First time fairing removal

[Rhubarbray]

So it's winter, going to do some maintenance and valve check on my new-to-me '01ST. Getting the fairings off,...........Wow! What a PITA! "Remove screws and remove fairing panel" ......I call BS! Didn't want to break anything but couldn't figure out why some panels didn't want to come apart, until I found a little protruding pin the panel has to come off before you can remove it!
Why can't I get this panel off? Oh, I have to remove this one first,......but why can't I get that one off? Oh, because I have to get this other one off first!

ST1300.............Honda learned a lot!

Nothing you guys haven't gone through before, just the rantings of a first-timer.

 

[Upt' North]

Be careful with those old plastics in the cold too, a little heat in the workshop or putting the panels in the sun will hopefully help avoid ST1100 plastic hell.
Once you get used to them it's not too bad and I find whisky helps.
Good luck.
Upt.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

Good comments, more likely to come.
When I first removed the fairings on both ST's, 1100 and 1300, I used blue painters tape to stick the fasteners onto the panel as close as possible to the holes. After the first time it wasn't so traumatic. I still collect them by fairing panel in ziplock baggies. Inspect the plastic ones each removal. Worn out or broken fasteners will not stay in place.....prime example is the single plastic fastener holding the little rectangular inspection panels in place, one aft of the valve covers right beside either knee on 1300's. These fasteners are far less expensive to replace than a missing cover.

 

[jfheath]

Oops - I deleted my link - it was for the 1300, not the 1100. Sorry about that. I don't have anything for the 1100. Pity - I'm working on my brother's ST1100 next week.

 

[ReSTored]

Do you have a shop manual? The Clymer one I used had good diagrams of the fairings. I used baggies to keep fasteners sorted. Also, taking close up pictures before and during the process can help to keep things in their proper place. Upon re-assembly a shot of Windex can help to lube some of the fasteners.

Initially it's PITA, but over time the process beomes easier. Like most things practice makes perfect.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Is this for a ST1100 or a ST1300? Your avatar/post says ST1300 so I am confused as usual as this is in a ST1100 section.
On the ST1100, there are bolts on each side of the headlight that hold the upper fairings in place.
If you don't know about them, you can crack the fairing.
It takes a long extension and 10mm socket to get them out.
Once I remove them, I don't ever put them back.
Then all upper fairing fasteners are on the 'outside' and easy to get at.
You can remove the upper fairing or the low fairing by themselves with a little trick or two.

 

[kiltman]

The parts fiche from Partzilla helps a lot too. There are good suggestions with regards to painters tape and baggies. I use a small fishing tackle box and label the compartments.
Sometimes on EBay you can find the hardware from a parts bike which can come in handy further down the line.
I also order some of the common, screws, fasteners socket screws whenever I order a part from Honda.
Silicone spray on the rubber grommets for the side panel make it easier to install and take off.
For oil changes you just have to remove the socket screws on the left side and with the side stand you can wedge the underbelly out enough to get at the oil filter.
I replaced the JIS screws from the shelter with socket screws. You can get those at Canadian Tire in the fastener section. There’s two or three metal drawers in the aisle with stainless steel hardware.
This simplifies the removal of most of the Tupperware as you will only need a 5mm Allen key. And a JIS screwdriver.

 

[Rhubarbray]

Actually, I have both. I bought the 1300 due to the fact I couldn't ride my CBR1100XX the way I wanted any more. I had it all set up for long distance riding, been to California and back, higher bars, lower pegs, Givi, the usual setup. Then as I got older, I started developing a pinched nerve in the neck whenever I rode longer than 100km. Not much good for long distance! So I bought the ST1300 thinking it would replace the Blackbird. Nope, not even close. Recently, I had the desire to improve my riding but didn't want to drop/damage the 13. So I bought a beater 11 to practice with in the parking lots. Tight turns, figure 8s, panic braking, that sort of stuff. The 13s hold their value better than the 11s and I didn't want to spend a lot of money knowing I'd drop it. As an aside I also heard some people have had both bikes and gone back to the 11. Figured I'd find out if that's true. Found an 11 about a 5 hour drive from me for $1400 safetied! 130k kms, a little beat up, just what I was looking for. Doing the timing belt, valves, etc over the winter.

 

[jfheath]

I've had both - twice - and loved all four of them. But the 1100 became too heavy on the steering for me. Or to be more precise, I have a bone fragement in my elbow which prevents me from straightening my right arm. After a while the tricep begins to suffer - the steering is heavier on the 1100. With a quicker and lighter steering and a Bike-Quip Bar riser, I have never had the arm problem with the 1300. I ran my first 1300 and my last 1100 side by side for 18 months. It was the 1100 that lost its garage place. But I love sitting on an 1100 when I get the chance. And that engine..... !!!

A slow tip over - eg putting your foot down when the gutter has pinched the road beneath your foot - is of no consequence. Let it drop. The plastic covered fins hide massive steel tip-over bars which prevent anything other than the wheels from touching the gound. Not the fairing, not the bars, not the exhaust, not the pannier. Just the two wheels and the tip over bar.

Of course if you do something stupid . . . . . .

 

[DeanR]

When removing plastic, I usually just put the fasteners loosely back into the holes they came out of.

 

[Rhubarbray]

I've had both - twice - and loved all four of them. But the 1100 became too heavy on the steering for me. Or to be more precise, I have a bone fragement in my elbow which prevents me from straightening my right arm. After a while the tricep begins to suffer - the steering is heavier on the 1100. With a quicker and lighter steering and a Bike-Quip Bar riser, I have never had the arm problem with the 1300. I ran my first 1300 and my last 1100 side by side for 18 months. It was the 1100 that lost its garage place. But I love sitting on an 1100 when I get the chance. And that engine..... !!!

