I think HankSTer has hit the nail on the head.Honda have covered themselves with their "ride to the posted limit" reccomendation and also the speed limit they reccomend whilst carrying cargo.There is a problem with stability and I have experienced this many times.The Ride magazine article whilst not offering a solution has removed any doubt about the existence of the problem.I believe the chances of getting the problem solved at manufacturer level are nil.I say this because although to many it is a problem to a great many more it is not an issue. Although the machine can feel unsettled or maybe become a little unstable when passing trucks etc the really dangerous instability is usually reserved for much higher than normal speeds and some people never have a problem even at max speed.Some folks will not accept this shortcoming and swap their machine for hopefully a better package for them.Honda have gone backwards in this area compared to the ST1100 and I am sure they are painfully aware of this. The UK police have an issue with the machine and this can only further damage its reputation. The only answer will be a new ST,what form it will take is anyones guess but I am sure many will agree it cant come soon enough. Ed.
LarryKathy
You know, I've had a speed wobble too. Picked up the bike at the dealer, got it home, and then my wife and I took a short trip. WTH, when stopping at the first stop sign, the whole bike would wobble and it was really difficult to control. This forum help a great deal with that problem.... more rear shock preload....
Sooooo, should I go on?????
I do think the ST is a little light footed and you need to be awake to ride.
Sorry to the guy that had the accident...
Can't wait till it gets a little cooler.
Larry
Sooooo, should I go on?????
I do think the ST is a little light footed and you need to be awake to ride.
Sorry to the guy that had the accident...
Can't wait till it gets a little cooler.
Larry
Pantherdawg
Before I bought my St1300, I was dead set on buying a Bmw 1200rt, till I took it for a test ride. That lasted only a few minutes on the freeway. Got the heck off and rode staight back to the dealer. That was one scary ride. That thing was all over the place, tried backing away from other vehicles, ect.. hard to keep in one lane (not kidding). Did the dealer have it setup right? ????
Accidents happen, anytime anywhere, on anything. Sorry to hear about that accident, hope the rider fully recovers.
Just had my St @ 100 and 120 fully loaded w/top honda box, and handled as expected..nothing uncontrollable.
I could not take my hands off my FZ1 once the tires had a few k's on them or I'd get massive head shake @ 20mph
Accidents happen, anytime anywhere, on anything. Sorry to hear about that accident, hope the rider fully recovers.
Just had my St @ 100 and 120 fully loaded w/top honda box, and handled as expected..nothing uncontrollable.
I could not take my hands off my FZ1 once the tires had a few k's on them or I'd get massive head shake @ 20mph
Any motorcycle will wobble under the right conditions. I have seen videos of professionally ridden sport bikes in a wobble high siding their riders. I had a wobble a number of years ago on a Harley FXRP and will not soon forget it. I attribute it to my error for unbalanced weight in the side cases.
I go to great lengths to ensure that the chances of a wobble are reduced including: making sure that the weight in each side case is equal, heavier items are packed at the lowest point in the side cases, I don't overload the top box, the tire pressure is at spec, and the suspension is adjusted for the load I'm carrying. To that end, I've ridden 85+ mph fully --and I mean really fully-- loaded with a pillion with no difficulties at all. Smooth as silk.
I go to great lengths to ensure that the chances of a wobble are reduced including: making sure that the weight in each side case is equal, heavier items are packed at the lowest point in the side cases, I don't overload the top box, the tire pressure is at spec, and the suspension is adjusted for the load I'm carrying. To that end, I've ridden 85+ mph fully --and I mean really fully-- loaded with a pillion with no difficulties at all. Smooth as silk.
I believe that once you farkle your steed, all stability bets are off.
Especially where aftermarket wind screens are concerned. Installing a larger, taller, wider screen must surely affect the bike's stability dynamics. As will a top box.
I doubt any wind tunnel testing Honda might have done on the ST took those farkles into account.
