Removing the speed limiter from the P model

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Apr 25, 2009
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5
Location
Greensboro, NC
I purchased an old 2009 Police ST1300PA, has anyone found out how to remove the speed limiter. I'm trying to find out what Honda used to limit the speed. Is it in the ECU where I can get a non P model ECU or somewhere else on the bike I can modify to remove it?

I did search and only found plug in units that may remove it.
 
I purchased an old 2009 Police ST1300PA, has anyone found out how to remove the speed limiter. I'm trying to find out what Honda used to limit the speed. Is it in the ECU where I can get a non P model ECU or somewhere else on the bike I can modify to remove it?

I did search and only found plug in units that may remove it.

eBay is probably your best bet. Just make sure you get an '08 or later.
 
I am surprised that Honda limited the speed in any way, because in 5th gear I can just get to the redline at a 246 km/h indicated and no rev or speed limiter seems to be involved. When a speed or rev limiter activates it normally intermittently cuts out.
 
eBay is probably your best bet. Just make sure you get an '08 or later.

Absolutely but my research has mixed results, some say ecu some say it's in the instrument cluster and you can't swap a non p cluster onto a P model.

Just looking for some clarification.
 
Absolutely but my research has mixed results, some say ecu some say it's in the instrument cluster and you can't swap a non p cluster onto a P model.

Just looking for some clarification.

Could be due to different wiring...I have found a number of differences between the Ps and Not Ps...:eek:4:

As expected, I do see the numbers are different....
2012 ST1300P: 38770-MCS-R21
2012 ST1300: 38770-MCS-R12

Same connectors by looks of things. And if you were like me, I would probably try it...;)

But I very seldom go over the Ton, so it wouldn't matter to me much anyway! ;)
 
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Yes, the P units have a different ECM limiting top speed in Fifth. Ivan products used to sell TRE (timing retard eliminator) units fooling the ECM into thinking it was in a different gear, therefore a different map than fifth and eliminating the Retarding. I have them on other bikes but believe they are no longer allowed to be sold? Easy installation and most likely cheaper and more reliable than a used non P ECM
 
The limiter was removed on later generations of P models, just find an ECM from one of them and you can have it all.
 
I have an 08 ecu that I bought by mistake for my 07..
I will take $175 for it shipped in US.
 
My Japanese domestic model VTR1000F had a 180km/hr speed limiter, removal was as easy as disconnecting a pink/green wire from the back of the speedo unit. I'm not guaranteeing that the ST will be the same, but there's a lot of commonality across different Hondas when it comes to components and arrangement of parts .
 
My Japanese domestic model VTR1000F had a 180km/hr speed limiter, removal was as easy as disconnecting a pink/green wire from the back of the speedo unit. I'm not guaranteeing that the ST will be the same, but there's a lot of commonality across different Hondas when it comes to components and arrangement of parts .

See this is interesting because I did read it was tied into the speedo. I'll look into it and give it a shot. And report back of course.
 
See this is interesting because I did read it was tied into the speedo. I'll look into it and give it a shot. And report back of course.

Here's the text from the VTR owner's forum:

"On the speedo side, you will see the following wires. Green Black. Black Brown. Red Green and Pink Green. Take note of that pink green wire. (Do not touch it. That is the speed sensor wire for the speedo from the gearbox, if you unscrew that, your speedo WON'T WORK) Looking at the back of the speedo (cluster), you will see a second pink green wire that is just off the the left that is screwed at the bottom on a line of 4 screwed in wires. Unscrew that second pink and green wire, tape it up. And there you have it. Speed limiter removed. So in short, look for the pink and green wire that is as close to the center of the cluster as possible, and unscrew and tape up. It should take around 10 minutes. EASY AS! The longest part is removing the fairing and 3 cluster bolts. - You don't even need to unplug the loom. If you pull the cluster right apart there is a little chip in there that sends the cut signal to the ecu. Technically now the ECU doesn;t know how fast you are going. I had a Firestorm that was limited to 185k's, after a 10 minute job, and a 20 minute ride you're set to go.. . . PLEASE REMEMBER ... RESPECT THE POWER AND SPEED. ONE WRONG BLINK AND IT'LL BE CURTAINS. BE SAFE."

It does occur to me that the VTR has an electrically driven speedo, whereas the ST uses a cable-driven device, so who knows? The VTR's speed was limited by the ECU receiving a signal from the speedo down the now-disconnected wire. Even with a cable driven speedo, you'd think the signal to limit ignition would come from there, as there is no other part of the bike where speed is measured.
 
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TR has an electrically driven speedo, whereas the ST uses a cable-driven device

Maybe on the 1100, the 1300 it is driven electronically.

The ECM knows your speed by the ppm counter on the output shaft of the transmission.
 
Oops, I should have spotted that we were talking about the 1300, my bad.

I don't have the wiring diagram for the P model but I do see the that standard model has a pink/green speedo sensor wire going to the instrument cluster. My guess is if there is a second wire of a similar colour at the speedo, that should be the limiter wire, but that is just speculation on my part.
 
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Just wanted to keep this up top in case anyone with an answer missed it. I will try to pull the speedo and give it a look. I am absolutely amazed no one has figured this out yet.
 
Tepco:

For what it's worth, I have a ST 1100 that I keep in Europe and I have done a lot of travel on the German autobahns. The ST 1100, in stock configuration, gets a little light on the front wheel at GPS-measured speeds above 220 km/h (135 MPH)... not at all a reassuring sensation. For that reason I self-limit my speed to 200 km/h (125 MPH), which is windy, noisy, and gives very poor fuel mileage.

Cruising between 160 and 180 km/h (100 - 115 MPH) is OK, but again, gives awful fuel mileage and cuts rear tire life in half.

Michael
 
Unless you plan on cruising at triple digit speeds, you might forget about the speed limiter.

However, consider this. I think it was said above the ECU knows the speed the same way the speedometer does - off the crank sensor. I'm not sure if the speedohealer modifies the crank sensor's pulses upstream or downstream of the ECU but you might investigate that. Might the speedohealer be used to 'fool' the ECU?
 
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