st1300 police

[Lord Popgun]

On the ST board you see a somewhat small number of SMC failures. Usually due to not flushing the brake fluid (a REAL PIA). Or not checking the SMC for proper operation. It only moves 1mm or so. The old Goldwings had the SMC too. Not sure about the new models.

Its really an awesome bike with a fantastic, albeit complex, braking system. The ST board has some really great drawings that show how it works, trouble areas, step by step instructions for bleeding and a lot of how to do maint. on the bike. AND, a member who is probable the country’s best and most knowledgeable mechanic on the bike. He actually has the “white courtesy phone” and will happily talk members through any problems. Igofar is his user name.

Keep in mind that Ferrets failure would not have been THAT bad if he had not forced the bike to go to get home. Just maybe a new/rebuilt SMC and a rear brake job.

I see Yamaha is going to discontinue the FJR so if that is your bike, you might want to start considering one. Another great bike!

[the Ferret]

Yes, my issue was exacerbated by the fact that after my SMC locked up the rear brake. It released when it cooled, and I tried to ride it home. I was only 2 miles from home when it locked up. Well I did ride it home, but I toasted the rear brake rotor in the process as it locked again but I kept going (my fault...I'm an idiot). Also by riding it with a locked brake I toasted something in the motor and 1 cyl showed 25% compression.

In my defense I regularly had the SMC serviced by my local mechanic/shop. I should have replaced it. Were I to own another ST 1300 I would just replace the SMC every 50,000 miles. They are not very expensive. Especially if the bike is ridden in all kinds of weather, like mine was. It is probably the most common failure on those bikes and becoming more common as the bikes age. If I bought a used ST1300, I would just replace the SMC out of an abundance of caution. Honda updated the unit with a superseded one, which tells me there was a recognized issue with the old one.

Like Popgun said, it's an overly complicated braking system, a flaw in an otherwise wonderful motorcycle. I loved mine and would still be riding it if....

My wife and I have ridden it to every corner of this country... Maine, Washington, California, Florida. It never failed to bring us back to our garage, even on the day it died/I killed it.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Excellent quick review of the issue experience. Thanks Mickey.

[Lord Popgun]

What ever happened to it Ferret? There is a LOT of nice parts on it. Or did someone buy it and swap in another engine?

[the Ferret]

Yep sold it to a guy in Cleveland who used a lot of the parts and sold a lot of the parts and still HAS some of the parts. Goes by Sirbike on the ST forum.

[peterbaron]

Yes, my issue was exacerbated by the fact that after my SMC locked up the rear brake. It released when it cooled, and I tried to ride it home. I was only 2 miles from home when it locked up. Well I did ride it home, but I toasted the rear brake rotor in the process as it locked again but I kept going (my fault...I'm an idiot). Also by riding it with a locked brake I toasted something in the motor and 1 cyl showed 25% compression.

In my defense I regularly had the SMC serviced by my local mechanic/shop. I should have replaced it. Were I to own another ST 1300 I would just replace the SMC every 50,000 miles. They are not very expensive. Especially if the bike is ridden in all kinds of weather, like mine was. It is probably the most common failure on those bikes and becoming more common as the bikes age. If I bought a used ST1300, I would just replace the SMC out of an abundance of caution. Honda updated the unit with a superseded one, which tells me there was a recognized issue with the old one.

Like Popgun said, it's an overly complicated braking system, a flaw in an otherwise wonderful motorcycle. I loved mine and would still be riding it if....

My wife and I have ridden it to every corner of this country... Maine, Washington, California, Florida. It never failed to bring us back to our garage, even on the day it died/I killed it.

Ferret sorry but how would that happen. .....??? Kind of impossible or just not related coincidence..
I deal with that issue on cars from time to time (blue rotors and yellowish pads = too much heat and friction due to rear callipers seized for hundred of kms driven) and never seen any engine failure.

[the Ferret]

Dont know PB. I had to run it wide open to make it back to the house. I had the shop come pick it up. I started it and ran it up on trailer. They unloaded it at the shop, did an estimate on the damaged rear. I said fix it. . Then they called me and said it wouldn't start. They did a leak down test and said 1 cyl only showed 25 pounds of compression. I went up and indeed it wouldn't start and sounded funny. With 110, 000 miles on the bike I wasn't interested in paying to rebuild the motor and the rear brakes and the SMC. So they brought it back to my house. I advertised it for parts on the ST forum, and a guy from Cleveland bought it and came and picked it up.

And since Honda had quit making new customer model ST 1300s 6 years earlier, I bought an FJR.

[peterbaron]

Yeah, thanks for responding....it's gonna stay puzzled as the bike was sold for parts without further diags...

[jimgl3_imp]

I am very tempted to get one of these! I have a short inseam though... like 29 or maybe even 28. Any input on that?

[rickcb]

I am very tempted to get one of these! I have a short inseam though... like 29 or maybe even 28. Any input on that?

I have a 30" inseam. I had an ST1300 for 5K miles and I had a hard time being confident when stopping because I was so marginal on leg length. Loved everything else about the bike though. Especially that adjustable windscreen.