Another file for the What The ______?!?! folder

Rhubarbray

Rhubarbray

Joined
Feb 27, 2019
Messages
42
Age
59
Location
Ottawa, ON
Bike
'04 ST1300,
Got a nasty surprise today. Was just going to take the 11 out for a short ride before changing the oil and putting it to bed for the winter. Just checking the tire pressure in the front and saw this:

1792715296469.jpeg

And I could see cracks starting in at least 6 more holes! The 1 below the crack and 3 below the crack you can see the start at the edge of the holes. Left rotor is fine.
 
Just an opinion…on my 94, I had a little warping of one of the front rotors, so I would get a minor pulsation from the front end. I wanted new OEM rotors a but it seemed no one had them at the time- I did go with an eBay vendor (I know, blasphemy), but in truth, I got a new pair of rotors and brake pads. Installed easily and I’ve had them about 6 months now and the bike brakes very well. And I broke in the rotors and pads properly (many low speed stops but not full, then mid speed stops, not full, and finally, higher speed stops like 60 mph, without full stops). Now all works very well. I would be hesitant to buy a used OEM part because you have no idea of the mileage on the parts as well as how worn they are (as in down to minimums). I took a gamble and it paid off.

Here they are: https://www.ebay.com/itm/168248176374

Fit fine and no issues. I originally tried to buy floating rotors but it seems they’re not made for the 1100, and Galfer or EBC rotors (if you can find them) are heinously expensive (and in truth, I don’t push my bikes all that hard).
 
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Rhubarbray said:
And I could see cracks starting in at least 6 more holes!
Click to expand...
The things we take for granted, right?
Good on ya, Martin, for spying this before swinging a leg over.
Reviewing the T-CLOCS pre-ride inspection in my RiderCoach materials now.
With or without the MSF classes, I would hope most riders have seen this. If not, here you are, and you're welcome.
T-CLOCS is a comprehensive pre-ride checklist used to inspect the mechanical safety of the bike before hitting the road.
What T-CLOCS Stands For
  • T – Tires & Wheels: Check tire pressure, tread depth, and look for embedded nails or dry rot. Check wheels for bent spokes or cracked rims, and ensure the brakes operate smoothly.
  • C – Controls: Test all manual controls. Check the handlebars, levers (clutch and front brake), cables (for fraying), hoses, and the throttle to ensure it snaps back freely.
  • L – Lights & Electrics: Test all electrical components. Check the headlight (high and low beams), brake lights, turn signals, horn, and mirror positioning.
  • O – Oil & Other Fluids: Check fluid levels. Ensure the engine oil, coolant, and brake fluid are topped off, and look underneath the bike for any active leaks.
  • C – Chassis: Inspect the bike's frame. Check the front suspension and rear shocks, the drive chain/belt tension and lubrication, and ensure all visible fasteners are tight.
  • S – Stands: Inspect both the side stand and center stand (if equipped). Ensure they aren't bent and that the return springs snap them tightly back into place so they don't deploy mid-ride.
 
I pulled the pads out to have a look at them ( I needed to see which ones they were, I was getting some contradictory information as to part number for the pads) When I pried the pads back on the right the piston was noticeably harder to push back than the ones on the left. I think a caliper strip and clean is in order. So if the calipers were sticking,.....that would explain the rotor being at 3.96mm ( lowest spot I could find). On the hunt for new rotors now. And while I was at it, I thought " Hmmm, should have a look at the rear rotor while I'm down here"............crap.........on the hunt for 3 rotors now. :mad:
 
Rhubarbray said:
...that would explain the rotor being at 3.96mm ( lowest spot I could find)...
Click to expand...
Your pic is showing the RHS, and while being parked on the kickstand is this always side more exposed to the elements (rain, dew...), hence prone to see corrosion, hence always wearing faster then the LHS...
The smaller ABS-II/CBS rotors are widely avail, finding the 312mm ones for a non-ABS will be a challenge...
 
