Last modified: Sat Apr 19 15:07:19 EDT 1997
This page is from the www.xyz.com/st1100/ pages, with permission from the author Michael Galassi
Many of these changes will void your ST's warantee. Many of them require some mechanical adeptness. If you are at all hesitant about what you are about to do, go take a ride instead, it is MUCH safer.
The standard H4 bulb can be had for between $6 and $12 in wattages ranging from 55/60 to 80/110. One of two small changes are needed to make it fit your ST.
The first and easier method is to cut off the two lower tabs on the mounting collar, the bulb then fits fine on the ST and once the spring is holding it in place does not jiggle around. The drawback is that this needs to be repeated each time a bulb is installed.
The second method is to use a Dremel tool to reshape the aluminum bulb housing so the standard H4 bulb fits correctly. This method is probably better in terms of light-bulb stability but requires more bike disassembly.
Since the headlight fuse is rated at 15 amps, the 100 Watt high beam may require that a larger (20A) fuse be installed, most bikes (mine included) seem to work just fine with the 15 amp fuse in place. It is probably a good idea to add a spare 15A and 20A fuse to your tool kit "just in case" after making this change.
I've found that on my bike the 80/100 bulbs work really well in all conditions and make high speed night driving much safer, especially in deer country.
1994's and later US spec ST1100As take note, Steve Kelley gives us all the steps to do this right.
Step by step instructions for 1994 or higher US-spec ST1100A. Based on inputs from Grant Norman, Rock Rhoades, Tom Vervaeke, and Steve Kelley. Important mistake not to make that I made: Many of the fasteners are interchangeable. Basically 2 sizes - all the screws and all the bolts. But they are different lengths, head types, and some bolts are countersunk. While I kept everything together in a tray, upon reversing the steps, I ended with countersunk bolts where plain bolts were necessary. Decided a quick trip to the HW store would be easier than disassembly. So keep the fasteners for each step in order and marked.
If you have an old burnt out H4 to play with, bend the tangs flat, bend the 2 lower tabs back, and insert - do not clip. Note that the H4 pivots freely from side to side, due to the absence of the two tabs. If you clip in place, the H4 will be forced to point sideways.
I just finished disassembling and reassembling my headlight switch so that I could make a step-by-step instruction for this modification. After I finished, I wondered if this is something that the average ST owner would want to tackle. Not that it is really a very technically difficult proceedure, but it does entail a fair amount of dexterity. You might want to try it yourself before including it in the "Customizations" Page.
HIGH + LOW BEAM MODIFICATION:
Two Brothers Racing / BROS
1715 East Wilshire Avenue, Unit 701
Santa Ana, California 92705 USA
Phone: 714.550.6070
Fax: 714.550.9661
The only thing I'd recommend if you decide to do this is to drink a few cold ones first to work up the courage and to crank the bike and rev it a bit to blow out the filings after you drill.
This is Charlie's e-mail detailing the process itself.
This exhaust mod provides increased low-end torque. Enough to allow roll on wheelies in first gear without effort.
Exhaust mod: Purchase an 18" 1/4 drill bit at you local hardware store (about $8). Pushing the drill bit into the
back of the muffler (straight in), you will hit the "cap" on the front of what I call the "holie" pipe.
Simply drill out this cap in both mufflers. NOTE: it will take a few times; ------------------------------------
|
drill bit --> ---------------------- | <-cap
|
------------------------------------
<-back ^^muffler^^ front->
I have not seen the need to re-jet the carbs usually indicated by a "lag" in throttle response.
From: Nilz@aol.com
On tire life, I got 17,000 from the Bridgestones, really 16,000 from when I got to the wear bars Yeah, I'm generally
mellow.
These are also available in the "MBS CompK" variant which has different belting (still a bias ply) and a softer tread compound. The front is not available in the stock (110/80-18) size but I'm currently running a 110/70-18 and the bike feels great! Traction is very good. At about 5,000 miles the front has gone from about 3.5 mm of tread to 2.5 mm and the rear has gone from about 7 mm of tread to 3 mm. It seems like the front should be good for about 12k miles and the rear for about 8k miles.
