Windshield Up/Down Switch 2008 ST1300

northwestparider

Joined
Feb 2, 2022
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Age
50
Location
Venango County, PA
I've had my bike for about a month, it has less than 21k miles on it. The PO replaced both limit switches right before I got it and the windshield is stuck in the full up position, which is what it did to him.

He just told me it is the plungers on the limit switches needing lubed and that he really didn't need to replace them.

I'm wondering if it's the switch on the handle bar though and if it's got a bunch of springs in it that I need to watch for.

I really want to ride not wrench. :(
 
If you are lucky it's just the switch on the handlebar (perhaps), or the limit switches on the screen mechanism. (very unlikely)
It's more likely to be an issue with either the gear motor and or cables as they are known to fail. Sorry to say - and hope I'm wrong. I think he told you a mis-truth.
If so the only real option is a full replacement. There is a member working on a replacement gear but it's still in trial mode and not out for production.
If you can find used it will be cheaper, but they are not all that common.

Do a search in the forum with keywords windshield or windshield motor to see threads on this others have had...

1651712126908.png
 
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Here's a link to the new gear/cable assembly that @Obo mentioned.

Product Page | Bike-Quip

This is the 'One-Stop' site for all your Pan European Accessories
www.st1300-accessories.co.uk www.st1300-accessories.co.uk
If you do a search there is also an article on removing, cleaning, inspecting and lubing your mechanism. You should do that before dropping $400+ into the whole new item.
 
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Thanks guys! I've read some of the threads. Sometimes they seem very circular and confusing. I'm optimistic because when I got the bike it went up and down with ease and very smoothly. I think I may have read the cleaning, inspecting and lubing thread already. I read a bunch of them one night.
 
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northwestparider said:
Thanks guys! I've read some of the threads. Sometimes they seem very circular and confusing. I'm optimistic because when I got the bike it went up and down with ease and very smoothly. I think I may have read the cleaning, inspecting and lubing thread already. I read a bunch of them one night.
Click to expand...
My thoughts on this, having simply sprayed a lubricating grease onto the tracks through the rubber slit as a prophylactic measure are more with the mainstream. That is, the only cure for old dried Honda grease/wax/whatever they used is a complete tear down and solvent wash with a stiff bristle brush, inspection, then lightly lube it and reinstall it. The raising/lowering mechanism is subject to some wind borne dust and dirt and over the years the grease/lube will turn to sludge. Add to that normal wear on the cables an you really need to get in there to inspect it. If the Bike-Quip guy ever markets his kit, that will be a welcome path to repairing the device. Absent that, only wrecked bikes or Honda will be a source of parts.

As far as your comment regarding confusing write-ups. Few of us are professional instructional materials writers and we do the best we can. Most of the articles here are excellent and accurate, however, the occasional mistake will creep in, and once published, can hang around for a long time. Thus you have to read the posts that accompany a given article (perhaps we should call articles 'Threads') in order to pick up either corrections or alternative ways of accomplishing the same task. Nothing beats personal experience, but one man's way of doing something might not fit for you.
 
SMSW said:
My thoughts on this, having simply sprayed a lubricating grease onto the tracks through the rubber slit as a prophylactic measure are more with the mainstream. That is, the only cure for old dried Honda grease/wax/whatever they used is a complete tear down and solvent wash with a stiff bristle brush, inspection, then lightly lube it and reinstall it. The raising/lowering mechanism is subject to some wind borne dust and dirt and over the years the grease/lube will turn to sludge. Add to that normal wear on the cables an you really need to get in there to inspect it. If the Bike-Quip guy ever markets his kit, that will be a welcome path to repairing the device. Absent that, only wrecked bikes or Honda will be a source of parts.

As far as your comment regarding confusing write-ups. Few of us are professional instructional materials writers and we do the best we can. Most of the articles here are excellent and accurate, however, the occasional mistake will creep in, and once published, can hang around for a long time. Thus you have to read the posts that accompany a given article (perhaps we should call articles 'Threads') in order to pick up either corrections or alternative ways of accomplishing the same task. Nothing beats personal experience, but one man's way of doing something might not fit for you.
Click to expand...
My intent wasn't to be critical. I had read a number of threads in one sitting and was getting confused trying to glean the most valuable information from them. I guess I'll really know when I tear into it. Hopefully it just needs cleaned and lubed. it may very well get set in one position and left there. I've ridden for over 20 years without an adjustable windshield.
 
I tried the clean/lube process and it lasted for one season. I didn't want to go through that every year so replaced the whole unit (around $450 with discount). No problems since. FYI - there is no clean/lube/rebuild procedure in the service manual.
 
RobbieAG said:
I tried the clean/lube process and it lasted for one season. I didn't want to go through that every year so replaced the whole unit (around $450 with discount). No problems since. FYI - there is no clean/lube/rebuild procedure in the service manual.
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Ditto, although mine only lasted a few months. If the cables are worn, replacing the gear won't help for long, thus replacing the whole unit is your only option, if you want a moveable windscreen.
 
northwestparider said:
My intent wasn't to be critical. I had read a number of threads in one sitting and was getting confused trying to glean the most valuable information from them. I guess I'll really know when I tear into it. Hopefully it just needs cleaned and lubed. it may very well get set in one position and left there. I've ridden for over 20 years without an adjustable windshield.
Click to expand...
Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I did not take your post to be critical, I was trying to explain my take on the articles. For me, the best help is the pictures, the explanations are icing on the cake since only a few of us create posts with line drawings like the Honda Manual. After I sold my ST, I swore I would never buy a bike again without an electric windshield (said I'd never work in a house without an elevator after one customer had one that I used to haul tools up to the 2nd floor). What can I say, my V Strom's shield is fixed, but I used the ST's moveable shield on every ride.
 
SMSW said:
After I sold my ST, I swore I would never buy a bike again without an electric windshield... What can I say, my V Strom's shield is fixed, but I used the ST's moveable shield on every ride.
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I like the trend of many new bikes with manually adjustable windscreens. You get the adjustability without the complexity. Some even are adjustable while riding. I think I'll never want another bike without an adjustable windscreen (and preferably not electric). I added an adjustable Givi windscreen on my 2017 SV650.
 
Well, I finally got into this the other night. A squirt of contact cleaner in the upper limit switch and she's working again.

I went to the Honda shop to get some new on fasteners. One of them was almost $6. The others they sold me a generic pack. That was close, but didn't work from www.boltmotorcyclehardware.com. While it didn't work this time they could be a good resource.

I bought 3 others from local a NAPA and another Auto store. They didn't suit me either.

I only get frustrated so much before looking for a different method. So I bought some U NUTS, 1/4-20 and #10-24. Hindsight i would've used all #10-24, but the 1/4-20 style. Doesn't matter it's done and no more push pins to deal with. Also NAPA sells them in metric too. I just didn't have any metric button head screws handy. All of these can be bought from www.mcmaster.com also.

Some pictures.

20220806_190640.jpg
The ones on the left are the #10-24. The right ones (1/4-20) are easier to work with, but NAPA didn't have any in stock like this for the #10-24.
20220806_185724.jpg
These are the #10-24 buttonheads installed. The 1/4-20 ones were on the outside and up top by the dash.
20220806_185709.jpg
 
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northwestparider said:
I bought 3 others from local a NAPA and another Auto store. They didn't suit me either.
Click to expand...
There are some other sources for the push pins - I remember something about a Goldwing oriented store(?). You might do a search using the search box in the blue band atop this page, right end.

I had this quote from another thread in my Maint. Notes:
"I was at J.P. Cycles in Daytona looking around there huge store and in the Gold Wing section I see the plastic push pins that we always seem to need. I got 2 boxes of 10, one short and one long for $7 each. Much better then $3 each from Honda.
J.P. Cycle Part #ZZ76373 and #ZZ76374
They were packed in a Show Chrome package so I checked that site. They also have the small pins. They were about $.75 cheeper then J.P. Cycle
Show Chrome Part #BBP-3-106, #BBP-3-104, #BBP-3-112"

Some other sources from that same page of notes:
the fastener warehouse: http://www.thefastenerwarehouse.com/
autozone
https://cyclemax.com/gl1800_maintenance
From the Boltmotorcyclehardware.com store:
you'll want the M6 Nylon push rivets #2005-6sriv, and the M8 Nylon push rivets 2005-8sriv.
They are $5.99 for a pack of 10, and are a better grade nylon (not plastic) so they don't break as often.

I also use McMaster.com - McMaster-Carr is an enormous industrial hardware giant (is that redundant?) that has about everything you have ever heard of, and some things you haven't. They are not cheap but their customer service is outstanding. I use them a lot because they happen to have one of their locations about 20 min from my house.
 
SMSW said:
There are some other sources for the push pins - I remember something about a Goldwing oriented store(?). You might do a search using the search box in the blue band atop this page, right end.

I had this quote from another thread in my Maint. Notes:
"I was at J.P. Cycles in Daytona looking around there huge store and in the Gold Wing section I see the plastic push pins that we always seem to need. I got 2 boxes of 10, one short and one long for $7 each. Much better then $3 each from Honda.
J.P. Cycle Part #ZZ76373 and #ZZ76374
They were packed in a Show Chrome package so I checked that site. They also have the small pins. They were about $.75 cheeper then J.P. Cycle
Show Chrome Part #BBP-3-106, #BBP-3-104, #BBP-3-112"

Some other sources from that same page of notes:
the fastener warehouse: http://www.thefastenerwarehouse.com/
autozone
https://cyclemax.com/gl1800_maintenance
From the Boltmotorcyclehardware.com store:
you'll want the M6 Nylon push rivets #2005-6sriv, and the M8 Nylon push rivets 2005-8sriv.
They are $5.99 for a pack of 10, and are a better grade nylon (not plastic) so they don't break as often.

I also use McMaster.com - McMaster-Carr is an enormous industrial hardware giant (is that redundant?) that has about everything you have ever heard of, and some things you haven't. They are not cheap but their customer service is outstanding. I use them a lot because they happen to have one of their locations about 20 min from my house.
Click to expand...
I appreciate the thoughts about other sources for push pins, but I'd rather have a bolt to deal with.
 
northwestparider said:
I appreciate the thoughts about other sources for push pins, but I'd rather have a bolt to deal with.
Click to expand...
McMaster has tinnerman clips and every size nut and bolt you can dream up. If you prefer well nuts, they have a page of those too, with more sizes than I knew existed. Caveat - you do have to know what the item you need is called or you can get lost in the catalog. Ever see a Grainger catalog before they went digital? It was over 3" thick.
 
The trick with both McMaster and Grainger is knowing what to call the item you are looking for if you're online. I've got McMaster catalogs at work and sometimes when you don't have a name it is easier to just sit and flip pages till you find it, but you better have some time on your hands. Like you said they are thick and the pages re as thin a the pages in a Bible.
 
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