What oil do ya throw in ya steed?

[Couch]

You certainly won't do the bike any harm by doing so...................probably not necessary though, unless you live in an area with contaminated/poluted/dusty air. 
That's one of the best things I love about Tassie................we're said to have the purest air of any populated country in the world.

Am I pluggin Tassie...............absolutely!!

I am thinking of maybe doing next oil 2000 kms early and changing every 10 000 kms

[Couch]

Yamalube Semi Synthetic cost me $55 - 4 litres last time I brought it!

Just a little hard paying upwards of $95 for 5 litres of synthetic, when you can get semi for around $60-$65.

[Diesel]

Yamalube Semi Synthetic cost me $55 - 4 litres last time I brought it!

Reckon I might try this next time Baz - you say that your ST is smooth as silk with great gear changes - yes?

Who stocks Yamalube?

[saaz]

Here is a link to some used oil tests on an ST1100. The ride has used all sorts of oils, and they all come back as being ok at the Honda recommended interval. Some are better than others, but overall the ST1100 is not oil sensitive.  The synthetics do seem to provide that extra margin for error.  Gear change feel is also something that only a rider can judge for themselves.  If you read any more of the oil threads don't blame me if you become obsessed!  It is far to easy to worry about oil too much.


http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2288580#Post2288580

[Malcolm6112]

I'm doing an oil change soon. Using

http://www.lubadmin.com/upload/produit/FichePDF/lang_29/8163.pdf

This is a fully synthetic oil.

Yes, as Diesel said I do have a couple of OEM 1300 oil filters for sale. I bought them from America.

If you want one they are $11.85 plus postage. They are a small filter, should be cheap.

[Streak]

I use what the honda shop puts in my bike 

[Couch]

I brought my Yamalube from Horizon Honda, the local Hobart Honda/Yamaha dealer.  They tell me that's the only oil they use in all their oil changes. They also stock the genuine Honda oil but recommend the Yamalube over it.
And yes.............my gear changes are smoothhhhhhhhhhh!!

Yamalube Semi Synthetic cost me $55 - 4 litres last time I brought it!

Reckon I might try this next time Baz - you say that your ST is smooth as silk with great gear changes - yes?

Who stocks Yamalube?

[Mark]

Dupe info I know 

I originally managed to squeeze this into the Filters area, as that is what I was changing from the Honda OEM for the ST1100, to the Repco look alike filter.

I also went for Penrite HPR 15 Diesel oil http://www.penriteoil.com.au/pis_pdfs/HPR%20DIESEL%2015%20AUGUST%202010.pdf, it has been good so far, 2 weeks of stop start freeway riding, and the gear changes are smooth  . The engine appears to be quieter than I am used too, but I will get over it (I had stalled at a set of lights, and didn't know. Maybe it is my hearing that has gone)  .

I had used Belray EXP semi synth oil, sticky gears. Then Honda HP4, sticky gears again, and I am sure my bike was trying to tell me something, as it appeared noisy and some vibration that I had not seen on the Belray. Now gone to Penrite Diesel semi synth oil (Penrite HPR 15 Diesel oil), which I paid about $31 for a 5 litre carton at Repco on special, at the same time as getting their own brand filter too.

Compared to $68 for 4 litres of Belray, or about $80 for 4 litres of Honda HP4, it is a big saving on my wallet too. 

Happy so far, and less scared about trying other oils now.

The Penrite oil has a PDF at their website that states that it is suitable for cars, trucks and 4 strokes motorcycles with wet clutches. I could probably put it in my Camry on the next oil change. Cheaper to buy the big drum of it.

About the "change" interval though, I have always changed oil and filter on my car every 6 months, and the bike is getting more use, so I will certainly be doing that every 6 months too. I am not looking to find an oil and filter that can stay in for 2 years myself. I would rather have the regular change, as I also get a chance to look at the oil, check it for sparkly bits  . The oil and filter now are not really an issue, once you come down from the $25 Honda filter, and the $80 oil.

[Brock]

Mark, your signature has incorrect info, the ST1100 wasnt made after 2002 except for the police model that went to 2003  ( I got one  :)  )

[Mark]

Mark, your signature has incorrect info, the ST1100 wasnt made after 2002 except for the police model that went to 2003  ( I got one  :)  )

Brock

Mine is the Police model  :thumbl, and a 2001 compliance/ manufacture plate date, in hard to find white (as they say at the auctions). I thought it was called ST1100P, but when ordering parts for my bike from David Silver Spares, one of the parts (the right hand crash bar cover) wasn't correct for my bike. I called them up (in the UK) to ask what had happened  . Then, the person I spoke too asked me to give him the engine and VIN number, he told me that the bike may have a manufacture date of 2001, but Honda didn't make any more new ST1100's after 2000. They just put all the bits they had together to make bikes for the one or two Police that still wanted them for their fleets, or sold off stock they already had.

