Plastic trim panels, why are many missing?

I have been looking at used ST1300's and I find a great deal of bike missing the black panels that expose the shock on the rt side and pre-load adjuster on the left. Is it common proctise to take these off for some reason?

waltr said:

I have been looking at used ST1300's and I find a great deal of bike missing the black panels that expose the shock on the rt side and pre-load adjuster on the left. Is it common proctise to take these off for some reason?

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These panels were not added by the manufacture until the 2008 models.

Thanks Chuck. Thay makes sense

That is quite true....but the 2008+ side panels are readily available and they are not even expensive (like less than $15.00 for BOTH):
right side: P/N 83410-MCS-D90 $7.21 US
left side: P/N 83460-MCS-D90 $7.21 US

These prices came from a place called Discount Honda Parts - and that's where I got mine. They are stock Honda parts however, so try your dealer.

NOTE TO CANADIANS: I have found that many parts are actually cheaper in Canada through your dealer than they are online from US sources.

There is a very helpful thread on mounting 2008 side panels to earlier bikes. It isn't trivial but anyone who can do any work on their bike and can drill holes and use velcro should be fine with it.

Cheers,

Pete

MaxPete said:

NOTE TO CANADIANS: I have found that many parts are actually cheaper in Canada through your dealer than they are online from US sources.

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Please share - out here in BC we're getting hosed.

gsforster said:

Please share - out here in BC we're getting hosed.

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Actually, I got my 2008 side panels from Discount Honda Parts in the US for those prices above ($14.73 for BOTH panels + shipping of course ) - but items like those annoying little plastic push rivets that hold on the fairing pieces were substantially cheaper at my local Honda MC dealer than they were when I priced them in the US - plus no robbery associated with the US-CDN dollar exchange rate or baloney with Canada Customs at the border.

I live on the border in Windsor, ON and so getting across to shop or pick up stuff at a buddy's office is easy for me - likely easier than it would be for you depending on your location. I guess my key point is that you should call your local dealer for parts pricing and availability BEFORE shopping on-line or in the US. I have found that their prices are often not too bad and sometimes even LESS than US or on-line pricing. The other point to note is that if you simply type the part number into Google - you may find the part on ebay or some other seller's marketplace (kijiji??) or that the very same part is used on a Honda car model (those little plastic push rivets are for example...) and as car parts, they cost a fair bit less than we would pay for them as MC parts - plus there are Honda car dealers all over the place and they carry a lot more stock than the bike dealers, at least in my experience.

Pete

Good info Pete.....I found out the same thing lately. Shopping online in the US just doesn't make any sense with our low dollar now and fairly high shipping rates.

Just stumbled across this thread. I just ordered both sides from my local Honda dealer in Newfoundland, Canada. $10.00 and $9.00.. Total with tax $22 hard earned Canadian dollars!!!
Nice winter project as we are expecting 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) of snow later this week.
Thanks for posting this as it will help with the install.

Yup Doug - they're only for looks and as for why Happy Rob is putting a set on his bike....have you ever been in the Canadian Maritimes over the winter?

.....nooooot a loooot to dooooo......

<no offense intended to any of my countrymen from the East>

st1300doug said:

WHY? I have an '06 w/out these panels. They serve NO purpose other than aesthetics right?

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MaxPete said:

Yup Doug - they're only for looks and as for why Happy Rob is putting a set on his bike....have you ever been in the Canadian Maritimes over the winter?

.....nooooot a loooot to dooooo......

<no offense intended to any of my countrymen from the East>

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My theory: No, they are not for looks! In '08 they increased the size (or density) of the Catalytic converters, therefore increasing the heat from the engine. Those covers are to help keep the heat off the legs!

My 2010 and 2012 produce more heat down by the front of the mufflers (where the Cats are), compared to the other bikes, '04s and '05 I have ridden. I also notice more heat up near the gastank, and the gas gets much hotter. Just ask my boys. The two pre '08 bikes ('04 & '05) ran much cooler than did the 2010 when we did our SorthWest Tour back in 2014.