With all the talk of ST stability issues, I am not aware of an ST steering damper offered as an aftermarket farkle. How come?
cb
Especially where aftermarket wind screens are concerned. Installing a larger, taller, wider screen must surely affect the bike's stability dynamics. As will a top box.
I doubt any wind tunnel testing Honda might have done on the ST took those farkles into account.
With all the talk of ST stability issues, I am not aware of an ST steering damper offered as an aftermarket farkle. How come?
cb
Yawn, I think most of this kind of stuff is made up by salesmen trying to scare a customer off a competitors bike. It only takes one rube to believe that and pass it on as gospel and soon it has a life of it's on.
I've seen one on an ST1300 before.
Link
There is a lot of talk but I don't know how much is regurgitated and not actual user experience.
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dmulk
Dan Mulkiewicz
I couldn't do this...mine head shakes when I take my hands off the bars at anything over 45MPH. Even with brand new tires.
It also pulls left...
Solution? Keep my hands on the bars and wait for someone to come up with a solution....other than that, the alternatives are unacceptable.
<D>
I am not a very aggressive rider, but I've riden at speeds over 80 or so, blasting off from a dead stop to 80 slapping those gears, and crusing at 80 and my ST feels rock solid.
But anyone that rides at speeds of 100 mph for very long is asking for trouble the way I see it, a little hole, a stick, a buzzard ......... my humble opinion
even in my cadillac at 90 or 100 mph I don't trust the road to be good all the time.
But anyone that rides at speeds of 100 mph for very long is asking for trouble the way I see it, a little hole, a stick, a buzzard ......... my humble opinion
even in my cadillac at 90 or 100 mph I don't trust the road to be good all the time.
I read the whole adv thread from the link and was surprised to read that mag article with actual data from testing. I wish they would have had a suspension expert look at the bike and try to replace or alter the suspension with ohlins or something to reduce the wobble. I enjoy my bike regardless and have noticed the light feeling in the front; however, I live with it and just ride.
FJRHank
rosast, one thing you can be absolutely certain of, Honda looked carefully at all options re suspension etc etc on the 1300. It only stands to reason they would after the uk police starting having problems. I'm sure law suits were threatened etc etc.
I too, when I had mine, would just "ride through it", but do be cautious around semi's and the like, it's probably best to just slow down... which I couldn't do
regards,
I have noticed a big difference in the ST's behavior in Jetwash behind Semi's compared to other bikes that I have ridden. I cant beleive how much the ST is negatively affected by Semi's. I get in the other lane a good distance back from the truck and pass quickly to help prevent it from being unsettled tooooo long.
Even our Smartcar handles the wind better.
Later Vern
Still enjoy the ST everytime I ride.:biker:
Even our Smartcar handles the wind better.
Later Vern
Still enjoy the ST everytime I ride.:biker:
david mattison
D.A.M.
I ride my ST1300 in the pacific northwest in some serious crosswinds on the coast and up and down the columbia river gorge and have never felt a bit of unsteadiness in MY 1300.I ride I5 every day to work and I ride pretty agressive ,<6k per set of tires and 38-40mpg. Seldom hit the end of an on ramp w/o at least brushing 100mph, what do you own a motorcycle for? FUN !! Does it move around in the slipstream of a semi, a little yes, but so does my 3/4 ton pickup for crying out loud. My last bike was an ST1100 and I hated it in a crosswind, it did give me white knuckles in a wind storm but I have never felt anything but secure on the 1300. Some of this may be a difference from bike to bike but alot of it must be perception. Its like sailing ;what some consider surviving a "storm" is just a romping good sail to others..... Ever look at the load limits for tires, I examined those #'s and Hondas reccomended load capacity when I first got my ST1300 and it seems like with my weight and a little gear I was within 85 lbs of the limits. So if any single girls out there (of legal age of course) meet those requirements lets go riding !!
