OzSTOC
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Dragonstaff on October 04, 2022, 07:59:46 PM
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Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of spending some time talking to the great Bill Horsman ( https://www.motorcyclingsa.org.au/bill-horsman-inducted-into-the-motorcycling-sa-hall-of-fame/ (https://www.motorcyclingsa.org.au/bill-horsman-inducted-into-the-motorcycling-sa-hall-of-fame/) ), and he mentioned that he rode the first ST in SA. He also told an interesting story about it.
When Honda first introduced the bike to Australia, they sent six grey test bikes over (one for each state) and selected a test rider from, I guess, known motorcyclists. These riders were asked to ride the bike and put it through it's paces and report back. Bill reported that it only really had one problem- at over 100mph (160kmh) you had to push back on the bars because the windscreen formed enough of a vacuum behind it to actually suck you into it. Apparently this was fixed by putting a couple of triangular cut-outs somewhere at the base of the screen (I think, I haven't looked at an early 1100 screen). He also said that he never saw another ST that colour.
My questions for the brains trust are as follows.
Did the windscreen mod happen prior to release, or did the first ones have the above problem?
Did any of the six grey bikes survive testing and stay in the country, or did they either get returned to Japan, or have a date with the crusher?
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The windscreens had cats eyes in them, you will see them in all ST1100s with the stock screen..
Never seen a grey ST1100..
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This was my grey 1990 ST1100
(https://i.ibb.co/vHc85Kf/4.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/fCPtkbk/5.jpg)
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This was my grey 1990 ST1100
Well the year is right, and it's grey. Could it be???
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No cats eyes in the screen either.
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Grey...or is it Silver??? :think1
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ST1100 Colour Codes
https://www.st-1100.com/st1100-colour-codes.shtml (https://www.st-1100.com/st1100-colour-codes.shtml)
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It seems that while there was a grey metallic, it didn't come to Australia, so Shiney's bike is the silver.
Did it develop the vacuum behind the windscreen at high speed, Dave?
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The windscreens had cats eyes in them, you will see them in all ST1100s with the stock screen..
That would be the cut-out Bill mentioned, I would think.
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It seems that while there was a grey metallic, it didn't come to Australia, so Shiney's bike is the silver.
Did it develop the vacuum behind the windscreen at high speed, Dave?
I didn't notice vacuum...
But it had the Laminar Lip installed on the bike when I brought it so that may have stopped it from happening :think1
Or it could be that I never rode the big 11 any higher then 150 ish.
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I have a standard screen without the cutouts/holes and have not experienced the suction effect.
However.... I fitted an adjustable screen extension and found that if it's at the angle in these photos it gives the maximum wind protection it can, but if I make it just slightly more vertical it causes a REALLY strong suction on my head and shoulders.
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I have a standard screen without the cutouts/holes and have not experienced the suction effect.
Have you hit 160kmh+ Dale?
However.... I fitted an adjustable screen extension and found that if it's at the angle in these photos it gives the maximum wind protection it can, but if I make it just slightly more vertical it causes a REALLY strong suction on my head and shoulders.
How do you find this? I have one that I didn't leave on for very long because the plastic is not good optically- warps and distortions in what you see, which isn't good on dirt roads.
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Have you hit 160kmh+ Dale?
Ummm...... I''ll say no. o:)
How do you find this? I have one that I didn't leave on for very long because the plastic is not good optically- warps and distortions in what you see, which isn't good on dirt roads.
I really don't mind it. Yes the optics aren't great, but neither is the main screen anyway. Plus I am able to look over the top of it just fine. If I'm needing to look through it then I'm doing something wrong.
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As a follow up to this, it is possible that Shiney's bike might be one of the six. I have found another in SA, that Bill thinks could be his. The VIN ends in 104, so a very early one, and it doesn't have a top box. just the bags. It was first rego'd in 1990. Build date June,1990.