From: phil roberts <phil.roberts@molins.co.uk>
My '91 ST has now covered 28K miles on Metzeler ME33/ME55A's and has never had headshake problems. The fronts last about
10K, and the rears between 4.5 and 6K depending on how they're used - much less than most of the reports from owners in
the US of A. Members of the Pan-Clan (the UK ST1100 owner's club) have collectively tried just about every available
tire type between them and the general consensus seems to be that the ST is less stable at high speed on radials than on
bias-ply tyres. That said, everyone has their own "favourite" tire choice, the ME33/ME55A being one of the
most popular, mainly because of their good stability. The Bridgestone Exedra's are also quite popular, giving similar
grip but slightly better mileage. Some love the OE Dunlop's, some hate them. Dragon GT's are gaining a reputation for
being a bit vague at three-figure-plus speeds, and the MEZ1/2 combination is similar. The ST1100 is well known in
Britain as being very sensitive to both tire choice and condition. BTW, Avon have just certified their AV27/AV281
radials for fitment to the ST1100 in the UK - as far as I know, the ST22/23 have never been an approved fitment over
here.
This is what our very own STOC#049 (Steve Beckley) has to say about this tire combo. BTW, I saw Steve at STOC nominal more than once on these tires, he's more agressive than he lets on.
I installed the MEZ1/MEZ2 combination in July just before leaving for Seattle. MiSTy had 6,500 miles on her and was going to need a new rear tire sometime during the expected 4,000 mile trip. I decided to go ahead and get new tires: (a) to avoid the hassle of a tire change during the trip; and (b) to get into the radial mode of travel ASAP. I have 11,500 miles on MiSTy as of early October and it looks to me like I have another 500 to 1,000 miles on the rear before it needs replacement. The front tire looks excellent (who knows how many more miles?) I know I error on the side of replacing tires too early (I'll never run a bald tire). I'd say my riding style is not overly aggressive -- and most of my miles were done without the SO and not too much weight (other than my 200 + pounds). A lot of good clean Colorado twisty-turney stuff with highway speeds at 75 to 85 (indicated) is the riding enviornment for these tires . I am very pleased with the Metzlers for the stickiness quotient and I also think they do very well in the rain. Although, I don't trust any tire in the wet stuff and have a tendency to square off my corners if the pavement has any sort of standing water.
When looking to add a top case on my '92 ST I looked at both the Honda case and the Givi top case. I chose the Givi over the Honda for two reasons 1) Price, the Givi cost $340 which includes the mounting plate. The Honda box was considerably higher. 2)Size,I don't know the capacity of the Honda box but pictures I had seen of it and comments I had heard led me to believe it was smaller than the larger Givi cases.
STyle
My greatest concern when ordering was how the look of this case would integrate into the the overall look of the machine. I have to admit that I love the look of this machine and this case had to look like it belonged. Givi makes an "Anthracite" which nearly matches the grey portions of the lower saddlebags and belly pan.A plastic lens-type reflector encircles the middle of the bag and goes well with my red ST. I believe this case is also made in black & white.
Installation
Instructions which come with the case are on the sparse side. They include a picture of the rear end of an ST with numbers and arrows. Fortunately, installation is straightforward and the pic with the numbers and arrows is all that is really needed. The case uses the four bolts that hold the passenger handles. The existing bolts are removed and two supports are bolted into place above the passenger handles with included longer bolts. The mounting plate for the case is then bolted to these supports with two bolts. Total installation is easily completed in less than an hour. The mounting plate alone can be used as a luggage rack and looks good on the bike.
Function
The case attaches to the mounting plate by built-in U-shaped brackets molded into the bottom of the case. It locks into place onto a protruding tang on the rearward edge of the plate with a solid ker-chunk! Once in place it is solid with no free play or looseness. There is a strong locking mechanism on the case itself which has been problem free in its first season of use. The case will easily hold two full-face helmets (verified two minutes ago as I usually ride solo) or when traveling, a ton of gear. I've ridden through three hour rain storms without so much as a drop breeching the rubber seal. The box removes with a twist of the key and the push of a button. A carrying handle is integrated into the design to allow the case to be handled as luggage.
The Bottom Line
I've found the Givi top case to be a high quality, reasonably priced accessory worthy to perform duty on my prized 92 ST If this sounds like the case you've been looking for it can be purchased directly from GIVI in Charlotte, NC at 704-679-4123.