Not really bothered either way. The compliance says it was 2001, my bike documents say 2001, and there is not much to look at between my Police 2001 and a Police one from 1998. The crash bar cover however, is different from Police to standard road bike (The standard right hand crash bar cover has a weird kink in the mould, that does not fit the Police crash bar, and siren mount). My VIN came up in their UK database saying that it is the same as the UK Police bikes, they are called PY, the Y denotes something I am sure. It also indicates that the ignition switch is opposite cut to the standard model. So when you want to buy an official key blank, the Police model uses the same key form as the US model.

So it was David Silver Spares that told me that from the VIN, the bike is from 2000 components, or run out stock that Honda were pushing to Police depts that was made in 2000, at their production end. They said that Honda were not making any more ST1100 bikes after 2000. 

If mine isn't the police model, I probably didn't need to take the second gear disable switch off my left hand fairing, or remove the front flash mounts that were coming out of the mirror enclosures.

And I still haven't painted my top box white. I would be interested to see what yours in white looks like with the bike though.

Keep smiling Brock

Mark (a.k.a Woody) 

P.S, David Silver Spares, replaced the crash bar cover for free, after I got the wrong one. Not bad service.

[Brock]

If you have the extra wiring going to the duck tail, then its a Police model

[saaz]

The Honda manual I have for the police versions goes to the 2003 model.  I have met a few riders who were able to buy brand new ones, none of those left as far as I know.  There were no changes to any of the models after 1996.  Besides the wiring, the police models do vary from the normal standard non-abs models as they use the pre-96 abs forks which have different springs and oil volume/levels from all the standard models and the later ABS models.  This will matter if you change the fork springs as the lengths are different.  Why they are different I don't know.

[Mark]

If you have the extra wiring going to the duck tail, then its a Police model

Yup

The big socket cluster with a large rubber shroud around it. I by passed the second Honda "ignition switch" that was fitted to the left hand fairing (that allowed the rider to get off, and leave the bike running for the lights, but if someone put the bike in gear it kills the bike). The guy before me left that in, it was a little pointless, and having two ignition keys was a  pain.

[Brock]

I refitted my kill switch, but to remove it is easy. Remove the left side panel and look for the wires near the gear lever ( they are for the kick stand) the green wire with the bullett connector will be connected to a wire going to the kill switch. Undoo the two bullets, and rejoin the green wires. Job done.

[Mark]

I refitted my kill switch, but to remove it is easy. Remove the left side panel and look for the wires near the gear lever ( they are for the kick stand) the green wire with the bullett connector will be connected to a wire going to the kill switch. Undoo the two bullets, and rejoin the green wires. Job done.

Thanks Brock, that is exactly what I did when I first got the bike 

I put the male and female spade receptacles together, under the fairing, just above the gear change lever. I left the switch in place, and the neon indicator too. Why bother taking them out, and being left with the holes. So to switch back (if the next owner wants too) is easy.

I have also left the clipsal two pin 12V socket in the left fairing pocket. I had thought about pulling that out and fitting a lighter socket instead (for my Tom Tom). But haven't bothered as yet.

[Brock]

I removed the Clipsal socket, the wires had been cut away from that one. I installed a cig lighter socket next to the kill switch, as it filled the big hole that was there. Still have the headphone socket, but its not connected either.

[Mark]

I removed the Clipsal socket, the wires had been cut away from that one. I installed a cig lighter socket next to the kill switch, as it filled the big hole that was there. Still have the headphone socket, but its not connected either.

Hey Brock

You said you got your Saddleman dual seat re worked in Wangara or Malaga. Who did it? and how much did it cost? Because, darn, after some time driving on that firm gel seat, I think I may be staring to get piles    It was OK at first, but I think I may be getting "numb bum" using it. Either the gel is made by a concrete manufacturer, or the gel is only about 2mm thick. There is more padding in outside plastic, than under it 

The damn seat holds the heat too. After I leave work (bike been in the sun since 6am) I get a bum tan, and the damn thing still feels like hot coals 30 mins later. I lift my bum off the seat as I travel up the freeway trying to get some cool air to the damn thing. (Must look funny from behind, like I am trying to ride over bumps, or about to do a moony  )

Whoevre designed that gel seat was a sadist for sure 

P.S I left my headphone socket there too, but I filled the centre with hot glue, then blacked the surface out. The thread under the socket had a rust farm staring  , so I thought I would stop the water getting in that way.

Keep smiling Brock

Mark

[Brock]

I think the seat was done by Scotts motor trimimng in Wangara. An excellent job, you can try it if you want. I left the rear seat with the original gel insert, as My Daughter was comfortable on it. Cost was $285 I think, well worth the money and it was a quick job.

The gel pad is quite thick, but boy it holds the heat.