ST1300 issues

vtxguy

Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
6
Location
Knoxville, TN
Hello,

As I mentioned in my introduction, I am thinking about trading my VTX1300C for an ST1300.

While I know the ST1300 has the reputation of being a reliable and smooth bike, I have read on this forum some issues that some folks are having with the ST1300:

1. Tire wear on the left front
2. Pulling to the right
3. Decel wobble
4. High speed wobble

Are there any other issues?

I realize all bikes have their problems (like my VTX)and I guess have 3 questions :

1. If you were to buy again, would you still buy and ST1300 or another Sport Touring such as the FJR1300 or Concours 14 ?
2. Does anyone know if the FJR1300 or Concours 14 have similar issues ?
3. Where is the ST1300 manufactured ? Is it made in Marysville, Ohio like the VTX line and Gold Wing or in Japan ?

I'm not trying to put down the ST1300, as I mentioned, all man-made things have their issues as my VTX does (along with the other 2 bikes I mentioned). I'm just trying to get all the info that I can prior to making a informed decision. What better place to get that best info than from folks that ride and love the ST1300 ?

Thanks for any input !
 
vtxguy said:
1. Tire wear on the left front
2. Pulling to the right
3. Decel wobble
4. High speed wobble
Click to expand...

The only issue of these that I have is the high speed wobble, and I think it's caused by the top box catching air and producing down force in the rear, thereby causing lift on the front. It doesn't seem to happen when my wife's on the back, although I don't maintain high speeds for very long when she's with me.
 
Mine must be messed up it doesn't have any of thse issues :( I'm not sure I would call a few bikes and owners with concerns a reason to say the bike has issues. Of the how many thousand folks here what percentage really exists for each item ? I guess the best thing to do would be go test drive all of the mentioned bikes and make your decision based on first hand experience.
Don't forget the Heat issue and the low tire milage most get and the poor gas milage some of us get and the terrible seat it comes with !! I love mine and couldn't be more satisfied
 
vtxguy said:
Hello,

As I mentioned in my introduction, I am thinking about trading my VTX1300C for an ST1300.

While I know the ST1300 has the reputation of being a reliable and smooth bike, I have read on this forum some issues that some folks are having with the ST1300:

1. Tire wear on the left front
2. Pulling to the right
3. Decel wobble
4. High speed wobble

Are there any other issues?

I realize all bikes have their problems (like my VTX)and I guess have 3 questions :

1. If you were to buy again, would you still buy and ST1300 or another Sport Touring such as the FJR1300 or Concours 14 ?
2. Does anyone know if the FJR1300 or Concours 14 have similar issues ?
3. Where is the ST1300 manufactured ? Is it made in Marysville, Ohio like the VTX line and Gold Wing or in Japan ?

I'm not trying to put down the ST1300, as I mentioned, all man-made things have their issues as my VTX does (along with the other 2 bikes I mentioned). I'm just trying to get all the info that I can prior to making a informed decision. What better place to get that best info than from folks that ride and love the ST1300 ?

Thanks for any input !
Click to expand...


VTXguy, I came from a VTX1800, and wished I had found the ST much sooner!! It is an awesome bike, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much if not more.

I'll try and give you my take on some of your questions.

1. Tire wear on the left front - I think this is very common, depending on many things, to include how close you monitor air pressure, riding style, types of road, road surface, etc. My stock BT020 front wore very evenly.
2. Pulling to the right - My VTX did this too. I think it might be just a Honda thing, or maybe some anomaly in how they're put thogether. Mine does it a little, but not enough to worll about.
3. Decel wobble - No problem here.
4. High speed wobble - Nope, not here either.


1. If you were to buy again, would you still buy and ST1300 or another Sport Touring such as the FJR1300 or Concours 14 ? Yes, I would buy the ST1300 again, no question.
2. Does anyone know if the FJR1300 or Concours 14 have similar issues ? I dont, I'm sure more knowledable folks will chime in on this.
3. Where is the ST1300 manufactured ? Is it made in Marysville, Ohio like the VTX line and Gold Wing or in Japan ? No, it's made in Japan. Dont recall the exact plant location. Someone here will know.

