The Black Pearl still impresses me, it just keeps on going...

[W0QNX]

Fine day for a ride and deep thought. More riding than thoughts come my way lately as I care less I guess. But I was thinking as I rode the Black Pearl on another 300 mile trip today, "This bike just keeps on going, what a great bike!" I still enjoy just jumping on the bike and GOing who knows where. Most days it's out for a ride with no purpose or direction, turn as the turn feeling hits me. Perfect!

So little has "had" to be done to this bike and it still rolls down the road great so amazingly. It's actually running and doing better this year than it was last year. Last year it was leaking oil from somewhere and the right saddlebag was getting an oil film on it after trips (2,000 miles accumulation) and using just at a quart per 10,000. It was also letting out a bit of coolant as it has since new just a lot more last year. Factory hose clamps still just leaking randomly? The factory clamps are still in there so probably. I was topping up the coolant tank every 1,000 miles up until about this June. Suddenly the coolant leak has stopped. Yeah I solved that one.... It didn't leak any in the last 3,000 miles! I pressure washed and hand scrubbed the engine block to start the oil leak tracking. The oil leak was never found but I thought it was either the valve cover gasket or the filler cap O-ring. Whatever it quit too! Last long trip this summer to Washington state and back it consumed less than 3/4 of a quart during that 10,000 mile oil change cycle. That works for me. And yes I still only change the oil at each 10,000 number on the odometer. Let's not even discuss which oil I use in this thread please.

The great ol ST1300 is up to 393,203 miles as of today and it still makes me smile as I ride. I made a little video to share so let me know what you think!

Long live the ST's!!

Honda ST1300 on the road

Black Pearl rolling down the road.

youtube.com

 

[the Ferret]

Video is kinda noisy and I didn't understand the thumb thing, but the mileage is awesome! Looking forward to the 400,000 mile pic/report (whatdya think around Christmas?)

BTW love how you "fix" things lol. I do it about the same way.

 

[Darth rider]

What’s that thingymagig between the windscreen and the dash?

 

[W0QNX]

What’s that thingymagig between the windscreen and the dash?

Noise reduction device. It keeps the wind noise from cutting through that area too fast if it blepblips.

 

[red one]

I alway's thought the ST1100/ST1300s the best bikes on the planet. You confirmed it

 

[970mike]

You have to love the longevity of the ST. I bet your oil leak was the oil cap O-ring as mine was very flat and hard and started to leak just a little oil. Keep the rubber side down and when you get some real miles on it maybe you can put it in a museum.

 

[ToddC]

Well done Mr. Raymondo.......

And it has worked well as your stunt vehicle as well.........

 

[SupraSabre]

I'm glad you stuck with your bike, and just kept adding on the miles!

Once my first ST1300 hit around 140K miles, I was getting worried that I would be having to rebuild the engine to some degree. As I have put the miles on the rest of my fleet, I have come to realize that these bikes, as long as you keep them maintained, will just keep going!

And to think, if I would have just stayed with my first one (05), we would both be breaking the 400K mark about the same time!

 

[bdalameda]

I've seen a lot of coolant and oil leaks come and go that are related to temperature. It will be interesting to see if some of those seeps start up again when the weather turns cold. Old hoses and looser clamps with the aging hoses will shrink with cold and the leaks can start as well as the old and hardened o-rings. I leak a little more with my excessive age but so far I am still going! These sure are rugged bikes, I think it is too expensive to build bikes like these anymore.

 

[Larry Fine]

I leak a little more with my excessive age but so far I am still going!

I can certainly relate to this!

 

[motornut]

Most of the engine wear is from starting cold and until reaching operating temp. Obviously it does not spend much time being shut off. Will we see you next year at Seven Bays, just a short jaunt for you isn't it.

 

[sirbike]

Based on the length of that video, I would think that you did that about a million times.