Agree. I found a pair of rotors that looked identical to OEM, they may have even been made in the same factory, same markings, same font on the numbers, everything. It said It was for the 2002 model but asked the buyer to doublecheck the dimensions. Good thing I did. 296mm. The 312 are much less common, currently in talks with a seller with some 315mm ones.
 
When did Honda update the ST11? 1995? Is that when they enlarged the discs? Come to think of it, if I ever need to shop for a set of forks, I'll need to keep this in mind due to the fact the older caliper mount lugs will be in the wrong position!
 
In 1996 the smaller front discs came on the ABSII models.
Prior year ABSI and standards and 1996 and later standards had the larger front discs.
I have both a standard 1997 (converted it to ABSII) and ABSII models.
The ABSII also had 43 mm front forks vs 41 mm front forks and totally different calipers and such.
It may be apocryphal but Honda supposedly lifted the entire brake system from the Blackbird to use on the ST1100 ABSII models.
IMHO and experience, the braking (not the ABS part) on the ABSII models is quite a bit better than on the standards.
 
Interesting. The smaller rotors, from your experience, have better braking?! I had a 2000 Blackbird and I thought the braking on that bike was fantastic. A buddy of mine had a 2000 Hayabusa and we switched bikes one day. I immediately noticed the 'busa brakes sucked. He however was very surprised and damn near put himself through the windshield of the XX!
And your comment about the years now makes sense. I just had a look at the online catalogs and noticed even for the same model year machine, the drill pattern and part numbers of the front rotors don't match.
 
Rhubarbray said:
Interesting. The smaller rotors, from your experience, have better braking?! I had a 2000 Blackbird and I thought the braking on that bike was fantastic. A buddy of mine had a 2000 Hayabusa and we switched bikes one day. I immediately noticed the 'busa brakes sucked. He however was very surprised and damn near put himself through the windshield of the XX!
And your comment about the years now makes sense. I just had a look at the online catalogs and noticed even for the same model year machine, the drill pattern and part numbers of the front rotors don't match.
Click to expand...
I don't think it is the size of the rotors as much as the extra 'pots' in the calipers and the linked brakes.
I swapped front ends on my 97 standard and put the ABS front calipers and fired all three without them being linked (took some plumbing).
Eventually I converted it to the entire ABSII system - quite a chore not for the faint hearted ... ;)
 
What I’ve done with other bikes is look for other model bikes in similar years and see if I can find a master with a SLIGHTLY smaller master. Like maybe 10-20% smaller in area. More bite for the same lever squeeze but slightly longer lever throw. And looks stock.
 
Rhubarbray said:
? Not sure I follow. These are 2 pot brakes on sliding pins, right? Were the others the ancient 1 piston brakes?!
Click to expand...
The ABSII calipers are 3 pots - front and rear.
The linked part fires the center pot.
1792862663972.png
 
Ah! I see what you mean now. Yes, that’s identical to my Blackbird. And I do recall someone on the XX forum mentioning they blocked off the second hose port and drilled between the two piston bores
 
I chose to use a y-joint so I did not do anything to the calipers.
Just live plumbed the center piston and it worked well - just no ABS or linked brakes.
Then I finally decided to do the whole 'enchilada' and converted the standard over to ABSII like the rest of my 'fleet'. ;)
 
Uncle Phil said:
I chose to use a y-joint so I did not do anything to the calipers.
Just live plumbed the center piston and it worked well - just no ABS or linked brakes.
Then I finally decided to do the whole 'enchilada' and converted the standard over to ABSII like the rest of my 'fleet'. ;)
Click to expand...
Hi Uncle Phil,
Always respect for your knowledge and posts that I have followed for years.
Do you know are the 3 pot front calipers from the early ABS a direct swap out on the mounts on the forks for the non ABS 2 pot calipers, or would it need a fork change as well? I like your idea of plumbing in the centre piston to give more braking.
Regards,
Gc
 
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