The only way to know for sure if it's right for you is to ride it. There are some shops that rent the ST, hopefully one will be near you.
 
The guys (and gals) on this forum tend to be fairly critical, but honest. I haven't had any of the issues you mention. No wobble - adequate shock preload and proper tire pressure may help. My tires wear evenly, and the bike doesn't pull either direction. I'd buy another, and I'll bet you nearly everyone on the forum would, as well. The ST suits me better than the others; the FJR may be "sportier" and the Concours may be faster, but the Honda is plenty sporty for my riding, and way faster than it needs to be (not that this is a bad thing.) Bike preferences are really individual. Buy what appeals to you. If it's the Honda, don't worry about "issues." I've had Hondas, Suzukis, and a Kawasaki. The Honda quality is equal to any, and better than most.
 
Last edited:
My original Dunlops wore out on the left side. None of the tires I have used since show that problem. It may be a Dunlop thing.

I have heard of a couple of issues with both the FJR and new Concours. I don't know how bad those actually are. Someone will have a problem with anything sooner or later.

If I was going to buy another bike it wouldn't be an ST1300. I have had no problems with mine, but since I wouldn't get rid of my current 1300 and I have two ST1100's I would try something different. Most likely I would get the FJR as I find it as easy to swing my leg over it to get on as the ST's. At the local dealer they have the ST, FJR and Concours sitting side by side so I can see the difference not just feel it with all on the center stand. :03biker:
 
eddiemack said:
rear view mirrors in the wrong place. Other than that it's a great bike.
Click to expand...


I'd have to say I strongly disagree with your statement about the mirrors. I absolutely love the mirror position in the ST1300 ( being lower and wider) I able to see behind me for a very long ways. Plus the mirrors do not vibrate so everything is crysal clear. The other nice thing about the ST mirrors is that the mirror covers pop off if you bump sumething with them, or god forbid, the bike falls. +1,000,000 on the mirror design in my book.:D

I came from a VFR800 where the mirrors are mounted high up and they vibrated like crazy, so they were basically useless on interstate highways.

The ST1300 is an excellent bike overall with very few flaws. The heat issue can be problems for some riders. I find it uncomfortable above 80, but you sort of adjust to that.

The bike is tremendous fun in the twisties and a solid commuter bike. It handles so nicely in most kinds of traffic and has plenty of muscle. The only bike I would choose over it, is a GL1800
 
Here's the only question to ask about the ST

If your ST was stolen and you were given full replacement value, would you buy another ST?

In my case..in a heartbeat..thats how good it is...I wouldn't even look at another bike at this point in my life...maybe a Goldwing trike when I'm much older but for now its ST all the way.:D :D
 
Hey, mine must be defective also and the '03 that I put 25,000 miles on and then sold to a friend! I have an '06 with 12,000 miles and it does not do any of those things. Should I contact Honda and find out why I don't have wobble and those other things?
 
1. Tire wear on the left front Too new for me to be an issue.
2. Pulling to the right I haven't experienced that phenomenon at all.
3. Decel wobble I haven't experienced that phenomenon at all.
4. High speed wobble I haven't experienced that phenomenon at all, but I'm not sure if I've had it fast enough to be an issue -- I've only had her up to 95 indicated.

Are there any other issues?

I realize all bikes have their problems (like my VTX)and I guess have 3 questions :

1. If you were to buy again, would you still buy and ST1300 or another Sport Touring such as the FJR1300 or Concours 14 ? I considered all 3, and chose the ST. I made the right choice, I think.
2. Does anyone know if the FJR1300 or Concours 14 have similar issues ? I don't know.


Also, I hadn't realized that the mirrors don't vibrate until the poster above mentioned it! Nice! My left mirror wouldn't STOP vibrating at highway speeds on my Shadow 1100.
 
2. Pulling to the right... The bike comes in a large crate with the front wheel off the bike. Most dealers follow proper procedure when installing the front wheel by bouncing the forks and torquing the nuts in the proper order. Some dealers don't. These bikes tend to pull to the right.