Early In 1995, Honda introduced a detachable top trunk to fit all ST1100s. Later in the year it was discontinued by Honda and is currently unavailable. Two color schemes were available; red / black, matching the pre-'95 red at $275 and gray / black at $225, matching the gray body panels on all STs. The bracket mounts easily to the four bolts atop the rear cowl and doubles as a 9" square luggage rack. The trunk is smaller than other after market offerings, such as Givi, and will not hold a full face helmet. It can be carried like a small suitcase when detached. The locking combo is secure, reasonably water resistant and built to normal Honda quality standards.
SAENG/TA Corporation
POB 1246
Columbus, NE 68602
(800) 868 7464
Bill's Plastic
2107 Sylvan Ave.
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 744-1170
Ask for Ed.
SAENG/TA Corporation
POB 1246
Columbus, NE 68602
(800) 868 7464
In the spirit of, and with the assistance of Steve Kelleys' earlier post a few months ago, I have successfully completed the installation of dual Fiamm horns on my ABS equipped ST. Warning, somewhat lengthy detailed account follows, please delete if not interested:
First I removed the inner faring nacelle (the painted piece that arcs around the radiator and under the headlight). I was able to remove the OEM horn mount easily from the frame bracket (the bolt wasn't stuck on mine Steve). I straightened the 90 degree bend with a pair of channel locks and hung the first horn down from the modified bracket using a stack of three of the metal mounts that came with the horns. The trumpet is positioned downward with the horn body toward the outside of the mount. It tucks nicely behind the inner left nacelle and the left middle faring using the cut out already there for the OEM beeper.
The right side required a little more innovation. There is no room above or around the left horn once it's in place due the presence of the ABS/TCS computer in the upper left faring, immediately in front of the left faring pocket. Same problem on the right with the front brake modulator, had to go downward like on the left. Since there is no frame bracket to take advantage of on the right I fashioned a 90 degree one from some metal strap using the right upper radiator mount bolt. The 90 degree bracket went approximately 2" to the right and 2" forward of the radiator mount, approximating the position of the left horn, symmetrically speaking. I hung the right horn down from the home made bracket where it tucks against the forward, inside of the right middle faring immediately below the fresh air conduit. There is no clearance relief cut out of the inner nacelle on the right so I had to cut a chunk of material away, roughly similar to the relief already provided on the left in order to reinstall the nacelle.
Wiring was straight forward. The #86 and #85 terminals on the included, 5 terminal relay were just connected to the existing horn wires. They just snap right on as though they were intended to go there. I ran a new 14ga wire with a 10A fuse directly from the battery to the #30 terminal of the relay. There are two #87 terminals, both of which are connected to the #30 terminal when the relay coil is powered. I ran a wire from each #87 terminal to each horn. Everything worked the first time! I used a longer 10mm bolt through the existing OEM horn bracket, and a 10mm nut to secure the relay. Route & tie wrap the wiring to make sure you are clear of the full sweep of the fork and yur done!
The only body work I had to remove was the inner nacelle, the left side panel and the left service panel. As a finishing touch, I placed some self sticking felt on the front of the left and right radiator tanks and on the inside of the middle farings to protect against abrasion, it's tight fit in there! I also removed the chromed plastic covers (for a little extra space) and the chrome trumpet grills on both horns (to reduce abrasion of the inner nacelle and middle farings). I paid $29.99 at Kragen Auto for the kit that included relay. There was a $24 kit with no relay and with red covers instead of chrome.
SThenia will get some respect from those BDI cagers now!
Major Engineering makes handle bar risers for the ST1100. The risers are relatively easy to install. They are available in black or red. The red matches the 1993 red. Currently selling for $125.00 a set. Contact:
Ron Major
P.O. Box 1024
Temple City, CA. 91780
Tel. 818-309-9470
Here is a small unit, made to adjust the heat in my heated hand grips. All resistors are 10K except for 2 (10k7 and 9k5). All are 0.25W. The IC is an LM 358 and the transistor is an BUZ10. Remember to use a small heatsink for the transistor. The adjustment is made by an 10k linear pot with a switch attached. This switch is used to trigger the on/off relay. Also remember to include a 6A fuse in the +12V BATT line.
