Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 10:19:30 -0500
From: Derek C Catt <r10dcc1@corn.cso.niu.edu>
Subject: STuff #3

STuff #3 -- The electronic ST1100 Newsletter

STOC: A recent subscriber asked what STOC stood for. Contrary to
popular belief, it's more involved than merely: ST Owner's Club.

ST's out cornering
ST's out carving
ST's out conquering
Sport Tourers Obscess Continuessly
Slow Tourers Outta'my Curve!
Sport Touring's Optimal 'Cycle

I've replaced the yucky foam hand grips, previous owner, with BMW K-bike
grips. I'm much happier now -- the BMW grips provide feedback while
also being "thicker" than the stock honda grips.

For those of you that may not have heard yet, in Europe the
ST is available in additional colors: dark blue, green (british racing
green??), brown, and white (with red and blue -- the police edition).

If you ever drop your ST, while its running, you'll learn it has a lean angle
sensor on it. "So?" This will cut-out the ignition if you drop the
bike. This is general good. However, if you're like me (or dad, or some
other people out there), you might cut out this switch for another reason
while riding. Either way, you have to turn the ignition OFF to re-set
the switch then turn the ignition ON then start the bike. (I've
kicked this switch "on" during a tank slapper on an interstate enterance
ramp, and once after locking the back tire up in a panic stop. My
dad used to kick the switch on his GL1500 when he'd slide the rear-end in
the mud. And G. Norman's ST Newsletter related a case where this switch
went bad and had to be replaced.)

--Derek
"Second Generation 'Cyclists -- we're born to ride!" (tm)

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From: Ron Hogan <ronh@hpmwgip.sr.hp.com>
Subject: Re: STuff Newsletter
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 94 11:49:27 PDT

I checked the valves at 600 miles and they were all in spec, but four exhaust
valves were at the loose end of the spec range (.011"). I checked them
again at 2000 miles, and they haven't moved. I'll probably check again
at 6000 miles. All this plastic fairing stuff sure is a pain to get off
and back on again, by the way.

I also switched to Mobil 1 15W50. I do think it shifts a little better
now.

Cheers,
Ron Hogan

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From: ralph@swmerc.rain.com (Ralph Merwin)
Subject: Re: STuff Newsletter
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 94 8:55:15 PDT

Derek C Catt writes:
> TIRES:
> While on spring break a few weeks back I got to push the Avon
> radial tires to their limits. And did I! If its cold out,
> these tires don't warm up. My father and I have both been com-
[Avon comments SNIPPED!]

More tire STuff - I have the Avons as well. I recently rode up to
Seattle from Portland for a swap meet and thought that since the weather
called for 'scattered showers' it would be a good day to test the Avons
in the wet. Well... It was WET! It rained all the way up, all day
there and all the way back.

On the return trip we ran into a storm and it kept raining harder and
harder and harder, and then the crosswinds started. The bike/tires did
Just Fine in the complete, rivers-on-the-road wet, even at speeds of
75-80mph. The Avons never gave a hint of a problem. I wish my gloves
and boots did as well...

The profile of the Avons seems to be somewhat flat. I ride the bike in
more of a 'sport' than 'touring' style, and managed to scrub the tire
completely out to the edge within the first 40 miles. Haven't had
problems breaking the tire loose or overrunning the edge (> 1000 miles
now), so maybe it's OK...

Ralph

{If you switch to the 170/60 size tire, it'll be more round.
The wider tire gets pinched into the ST rim and becomes TALL.
One HSTA rider that did this several times waiting for Avon
to come out with the correct size (160/70) complained about
touching down too much metal in the twisties. He much prefers
the 160/70 'cuz of better cornering clearance. You're right though,
the Avons scrub right out to the edge with no trouble! -- Derek}

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From: Ron Hogan <ronh@hpmwgip.sr.hp.com>
Subject: ST1100 Valve Check
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 94 9:00:48 PDT

>Just out of curiousty, now that you know what you're doing,
>how long does it take you to check'em? A day? A weekend?
>
>Just curious -- Derek

I really took my time this time because I don't like feeling rushed. I
took all the fairing stuff off on Friday night, checked the valves and some
other things on Saturday night and put everything back together on Sunday.
Probably about 10 hours total. If I'd needed shims, I probably wouldn't
have put it back together until the following weekend.

Another thing I noticed this weekend was that my saddlebag support brackets
had a little play in them in the rear (where the 10 mm bolt is).
I added a washer and a small stiff spring around each bolt, and now the
saddlebags don't flop around quite as much on a bumpy road.

Cheers,
Ron H

{I modifed my bags as described above (I used two washers. . . .)
There's a big difference!!! -Derek}

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From: odutsb!cjj (Christopher J Johnson +1 708 979 2969)
Subject: st owner survey

Did you see the ST1100 owner survey in Motorcycle Consumer News?
If not I'd be glad to send you a copy. Apparently owners are generally
very happy with the bike, I suppose this is no surpise to you. The
article also mentioned that ABS is becoming more popular.

Did you get out this week-end? I tooled around a bit. I had the
pleasure (if you can call it that) of my first panic stop on the ST.
I was cruising down a hilly country road (yes there are a couple in
Illinois), I topped a hill at 70 to find a pick-up pulling out from
a crossroad. Realizing I had ABS and this was good time to use it,
I hammered the brakes. I don't think the ABS activated, but the bike
stopped in a major hurry. I could not believe how fast the bike stopped
or the margin of space between me and the pick-up, I ended up stopping
a couple houndred feet short of the pick-up. Even without the ABS,
these brakes are much more effective than my old bike, guess that's
what a 15 year newer bike gives you.

Keep the shiny side up.
Weed

{I've already offered to _TEST_ Weed's ABS. Maybe I'll have an
ABS report after this weekend. . . . .<BIG GRIN> -- Derek}

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Date: Sat, 9 Apr 1994 03:08:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jim Alexander <jalexand@netcom.com>

There is one other thing that has happened to my ST which was a warranty
fix. I think the item is a California only item. It is air vent control
valve. I provides air directly to the carburetor from the charcol
canister while the engine is running. It is in addition to the PCV.
During the trip to Seattle, when Moose borrowed my ST, it seems it's
diaphragm got ripped and was misfunctioning, but only with the engine
under a particular load. When Moose got back, he told me about it and we
tried to re-create the problem, but we couldn't do it. I rode it another
two weeks before I had the problem occur with me. Then it really started
loosing power, but only under load like heavy acceleration on the
freeway. I took it in for diagnosis and they found the problem. The
valve was replaced and I haven't had another problem since. We have no
idea how it happened, and since the fiche only lists the valve for
California models, you probably don't even have one on your or your
fathers bike. It is shown in the service manual on page 1-29 as item
number (6).

Jim A