A slow tip over - eg putting your foot down when the gutter has pinched the road beneath your foot - is of no consequence. Let it drop. The plastic covered fins hide massive steel tip-over bars which prevent anything other than the wheels from touching the gound. Not the fairing, not the bars, not the exhaust, not the pannier. Just the two wheels and the tip over bar.

Of course if you do something stupid . . . . . .

Just wondering,...I also have another thread about switching from bias to radials. Do you have the 120 radial? Do you think it would help to switch to the narrower 110 bias? I've seen a couple of comments it has quicker steering with the narrower tire.

edit that, just saw you can get the 110 in a radial

 

[dwalby]

your initial reaction is typical, but if its any consolation it gets a lot easier with experience.

Valves are easy, you just need to remove the two covers around the cylinder heads.

Its the radiator cap that's comical, you have to take everything off the top of the bike to get at it, but after doing it a few times it just takes a few minutes.

1. remove seat
2. remove saddlebags
3. remove screws on side covers, remove both side covers pulling off at the rear first, then carefully wiggle the front to get it to release. You have to pull the rear of the panel fairly far away from the frame to get the front to align so it will release.

the way the front attaches is also a bit weird on re-installation, but you develop a skill for it over time. It always seems like its going to break the nub that fits into the rubber holder, but if you wiggle it in gently it will snap into place. Its been so many years my memory is weak, but I think there is a little plastic tab on the rear of the left side cover that's a pain to insert back into a slot in the taillight section. I ground that off the first time 27 years ago, made things much easier. I think there's also a plastic screw and retainer in that area too, or it may have been in the same general area on the right side cover, I tossed that in the spare parts bin at the same time. Put some lubricant on the I.D. of the grommet that surrounds the seat key and it will slide on easier. I finally tossed that grommet into the spare parts bin because I'm OK with the way it looks without it.

4. remove two bolts on the side at the rear of the fake gas tank.
5. remove two bolts on the top at the front of the fake gas tank. remove fake gas tank.
6. remove both covers around the cylinder heads. remove screws, don't pull the panel towards you, keep the panel where its located after removing the screws, then pull towards the rear of the bike because there are clips that engage in a weird manner in the upper fairing. installation is the reverse, put it up against the upper fairing first, paying attention to the clips and slots, then slide it forward, the clips will catch behind the upper fairing.
7. now you're left with all the screws on the grey trim part with the storage box. There are some on top, some on the sides, and that stupid sheet metal screw that's now visible because you took off the fake gas tank. Some people throw that away the first time also, its not really needed, but I still have mine. If you throw that screw away I think you can get the grey panel off without removing the fake gas tank next time around. Way too many fasteners here, including those plastic push style, but they're all easily visible and accessible.

I've done this so many times over the years that honestly I think it takes me about 5 minutes to get all this stuff off the bike. The first time I cursed the Honda designers as to why they'd hide the radiator cap that way, now it takes so little time it doesn't really bother me.

that's the easy part, wait until you have to re-attach the grey chin fairing after an oil change. That part has so many interlocking tabs its ridiculous. I've had it off a couple dozen times and its still a PITA to put it back on.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Is this for a ST1100 or a ST1300? Your avatar/post says ST1300 so I am confused as usual as this is in a ST1100 section.

So it's winter, going to do some maintenance and valve check on my new-to-me '01ST.

No ST1300's in 2001 Phil. Having amassed a collection of no less than eight ST1100's to keep you busy I guess you pay no mind to any of that newer stuff that came after the 1100.

 

[Uncle Phil]

No ST1300's in 2001 Phil. Having amassed a collection of no less than eight ST1100's to keep you busy I guess you pay no mind to any of that newer stuff that came after the 1100.

As usual, I saw the ST1300 not the '01 (last year of ST1100s was 02, but technically 03 with the police version).
Just have to write it off to 'cognitive visual impairment' ...

 

[jfheath]

Just wondering,...I also have another thread about switching from bias to radials. Do you have the 120 radial? Do you think it would help to switch to the narrower 110 bias? I've seen a couple of comments it has quicker steering with the narrower tire.

edit that, just saw you can get the 110 in a radial

Sorry - I really do not know. I've only ever used the Bridgestone Radials BT020 F rated and the T30 T31 & T32 - all GT rated - on the 1300. The latter being the best so far. The soon to be released T33 claim 47% increase in tyre life, Yes - four seven. But no GT spec that I can see -[edit] but I now see that their website says tha same spec applies to the heavier and lighter bikes.

I used Exedras on the 1100 until the radials became available, when I switched. They were great and lasted well, but I liked the radials better. But that is not something I would take much notice of - I was still learning: My first 1100 was in late 1999. Before that I had not ridden for 18 years, and before that I had an XS650 with a sidecar. I had a ride on my first 1100 as pillion with a crossply Exedras fitted. The bloke riding was as big as me and was a Class 1 police instructor, who trained police on the ST1100 cop bike of choice at the time. He spends his spare time racing. He didn't seem to think there was an issue with the Exedras from the way he was trying to scrape my ear on the tarmac. Strewth!

 

[Uncle Phil]

Just wondering,...I also have another thread about switching from bias to radials. Do you have the 120 radial? Do you think it would help to switch to the narrower 110 bias? I've seen a couple of comments it has quicker steering with the narrower tire.

edit that, just saw you can get the 110 in a radial

Run both on my ST1100 standard (that is now a ABSII! ) and I didn't notice any difference at all.
And unless you are 'professional' racer, you probably won't either ...