First off let me say that any opinion and experience I have is purely mine and I am not voicing my experience in any official capacity as an admin of this great forum. I want to say that up front because there are some that might be a little shocked by my words but I hope you'll read them accurately and therefore understand.
The Honda ST1300 has many fine attributes and to my eyes is a very good looking bike but I will never ever own another in its current design. I have owned many different bikes over the years and no other ever gave me the, quite frankly downright scary, at times, feelings of vagueness and complete unpredictability the ST1300 did.
Someone has already stated that the weave, the one that can easily kill you is nothing like the instability felt from the wake of trucks etc. and I can tell you first hand that it's not. They are nowhere near the same thing. So when you read about the weave, please don't think you know what it is if all you've felt is some turbulence from other vehicles.
Yes, all motorcycles will weave to some extent if they're not loaded correctly or the tire pressures aren't right etc etc. But no other bike I'm aware of will send you into a life threatening situation if it isn't set up 100% accurately for you - especially when, it's been proven time and time again that while set up might affect the point at which the ST1300 will weave it will absolutely not guarantee it won't happen. It never ceases to amaze me when this subject comes up how many 'experts' start to post about suspension set up, saddlebag loading, tire pressures etc. and how many then pipe up with I've had mine to 175mph and it's rock solid. You're all missing the point.
The life threatening weave the ST1300 can put you into can occur at any time, any place, any settings, any tire pressures with NO warning. It can happen one up, two up, screen up or down, tires right, over or under inflated, shock pre-load wound up or down, top box on or off or any other combination you can imagine. There is no logic to it. You can ride a section of road at 130mph one day and have no issue and ride the exact same section the next with the same configuration the next day at only 70mph and experience a weave. If you've never experienced one then you're lucky... but lucky for what? Who knows? Your build, your posture, your set up? Something they got right or wrong when they built your bike? NO ONE KNOWS or at least the one's who do are not telling us.
And THAT, the unpredictability and inexplicity of it are THE PROBLEM. You might not have experienced the weave, but you cannot deny it exists because I have and I know others who have. Honda are well aware of it but refuse completely to admit it or provide any explanation because they couldn't handle the law suit and so rather they are happy for you to sit on a time bomb that could one day kill you.
So, should you all run out and sell your ST1300's? I don't think so. It's a fine bike in many other respects and if you've never experienced a weave the law of averages says you probably never will. Just don't belittle it, think you can explain it or bury your head in the sand... none of these will do any good either and you cannot, no matter how good you think you are, explain it.
It's real and very frightening.
By the way, experiences from those on ST1100's are pointless in this subject... the 1100 didn't weave but then it also doesn't have the aggressive rake of the 1300.
I love the community here on ST-Owners because despite that being my experience of the ST1300 as many longer term members are aware, they're still happy to have this somewhat odd Brit as an admin. If however, anyone feels I've overstepped the mark or should not be welcome here because I believe the ST1300 is the most dangerous bike on the roads today then I'll hand my resignation into Joe. Joe, you know my experience and feelings on this so of course, feel free to pull this post if you prefer.
I don't want to scare anyone and I don't in any way want to damage this great community, but please, please stop thinking this problem doesn't exist or that you know the cure... it does and you don't - I tried them all.
Regards,