Feel free to send all questions about this device directly to me.
By dropping the bike on the front forks .25" to .5" (if you dare), handling will improve quite a bit in the 0 - 90mph range. Worth a try for twisty roads.
Ron Major of Major Engineering has some excellent products designed especially for the ST1100. Some of the items include:
E-mail Ron at : ronmajor@pacificnet.net
All US ST1100's have non-standard Headlight bulbs. They are pricey if you buy them from your Honda dealer, but they will fit right in without any problems. The replacement H4 bulbs that you can get an any autoparts store won't fit correctly into the ST1100 headlight socket.
If you want to increase the wattage of your bulbs, or you just don't want to fork out the money to your Honda dealer, see the appropriate section below for the year of your bike.
More specifically, the H4 bulbs have two very small tabs sticking out of the bottom of the metal bulb housing towards the bulb. These tabs have to be bent back in flat with the rest of the housing.
Also, there are 3 metal tabs that stick out from a normal H4 bulb. One straight up, the other two at angles pointing down. The two down pointing tabs need to be removed to fit properly in the ST1100 housing.
Once these tabs are removed and flattened, the bulb can be refit into the standard ST1100 headlight bulb socket and the clip replaced to hold it snug. The headlight will point straight and should not cause any problems.
Step by step instructions for 1994 or higher US-spec ST1100A. Based on inputs from Grant Norman, Rock Rhoades, Tom Vervaeke, and Steve Kelley. Important mistake not to make that I made: Many of the fasteners are interchangeable. Basically 2 sizes - all the screws and all the bolts. But they are different lengths, head types, and some bolts are countersunk. While I kept everything together in a tray, upon reversing the steps, I ended with countersunk bolts where plain bolts were necessary. Decided a quick trip to the HW store would be easier than disassembly. So keep the fasteners for each step in order and marked.
Tools and supplies needed:
Phillips Screwdriver
Hex tool from Honda toolkit (or equivalent)
10mm box or open-end wrench
10mm socket and ratchet (small drive OK)
Standard or Needle-nose Pliers
Standard coathanger
2 new H4 bulbs of preferred wattage
old burnt-out H4 bulb (optional, for practice)
Step 1 - remove the windscreen - 5 Phillips screws - also remove the nylon and rubber washers. They may not remain stuck to the screen if you don't pull them off now.
Step 2 - remove top instrument cover panel (the black piece with "HONDA" logo on it - 2 Phillips screws. The circular trim clip below the HONDA should remain in place with the panel.
Step 3 - remove the next instrument cover panel - 4 Phillips screws
Step 3A - remove the 2 Phillips screws from the inside panel (near and behind where the windscreen screws with the triangular holding plates mount).
Step 4 - Remove the 2 10mm bolts from the fairing cover (exposed when the instrument panel cover is removed in step 3).
Step 5 - Remove the one 10mm bolt and nut that hold the right and left fairing pieces together.
Step 6 - Just below the bottom leading edge of the headlight, remove the 2 Phillips screws holding the fairing cowl to the right and left fairing pieces (NOT the screws in the black triangular piece, which stay put).
Step 7 - Up on top, remove the 2 hex bolts and nuts that hold the top of the headlamp housing. Use 10mm wrench to hold the nuts.
Step 8 - Pop off both mirror/turn signal housings - let them swing free by the wires and safety cables. Remove both mirrors - 2 10mm bolts each. Remove bulbs from housings and set mirror/housing assemblies aside in a very safe place. Both mirrors must be removed to allow the right and left fairing pieces to have enough free play to release the headlight housing. The mirror bolts actually serve to secure the upper side fairing panels.
Step 9 - Remove the 4 Phillips screws and release the 2 clip buttons that hold the underside fairing shroud together. The clips release by inserting a flat blade screwdriver between the head and body and twisting apart (gently). The speedo cable runs through a slot in this fairing shroud. It is not necessary to remove the cable - just twist the piece over the front fender and let it hang out of the way. (NOTE - BE CAREFUL HERE - THE PLASTIC IS NOT RE-INFORCED AROUND THE HOLES IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT FAIRING PIECES.)
