Used 1996 honda st with 600 miles

[Bill Cleveland]

I looked at 1996 honda st1100 with 600 original miles today .It was bought new ridden and then owner had heath issues and it sat in the garage. Start and runs tires side walls are split asking 3000.00 is it worth buying needs going through.

 

[Obo]

Sitting that long it will likely need new fluids, perhaps hoses and the brake system might be questionable. Seals might be questionable too. Parts for these older bikes are harder to come by if you want NOS.

If it was me I think I'd pass as for not much more money you could get a well loved 1300.

Let a few of the other more seasoned 1100 owners chime in though as they'd likely be more knowledgeable.

 

[kiltman]

you will probably have to invest another $1000 maybe more if you get someone else to do the work. Fluids would have to be changed, tires, filters etc. I’m not sure what the market is where you are, but the bikes that are moving in my area are in the $2K range, once you’re in the $3K range the bikes just are not moving for months on end. Pearl red is a nice colour.

 

[ChriSTian_64]

$ 3000 US seems a bit expensive, even for a brand new motorcycle that sat there... for 27 years.
It was new 27 years ago.

The coolant needs to be changed every few years. Otherwise it becomes corrosive.
Same gas for 27 years ?
There will be some job to be done and parts to be changed, for sure. All rubber : tires, radiator hoses, carb boots, etc.
And the parts starts to be hard to find, some of them can't be find anymore.

Now... the owner bought it new, then right away had health issue, and it prevented him to ride it for 27 years ?
He never thought he could sell it ?

Oh well, I know... everything is possible. This is America.

 

[dwalby]

that would be a hard pass for me, its worse than buying one with lots of miles that's ridden regularly.

 

[Igofar]

Run Forrest Run
I’m gonna guess the fuel tank is probably rusted.
If you purchased it for $500 (five hundred dollars) then started replacing all the rotted rubber bits, lines, seals, and hoses, radiator, clutch slave cylinder, all brake and clutch master cylinder’s, tires, and everything else your gonna find on a 27 year old bike abandoned in a garage for 27 years,
Your gonna spend as much as his asking price just in parts, and that’s if you can find them.
Again….Run Forrest Run.

 

[Al st1100]

clean it up , it would make a nice display

 

[PmodelinUS]

I can say having bought a bike that sat for several years and you start putting serious miles on you suddenly find yourself chasing gremlins from things you wouldn't have thought. Unless you intend on restoring it I would be hesitant.

 

[Sadlsor]

Sounds like that's a new used bike.
The poison pill...

 

[sirbike]

Mostly I say run too.
But if you are in for the love of it…
Do you have the time, tools and skills to deal with all of the aforementioned likely issues?
Has this bike been taken care of?
Does it look brand new?
Can’t imagine it would just start and run if it just sat neglected until put up for sale. If it did start after sitting all that time, that may have created more problems.
He could have vertigo or whatever and still have great mechanical skills applied to compulsively keeping the bike like a road worthy museum piece. Thing that kills this hopeful idea with me is that the tires are cosmetically shot. Out of date ok but not cosmetically shot.
The price is currently too high anyway.
Run!

 

[Upt' North]

It's a unique bike and as such I don't think it's expensive, where would you find another.
But it will take time and money to put it right.
I would be tempted but I know where my next twelve months would be spent and it wouldn't be riding, in short a potentially great bike for someone with the time and energy to devote to it.
And money.
Upt.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I looked at 1996 honda st1100 with 600 original miles today .It was bought new ridden and then owner had heath issues and it sat in the garage. Start and runs tires side walls are split asking 3000.00 is it worth buying needs going through.

Several of have refurbished long term garage queens. Search...top right of this page....on 'ST1100 refurbishment' , rebuild, or similar and several previously posted repairs will come up.

 

[Erdoc48]

IF you’re truly interested, you could let the buyer know it’s going to need a lot to make it roadworthy again and $3K is too high a price- who knows? Maybe they’ll be reasonable, maybe not. If not, keep looking. I agree about the old coolant and gas in the tank- that gas has likely caused rust issues or maybe completely varnish by now.

 

[Uncle Phil]

As was said, $3000 is way over what they are selling for.
At $2000 and if it were an ABSII, it might be worth the 'challenge'.
Unless the carbs were drained, they probably have their idle jets clogged - which usually means you have to pull them.

 

[Bill Cleveland]

I decided to pass I just needed to hear other opinions and seems like every one agrees
Thanks

 

[TPadden]

But if you are in for the love of it…

Why else would ANYONE be looking at a 27 year old bike in any condition. Unless they needed a parts doner... or were at Barber Motorsports Museum.

Tom

 

[Sadlsor]

How about there are just some cool old bikes out there, and particularly some that some us could not acquire at the time, for whatever reason.
Youth is wasted on the young, after all.
With so many nice modern machines available today, why would anyone want a 1969 Honda CB750, or a 1972 Kawasaki 903 Z1?
Or a 1974 Norton Commando Interstate?
Everyone may have a different answer.
I take your question as somewhat rhetorical, and in jest.

 

[red one]

How about there are just some cool old bikes out there, and particularly some that some us could not acquire at the time, for whatever reason.
Youth is wasted on the young, after all.
With so many nice modern machines available today, why would anyone want a 1969 Honda CB750, or a 1972 Kawasaki 903 Z1?
Or a 1974 Norton Commando Interstate?
Everyone may have a different answer.
I take your question as somewhat rhetorical, and in jest.

Those bikes you listed are worth restoring as they would command a great deal of money after restoring. Our STs still would not be worth much after extensive restoration. Imho buying a decent running one would be way better than the unknowned. ST's are a made to be a ridden bike not a tucked in the corner for 20 plus years bike.

 

[TPadden]

How about there are just some cool old bikes out there, and particularly some that some us could not acquire at the time, for whatever reason.
...I take your question as somewhat rhetorical, and in jest.

Nope no jest. Buying a 27 year old bike because you think it is cool is just what an aviator would call buying a hangar queen. Any bike that old would require loving WORK, money, and motivated effort to get and keep it running...It would most likely sit and no jest...gather dust as a "some other day project" until needed garage space is reclaimed.

Tom

 

[Mellow]

I have to agree w/Tom.. do you want to RIDE a bike or WORK on a bike?

If you want a project to tinker with, go for it.. if you want a bike you can ride then you'll probably have to add enough $$$ to this that you could have saved a lot of time and purchased something that will get you on the road sooner.

The only tinkering I want to do on a bike is clean it...