I couldn't do this...mine head shakes when I take my hands off the bars at anything over 45MPH. Even with brand new tires.
It also pulls left...
Solution? Keep my hands on the bars and wait for someone to come up with a solution....other than that, the alternatives are unacceptable.
<D>
Wkeel balancing of the front wheel and loading the panniers to suit. Also whatch out for left hand drive....
No seriously; one of my favorite party tricks is to ride my bike down the road and move to the rear seat and slowly pass cages. you should see the suprised looks I get and i just shrug and make out like the rider just disapeared...Gets them going. Point: the bike can be more than stable when set up right.
Remember this is a short wheel base for a tourer and that's one of the reasons why she handles so well on the twistys. Now one must remember that short wheel based superbikes shake their nimble heads when going fast in a straight line, SO dampeners are fitted on them from the factory....
Hate to quote myself, but I think this one was needed.
Rode my brothers ST1300 back down to him from Peoria, and to get a quick feel of the power difference between the ST1300 and my ST1100, I cranked it up real quick to around 105mph, then quickly got off the throttle. Scared the crap out of me. Front end felt so light, as the high speed wobble jerked the bars left and right until speed slowed below 90. I now see what others are talking about. It is not fun.
In defense of the ST1300, I rode with suspension setup for prior owner, since he was about same height and weight as me. Also, I am used to 100mph+ on the ST1100 in a very relaxed riding mode. Light grip, leaning back in comfortable crusing mode, not leaning forward. Also ST1300 had Rifle windshield all the way down during wobble. I decided then that I would rather keep my '93 ST1100, old 28amp alternator and all, than worry about the wobble coming back on an ST1300.
I see a lot of info that the wobbles can usually be adjusted out, by relocating weight, or tweaking suspension. Huh? What happened to simply get on and ride? Adjustments are fine for simply things, like comfort or performance, but for safety????? That is not an adjustment. That is a needed correction or repair to defective equipment.
My name is Coop and I've experienced a wobble and it was very scary!! I was checking my e-mail and swigging on a jelly jar of tequila when I had an urge to go to the head. I got out of my chair and that's when it started.....I wobbled to the right and then back to the left at what seemed to be a very fast rate until I reached the pot. I raised the lid, braced myself againt the wall and took my best shot. I'm proud to report a 67.49753% success rate. On my return trip the wobble returned even faster so I took refuge in a chair in front of the television. Luckily for me the tv was alredy on (those little buttons are difficult to operate during a speed wobble), but The View came on and I was held prisoner by the dreaded wobble. AHHHH!!
Oh, a wobble on my ST1300? Never, it's stable as a rock to at least 120. I just don't believe a high speed wobble exists on the ST anymore than I believe what the Honda dealers say about other bikes. Yu just can't believe everything you hear
Oh, a wobble on my ST1300? Never, it's stable as a rock to at least 120. I just don't believe a high speed wobble exists on the ST anymore than I believe what the Honda dealers say about other bikes. Yu just can't believe everything you hear
Killtimer
Would you believe me Coop? Obviously you don't believe Dave or any of the others who have experienced it first hand on both sides of the ocean? How about the majority of European MC publications who've reviewed the bike? No?........... How's the sand taste?
Two Brothers
Walking, Talking, and Smiling!
I don't doubt some guys get wobbles. Different riders, road conditions, tires, tire pressures, weather conditions, suspension set ups. All these factor in. Have I ever wobbled. Nope but maybe I'm a lucky one. It can happen to any bike.
I think the rider just has to figure out what might be worng in his area. One part at a time.
I think the rider just has to figure out what might be worng in his area. One part at a time.
mpgar
The high speed wobble is one of those topics that will always rear its ugly head. As for me, I chalk it all up to loading. The original article describes his buddy's bike as having both panniers loaded, the top box loaded and a duffel bag on the back. I can't imagine why the front end would be light! I am glad that he survived the crash, but even Honda warns us that motorcycle riding is a high risk sport.
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