"Classic" status for the 1100?

[Dbar]

In the new edition of Motorcycle Classics there's a brief missive from Clement Salvadori about a close encounter he had with a bunch of carrion-eating birds which resulted in a split windshield on his ST1100. Which got me cogitating on when, if ever, my '98 will enjoy "classic" status. With only 68K on the clock (yes, she's a garage queen) there's a lot of miles left on the old girl, but at almost 25 years of age, does she deserve the Classic' label?

 

[Andrew Shadow]

The definition of classic that you might have in mind would greatly influence the answers that you might get would be my guess.

Based on sentimentality and loyalty, you gwill get a lot of yes votes here.
@Uncle Phil alone would get eight yes votes if it was one vote per ST1100.

Legal status might be a different matter, and different in every jurisdiction.
Here in Quebec, a motorcycle doesn't qualify to be registered as a classic motorcycle unless it is at least forty years old. It doesn't matter how iconic or instrumental it was in the motorcycle world or how the public may feel about it.

 

[red one]

I vote not yet. Maybe in another 25 years? In the meantime these machines need to be kept on the road and not in a museum

 

[Erdoc48]

In the new edition of Motorcycle Classics there's a brief missive from Clement Salvadori about a close encounter he had with a bunch of carrion-eating birds which resulted in a split windshield on his ST1100. Which got me cogitating on when, if ever, my '98 will enjoy "classic" status. With only 68K on the clock (yes, she's a garage queen) there's a lot of miles left on the old girl, but at almost 25 years of age, does she deserve the Classic' label?

I have you beat- my 94 has 47K on it and the 2000 has 43K on it…I need to ride more often. I figure it this way, that these bike will likely never be worth more than they are right now, so use them liberally and pack the miles on!

 

[Uncle Phil]

Well, I've got one with 172,000+ miles, one with 132,000+ miles, one with 124,000+ miles and one with 56,000+ miles.
To me the ST1100 is already a 'classic' - classic in looks and in function!

 

[red one]

Well, I've got one with 172,000+ miles, one with 132,000+ miles, one with 124,000+ miles and one with 56,000+ miles.
To me the ST1100 is already a 'classic' - classic in looks and in function!

These bikes age really well. I have had more than a few comment that" your bike looks new...never thought it was 22 years old."

 

[STFlips]

These bikes age really well. I have had more than a few comment that" your bike looks new...never thought it was 22 years old."

I have gotten those comments too, I just smile and say "This is my newest Honda, I've got a 50 year old one back in the garage!"
But I agree, it's pretty classic styling holds up well. Think the CVMG guys use 25 years as a classic and 40 years as vintage.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I was sitting at a traffic light a while back on one of my 97 ST1100s and the guy beside me in a car asked -
"Is that one of those new Goldwings?"
I smiled and said -
"No, just a 24 year old Honda!"
I was out riding with another friend and he was on a newer BMW RT.
When we stopped for lunch, people kept stopping and asking me about my motorcycle the ST1100.
Nobody ever mentioned his nice, new BMW.

 

[bdalameda]

I gotta say - I think that Uncle Phil is definitely a classic, the ST1100 is not quite there.

It is interesting though, I belong to the CJMC (Classic Japanese Motorcycle Club) out here in California. Several members have ST1100's. They don't consider them classics as they have older bikes for club activities but they like their ST's. The CJMC is not to be confused with the VJMC(Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club)

 

[ST Steven]

I have you beat- my 94 has 47K on it and the 2000 has 43K on it…I need to ride more often. I figure it this way, that these bike will likely never be worth more than they are right now, so use them liberally and pack the miles on!

My 91 has 47000

 

[Ron]

I bought my '96 with 35357 miles on it and working on increasing the miles. An ST1100 with so few miles is almost a public embarrassment. My explanation is that I bought it that way and only owned it a short while.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I gotta say - I think that Uncle Phil is definitely a classic, the ST1100 is not quite there.

It is interesting though, I belong to the CJMC (Classic Japanese Motorcycle Club) out here in California. Several members have ST1100's. They don't consider them classics as they have older bikes for club activities but they like their ST's. The CJMC is not to be confused with the VJMC(Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club)

Thanks for supporting the dinosaurs!! I'm the classified editor for VJMC's Vintage Motorcycle Magazine, and member since 1991. We agonized over what we should acknowledge as 'classic' for years. After admitting that most folk considered classic as 1960-mid 1970 bikes as fitting that category, many members realized we should expand our definition to encourage the restoration and preservation of other era significant bikes. A 1962 CB92 may not have the same emotional attachment to someone who grew up dreaming of a Suzuki GS1000. Sooooo we grudgingly set 20 years old as our classic bike designation. Also we decided to remain 'classic' as 'antique' is legally established state to state and by the various antique auto associations....seems to be around 45 years or so.