- Joined
- May 27, 2021
- Messages
- 1,027
- Age
- 63
- Location
- Coquitlam British Columbia Canada
- Bike
- 2009 ST1300
plus, you can angle park them.
Indeed. Forums can give a skewed view of dependability; for every problem you read there are thousands of STs out there without trouble. Mine has been rock solid as well. As far as handling, it's not a MotoGP bike but among sports tourers it's as good as any. The FJR rivals it but I never could go as long and far in a day on my '03 FJR as I can on the ST, and I was younger then. The Honda is a great secret among touring motorcyclists.Super reliable, end of story. Some body plastics may be difficult to replace, but good availability of parts otherwise.
If your only concern is the SMC, buy one, take it to Larry. Sorted. No drama and it'll be good for years if maintained afterwards. I think you're worrying about nothing fella. The solution is real easy.I browsed articles for an hour or so. The SMC Rebuild thread had me horrified.
I have had linked brakes on an 86 Goldwing Aspencade, a 2002 Silverwing (scooter),
and a pair of 2003 Suzuki Burgman 400s. I vaguely recall flushing/cleaning & bleeding all the
lines/calipers & replacing pads, but I don't recall any serious nightmares.
The ST1300's system is maybe more complicated and has me concerned.
Apart from working on it being a pain, having the rear brake drag while far from home could also be a pain.
Should I simply plan to buy and install a new SMC just in case?
Thanks.
These bikes, by themselves, are very trouble free when properly maintained....oil, filters, hydraulic fluid changes, coolant.... They are aging machines and their 'troublesome' issues will be age related, even they have been diligently serviced by the po. Hoses of all three sorts and connections, mostly. Electrical is complex will be problematic if the po didn't keep it clean under the plasticwork....corroded grounds, loose connectors (arcing), chafing wires, etc.I live in Podunk where an 06 ST1300 has come up for sale. There are few interesting bikes
that ever hit the classifieds around here and I only have until the weekend before I have to view
and possibly commit to buying it. The price is about $1K lower than most that I see anywhere
and the mileage is under 35K. Photos look okay & the guy only put a few hundred miles on it before
his wife made him sell it. Sounds odd. It is hella hot here this time of year, so maybe he took her
riding and she, the wife, overheated with the engine & the fairings. I will pry a bit when I view the bike.
Anyway, my concerns are two-fold. I read some owner reviews from Europe and the US that say
their bikes have over 100K and zero issues. Then I read the occasional posts on here, owners with
bikes that that have well under 30K miles and have leaks, thermostat problems, I think maybe a bad water pump.
Are the vast majority of the ST1300s (2006) stone-axe reliable or not?
Secondly, my other two bikes have given me problems getting parts with the world supply chain
issues. One is an OEM part and the other is a German made aftermarket part. Are there reports
of ST1300 OEM parts that are difficult to find or are no longer being made? I don't want to have
to search junk yards to get parts.
(Me, I won't be riding this in the heat. I will wait for a different time of year and cool parts of days, so
that aspect doesn't worry me.)
Thank you.
Where is this bike at that your considering purchasing?I browsed articles for an hour or so. The SMC Rebuild thread had me horrified.
I have had linked brakes on an 86 Goldwing Aspencade, a 2002 Silverwing (scooter),
and a pair of 2003 Suzuki Burgman 400s. I vaguely recall flushing/cleaning & bleeding all the
lines/calipers & replacing pads, but I don't recall any serious nightmares.
The ST1300's system is maybe more complicated and has me concerned.
Apart from working on it being a pain, having the rear brake drag while far from home could also be a pain.
Should I simply plan to buy and install a new SMC just in case?
Thanks.
The bike is very local, about four miles from me in Sierra Vista and a private party. He is on vacation out of town, should be back by Monday. He said it has no issues so we'll see. It has no ABS, so it has that going for it--no ECU/ECM issue, right? And I think I could now test for obvious brake dragging issues on a test ride. With his insistence that he hold the cash while I test ride, I could also take a long enough test ride guilt-free to detect obvious coolant leaks---I have a very sensitive nose. I read a bunch more forum articles and posts this morning so I am comfortably aware that your expertise, work ethic, and thoroughness might be unmatched on the planet, so I could always deliver it to your hands and relax about it being money well spent if it has any shortcomings. But we haven't actually scheduled a test ride. A few months ago, another guy in town scheduled a test ride for me on a bike, a dual-sport, he was selling, but then emailed to say it was sold a couple hours beforehand. I hope that doesn't happen again. Thank you.Where is this bike at that your considering purchasing?
Private party or dealership?
I’m in Tucson, and may be able to assist you inspect it before purchase, however, I will warn you, I will point out several things that will probably need to be addressed.
That’s not a bad thing, as you will know what needs to be done, and know that it’s done correctly.
If you do purchase it, you may also consider a short trip to visit me, so we can sort out any issues it may have, and teach you how to service it yourself.
There are many good ones available, don’t be afraid to walk away from a bad one.
No.It has no ABS, so it has that going for it--no ECU/ECM issue, right?