SupraSabre said:

In '08 they increased the size (or density) of the Catalytic converters, therefore increasing the heat from the engine.

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[-]The parts fiche shows the same pipes for 2003-2016. The ECM changed in 2008, so there may have been a fueling change.[/-]

My mistake. Clicked on one of the parts marked "pipe."

--Mark

Blrfl said:

The parts fiche shows the same pipes for 2003-2016. The ECM changed in 2008, so there may have been a fueling change.

--Mark

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Mark,

They are not the same:


'03 -'07 MUFFLER, R. 18310-MCS-L01 $609.71
'03 -'07 MUFFLER, L. 18410-MCS-710 $609.71

'08 - '12 MUFFLER, R. (COO) 18310-MCS-305 $987.07
'08 - '12 MUFFLER, L. (COO) 18410-MCS-305 $987.07

'08 - '12 COP
MUFFLER, R. (COO) 18310-MCS-305 $987.07
MUFFLER, L. 18410-MCS-D91 $987.07

Now, what's interesting, it looks like they quit making the "Cop" mufflers and looks like they are now marking them the same as the '08-'12 mufflers. The last time I looked (maybe two years ago), there was a difference in the part numbers and the prices of the cop and non cop mufflers for those years.

SupraSabre said:

They are not the same:

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Derp. I'd clicked on the part marked "pipe."

--Mark

Happy Rob said:

Just stumbled across this thread. I just ordered both sides from my local Honda dealer in Newfoundland, Canada. $10.00 and $9.00.. Total with tax $22 hard earned Canadian dollars!!!
Nice winter project as we are expecting 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) of snow later this week.
Thanks for posting this as it will help with the install.

Click to expand...

MaxPete said:

Yup Doug - they're only for looks and as for why Happy Rob is putting a set on his bike....have you ever been in the Canadian Maritimes over the winter?

.....nooooot a loooot to dooooo......

<no offense intended to any of my countrymen from the East>

Click to expand...

Wha cha mean .....nooooot a loooot to dooooo...... ... There is shoveling snow, cutting next years fire wood, pushing cars back on the road, scrapping windshield, snowmobiling, skating on the ponds, star gazing, and cannot forget --- surfing the net

On my 2007 I used commercial Velcro to mount the covers. Worked well, takes 5 minutes and does not require any mods to the bike.

nakerr said:

Worked well, takes 5 minutes and does not require any mods to the bike.

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I like the look but admittedly lean towards aesthetics. It's the main reason I got the ST over the FJR. (Honda reliability was right behind it.)

I've thought about removing adding the dual 12V outlet panel on the left side then separating the little cover from the t-ware and reattaching with industrial hook n loop to hide it when not in use.

SupraSabre said:

My theory: No, they are not for looks! In '08 they increased the size (or density) of the Catalytic converters, therefore increasing the heat from the engine. Those covers are to help keep the heat off the legs!

My 2010 and 2012 produce more heat down by the front of the mufflers (where the Cats are), compared to the other bikes, '04s and '05 I have ridden. I also notice more heat up near the gastank, and the gas gets much hotter. Just ask my boys. The two pre '07 bikes ('04 & '05) ran much cooler than did the 2010 when we did our SorthWest Tour back in 2014.

Click to expand...

+1 My '06 I put a set on. My '07 I have not. I COOK on my '07!!! Cheap enough... easy enough to install. I need to order myself another set!!

Tdinova said:

Wha cha mean .....nooooot a loooot to dooooo...... ... There is shoveling snow, cutting next years fire wood, pushing cars back on the road, scrapping windshield, snowmobiling, skating on the ponds, star gazing, and cannot forget --- surfing the net

Click to expand...

Yes, of course....you're right. The Maritimes are a total hotbed of fun activities all through the winter.....

....and there are other advantages like really fresh seafood and your Christmas trees cost way less than they do here in the middle of the country.

Cheers!

Pete