Handling problems

Joined
May 29, 2013
Messages
49
Location
Exeter UK
Bike
Pan 1300A
Ever since I bought my ST1300 second hand, I have never been happy about the handling to me it always seemed light steering at low speeds...Spoken to various owners and tinkered more pre-load and lower front tyre pressure...these made it slightly better so I thought that was it, they handle like this not like my old 1100.....Time came to fit new tyres...Now I don't do many miles and these tyres had been on the bike since I bought it
On stripping the front wheel I found the spindle not flush with the Left hand fork leg as per instruction book.....On re-fitting I corrected this and assemble as correct....This meant the front wheel was floating about an 1/8" sideways end play.....This was frightening considering some of the speeds I have been doing.....would say this happened on a previous tyre change before I bought it...
Bike now steers normal after scrubbing in the new tyres
 

ST Gui

240Robert
Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
9,254
Location
SF-Oakland CA
Bike
ST1300, 2010
Bike now steers normal after scrubbing in the new tyres
Good to here you got it properly sorted.

One thing you may already know— the 1300's geometry is said to steer more quickly than the 1100. That may have been to make it more ST than ST.
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
191
Location
Wisconsin
Bike
2006 Honda st1300
Sounds like the PO didn't install the wheel correctly when replacing the tire. In the repair manual there are a specific set of instructions on installing the wheel. If you don't follow it you will have handling issues. Glad you got it properly installed.
 

jfheath

John Heath
Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
2,773
Age
69
Location
Ilkley, W Yorkshire, UK
Bike
2013 ST1300 A9
2024 Miles
000679
STOC #
2570
Oh - well spotted. Yes that would have affected the handling a bit ! The front axle is rather different on the ST1300 than any of my previous bikes in that it is not the fork leg bolts that hold it firm. In effect, the axle is pulled through from the right hand end and this clamps everything in the hub together against the right hand fork leg. The left hand fork pinch bolts are tightened once everything else is seated. (Find the sequence either in the manual or on this forum - it is more involved than I describe here.

Regarding the lightness of the handling - the ST1300 front wheel is 'tucked under' the bike much more than the ST1100 (the front forks are at a steeper angle). This steeper angle makes the bike turn faster than the 1100. It feels light and twitchy in comparison.

I found that as I was getting used to it after the riding the 1100, the preload setting made a big difference to how it felt. Contrary to urban myth, the preload doesn't make the rear suspension stiffer - it simply raises the rear end of the bike to compensate for any extra load that you may be carrying (like a pillion). Raising the rear end makes the angle that the front forks make with the ground marginally steeper, and this has a very noticeable effect on the quickness or lightness of the steering. As I understand it, you set the pre-load so that the height of the seat above the ground with rider and pillion ends up being the same as it is would be in the standard position with just the rider.

Sometimes after touring I would forget to put the pre-load back to its normal position. The back end would feel skittish and on slower turns it felt as though the front wheel was going to fold under the bike ! (This was entirely in my head as a result of switching from the slower, heavier steering of the 1100). Drop the pre-load back to its standard position (7 clicks from fully down) and it would feel fine again.

Sometimes I forget to adjust it when we set off touring - but the dig in the ribs when I go over a bump and the suspension bottoms out is adequate reminder. Sorry dear - I forgot to raise the back of the bike ! But If I forget to return it, that doesn't bother me either. My brain has got used to how it handles.
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
471
Location
CT USA
Bike
07 ST1300
Also tires can make a big difference. My roadsmart 2 is much worse (angular) then the nice round roadsmart 1. I will replace it his week with a PR4 to hopefully get my effortless low speed handling back.
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
83
Location
pootugaal, netherlands
PR4 are a good choice.
Already 24.000 km and still in good shape.
Worn, nearly to the marks, a little cupping, but still good to handle. Even at low speeds.
 
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