Riding Without Tupperware

ddemair · Oct 30, 2017

I'm planning on bringing my ST1300 to a local shop for some service that I don't care to do myself (fluid changes, etc.). In order to prevent inadvertent damage to the plastic bits and to make the shop work easier, I'm thinking about removing as much of the tupperware as possible myself, but the question is how much can I remove and still ride the bike. Can I remove all of it or are there some bits that need to stay on to keep the bike ride-able?

Rubberdarts · Oct 30, 2017

You should be able to remove all side and lower fairing to allow all fluid changes and most other servicing. I have done this a few times when installing cruise control and wanting to test ride before replacing all plastics.

Mellow · Oct 30, 2017

Rubberdarts said:
You should be able to remove all side and lower fairing to allow all fluid changes and most other servicing. I have done this a few times when installing cruise control and wanting to test ride before replacing all plastics.

+1 it's not necessary for the bike to operate, just zip tie the air temp sensor on the right side of the inner fairing to something as well as the left side wire harness / bundle that slides into the inner fairing 'holder'.

jfheath · Oct 30, 2017

Mellow said:
+1 it's not necessary for the bike to operate, just zip tie the air temp sensor on the right side of the inner fairing to something as well as the left side wire harness / bundle that slides into the inner fairing 'holder'.

+1 +1. Just make sure the upper cowl (headlights) remains secure, and nothing flaps around in the air flow. If I take mine into the local dealer, I remove the mid and lower cowls first, and ride it in. I'm not paying for their time to take it off and put it back on incorrectly !

It feels very exposed though when riding it though !

SupraSabre · Oct 30, 2017

jfheath said:
...

I'm not paying for their time to take it off and put it back on incorrectly !

...

And scratch the heck out of it and then deny it!

Chunk · Oct 30, 2017

It seems to me, once the plastic is off, then it's normal bike maintenance that is do-able by most riders. Personally, if i didn't trust a dealer / independent shop to take the plastic off and reinstall correctly i wouldn't trust them for any work, including fluid changes. I read a thread here where a mechanic dropped a shim in an ST motor and required a salvage motor, and it didn't end well if i remember correctly. Of course there are good, shops out there too. It's just hard to know, so for me i just bite the bullet and do it myself. YMMV, of course. Chunk.

Paul st1300 · Oct 30, 2017

I took my bike in at 600 miles on the bike to have the wax module serviced, because it had trash blocking the water flow. The bike has a warranty and a extended warranty so I thought they should fix it. They fixed that problem but 1 week later I noticed a small dent in the dash panel that was not there when I bought the bike. I really did not go over the bike very well when I picked it up. I just wanted to ride. I know they did it but a week later it was my word against then. How do you dent plastic. I am sure that piece did not come off to get to the wax module. It frightens me to think how it got a dent. Almost 19k now and they will never touch the bike again. If you have the panels off just do the fluids changes yourself, you have already done the hard part.

ST Gui · Oct 30, 2017

ddemair said:
In order to prevent inadvertent damage to the plastic bits and to make the shop work easier, I'm thinking about removing as much of the tupperware as possible myself

+1 +1 +1 Take it off. Take it all off.

My ST buddy did this to limit shop damage and mis-installation of fasteners and reduce costs and also subsequently to make it easier for Larry to work on it.

HOWEVER- the shop did not care that the Tup was already doffed. They said 'We charge flat rate'. So depending on your shop you may indeed make it easier for the shop to work on it but but not cheaper for you.

Best to clear that up with your shop before you roll in.

etalors · Oct 30, 2017

Paul st1300 said:
I took my bike in at 600 miles on the bike to have the wax module serviced, because it had trash blocking the water flow. The bike has a warranty and a extended warranty so I thought they should fix it. They fixed that problem but 1 week later I noticed a small dent in the dash panel that was not there when I bought the bike. I really did not go over the bike very well when I picked it up. I just wanted to ride. I know they did it but a week later it was my word against then. How do you dent plastic. I am sure that piece did not come off to get to the wax module. It frightens me to think how it got a dent. Almost 19k now and they will never touch the bike again. If you have the panels off just do the fluids changes yourself, you have already done the hard part.

Speaking of plastic, is it possible to buy replacement plastic for an o4 bike. I need the fairing on both sides as it is beginning to get pitted from road debris. Thanks.

