300,000 On My ST1100

Hmm, I got more ST miles but spread across three bikes. :D

Congrts, Thane. When ya last had it all apart for maintenance I was wondering if it'd ever go back togther again. :D
 
Man, that's a lot of miles. You must have some serious callouses built up.

No! No! . . . Don't show 'em to me!
 
Amazing, thanks for posting and congrats. I just rolled over 68000 on my ST1300, I guess I can quit looking for my next bike anytime soon.........
 
Thanks for all the kind words, guys. It's been a TON of fun on this bike. Just today I took it to work (it was two degrees above freezing) and went through the drive-thru for coffee on the way. And then I stopped and got two saddlebags and a tankbag worth of groceries on the way home from work. I took the long way home - a 100 km detour and enjoyed every one of the extra (s)miles.

The engine is all original. No rebuild yet. It blows a puff of blue smoke on startup but I can ride 2 or 3 thousand miles before I need to top it up. I am extremely happy with that. Doesn't tick or knock. Purrs like new. I've replaced the exhaust system twice (thanks Will England), and recently replaced the rear differential a year ago as the old one was worn out. (thanks Dan Digiacomo)

It's a 1998 that I bought new in March of that year with 1 km on the clock. All the rest are mine. I do all the wrenching myself. Carb synchs, valve clearance, fluids. I changed the clutch a little over a year ago as the original was under thickness spec by 5mm and it began to slip. While I was in there, I changed the water pump. The original pump spun just as easily and silently as the new one. (new coolant EVERY year helps) I have changed the timing belt three times. The last time included changing the idler pulley as well. I did the steering head bearings a few years ago (thanks for the tools, Johny O).

I changed the start solenoid (which seized) and bypassed the built-in fuse as my connection got too hot and partially melted. The U-joint failed on it at around 250,000 kms. I was on my way home one day when a coolant hose blew open that supplies the right cylinder head. I kept riding and the bike had hardly any coolant left when I got home. The temp guage was on about the 3/4 mark when I shut the key off.

This bike was rear-ended in 2002 and the subframe was bent. I was ejected from the bike at 60MPH and it went on without me. Insurance company spent $6000 fixing the subframe, the frame behind the headlight (mirrors and a ton of other things also hang off that frame), replaced both entire saddlebags, and a bunch of other plastic. I was wearing a full riding suit and had not a scratch.

I have never hit anything larger than a raccoon. It's been to southern Mexico twice, Key West a few times, San Diego, Hyder, and the easternmost point of land in North America: Cape Spear NFLD. It's helped me to three successful Iron Butt Rally finishes. Two of those with a gold medal. It helped me set a record crossing Canada. I have even had sex on this bike (it was parked on the centrestand). It is tattooed on my arm.

tattoo1.jpg
 
Welcome to the club. I turned 300,000 in July on the California coast. But unfortunately, I hit a deer about a month later and have not gotten the bike back on the road yet. So, I only have 306,000 miles right now. So, if you keep going, you might pass me again before spring!
 

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Thane and Alex, simply awesome! But I'm just wondering ... what compells you to run the bikes this many miles? Not that I'm implying it's inappropriate or that the bike isn't capable, but rather just trying to get at what makes this bike and you align so well that you'd rather ride it that many miles? Is it the bike, or is it you (and you'd have done this no matter the bike)?
:yes:
 
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