Considering buying a 2006 ST1300

PmodelinUS

PmodelinUS

Site Supporter
Joined
Jul 22, 2021
Messages
46
Age
58
Location
Gages Lakes, IL
Bike
1993 Honda ST1100
I currently ride a 93 ST1100, which I do love btw. Probably one of the most pure no bells or whistles Sport Touring bikes ever. Just love it. That being said as I near the 100,000 mile mark I am entertaining moving to a newer model. I've been passively on the lookout for either a ST1300, or a FJR1300. Well I found both sitting at a bike shop in WI. I really prefer to stay with a Honda, it's all I have ever owed for a bike.

The 1300 is wine berry or whatever they called it. Paints definitely got a lot of fade in areas. It only has 20 k on it. Snooping around and laying on the floor I noticed some oil around the breather hoses and filter area. Nothing major see pics. It is tossing the knock sensor code. I already read up in that in the articles. Does not appear to have any fork leaks, or final drive drips. In looks to be a solid bike, that shows a tip over or two, and years of being buried under stuff in a garage. The seat has been recovered poorly at best. 3 weeks ago it was listed at $3600, it's now down to $2999. I am considering offering $2500.

Been on the forum.now for about 5 years. So I know some about 1300's. Just looking for thoughts on if it worth it or not. Im fairly handy with bikes so not afraid to tear it apart. Just don't want to have to throw $3000 at it to get it back in shape

Look forward to your replies.
 
Pics
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20251025_170800432.jpg
    PXL_20251025_170800432.jpg
    197.6 KB · Views: 47
  • PXL_20251025_170552530.jpg
    PXL_20251025_170552530.jpg
    102.4 KB · Views: 47
  • PXL_20251025_170116945.jpg
    PXL_20251025_170116945.jpg
    220.9 KB · Views: 47
PmodelinUS said:
I currently ride a 93 ST1100, which I do love btw. Probably one of the most pure no bells or whistles Sport Touring bikes ever. Just love it. That being said as I near the 100,000 mile mark I am entertaining moving to a newer model. I've been passively on the lookout for either a ST1300, or a FJR1300. Well I found both sitting at a bike shop in WI. I really prefer to stay with a Honda, it's all I have ever owed for a bike.

The 1300 is wine berry or whatever they called it. Paints definitely got a lot of fade in areas. It only has 20 k on it. Snooping around and laying on the floor I noticed some oil around the breather hoses and filter area. Nothing major see pics. It is tossing the knock sensor code. I already read up in that in the articles. Does not appear to have any fork leaks, or final drive drips. In looks to be a solid bike, that shows a tip over or two, and years of being buried under stuff in a garage. The seat has been recovered poorly at best. 3 weeks ago it was listed at $3600, it's now down to $2999. I am considering offering $2500.

Been on the forum.now for about 5 years. So I know some about 1300's. Just looking for thoughts on if it worth it or not. Im fairly handy with bikes so not afraid to tear it apart. Just don't want to have to throw $3000 at it to get it back in shape

Look forward to your replies.
Click to expand...

That stain on the back crankcase cover appears to be brake fluid, which could mean your clutch slave cylinder is toast.
At that mileage, it’s more than likely, to need a new SMC and complete brake system overhaul, from as you said, sitting buried in a garage somewhere.
The code thrown means the ECU is probably damaged as well. Many folks will tell you just to ride it that way and ignore it, however, doing so could/may/might damage more stuff, causing more repair costs.
If your handy with a wrench, and don’t mind doing a lot of work it, you don’t have to worry about throwing $3000,00 dollars at it, because it’s probably gonna cost more than that.
With the damaged ECU, bikes like that are bringing $800-$1000 dollars.
Me…..would not be worth my time and energy at my age.
This was a very low mileage one that sat in the showroom on display for several years.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4400.jpeg
    IMG_4400.jpeg
    149 KB · Views: 38
Paint faded means it sat outside most of it's life. Thats what ruined the seat too. Usually when a bike like that is seldom used all the maintenance items go out the door. ....IMO no.
 
If it was $1200 and you took your chances riding it as is with the may might could cause more problems, you’d still probably be fine.
Fixing it is hit or miss. I’ve seen here where replacing parts works and I’ve seen the next ecu go bad.
I would pass on this bike at that price.
 
Can I suggest looking for a 2008 or later ? There's nowt wrong with the pre 2008 models - I had a 2006 model for 70,000 miles.
I bought a late 2013 - built A9 - 2009 model, and in my opinion, it is so much better.

If the model has ABS, you can spot the earlier / later model versions from the ABS pulsar ring on the right of the front wheel. Later ones have slotted steel. Earlier ones have cast metal castleated rings.

If it is not ABS the gap on the right side under the seat - where the battery can be seen, and the gap on the left where the rear pre-load adjuster knobs are - on later models they have grey fairing infills. (But they can be retro fitted to pre-2006 models.)

You can verify the model year from the 10th character of the VIN or from the white label stuck on the seat frame under the rear seat. You cannot rely on registration year. Older models were still being sold after 2008.

The issue with old bikes not ridden much is that the brake and clutch fluid should have been changed at least every two years - so at least 10 times since new. Anyone that can’t be bothered to ride has probably not done that - so there may be issues regarding the master and slave cylinders.

Issues pre-2008 vs 2008-and-later from personal experience and comments on this forum. (Me / Forum)
My experience is with a 2006 model and a 2009 model. Both > 72000 miles.

Pre 2008. Ecu seems to be prone to failure (Forum - mine never failed)
2006. Engine is tuned to run weak. (Me) Engine pinks when hot and accelerating. Particularly bad with E10 fuel.Handbook says it is normal.
2006. Little low rev power (me): Required clutch control (slip) from lever to keep revs high in first gear on tight uphill bends.
2009. Different ECM. No pinking. Much better on tight uphill bends. It drives round same bends in first gear at much lower revs. (Me)
2009. Redesigned entire front brake system and front ABS ring. Better SMC water drainage. (Me)

I cannot tell whether or not the 2009 brake system is better. It is possible to remove the pistons without separating brake caliper halves. The caliper is monobloc. It is not possible to reverse the pad spring. The pad pins no longer have that Allen socket pin made of cheese, opting instead for a hex head. The lever is a different design. The abs ring is slotted steel.
 
All things considered, you would be better off looking for another, later model ST ('08 or later). The big problem is the ECU and its very limited availability. Riding the bike with a 25/26 failure will at best just reduce the mileage, at worst, shorten the life of the motor. The latter is unknown, the former is something that has been reported in other threads. A lot of members here would not hesitate to buy that bike at a good price with all the expected problems were it not for the knock sensor code.

You mentioned not wanting to throw $3k into it, but most of the advice on this forum says buying an older bike will require about a thou in parts. That covers new tires, battery, fluids, brakes, and you are probably facing additional outlay for a new SMC, possibly rust in the gas tank(s), maybe a fuel pump, clutch slave, etc, etc. When $4500 would buy a later model bike with fewer problems, why would you go for this one?
 
jfheath said:
You cannot rely on registration year. Older models were still being sold after 2008.
Click to expand...
I am not really sure of how it is done in the UK but from reading several of your posts regarding this it seems that in the UK the model year that is listed on the registration is the year in which the vehicle was registered for the first time, not the model year of manufacture. e.g. If I understand it correctly your ST1300 is listed as a 2013 model year on the registration but it is a 2009 model that was manufactured in 2009. I'm not really sure if I have that correct or not but your system seems to be different than what we have here in North America, which is where the OP is and presumably he is looking at purchasing a North American market ST1300.

In North America the model year that is listed on the registration will always be the model year that the vehicle was manufactured as. i.e. If a particular model of vehicle was certified for sale as a model year 2009 vehicle it will always be listed as a 2009 model year on the registration regardless of when the initial sale took place and regardless of when it was registered for the first time. Even if that 2009 vehicle was sold for the first time today in 2025 the registration would still list it as a 2009 model year. As far as I know this is the case in every jurisdiction in North America as it has never been different from other jurisdictions where I have purchased vehicles and I also have never heard of it being different in any province or state.
 
Last edited:
All of the mechanical problems that are as a result of age and neglect can be dealt with readily enough. You stated that you can do your own maintenance so none of it will be a big deal for you. Because it has such low mileage it has been sitting around a lot. You might want to find out where and how it was stored if that is possible. Even better have look under the air box to make sure that mice have not been chewing on the wiring harness under there. This is a common problem with ST1300's that sit around in the same environments as mice are present in.

You already know that it is presenting the knock sensor failure code. Unless you can somehow determine exactly what the cause of that is there is a very high probability that the cause is a defective ECM. Chances are also very high that you will not be able to find a used replacement ECM that does not have this same defect. Chances are almost nil that you will find a new ECM anywhere. If you do somehow find a new one it will cost you close to 50% of what you paid for the motorcycle. If you find a good used one they are steadily increasing in price as they become harder to find and I would not be surprised if it will be at least $500.00 USD if not more, and there is a good chance that you will not be able to find a good replacement ECM.

Many people have been riding their ST1300's with this defect present because they can not find a replacement ECM, some of them for several years now. Even though the rest of the motorcycle will ride and perform as stellar as any other ST1300 does, the question for you is are you willing to accept to ride this motorcycle with the defective ECM if that is what it turns out to be and if you can not repair it. If the answer is yes then go for it, but because of this issue I would not pay $2,500.00 for it. If the answer is no, move on. There are many 2008 and later ST1300's available for not much more than what you are willing to pay for this one.
 
Last edited:
Andrew Shadow said:
I am not really sure of how it is done in the UK but from reading several of your posts regarding this it seems that in the UK the model year that is listed on the registration is the year in which the vehicle was registered for the first time, not the model of manufacture. e.g. If I understand it correctly your ST1300 is listed as a 2013 model year on the registration but it is a 2009 model that was manufactured in 2009. I'm not really sure if I have that correct or not but your system seems to be different than what we have here in North America, which is where the OP is and presumably he is looking at purchasing a North American market ST1300.
Click to expand...
Yes - in the UK, the registered year is the date of first registration. Not the year it came off the production line or the model year.
But no - mine is listed as an ST1300A9. But registration date is Jan 2014. The number plate code is 63 - as in AB63XYZ number plate. There are two registration periods March and Sept. So 2003 models have the numbers 03 and 53. 2004 have 04 and 54. By the time they get to 2013 the numbers are 13 and 63. Mine was registered in 2014, but as it was before March, it gets a 63 plate not a 14 plate.

They don't have a section on the registration document for the model year, only the model number. So my registration doceument shows it as a ST1300A9. But the dealers who submit the first registrations are not very careful about giving the model number correctly, and there seems to be no check made. Mine is correct, but many are simply registered as ST1300 (519) or ST1300A (967) - the brackets figures are obtained from HowManyLeft at their highest value in 2015.

My particular bike is a 2013 registered bike that came off the production line in September 2013. It is a 2009 model - by virtue of the fact that the 10th digit of the VIN is a 9, and the label under the rear seat says ST1300A9. In the UK there were no new model numbers between 2009 and 2014. I was concerned at the time that this model had been sitting around for years - possibly caught up in warehouses affected by the Tsunami. So they got Honda to send me a copy of the production slip.

Most dealers do not like to reveal the model number. They prefer to give the date of first registration. Especially when a new model has just come out and they are still trying to get rid of the older models. This is particularly relevant when buying a 2008 registered model, because there were still plenty of A6 models around being registered for the first time with 2008 plates. According to the stats on the HowManyLeft website there were 234 additional A6's registered after 2008. So if hoping to buy a 2008 and later bike you can easily end up with a 2006 model.
And that is relevant because of the different characteristics between the two models. I would never have a 2006 or earlier model again, so it is handy to know how to get a warning just from the photos.

Especially when dealers can state that the bike is a 2016 model, when all they mean is that it was first registered in 2016.
 
Igofar and I had a nice chat about that bike and I think about 10 or 20 others. LOL. After reading everyones replies and my chat I have deceided to keep looking. So the 1100 will still be around for a while UP. I really do want to say thanks for all the great information.
 
jfheath said:
My particular bike is a 2013 registered bike that came off the production line in September 2013.
Click to expand...
Here the model year of the vehicle is clearly listed on the registration document. In your example your ST1300 would be clearly listed as a 2009 on the registration slip. Your system seems unnecessarily complicated and seems to easily lends itself to confusion for the unwary.
 
This one?

2005 Honda® ST1300 301353 | Road Track & Trail

Road Track & Trail is the largest pre-owned Powersports dealership in the World! We are located in Big Bend, WI near the areas of Milwaukee, Waukesha, WI also serving Waukegan, & Chicago, IL. We carry Motorcycles, ATVs, Snowmobiles, Trikes & Scooters from Arctic Cat, Harley-Davidson, Honda...
www.roadtrackandtrail.com www.roadtrackandtrail.com

Hard pass, there are many better STs out there with fewer problems and lower prices.
 
Andrew Shadow said:
Here the model year of the vehicle is clearly listed on the registration document. In your example your ST1300 would be clearly listed as a 2009 on the registration slip. Your system seems unnecessarily complicated and seems to easily lends itself to confusion for the unwary.
Click to expand...
Not my system ! If it was my system then it would be one that worked !

No - the year 2009 does not figure anywhere on the registration. Only the ST1300A9. The first registration date is on there for a date in January 2014 and the chassis (VIN) and engine number.
Curiously - the MOT, which is now computerised so the dealer enters the registration and obtains all of the other info that is stored - That shows my bike under Make and Model as Honda ST !

If you know how, you can get the info from the VIN. But it isn't common knowledge (except on here perhaps).
 
jfheath said:
Most dealers do not like to reveal the model number. They prefer to give the date of first registration. Especially when a new model has just come out and they are still trying to get rid of the older models.
Click to expand...
So do they at least have the courtesy (actually obligation) to perform a "delivery service" on the vehicle before handing the keys to the customer, or do they simply put it on the street with all the aged (and possible acidic) brake fluid, coolant, engine- and f/drive oils inside?
 
Well - they say that they do a multipoint check or service before delivery, but I have seen bikes spruced up and photographed for sale with some very brown substance visible through the fluid reservoirs on the bars. They often provide a 3 month warranty - possibly in lieu of a fault finding service. I don’t know. It’s possible that stuff like that is done immediately after the sale and before being picked up. I would hope so. They would surely have to make sure it was safe.

Honda dealers are franchised. As I understand it (but I may be wrong) they buy the right to sell Honda bikes exclusively. For that they get the backup of the Honda network and service specialists for help if they need it, but Honda themselves seem to be very much at arms length. I’ve seen somewhere that Honda specify an amount of time that each particular job should take, and dealers should charge based on that.

I get the impression from visiting BMW that their second hand bikes get the full works before they are put up for sale.

But it has been a long time since I bought a second hand bike - and these ramblings are just impressions that I get from my brief interactions. It’s been nearly 12 years since I last bought a bike, although I have seriously looked a few times. I know our local dealer, who used to be a Honda dealer, stopped selling them just before I bought my A6 in 2007. Honda were demanding that they sold Honda bikes exclusively. They refused and parted company. I got to know the service people quite well, and provided some of the guys with info about the STs that they didn’t have. They do full services on bikes before selling them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom