ST question

mlp

Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
4
Location
des Moines
2008 ST1300, does the letter P after ST1300 mean that it was a police model?
Non ABS if it matters.
Thanks, Mike
 
They didn’t offer a Police model ST1300P in 2008.
If it’s a private party, they may be trying to sell an escort built bike.

The much awaited change was to arrive in 2005 and so it got the name ST1300P and ST1300P ABS as two models continued being built. For 2007 and 2008 they stopped manufacturing the two models, only to be launched again as 2009 model years, but featuring no changes.
2009 Honda ST1300P/1300P ABS - Top Speed
www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/honda/2009-honda-st1300p-1300p-abs/
www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/honda/2009-honda-st1300…
 
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There are some visual clues to determine if it actually is a P model:

Obvious (external):
  • Right hand switch pod has extra switches for police functions and a rotary ignition kill switch.
  • No pillion foot pegs.
  • No pillion seat (replaced with a radio box).
  • Light brackets for mirrors.
Less obvious (internal):
  • Reinforced engine gaurds with mount points for lights, horns, etc...
  • Modifed rear sub-frame to accomodate radio box.
  • Reinforced front cowl stay to support mirror mounted lights/accessories.
Easy to check the external stuff but also fairly easy to change. If I wanted to verify a P model I would ask the owner to remove the engine gaurd cover, one bolt, and check for the mounting platform. The others a probably a bit more intensive. If there is a pillion seat, you could ask them to remove it and check if the sub-frame has been modified but it, the frame, could have been replaced as well.

BTW, @Igofar , the second link is broken.
 
Speedo in 2mph increments here, don't know about US.

Excuse the poor photo.

20210811_183424.jpg
 
I don't think that 'Calibrated' is a life long condition because the speedo reading is subject to tyre wear and tyre pressure and the tyre itself.
Tyre wear itself reduces the diameter of the tyre by 2% over the life of the tyre (measured on Bridgstone BT020 tread depth).

I would assume that these speedos do not just come straight off the production line and merely accepted as falling within the correct acceptable tolerance range. ie no less than actual speed and no more than 10% + 5mph of actual speed (or whatever it is for motorbikes these days). They are probably then calibrated precisely so that before they are put onto a bike, under set conditions they will show the exact speed at that moment in time.

But although they will be more accurate than most ordinary speedos, they will still fluctuate with tyre wear, tyre pressure, air temperature. I believe that in the UK the police speedos have to be calibrated every so often and a record kept.

Note that I don't know the above as a fact. Just educated assumptions based on knowledge of tolerance intervals, confidence limits, a bit of basic maths, and reading up on the manufacturing law for EU speedos. But the acceptable tolerance range is what was the case when I researched it for UK bikes about 10 years ago.

Hopefully someone with UK Police knowledge will correct me !
 
Not applicable to the OP of course, but in the UK, the speedos are calibrated by IRS in Nottingham, and presumably the calibration is checked periodically. The speedo face is marked in 2mph increments above 10mph and there are stickers to indicate the calibrating company.

If the US bike in Des Moines also has 2mph increments on the speedo dial, that would be a good indication it's ex-police.

And of course only the police models were in Shasta White - there'd be a sticker on the seat subframe with an NH-138 paint code!
 
In relation to Police Speedometer Calibration, all vehicles where accurate readings were required would arrive with the speedometers calibrated by Instrument Repair Service (IRS). This would typically be traffic enforcement vehicles. The cars at our group would go on a rolling road every week where they were checked and if they were out they would be taken off the road for recalibration. This would take place at the start of a shift on a particular day and probably only took about 1 minute per vehicle and the skipper would record the results in case of later dispute.
The motorcycles were done on the open road either against a newly calibrated car or calibrated radar/laser device. These checks would be recorded in your note book as motorcycles were generally only used by one officer and it was your responsibility to ensure the checks were up to date. Again, if innacurate they would be taken off the road until recalibrated by IRS.
The checks were done at various speeds to ensure accuracy.
Upt.
 
I thought all the Police bikes have ABS. The OP says the bike he is talking about does not have ABS.
…..and they didn’t offer PD bikes in 2008.
Which is why I warned him about buying a used civilian model converted for funeral or escort service.
Buyer beware.
 
I thought there was a notation that said it was calibrated right on the dial face.
As @Hound stated, the spedo IS marked in 2mph increments vs 5 mph on the civilian model in the US as well. I had forgotten.

And of course only the police models were in Shasta White - there'd be a sticker on the seat subframe with an NH-138 paint code!

Didn't know about the "Shasta White" but mine is a two-tone with black side fairings and a color code of NH-A30M. Its a 2012.
 
That's odd because NH-A30M is Digital Silver Metallic.

I'd forgotten some of your police bikes were two-tone.
 
That's odd because NH-A30M is Digital Silver Metallic.

Lol! I just realized that I did the sub-frame replacement thing so that code is likely from the original bike it came from. I still have the old frame and I'll dig it up at some point and check the code.
 
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