Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Damn, I'm at work and my bike is crying for me back home.

BuzZz wrote:What the hell?

Red?

I was expecting a black-n-white cop-lookin' thing, maybe with some empty holes where lights and Department logos would mount......

Yours looks much nicer.

Story up tp this point...

Since I'm a public servant and the city had a deal that specified they ordered so many ST1300"P"s, they gave me chance to buy a "real" cop bike. I really wanted it but found with a few mods, I liked the civilian ST better. So a knight in shining armor (And he can afford shining armor!?!) couldn't get a licenced govermental vehicle in his state so he proposed to buy mine. My was going to be registered as a civilian bike so he sent me the funds (And they paid for a multitude of sins) and the police bike is safely in the hands of a rebuilder being modified. I don't know what he is going to do with a black and white ST that screams "POLICE" but it's now his problem.

There is a strange thing about STs though. Mine, at least, is a great bike. However, most dealers have a backlog of 2007s and 2008s, so they're telling people that their isn't any 2009s but that is what I own. I got a REAL good deal on mine and it was still in a crate so I could assemble it myself. (I used to work for the dealer) So I got a way with murder and I know that it's put together exactly the way I wanted it. Now, it's family.

Anyway, the ST1300A is such an awesome bike that I can't understand why there is a backlog of them. I started riding it yesterday and I think I'll change all the fluids Tuesday or Wendsday and check all the fittings and bolts.

But it's all mine!

I done missed the part about you swapping the cop version for a civilian model. I crashed years ago and had to have my attention span surgically removed so they had room to get my head out of my azz..... if I twist the wrong way, it still slips back up there to this day.... wages of sin, I guess.

What were we talking about....?

This being North America, it don't surprise me that they ain't selling many ST-1300's. We are pretty myopic over here. Harley-ish cruisers or full-on racer rep sportbikes are all that really sell in great numbers. We just ain't interested in any of the other cool, practical or fun bikes that the rest of the world likes. Too bad, we screw ourselves out of a ton of great bikes......

BuzZz wrote:I done missed the part about you swapping the cop version for a civilian model. I crashed years ago and had to have my attention span surgically removed so they had room to get my head out of my azz..... if I twist the wrong way, it still slips back up there to this day.... wages of sin, I guess.

Tryed to but so many people did it before I got there, I found there was money in trying to reverse the process. So I just try and keep the it down to a low roar.

BuzZz wrote:This being North America, it don't surprise me that they ain't selling many ST-1300's. We are pretty myopic over here. Harley-ish cruisers or full-on racer rep sportbikes are all that really sell in great numbers. We just ain't interested in any of the other cool, practical or fun bikes that the rest of the world likes. Too bad, we screw ourselves out of a ton of great bikes......

Yeah, it's kind of sad in a way but maddening too. I was in Europe for a time and they didn't seem to have to sell the sheer numbers of a type or model for different motorcycles to be introduced. In America, every different model of motorcycle must be capable of selling so many before they will think of importing it. But Harley is just as bad for I thought we wouldn't get the XR1200 here in the states. But in a way we didn't for ours is not the same as the European model.

Ryethil wrote:Anyway, the ST1300A is such an awesome bike that I can't understand why there is a backlog of them.

They had a debate about this on STN, and consensus was FJR's outsell ST1300's by 3 to 1. Don't know if they had actual numbers to back that up, it was just the consensus of the forum. (and if you know STN, you know to take that with a grain of salt!)

Anywayyy........ personally my issue with the ST1300 is the concept of a 700 lb sport tourer. Our Trophy weighs 525 dry, and it seems like a heavy pig - can't imagine something 200 lbs more.

jstark47 wrote:

Ryethil wrote:Anyway, the ST1300A is such an awesome bike that I can't understand why there is a backlog of them.

They had a debate about this on STN, and consensus was FJR's outsell ST1300's by 3 to 1. Don't know if they had actual numbers to back that up, it was just the consensus of the forum. (and if you know STN, you know to take that with a grain of salt!)

Anywayyy........ personally my issue with the ST1300 is the concept of a 700 lb sport tourer. Our Trophy weighs 525 dry, and it seems like a heavy pig - can't imagine something 200 lbs more.

As for STN, hey, everybody is entitled to their opinions. Just because their soooo wrong and I'm right should have little effect.

From the first FJRs, Yamaha has managed to get it mostly right, Like Goldwing buyers, FJRs buyers keep going back and back. There is also a recession on and only people with desposable income can buy a new bike. So all bikes are afected but some how the FZR is a model buyers trust. I've also had my ST called an appliance because it didn't have electronic shifting or the long heritage of the FZR line. I guess there is something to that.

As for size and weight I was going to buy a heavier Police bike and learn to ride it like the cops do. I couldn't do it and I'm really got the Civilian version of the bike. But it does take forethought to where you want to place your front wheel. Not only is 700+ pounds but with a full tank of gas makes it somewhat top heavy. But get it out on the rode and all that weight falls away. In fact it makes the bike seem more stable. The bike becomes more intuitive on many levels the more you ride it. It's only when I slow down do I notice the weight.

I'm sooo happy with it and thats what counts, Right?

Good for you ... nice looking bike
You know the police are more likely to give a red motorcycle a ticket than any other color. Looook out

redwing wrote:Good for you ... nice looking bike
You know the police are more likely to give a red motorcycle a ticket than any other color. Looook out

Yea and I don't already have a reputation for a strong right hand. But also remember, red goes faster...