Model Changes

[Nh478m]

I've done quite a bit of work on the new bike and shortly I'll be replacing the switches for clutch and sidestand plus servicing the gear change linkages.

Recently, a couple of times the bike has refused to come back up into neutral after stopping in 1st gear from longer rides so I'm thinking it's just crud in the joints and links that needs to be sorted out. At two years old it shouldn't need a clutch fluid change yet and it still looks to be an acceptable shade of yellow.

Maybe I'll even adjust the gear lever resting position to lower it a bit. I'm changing the switches because, even stuck in 1st, with the clutch pulled and the sidestand up I think that it should have started but it refused to so I couldn't even ride around to wake up the clutch and gear shift a bit.

Anyway the point of this post is whether the 2003 shop manual will continue to serve my purposes or has HONDA made any huge changes that mean a newer manual would be a sensible acquisition.

So far, the downloaded tech manual for the 2003 model hasn't let me down but am wondering whether there is going to be anything further down the line that might catch me out if I continue to rely on the older manual for the newer 2010 machine.

So, does anyone have a good grip on whether the 2010 or the generally later models differ from earlier ones in any sort of critical sense - I know the FI has changed plus various heat deflectors have been added, brake pad type up front has changed, small stuff like that but I don't know if any big critical stuff has changed. It doesn't look like it but looks can be deceiving.

As I was re-fuelling the bike yesterday at the airport, a bloke of about 75 years wandered across to me to tell me he thought the ST was still the best bike in the world as for his last two bikes, he had one of the first ST1100s then an early 1300 before ill health meant he had to go walking instead of riding. He got all nostalgic and started filling up - not many bikes cause that kind of reaction. Never before has it taken me 15 minutes to fill the tank!

PJ

[Brock]

You use neutral???

I stop and leave the bike in gear, cant roll away then. I get the bike into neutral easily when the ignition is off, just pull up on the shift lever. (The ZZR1100 would only move in to neutral with the ignition off)

I think the bikes are basically the same, just some minor differences like wire colour or the like.

[West Aussie Glen]

There are some minor changes from about 2008. Cosmetically covers either side of the bike just under the riders seat (on the left hand side near the rear shock pre load adjuster). There is some difference in the ECU as the GiPro gear indicastor is plug and play 08   on models. Also there was a recall for rear brakes on 08 model so there must be something different there as well.