing to ride in certain types of air turbulence.

It now does what I had hoped it would do when I bought it which was have the stability of my buddy's ST1100.

The ST1300 forks are undersprung and overdamped for riders over 160 lbs. An easy upgrade that pays a big benefit is to get the right amount of sag and for most riders this will be a set of aftermarket springs and different spacers. I'm only 150 lbs and the stock set up measured way to much at 47 mm of sag when it should be 30 to 36mm. 36 mm seems to be a sweet spot and that is the same as dropping the forks 11 mm in the clamps. This alone slows the steering due to the change in steering geometry and the bike doesn't wallow as much about the steering stem in back and forth transitions. It was easy for me to get the sag at 36mm with extra preload and settling at a mix of Honda fork oils to 6.7 wt arrived at a good combination for me. The fork no longer stutters over bumps or causes the bike hunt or weave in bumpy corners. In the rear I had Race Tech do their do-over on the stock shock. I never notice bumps introducing changes in my chosen line through corners and straight line stability was improved. Brand of tire also influences fast sweepers. Tires with soft sidewalls like Michelins flex under load and change steering inputs while stiff tires like Bridgestones resist changes in yaw angles intoduced from sidewall flex.

I have read all the posts on here and I have to say I have had 30 bikes to date the old ones all had an adjustable dappers and needed them and the BMW K1200RS needed the standrd one fitted as well, but I have never felt the need for a damper on the ST1300 in fact, folk on here have mentioned hunting and weaving on corners and fork stutters, what ? I have never had any of that at all, in fact I traded in a BMW R1150 for my 02 Pan 1300 a few years back and found the Pan to be much better than the BMW in every aspect including side winds, so I am at a loss to understand what others are on about ?
Keith.