Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128163
2003 Honda ST1300/ST1300 ABS By BLAKE CONNER 1\iT ost people don't consider the 13 very lucky. As a matter of fact, some have been so paranoid as to not label the 13th floor in buildings as such, just to avoid age-old superstitions. But if you're a fan of the big-red Honda brand, and are also a fan of sport-touring motorcycles, 13 may well be your lucky number. You see, it's been that many long years since the inception of the very popular Honda STII00, but more importantly, the bike is now called the ST-thirteen-hundred. It may have been a long time coming, but most fans of the ST will be thrilled to see this massively redesigned bike hit the showroom floors. lVll number 30 JULY 17, 2002' cue • III Honda's definition of sport-touring is made up of two distinct - and ~eemingly opposite - ideals. They wanted to offer decent sporting capability and long-distance touring comfort on the same bike. It seems challenging, but that's what Honda decided they wanted to achieve with the ST. Honda's ST1300 mantra is: Ride hard, ride long. The press-ride for the new STl300 started off in Torrance, California, at the Honda corporate offices, with our final destination being Santa Barbara, California, via many tight and twisty roads. As I implied above, the ST1300 is long overdue. In other words, Honda has had plenty of time to make huge improvements over the previous ftlll_S STII00. Not only has the chassis been redesigned, the motor is completely new as well, although it shares the same format as the mill in the old STlI00. So, how does it all work? Read ahead. RIDING IMPRESSION The first thing you notice about the STl300 is that the bike is big. Not Goldwing-big, but not Sportbikesmall, either. In stature, it feels very similar to the BMW R1150RT, which I always think of as a mini-tourer. The fighter-plane-style cockpit may have something to do with it. There's a plethora of gauges, graphs and numbers, all staring you in the face as you snuggle up to the handlebars. The riding position is instantly com- The long-awaited replacement for the ST1100 • the ST1300 • It's finally here! It's been updated dramatically fo.2003. fortable, with pullback bars that place your hands exactly where you want them. The seating position was perfect for me, but if it isn't for you, it has multiple positions of adjustment, both in height and forward-and-back movement. One thing that I don't like about the standard version of the bike is the manually adjustable windscreen. By manually adjustable, I mean get out the tool kit - not simply turning some knob. The ABS version of the bike comes standard with a really nice, electronically adjustable windscreen, which is infinitely more adjustable