Step 10 - Remove the connectors from each of the 2 headlight bulbs. Mine were VERY tight!
Step 11 - Reach up from the underside and remove the 2 10mm bolts holding the bottom edge of the headlamp housing. These can be seen from the sides, and are best removed with a 10mm socket with short extension.
Step 12 - Lay 2-3 thick folded bath towels on top of the front fender, where the headlight housing will rest after you release it.
Step 13 - Remove of one small, #1 Phillips screw that holds a plastic clip that fastens the headlight adjusting cable to the top of the assembly. Carefully pull the headlamp assembly out. It has 2 rubber mounts over guide posts on the metal frame bracket. Once free of the guide posts, twist to the right and down to allow the adjusting cable to slip trhought the fairing pieces. Lay the assembly on the towels.
*** OPTIONAL Step 13a-b - if you want to pull the entire assembly out ***
Step 13a - Remove the one small Phillips screw on the headlight beam height adjustment knob. Remove the knob and spacing washer.
Step 13b - Remove the nylon hex nut from the headlight beam height adjustment stem. The adjustment cable will now be released so the entire headlamp assembly can be removed. **Note - on the non-ABS model, it may be necessary to remove one additional screw to release the cable mechanism.)
***** end optional steps ****
Step 14 - Remove the rubber dust boots. Mine were very tight around the bulbs, but went back on real easy!
Step 15 - Examine the spring clip assembly, Remove a bulb and compare it to the H4. The top tab on the H4 is narrower, the bottom tabs are in a different place, and one of the H4 tabs will hit the screw that holds the retaining clip in its pivot point. Note also that the forward pointing tangs (just under the bulb) on the STock are wider apart than those on the H4.
If you have an old burnt out H4 to play with, bend the tangs flat, bend the 2 lower tabs back, and insert - do not clip. Note that the H4 pivots freely from side to side, due to the absence of the two tabs. If you clip in place, the H4 will be forced to point sideways.
Step 16 - Cut a piece of stiff wire (from standard coathanger - not rubber coated (it will get HOT). Wire should be long enough to extend a half inch or so beyond either side of the H4 bulb housing, longer than the original tabs. On your new bulb (or test bulb, if you like) bend the H4 tabs back far enough to hold the wire firmly in place. Also flatten the forward pointing H4 tangs.
Step 17 - Insert the "wired" bulb in the socket and clip in place. Note that the clip presses down on one side of the wire quite tightly, but the bulb is flat in place and only great pressure can get it to bend from side to side.
Step 18 - Re-install boots. They won't go on real neatly around the clip area, as the clip will ride a bit higher due to the wire added. No big deal here.
Step 19 - Reverse steps 13 to 1 to re-assemble. Go slow and don't force anything. If plastic does not line up, get someone to hold it in place while you get fastener (screw or bolt) started. My right side fairing gave me fits, but I had removed many more fasteners than this in order to install the Fiamm air horns.
Optional Step 20 - While setup is fresh in your mind, remove and replace one of your new bulbs without taking anything off the bike except the connector and boot. You can see the bulb go in an out of the assembly through the headlight lens. Front wheel should be pointed toward whichever side you are working on.
Conservative estimate of total time for a mechanical novice to perform the above work: 2.5 hours tops. A good wrench could do it all in less than one hour.
Compiled by Steve Kelley - May 25, 1996
Well, I spent Sunday afternoon (about 3 hours) changing the stock front springs to Progressive's. Turns out the task was not as difficult as I expected given some of the responses I received about the procedure. What I discovered is that it is relatively simple to change the springs(with the exception of that damn cartridge!) especially if you own a floor jack. I had great concerns of dropping the bike if the springs were removed, but found it quite easy to support with the adjustable floor jack. Contrary to some of the advice I received this job was done with the bike on the center stand for the entire procedure. The process is a one man operation (except for that cartridge!) FWIW here it is:
1. First support the weight of the front end by jacking up the engine (be sure to use a piece of wood between the jack and the bottom of the engine to avoid damage to the case).
2. Loosen the pinch bolts on the triple tee using an allen wrench, and remove the left fork cap. (It is under pressure, but will only come up about two inches if the weight is off the front wheel).
