OzSTOC
OzSTOC Ride Reports, Pictures & Videos => RIDE REPORTS => Topic started by: Davoxt on November 06, 2013, 05:24:57 PM
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First long distance ride report on my new trusty steed 2008 ST1300 and comparing some of the differences to my DL1000.
Trip time just over 14hrs, travelled just shy of 1450km with only two fuel stops on the way first was Northampton 477km using 23lit of juice, the ST likes sitting around the magic mark of 130kph wind buffeting was at least half what I was accustom to on my DL.
Left Perth at 3am low beam head lights on the ST where a match for the DL’s, high beam on ST maybe a touch better and lights are a big deal for me as due to the hot weather I do a lot of overnight riding.
Second fuel stop was Carnarvon 430km 22lit top up of juice that’s a good extra 100km on what my DL could do with the same fuel.
Ambient temp is now sitting around 36deg which is about normal for this time of the year, the heat from the engine bay and exhaust around my feet is lot more noticeable on the ST, by the time I reached Nanutarra Road House the mid afternoon the temp was pushing 44deg the bike was running great but the rider was starting to cook especially the around the feet/ankles some of the heat was coming off the bitumen but a lot of heat off the stock pipes and air around the bottom of the Tupperware. :H
Arrived home around 5pm the bike must have been running on vapours as the last stint covered 536km sucking 28lit out of a 29lit tank, the ST performed fantastically, handling, braking, fuel range was better than my DL but for me some things need improving before next year’s interstate run.
Just placed an order for 18inch oval Delkevic after market exhaust, left and right s/h radiator cowling from the wreckers as I don’t want to cut up the originals, bar raisers, HWY Blades, Thermo Tec header wrap kit, Omni throttle lock, heat insulation reflective tape for coating inside of the fairing pockets, heavy duty headlight wiring kit with relays, mirror mounts for LED driving lights and the usual GPS mounts and power sockets $1200 bucks later hopefully money well spent. :blk11
Cheers
Dave
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Great write up mate, take lots of photos of all your improvements we all love to see money well spent :thumb
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The highway pegs are the most effective way to get your legs out of the heat on the highway. Useless around town, of course, where your insulation may work. A lot of us will be interested in your heat experiments. I was warned off binding the header pipes by a Honda mechanic because it would concentrate the heat back into the heads which are not designed to take it. The new exhaust might make a different sound if that's what you're wanting. I doubt you'll see an improvement in economy or performance. Not sure what the purpose of heavy duty headlight wiring is. The LEDs will do the supplemental lighting you're wanting.
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Thanks for sharing your experience. Many of us are keen to hear stories, encouragement and tips on long distance riding.
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:popcorn
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Not chasing anymore performance as the bloody think is fast enough but I have read on other forums the aftermarket pipes without cat's run cooler, headlight wiring loom is from Eastern Beaver it's plug and play, also gives me the option while cruising the open road during day light I can turn one low beam light off.
I don't normally ride in 40C plus heat but I needed to get home, I usually stay the night in Carnarvon leaving the last stint for the cool of the morning, so the exhaust wrap at this stage could be over kill and the last resort after modifying radiator cowling, many Harley Davison's are using heat wrap up here to control the heat.
http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html (http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html)
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Nice report Davoxt, I've been absent with work for a while so if I haven't said so already - welcome! I look forward to catching up on a ride.
Re: the heat from the ST: at first I was worried. However I have to say now (45,000km later) that it doesn't bother me anymore. I always wear ATGATT now so maybe getting hot under the collar takes my mind off the feet. The ride to Middleton & back last year had Glen & myself in 43C for a while - the blast furnace through the visor had my attention.
Cheers, Rob.
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[url]http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html[/url] ([url]http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html[/url])
Thanks for that URL. That is a clever idea, of which I hadn't heard before. So easy to incorporate and not too expensive. You could easily move it to your next bike, unlike some farkles.
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What a good idea. They probably thought why not do what the HID relay harness does. A dual H4 kit with driving light output also put in would be a neat solution, as the bike could remain totally stock. A harness like that could be made up, say from a spare HID harness lying around...
[url]http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html[/url] ([url]http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html[/url])
Thanks for that URL. That is a clever idea, of which I hadn't heard before. So easy to incorporate and not too expensive. You could easily move it to your next bike, unlike some farkles.
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I don’t know if it’s legal but I have had the same wiring harness on my last bike for over three years now due mainly to the DL’s low alternator output and she been all over OZ with no comment from any police about only having one headlight running.
Only issue is the left headlight globe "one on all the time" always blows within 12 month and/or 10,000km, to date I've never had to replace the right side globe "only runs when I turn the switch on" not much of an issue when it blows I just switch the right side on, both high beam work as normal.
:blk11
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Great read thanks Davoxt - it's nice to hear comparos 'twix our great STs and other bikes.
Like the other Members here, I am interested in your appraisals of the new gears going on her.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Diesel
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Normally if you increase the average voltage to a bulb it will be brighter, but at the expense of reduced bulb life. ST1300s seem to blow the left bulb more often, and the general view is that the voltage to that bulb is a bit more, and some have put in a resistor to reduce the voltage a bit.. I would take better lights anyday.
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Heat???..........what's all this talk about heat??? I've never noticed it.......it was really hot here yesterday, 28 degrees, whew! bloody hot hey! :H didn't feel it on the bike though, don't know what you're all worried about! :grin
Good write up Davoxt, keep up the good work!!