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
• Full-coverage bodywork features an Aero-Ellipse form that incorporates parabolic lines to enhance stability at high speeds. • New three-position rider's seat provides an adjustment range of 1.2 inches vertically and 1 inch horizontally. From the forward and lowest position, the seat can be moved up 0.6 inches and back approximately 0.5 inches to the middle position and again by the same amount to the highest rear position. • A motor-driven adjustable windscreen on the ST1300 ABS offers 7.4 inches and 13 degrees of adjustability for greater wind protection and touring comfort. A thumboperated pushbutton on the left handlebar operates the windscreen motor. An additional 2.3 inches of manual adjustment is possible by repositioning the windshield on the mounting brackets. (Non-ABS version does not have motor-driven windscreen.) • Newly designed lockable and detachable saddlebags hold 35 liters each (large enough for a full-face helmet). The saddlebags contain straps to limit bag opening to 90 degrees to better secure the contents. The straps unbuckled when the bags are dismounted, permitting full access. • Plastic-covered body-protector stays extended outward to protect the bodywork in case of a tip-over. • Dual-section fuel tank places 5.5 gallons of fuel in the conventional tank location, with an additional 2.2 gallons located in a sub-tank located low in the chassis. This results in an increase in fuel capacity and an even weight distribution for fuel. • An electric fuel pump operates inside the sub-tank, providing consistent fuel pressure for the PGM-FI system. • Headlights feature dual lenses with twin-filament H4 low/high-beam bulbs and multi-reflectors. • A convenient push button located on the left side of the fairing electrically adjusts the headlight height over a 2.5-degree range. • A locking left-Side fairing pocket offers the carrying capacity of an automobile console; a weather-resistant vinyl flap covers the right-side pocket. • Breakaway rearview mirrors minimize damage in the event of a tipover. • Padded passenger grabrails. • Centerstand assist-lever folds neatly away when not in use. • Integrated front and rear tum signals. (Abovel Doesn't this photo remind you of those before and after photos of people endorsing abdominalworkout machines? The new ST1300 is on the left, and the bike it replaces on the right. (Right) The saddlebags offer 35 liters of storage capacity apiece. They have one of the best latching systems we've ever used. This Is a view of the electronic-version of the windscreen (fitted to the ASS verslonl. On the left, It's In the full-elown position, and on the right, In the full-up position. Out on the open road - where this bike is going to spend most of its time - the bike is even better. The smooth engine and good handling make either meandering sweepers or open straightaways an exhilarating affair. One feature that I wish the bike had is an even taller fifth gear - a true cruising gear, like the one on the BMW R1150RT. Honda has designed the ratios for snappy acceleration, which is hard to complain about. Pop into the passing lane, and the bike jumps around cars with relative ease - knock it down a gear and you can really make haste. Around town in urban congestion, you can't help but notice a bit of driv- The saddlebags were actually designed to be a part of the bike, not an afterthought, tacked on later. Note the triangularsection exhausts, designed to give the bike better comering clearance with similar capacity. eline lash. It comes from a combination of slop in the shaft drive and a bit of a glitch in the fuel-injection system. It's barely perceptible on the open road, but in stop-and-go traffic it can be a bit of a nuisance. If there was ever a bike for which the Linked Braking System (LBS) was a perfect fit, this is it. I've been a harsh critic of such systems for quite a while (and remain so), but in this application it seems to work fairly well. My only complaint would be that, while in full-boogie-sport-riding mode, the back end of the bike would feel vague and loose while trail-braking the bike deep into corners. In "real world" riding conditions, this shouldn't be a problem for the majority of riders - as most will never push the bike that hard. The ST1300 offers many amenities to get you and your junk from Point A to Point B. The well-designed sidecases are not only easy to open and operate but are also a cinch to The dash may not look that busy in the photo, but there is a heck of a lot of Information to take In while riding thG ST1300. If it Isn't on the dash, you don't need to know about it. remove and replace. They simply set into place, and with a quick buckling of a latch they're locked down. Their capacity is a full 35 liters each, and it isn't hampered by an exhaust pipe running through either of them. The ST1300 is available in one color, Metallic Dark Silver. The standard version carries an MSRP of $ 12,999, while the ABS version goes for $14,499. That's a price increase of $ 11 00 for the standard version, but amazingly, only $100 for the ABS version. You can see where the value is. CN c U .. I e ~~ fXJ@(;:!J@iiJ $W''D g]@@t%S'fl'DgJ@X§) I1JIl1S UST PRICE $12,999/$14,499 DISPLACEMENT 1261 cc ENGINE TYPE ..Uquid-cooled, 90° V-four BORE x STROKE 78mm x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO 10.8:1 CARBURETION ....PGM-Fl, with 36mm throttie bodies IGNmON .....Digital with 3-D mapping TRANSMISSION Five-speed STARTING SYSTEM Electric FUEL CAPACITY 7.7 gal. WHEELBASE .58.7 in. RAKEffRAlL 26°/98mm .31.1 (+/- .6 in.) SEAT HEIGHT FRONT TIRE 120/70ZR-18 REAR TIRE 170/60ZR-17 N/A FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL N/A FRONT BRAKE Dual disc/Optional ABS REAR BRAKE Disc FINAL DRIVE .shaft CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT 624/637 Ibs. n e _ S • JULY 17, 2002 33