Heat That's too much heat-ST1300

[Blue STreak]

Rode mine in Utah tonight, nice evening ride. When I came off the mountain into 84 degree weather I noticed my legs getting hot... got home and was feeling quite hot so I put my hand on the frame above the pegs and the aluminum frame was hot! Not hot enough to burn your bare hand, but hot enough where you can't keep your hand on it for very long. Hotter on the right side than the left (not a lot). What is up with that? Is that too hot? Normal? Bike seems to run OK.

I just moved from Alaska to this warmer weather and am feeling the heat on this thing where before I didn't (in fact the heat was nice)... now it isn't so nice.

What is normal?

John

It's pretty normal for the aluminum spars to get hot. Normal is hard to define, though. There seems to be a lot of bike to bike variation. At least one person here owned two STs and reported one to be a lot hotter than the other.

 

[woodybelle]

John my frame also gets hot, have read where others have the same condition. It's normal.

 

[bayoubear]

maybe a small hole in the pipe sending a concentrated stream of hot air directly at the plastic ??? run the bike and put a piece of cardboard near and see if you a black spot somewhere . ya never know.

 

[JSHRAM]

I've removed the inner cowls and zip-tied the outer cowl to the uppers. I've yet to do a hot day on it, but I think that should help... Cooler weather would help too, but I guess I gotta get used to this hotter climate! :O)

Thanks!

JH

 

[Bigman]

I am supposed to take it in the shop Thurs. to have them look at it. If it's still under warrenty I think it would be best to go ahead and have them look at it.

 

[Bigman]

Took the bike in the shop and they were going to replace the under carriage where it melted for no cost. They suspected that it was running lean, but didn't have any farther explaination as to why it was doing it. I came back and picked up the bike and before I got to the first light it cut out once and that was it. I then ran almost a full tank of gas out with no further problems. I get up for work the next morning to ride to work and as the bike is warming up it in a short period of time went from high idle to a half a grand on the tachometer. The bike ran rough all the way to work about a fifteen minute ride. I took the bike back to the dealer as soon as I got off of work and he said that it sounded like it had a dead cylinder, anyway they are going to futher check out the problem. I sure am glad I bought this bike under warranty, it's already paying for itself.

 

[JB13]

Hi, suggest that maybe the cat is fouled due to a bad plug or injector on that side causing extra heat buildup. The cat is just aft of that area. Is that side producing any noticable exhaust gas different than the other?

 

[Bigman]

Today, I got my bike back from the shop, and I was not happy with the bill. It was 1,084.00 for the complete service. The guy said that there was carbon build up on the carborators, and it would not allow the shaft to close, it would stick open. That's what was causing the exhuast pipe to get so hot. The tear down of the bike is what cost so much in labor. The honda place said that the valves were out of spec, so those needed to be adjusted. Honda would give no assitance at all. I just was not planning on spending that kind of money after I just bought this bike, but such is life.

 

[Landon]

Did they call and get the ok before doing the work? Or did you tell them when you dropped it off to get it running without a call? Just wonderin.

 

[Hound]

The guy said that there was carbon build up on the carborators, and it would not allow the shaft to close, it would stick open.

I'm not a mechanical expert, but my understanding is that the ST1300, being fuel-injected, has no carburettors so I would query that diagnosis.

(edit) Ah, I just checked and the 1300 does have throttle bodies, so that's what they must mean.

 

[Bigman]

That would be correct

 

[Bigman]

Back to the shop after I have had it for a week and it is doing the same thing that it was when they supposedly fix it for sure the service guy said. I took the bike back and told the guy that I am not paying another dime I want the bike fixed. This is the third time it has been in the shop in five weeks for the same problem and I am not a happy camper. I was also displease the the service guy said that he knew the bike was running great when I picked it up the last time, because he told me the tech pulled it off the ground. The assitant manager said he didn't believe that you could get those STs off the ground. They also changed the oil without me asking, I had just changed it before I took it in. If anyone can think of anything else that could be the problem I would be more than happy to relay the message to the mechanic. Over all after paying 1,100 dollars for my bike to be repaired I was extremely disappointed to find it doing the same thing a week after being released out of the shop.

 

[Bigman]

Did they call and get the ok before doing the work? Or did you tell them when you dropped it off to get it running without a call? Just wonderin.

Yes they did, but by they had it tore down just to put it back together would have been pretty costly. It was broke down quite a bit.

 

[CABINPETE]

Looks like you might have the sticking intake valves as noted by others. They can pull the intake noodles and look at the intake valves through the throttle bodies. A bore scope would be a big help. If the throttle plates were sticking and not fully closing it would cause your engine to have a high idle but it should run smooth (same as twisting the grip slightly) Build-up on the throttle plates would be caused by the crankcase ventilation system (the injectors spray below the plates) and Honda added a moly coating to help prevent this. Hopefuly they didn't wash it off.

 

[Bigman]

I will pass on the info. Like I stated in the previous post, the bike would be running along fine and then all of the sudden it bogs down with no horse power, then it would just take off. The stleeler ship is not going to like the fact that they will have to break the bike back down to do the work again.

 

[woodybelle]

I don't see how any deposits of any kind can cause the bike to run fine and then all of a sudden run crappy. It sounds more like an intermittent electrical problem. I have seen on this forum where guys have had problems with the Map sensor causing similar problems. Before you tear anything apart it is good to look at all the symptoms and make some rational decisions on where to start. Just thinking, you are missing the peak of the riding season!

 

[Bigman]

I don't see how any deposits of any kind can cause the bike to run fine and then all of a sudden run crappy. It sounds more like an intermittent electrical problem. I have seen on this forum where guys have had problems with the Map sensor causing similar problems. Before you tear anything apart it is good to look at all the symptoms and make some rational decisions on where to start. Just thinking, you are missing the peak of the riding season!

I will have them check on the map sensor. I need no reminders that I am missing out on the greatest riding time of the year, I ride everyday of the week religously, and I am going nuts.

 

[jduff8505]

Sorry if this is a dumb question. Does the 1300 have a catalytic converter?

 

[Mellow]

Sorry if this is a dumb question. Does the 1300 have a catalytic converter?

Yes, it's built into the mufflers which is one reason they get hot.

 

[jduff8505]

Yes, it's built into the mufflers which is one reason they get hot.

And if one was bad wouldn't that side get hot? and cause the bike to run like crap? I'm just spit ballin' here but I've heard the old "they never go bad" thing before on other vehicles and sure enough that was the problem. 62K is not a lot of miles for this engine, seems way to early for failure to me. I'm new to the ST too so I'm learning as I go as well. Thanks Joe.

Jeff