3. Remove the stock spacer, washer, and spring being careful to wipe the old fork oil off the components and not drip it all over the place. You do not need to keep the stock spacer. Instead, you need to cut a new shorter one from a piece of 1" schedule 40 PVC pipe. This new one needs to be exactly 3.25".
4. Now loosen the right fork cap. This cap will not come off like the left side because it is screwed onto the fork damper rod inside the fork. To expose the cap and locking nut below it, you need to lower the entire bike down onto the front suspension. Do this very slowly and you will see the right spring slowly rise out of the fork. You can go ahead and lower the bike till it bottoms out on the forks. Keep the floor jack in place to steady the bike!
5. To remove the right fork cap, simply unscrew it while holding the lock nut below with a 12mm wrench.
At this point it is advisable to consider designing a tool to help in the removal and replacement of the spring locking collar. I basically used a metal rod at least 12" long threaded on one end with the same metric threads as the fork damper. Screw an extra nut onto the end of this rod (half the depth of the nut) and tape it in place. Now screw the other half of the nut(with rod attached!) to the end of the fork damper rod.
Next, if you have a companion near by, push down on the spring (it may take two hands!) until the spring seat stopper is loose and have the other person remove the stopper. The washer, spacer, another washer, and the spring can now be lifted free. Discard the spacer and one washer as you will not need them again.
6. Next, drain the fork oil by loosening the nut at the bottom of the fork tube using a 10mm wrench. When it stops dripping, replace the nut and tighten. Be sure not to lose the small copper sealing washer!
7. Now add fresh fork oil (standard 7 wt. or I used 10 wt.). In order to measure the correct amount of oil to add to each fork, you must again create your own tool. Accurately measure a stick, rod , or whatever you have that can be inserted into the fork tube 5.5 " from one end. I suggest something long you can keep hold of so you don't accidently drop it into the fork tube! (5.5") is the distance from the top of the tube that the oil level should come up to. Pour some oil in and then place your measuring stick into the tube up to the pre-measured line. Pull it out, and if it is still dry, add some more oil(just a little at a time!). If you are careful and don't overfill, you can gradually raise the oil to the proper level. If you do happen to overfill, use something like an old turkey baster to remove the excess oil. Note: the left fork tube holds more oil than the right one.
8. Once the oil is in, you can insert the springs(tightly coiled side up as specified in the Progressive instructions)! This is contrary to the Honda maintenance manual instructions that say tight coils go down! If your homemade tool, still attached to the end of the fork damper, is long enough it should be sticking up just above the right fork spring.
9. Now for the hardest part! The spring will be sticking about two inches above the lock nut it needs to be locked under (after pulling the fork damper rod up as far as it will go). Be sure to put one of the flat washers on top of the spring. Now with a friend's help, one of you push down on the spring while the other pulls up on the rod. When the spring is compressed enough and the washer is below the locking nut, slide in the spring seat stopper. The locking nut is supposed to be 10.5mm(slightly less than a 1/2 inch) below the end of the fork damper rod to leave room for the fork cap to screw onto. (You might have to use a couple of pieces of scrap metal lodged between the coils of the spring to get enough grip to push the spring down)
10. Once the stopper is in place remove your homemade tool and screw the fork cap onto the right fork. Tighten the lock nut up against it. Now raise the bike till the front wheel is off the ground . Slowly screw the right fork cap into the fork tube being careful not to strip the threads.
11. The left fork tube can now be assembled. Be sure to put a flat washer on top of the fork spring, followed by the piece of PVC pipe you cut earlier. This side will require a little compression on the spring as you try to thread the fork cap into the tube. Go slowly and do not strip these threads either!
12. From here it is a simple matter of tightening the fork caps, and then the upper pinch bolts with the allen wrench. Remove the floor jack and GO RIDE!
Hal Rumenapp
From: Phil Roberts, Peterborough England
I've always thought of the ST's rear suspension as a pretty good compromise between handling and ride, but had also thought that a little more control wouldn't go amiss. I think, in all honesty, that the OE Showa unit on my bike was past its best (somewhat prematurely, I might add) but nevertheless I was amazed at the improvement brought about by fitting a French-made Fournales air-shock in its place.
This unit is simplicity itself and really looks great, finished in chrome and blue-anodised aluminium. With no external spring, it's also a cinch to keep clean. Adjustment is limited to changing the air pressure (which is akin to changing the preload on a spring-type unit), with damping rates being pre-set at the factory. By using air as a spring, the unit is effectively rising rate in operation which means it's almost impossible to bottom out, and the Fournales units are unique in that they have an internally fitted relief spring which operates over the first portion of axle travel. This overcomes the traditional air-spring disadvantage of excessive initial spring rate and therefore improves ride comfort. The standard inflation pressure for the ST's unit is 15 bar (about 220 psi) which I've found needs no adjustment regardless of whether I'm riding solo or two-up with lots of luggage.
The improvements in handling are significant, with the occasional wallow in bumpy bends when loaded to the gunwales and riding "enthusiastically" completely eliminated. The bike maintains a much more even stance under firm acceleration, and is much more stable when ridden hard. Most significantly, these improvements are accompanied by a substantial improvement in ride comfort to which my wife, Jane, will happily testify.
The unit is fully rebuildable and, should you dislike the standard damping or spring rates, then these can be adjusted by the importers.
The Fournales range is imported and distributed in the UK by:
M.R. Holland (Distributors) Ltd.,
Unit 2,
Benner Road,
Wardentree Lane Industrial Estate,
Spalding,
Lincs. PE11 3UG
Tel: +44 1775 766455
Fax: +44 1775 710292
The unit for the ST1100 is expensive at a little over 400 stlg, but is of very high quality and comes with excellent backup service.
Lindemann Engineering can rebuild the ST1100 shock for considerably less than buying an aftermarket or OEM shock.
Contact them at (408) 371-6151
I know! This is what everybody wants to know about!) Heli-Modified (1-800-859-4642)
Mine have been replaced with V65 Sabre after market bars. I know of at least two other people who've replaced their ST bars with
Sabre bars. Some people say its a pain and won't do it again, other say it was no big deal.
If you do replace your bars, your handlebar beauty cover has to go (unless you are REALLY creative). This is no big deal -- I've had
many comments that the billet aluminum looks good. If you do decide to swap your bars you may need a "Bar Snake" to
compensate for the missing bar end weights.} (From Pan-Euro)
Corbin - Corbin Saddles makes two seats for the ST. Each has a backrest available (extra $$).
WWW - http://motorcycle.com/mo/mcads/mccorbin/
Phone - 800-538-7035; 408-633-3145; Fax: 408-633-3145
Sargent Cycle - Upholstery rebuilds seats to customer spec. I've met several people happy with their (fast) service.
Jacksonville, Florida.
Phone - (800)-749-SEAT
Russell
PO Box 609-W
Fall River Mills CA 96028
1-800-432-9566
Diamond Custom Seats
902 Avenue R
Carter Lake IA 51510
712-347-5316
Travelcade
6325 Alondra Blvd
Paramount CA 90723-3750
The Ventura rack system is a rear mounted rack that can extend the carrying capacity of the ST1100 (although it is not limited to only this bike).
Ventura Bike-Pack
H.S.I.
P. O. Box 336
Edmonds, WA 98020
800-688-6439
You can find a write-up of the Ventura system in the November, 1994 issue of Motorcyclist on page 85. The text of the article can
also be found at the site mentioned in the next paragraph.
For pictures of a Ventura system on an ST1100, and for the Motorcyclist write-up, see the following WWW page: http://ernie.bgsu.edu/~norton/moto/ventura.html.
From: Michael Galassi nerd@xyz.com http://xyz.com/~nerd/
Well, I bit the bullet and bought the Ventura rack for my ST. Here are some comments, good and bad.
In time I'll probably purchase the matched bag and report on that, for now all I wanted is a place to strap on a couple of sleeping bags and a tent. All in all, I'm pleased with my $163 expenditure.
-michael
One of their testimonials (notice his choice of bike):
One high ranking Police Officer who tested the PRO system on a 1000 mile biking holiday using an ST1100 said: "it works superbly at any speed even with ear plugs, definitely far superior to any other intercom I have tried".
The most important feature for him is that being fully automatic it is hands free, making it clearly the safest system on the market.
One feature that realy catches my eye is the automatic volume control. Presumably, it senses increased road noise and automatically adjusts volume accordingly. Seems like a big plus to me--one not availalbe elsewhere to my knowledge.
Their system also seems to have been real-world tested: Autocom Pro System - The Ultimate Motorcycle Intercom As used by top
racing teams for rider/pit communications, including James Whitham (Moto Cinelli Ducati) & Colin Edwards (Works Yamaha) in World
Superbike, and Phase One Endurance and Team Beale Yamaha in the World Endurance Championship, as well as Addison Lee's London
TaxiBike service.
From: Phil Roberts, e-mail: phil.roberts@molins.co.uk
Well, I'm that someone in ST-land who can share more info on this product...
My wife, Jane, and I have been using an Autocom PRO intercom system for over two years and can tell you, unreservedly, that it's the _beST_ intercom on the UK market bar none. Before buying the Autocom system we'd used a Sonic rider/passenger intercom (one of the best on the market before the Autocom came along) for about a year and it was a real revelation when we switched to the Autocom PRO.
The basic system consists of the intercom unit itself which is 9 volt battery powered and just larger than a pack of 20 cigarettes, and the headsets. The headsets are available in different styles to suit open-face, full-face and BMW "System" helmets. The earpieces are miniature, high quality, speakers foam-covered for comfort and are thin ( 8mm), but large enough to cover the average ear without causing pressure points. They attach to the helmet liner by way of a velcro backing. We wear Shoei X8 helmets which are very close fitting, and there's plenty of room for the earpieces. The noise-cancelling microphone is on a stiff boom which you bend to place just touching your lips. I chose to power the intercom from the bike via the optional power supply as battery consumption is quite heavy.
What's it work like, then? In one word, superbly, but you'd probably appreciate a bit more detail so here goes...
Due to the VOX system, the mic's are closed until someone speaks, so there's absolutely no amplified wind noise to batter your ears. The VOX is superbly fast and doesn't clip the first syllable like some inferior systems do - if someone says "instantly..." then that's exactly what you'll hear, not "stantly...".
Jon's basically right about how the auto-volume works: there's a sensor built into the lead which connects the rider's headset to the intercom unit which responds to increased wind noise around your head. So, the more ambient wind-noise, the louder the volume. What you wouldn't know is that the auto-volume system reduces the VOX sensitivity in line with the increase in ambient wind-noise too so that the mic's don't spuriously open. As you tend to speak louder as the ambient noise level around your ears increases the VOX still responds as soon as you speak. A very elegant solution which works at speeds of well over 150mph { on a track of course, officer ;-) }.
A 3.5mm stereo jack is provided so that you can play your Walkman, Discman or whatever through the intercom. There's a balance control so that you can bias the music input towards rider or passenger if you wish, and the intercom can be set so that speech overrides music or so that the music continues when you speak (useful if you like singing along to your favourite tunes...). If you already have a stereo system on the bike, Autocom can supply a switched lead which allows you to connect this to the intercom and listen either through the bike's existing speakers or the intercom.
Clarity of speech is first-class, and the music input gives as good as the source. The full duplex system allows you to have more coherent arguments with your passenger as you can shout at each other at the same time! Because the thing is fully automatic, it lends itself to being a fit-and-forget type product: mine's mounted in the tail of the ST, powered from an ignition switched supply via the optional power lead. This power lead also supplies 3 volts for a Walkman which we use extensively.
I know many people who've purchased other intercoms saying that they thought the Autocom was too expensive (as always, the best costs), but almost _always_ they end up binning their cheaper system and buying an Autocom PRO. I've lost count of the number of people I've recommended this system to, and it consistently comes out top in independent magazine tests. A large number of Pan-Clan (the UK ST1100 owners club) now use the system and, incidentally, much of the system's development work was carried out on an ST1100.
Hope this is of interest to others on the list.
Phil Roberts,
PanClan #029, STOC #059
Peterborough, England
e-mail: phil.roberts@molins.co.uk
Bill's Plastic
2107 Sylvan Ave.
Dallas, TX
(214) 744-1170 (ask for Gary)
This page is from the www.xyz.com/st1100/ pages, with permission from the author Michael Galassi