Whooshka · Oct 30, 2017

etalors said:
Speaking of plastic, is it possible to buy replacement plastic for an o4 bike. I need the fairing on both sides as it is beginning to get pitted from road debris. Thanks.

It's bike. It's exposed to the elements, road debris, etc... Unless it's a show bike I wouldn't worry about it. Nobody is going to criticize a bike that has "pits". Ride more, worry less.

Rekoob · Oct 30, 2017

ST Gui said:
'We charge flat rate'.

This was my first thought. Pretty sure auto places charge what the book says it will take to do the job. If that's the case you would be charged for the time it takes to remove the plastic. But, who knows... I'd ask them.

ST460 · Oct 30, 2017

I took my ST to the repair shop without the side and lower panels. Saved me a hundred or so dollars. I have Heli 3 bar riser, and MCL lowering pegs.The naked ST felt like a CTX1300.
Kenny

wjbertrand · Oct 30, 2017

In attempting to troubleshoot my hesitation/misfire I rode my ST1300 around a lot without the farings and side covers. I left the nose and tail farings in place to maintain lighting legality. At a stop light once some kids pulled up next to me and after looking over my naked bike and said "cool, is that like Steam Punked?" I had to look it up to see what they were talking about.

MidLife · Oct 30, 2017

wjbertrand said:
In attempting to troubleshoot my hesitation/misfire I rode my ST1300 around a lot without the farings and side covers. I left the nose and tail farings in place to maintain lighting legality. At a stop light once some kids pulled up next to me and after looking over my naked bike and said "cool, is that like Steam Punked?" I had to look it up to see what they were talking about.

Could you feel the heat as much as with the fairing on?

SMSW · Oct 30, 2017

etalors said:
Speaking of plastic, is it possible to buy replacement plastic for an o4 bike. I need the fairing on both sides as it is beginning to get pitted from road debris. Thanks.

Short answer, yes, (well, I checked discounthondaparts.com for 2010 parts) and expensive. The left side cowl set (whatever that includes) is over $500 list, $385 from d--h-p. A lower cowl is $207. I don't know if these come in the color to match the year's color or if all are in primer. Shipping will likely be expensive too.

DavidR8 · Oct 30, 2017

Yup I looked at a replacement pannier if the need ever arose. One side is basically $1000. Gulp!

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etalors · Oct 30, 2017

SMSW said:
Short answer, yes, (well, I checked discounthondaparts.com for 2010 parts) and expensive. The left side cowl set (whatever that includes) is over $500 list, $385 from d--h-p. A lower cowl is $207. I don't know if these come in the color to match the year's color or if all are in primer. Shipping will likely be expensive too.

That is outrageously $$$$. I think I will just ride and forget about the thought of replacement.

wjbertrand · Oct 31, 2017

MidLife said:
Could you feel the heat as much as with the fairing on?

I am either one of those or have one of those bikes where heat doesn't seem to be a problem, so I didn't notice a problem either way. You can certainly feel the radiant heat coming off the pipes standing next to it in the garage when the farings are off though.

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SMSW · Oct 31, 2017

etalors said:
That is outrageously $$$$. I think I will just ride and forget about the thought of replacement.

Aye. Now you know why just dropping the bike in a low speed tipover can be considered 'totaling' the bike even if it has little structural damage. You will do better if you check out used cycle parts places ('boneyards') or even a Wanted post in the appropriate forum. I would think when a bike crashes, one side will sustain most of the damage (unless head on) so you might get lucky. Here are a couple of places that have posted on ebay.....

Greentown Motorcycle Salvage, 2365 State Street, Uniontown, OH 44685
330 499-9768

Pinwall Cycle Parts, 635 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] Street NW, Massillon, OH 44647
330 879-9910

ddemair · Dec 22, 2017

All of the tupperware is off and I dropped the bike off for a new water pump, coolant and hydraulic fluid.

While everything is easily accessible, what else should I do? I was thinking maybe spark plugs, but at 56K the bike still runs like new.

Riding Without Tupperware

ddemair

Rubberdarts

Mellow

Joe

jfheath

John Heath

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired

Chunk

Paul st1300

ST Gui

240Robert

etalors

Whooshka

Fairly faST old guy

Rekoob

ST460

wjbertrand

Ventura Highway

MidLife

SMSW

DavidR8

etalors

wjbertrand

Ventura Highway

SMSW

ddemair