Suspension
Also available: Basic shock with adjustable rebound & manual preload adjustment $400.
Shock with hi-lo compression & rebound adjustment, manual preload $600
optional Hydraulic preload adjustor is available for $200 list. Optional ride height adjustment is $66.
From Borella Enterprises, 714 Providence Pike, Danielson, Ct. 06239, 860-774-5535,borella_ent@hotmail.com
Generic information on tires is here.
All of the tires have manufacturer recommended pressures of 36 psi in front, and 42 psi in back. Honda recommends 42 psi front and rear. You'll have to decide for yourself. All of these tires have maximum loads of 536 pounds at 42 psi in front, and 783 pounds at 42 psi in back.
| Tire | Front | Rear | Miles F/R | # Riders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgestone BT020 | 120/70ZR18 $84 | 170/60ZR17 $99 | 8-14k / 3.5-14k | 7 |
| Dunlop D220 | 120/70ZR18 $86 | 170/60ZR17 $103 | 9.2k / 4-9.5k | 8 |
| Dunlop D205 | 120/70ZR18 $89 | 170/60ZR17 $103 | ||
| Metzeler ME-Z4 | 120/70ZR18 $81 | 170/60ZR17 $100 | 7.5k / 5-7k | 2 |
| Michelin Pilot Road | 110/80ZR18 $96 | 170/60ZR17 $111 | ||
| Metzeler ME-880 | --- | 170/60VR17 $108 | ||
| Avon AV45/46ST | 120/70ZR18 $95 | 170/60R17 $118 | ||
| Metzeler ME-Z6 | 120/70ZR18 $96 | 170/60ZR17 $112 | ||
| Pirelli Dragon GTS MTR 23/24 | 120/70ZR18 $89 | 170/60R17 $100 |
Comments:
- Bridgestone 020: last forever on the highway, eat away fast in the twisties. There's a growing consensus that this is the best choice for all around performance. Rear tire mileage varies from 3.5k to 16.5k. This tire is very sensitive to road heat. It wears out much faster in very hot weather, and much slower in very cold weather. Wear bars to cord is a couple thousand miles, smothered's no big panic when you hit the wear bars. The rear is available in "F" and "U" versions. The BT020F is the OEM tire and has deeper tread, kevlar belts, stronger sidewalls. The BT020U wears out much faster on the ST1300. The front tire BT020U has been discontinued, only the BT020F should be available now. The OEM BT020F tires are model numbers 120/70ZR18 #146438, 170/60ZR17#146472. John McKibbin tracked down the OEM tire info.
- Dunlop 220: Growing consensus that the front tire is sub-optimal for handling. Rear is ok. Mileage seems consistent at just over 9k. When you hit the wear bars on this tire, you have very little left: this tire goes from wear bars to cord in about 500 miles. The OEM version is the D220L, but Dunlop recommends you buy the universal version ,not the OEM version as a replacement.
- Metzeler ME-Z4: Excellent handling, crummy mileage on the rear. Z4 front, D220 or BT020 or ME-880 rear is a good combo.
- Metzeler ME-Z6: Excellent handling, poor mileage on the rear. Z6 front, D220 or BT020 or ME-880 rear is a good combo. This is the best choice for cornering.
- Metzeler ME-880: Very deep tread, longest possible mileage, but not as sticky as other tires in the twisties. The170/60 size is a steel radial. The ME-880 front tire is not radial and not a good choice for the ST1300. However, an ME-Z6 front paired with an ME-880 rear give good handling and superlative mileage.
- Pilot Roads: not made in correct sizes for ST. Reputed on other bikes to stick well but eat away fast. No info at this time.
- Pirelli: Dragons are discontinued, a replacement is coming. No info at this time.
- Avons: Avon has announced that the AV45/46 is not recommended for the ST1300, and that the rating is being decreased from V to H.It seems the sidewalls are not as stiff as they had hoped, and excessive flex heats up the tire, causing poor mileage.Especially on heavy bikes. Some people have tried the AV45 / AV46 combo, with mixed results. Some liked them, some hated them. However, even the people who liked them went back to the BT020s or to the ME-Z6 / ME-880 combo as more cost effective tires.
Good deals on tires can be found at:
- Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse
- California Sport Touring
- Discount Motorcycle Tire
- Tires n Stuff
- Tires Unlimited
- Tire Express
- Pecos Bill
- SW Mototires
How to remove your rear wheel
Required tools:
- 5mm and 8mm allen wrenches
- 10mm, 12mm, 14mm sockets, ratchet, 6" extension.
- 27mm wrench
- 10" bungee cord or some string or rope.
- Appropriate spline grease. See choices above.
- Wheel bearing grease for axle, brake stay bolt, bearing seal.
- Place your bike on the center stand. Remove both saddlebags and your trunk.
Remove your rear fender. This is attached with four 5mmallen head bolts.
Remove your brake caliper stay bolt.14mm socket on 6" extension.
- Loosen the two bolts on the muffler attachment band. 10mm socket.
Remove the two bolts which hold the muffler in place. 12mm socket. Rotate the muffler down to the ground.
- Remove the axle nut, left side of the bike. 27mm. 8mm allen wrench on right side. Pull the axle out from the right side.
- Pull the rear brake caliper up. Use a bungee cord or string to hang the caliper up out of the way.
- Pull the rear wheel about 1" towards the left side of the bike. It will now roll out from the back of the bike.
- Change tire as required. If you want an inner rear fender extension, now's the time.
- Clean all the gunk off your drive splines and driven splines. This will require a fair amount of solvent and digging with a screwdriver.
- Put fresh grease on both the drive splines and the driven splines. The grease you use on the splines is a real issue. See Shaft Drives. Also clean the seal on the disk side, and put a small amount of general purpose (not moly or krytox) grease on it.
- Put the wheel back in place, lift it up, and push it onto the splines. Make certain it's seated correctly.
- Put the brake caliper back into place.
- Replace the brake caliper stay bolt. A small amount of grease on the pin helps with this. Loctite thread lock recommended. Honda says you need a new bolt every time. I have no clue why. I certainly did not buy a new bolt.
- Replace the axle. A small amount of general purpose grease on the axle helps. Get it good and tight - this can have a profound effect on handling and spline life.
- Replace the muffler, and tighten up the muffler attachment band.
- Replace your rear fender, saddlebags, trunk.