3. Decel wobble... The front tire MUST be balanced well. The ST1300 has a sportier rake and trail than the ST1100, and is sensitive to poor balance.

4. High speed wobble...Ths ST1300 is sensitive to dirty air behind large vehicles, also due to sharp fork rake angles. I completely solved this minor annoyance with the HyperPro Active steering damper for $450.
After riding rock-stable cruisers for decades, the ST1300 feels like a race horse just itching for a twisty canyon road to show off her stuff. Took me a while to get used to it, but now thoroughly enjoy the handling.
Jefro.
 
1. Tire wear on the left front

as opposed to the right front? :) have never heard of that one.

2. Pulling to the right

only when pushing right.

3. Decel wobble

another new one, but i imagine this happens like on the wing for some who run metzeler. not sure. doesn't happen on my 07 with any tire tried so far.

4. High speed wobble

i tried this on mine both with and without the topbox in both clean and dirty air and no wobbling. i'm not certain what the general definition of wobble is, though. plus, i've heard from some that the issue doesn't manifest until in the 110+ mph range.

Are there any other issues?

i'm surprised you didn't ask about the heat. my 05 fjr was a hot bike. my 07 st13 is a hot bike. i don't find it unbearable, but it's definitely there. sweet in the winter. there are some remedies of varying success.

1. If you were to buy again, would you still buy and ST1300 or another Sport Touring such as the FJR1300 or Concours 14 ?

no question. absolutely. if you're looking for the latest and greatest, the st may not be for you, but if you're looking for a bike that does everything extremely well, the st is a wise choice.

2. Does anyone know if the FJR1300 or Concours 14 have similar issues ?

yes. although, yammy addressed the heat issue from 06+. not sure if it was addressed satisfactorily, though.
 
Thanks to all for your input.

If I get an ST, I'll be sure to make the the dealer has followed the installation procedure correctly on the front tire. Makes sense that would have a huge impact on the handling of the bike.

As far as the heat issue, that seems to be a common thing with Sport Touring bikes. My VTX gets pretty hot in traffic too and it's wide open.

From the comments, sounds like some folks rack up allot of miles and I'm looking for a bike that I can log allot of miles on since I ride every chance I get. Probably will be riding even more with gas prices heading for the $4 a gallon mark.

Some great advice and suggestions and I do appreciate all the comments.

Maybe someday I'll be "st-guy".:)
 
PLCBithead said:
I'd have to say I strongly disagree with your statement about the mirrors. I absolutely love the mirror position in the ST1300 ( being lower and wider) I able to see behind me for a very long ways. Plus the mirrors do not vibrate so everything is crysal clear. The other nice thing about the ST mirrors is that the mirror covers pop off if you bump sumething with them, or god forbid, the bike falls. +1,000,000 on the mirror design in my book.:D

I came from a VFR800 where the mirrors are mounted high up and they vibrated like crazy, so they were basically useless on interstate highways.

The ST1300 is an excellent bike overall with very few flaws. The heat issue can be problems for some riders. I find it uncomfortable above 80, but you sort of adjust to that.

The bike is tremendous fun in the twisties and a solid commuter bike. It handles so nicely in most kinds of traffic and has plenty of muscle. The only bike I would choose over it, is a GL1800
Click to expand...

Steve, I think the ST13 mirrors are not near as good as ST11 mirrors. At least comparing my old ST11 to my new ST13, both with stock seats and handlebars. I see a lot of knuckles with the 13, a problem I never had on the 11.
 
I've not had my ST very long.I bought it last August and have only put about 8500 miles.However,to date I've experienced none of the problems on your list.Nearly all my miles are 2 up and we also pull a trailer when traveling and for me so far it's been steady with no gyrations of any kind.If pulling trailer empty in dirty air behind an 18 wheeler the trailer will wag some but it isn't anything unsettling or bothersome and I've never felt that it had any effect on the bike.I've replaced the rear tire at 7k.The front is still good with no uneven wear or cupping.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom