Hello I have been on here before but have lost my log in I bought a 2003 pan that had been sitting for around 8 years, ( 2 years ago) Anyway I have finally got around to getting it back on the road , I have the frount forks off and ready for new seals I have bought a service kit and gear oil , then think all it needs is a battery and a rear tyre
Hi all from Yorkshire uk
- Thread starter vfr400boy
- Start date
Good luck getting it on the road, and welcome from Iowa, in the middle of the country.
I have always had hondas since passing my test ( and some others but always a honda ) I did the nc500 on my vfr800fi and jokingly said to my mate I think I'd like a Pan he laughed and sed I was not old enough for a pan ( I was 38) then a few days later I found out about this one in a garage made an offer and got her
Am pleased with it so far fresh petrol in and jump start it runs sweet only 23k on clock
Only head ache so far was removing the front mud gaurd I had to drill all the bolts out because the square washers at the back wanted to turn so iv ordered some stainless steel ones
Am pleased with it so far fresh petrol in and jump start it runs sweet only 23k on clock
Only head ache so far was removing the front mud gaurd I had to drill all the bolts out because the square washers at the back wanted to turn so iv ordered some stainless steel ones
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Welcome back from Cornwall UK!
Welcome aboard. I know you did not ask, but this might prove helpful. ST's that sit around for a while generally are not happy.
www.st-owners.com
Article - Maintenance Items Needed for a New (old) Bike | Articles
This article is the result of collaboration by Andrew Shadow, CYYJ, jfheath, Max Pete, SMSW, and SupraSabre. Igofar’s list was copied from the first link listed above. Click on the attached file. This one is V.11; in the future, any changes will be noted in the title on the first page as the...
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Dan & Ingrid
Welcome from Southeast Georgia USA. Do you feel old enough for a Pan? They have been known to become addictive! 
Very nice find. I had an '04 and updated both fork springs and shock. Some interesting history on it from the previous owner. I should've sold it because it performed better than my '02.
Anyway the new spring kit shock were sourced from a supplier at the time. However locally sourced the fork oil. I had to buy 2 weights (5 weight and 10 weight) to get the best weight of 7.5 for my body weight. Worked out perfectly.
Good luck with your new ride. Excellent choi
Anyway the new spring kit shock were sourced from a supplier at the time. However locally sourced the fork oil. I had to buy 2 weights (5 weight and 10 weight) to get the best weight of 7.5 for my body weight. Worked out perfectly.
Good luck with your new ride. Excellent choi
Those who make snide comments about Pans have probably never ridden one.
Congratulations on your new bike. Where abouts in Yorkshire are you ? Ish.
re the square captive nuts. They aren’t as captive as they could be. I cleaned up the inside of the mudguard and epoxied them in place. Not to secure them, but to make a snug fit around the outside. I always grease my fairing bolts and just snug them up by feel - they tend to tighten up (or rust from the end that is exposed to the elements). All except for the three main bolts - the single bolt with the large shoulder above the cylinder head, and the two smaller bolts behind the tip over bar covers. They get properly torqued. It is worth loctiting and securing the stalk that is where that top bolt fits - otherwise that unscrews rather than the bolt.
The tip over bars have a plastic shroud secured by an Allen key shoulder bolt. I really recommend putting the shoulder bolt in your parts bin, and use a cable tie to secure it. That bolt always rusts and is always a pain to get out. But that is West Yorkshire roads and weather for you.
I’ve just parted company with my 4th Pan European. I gave it away to my brother, having had a ridiculously low price offered in part exchange, so I think I am now officially an ST-Owners ‘intruder’, but I’ll stick around for a while. I’ve built up too much knowledge and experience to let it go to waste.
Congratulations on your new bike. Where abouts in Yorkshire are you ? Ish.
re the square captive nuts. They aren’t as captive as they could be. I cleaned up the inside of the mudguard and epoxied them in place. Not to secure them, but to make a snug fit around the outside. I always grease my fairing bolts and just snug them up by feel - they tend to tighten up (or rust from the end that is exposed to the elements). All except for the three main bolts - the single bolt with the large shoulder above the cylinder head, and the two smaller bolts behind the tip over bar covers. They get properly torqued. It is worth loctiting and securing the stalk that is where that top bolt fits - otherwise that unscrews rather than the bolt.
The tip over bars have a plastic shroud secured by an Allen key shoulder bolt. I really recommend putting the shoulder bolt in your parts bin, and use a cable tie to secure it. That bolt always rusts and is always a pain to get out. But that is West Yorkshire roads and weather for you.
I’ve just parted company with my 4th Pan European. I gave it away to my brother, having had a ridiculously low price offered in part exchange, so I think I am now officially an ST-Owners ‘intruder’, but I’ll stick around for a while. I’ve built up too much knowledge and experience to let it go to waste.
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When your bike is ready and the weather is good enough, try heading up to Wooler and trolling slowly through town. Hopefully you'll attract the attention of @Upt' North and you cannot make his acquaintance. Bo us points if you get him to come back here. We miss him in The Coffee Club!
Speaking of which, why not join us for daily coffee, weather, and philosophizing your own self?
Speaking of which, why not join us for daily coffee, weather, and philosophizing your own self?
Changed the final drive oil tonight and removed the old intercom wiring, the back brake is dragging slightly and the pistons do look a bit rusty ( pads about half warn ) if I can't clean the pistons up is it a massive job to rebuild the rear caliper ? Iv heard that bleeding can be hard ?
Well you had a VFR800 (as do I) so the overall principle of the brakes is very similar. Pan's seem to have more brake issues but I suspect that may be because they get used in a lot worse conditions than the VFR. The biggest concern with the back brake is that the outer pistons are driven from the SMC on the left leg (which gets moved when you use the front brake). The exposed SMC can get rusty/seized and in the worst case that locks your back brake up which is a Bad Thing. So check the SMC is moving freely as a first step.
The rear caliper is easy enough to remove for a rebuild and if you keep the foot master cylinder compressed (I hang a can of paint off the pedal) that will stop all the fluid just pouring out of the open lines and may make bleeding easier. There's a proper sequence for bleeding and you need to follow it. There are specific articles on this topic here. https://www.st-owners.com/forums/forums/st1300-articles.546/ and member John Heath is a great sounding board for our questions.
The rear caliper is easy enough to remove for a rebuild and if you keep the foot master cylinder compressed (I hang a can of paint off the pedal) that will stop all the fluid just pouring out of the open lines and may make bleeding easier. There's a proper sequence for bleeding and you need to follow it. There are specific articles on this topic here. https://www.st-owners.com/forums/forums/st1300-articles.546/ and member John Heath is a great sounding board for our questions.