New Honda St1100 Owner ... Some questions

[BodineJCS]

Good Evening Gents ... Picked up a 93 Candy Red Honda St1100 recently for a good price and have a few questions about it . At 60 years old , I have owned many bikes and do all my own repairs so I have a few questions about this bike and looking for some honest answers . Its a 93 variety , almost mint condition , and has a low 45k original . I bought it from a friend that I never ride with anyway , hes owned it 3 years and barely rode it , but rode it enough to keep it running ok . Ok ... the questions ... My first observation was the whine or whir of the engine and the light vibration thru the bars at all rpms . I havent ridden it much yet , but enough to know it has a vibe to it like a V-twin but with a tighter cadence . It doesnt tingle your hands or anything , but its there and you can feel it thru the pegs too . It seems odd for a V4 and from what I have read , its one of the smoothest honda engines ever made . So I am confused as my bought new 86 Honda goldwing is much smoother in the engine department as well as my sons 96 nighthawk , both 4 cylinder varietys . So , is there something wrong on this bike that I should check into ? I can tell you , that it starts perfectly , goes to high idle and then you back the choke down as it warms , idles fine after warm up and appears to run out just fine though it seems a little slow for a 1100 compared to other bikes that I have had . No drivability issues, no hesitation , no issues on that front . The only thing I have done to it is pulled the plugs to look see how there burning and they are all brn/white and look normal to me and the bike feels like its perfoming well . Anybody care to elaborate on these points , is this the norm for this bike ? ... Thanks Incidentally , when I asked my friend about it before purchase he said it was that way when he purchased it and basically only changed the oil once and that was it and had no issues with the bike ....

 

[Erdoc48]

The way you describe it sounds like a normally functioning ST1100- ride it like you stole it, maintain it well, and pack on the miles- Uncle Phil will tell you not to tinker with it too much, and he’s right! It might seem a little slow to you as it’s a heavier beast.

 

[Uncle Phil]

As Erdoc said I would say, the more you tinker with a ST1100 the more issues you will create.
Just ride, enjoy it, and change the oil at regular intervals.
You might do a carb sync and see if that smooths it out a bit.

 

[Joeywhat]

The 1100 is tuned for low end torque, it's why the RPM limit is so low. It's not because it can't rev that high it just doesn't make any power. Don't try and shift like it's a sport bike, pretend more like it's a v twin cruiser and see how it goes. Mine was plenty fast but the speed doesn't come at you like some other bikes. I'd routinely hit triple digits without really wanting to just from getting on it and not paying close attention.

They're also fairly heavy so they won't be *that* fast. A liter bike will absolutely be faster despite having less engine.

There's definitely a strong "whine" from the engine, that's normal.

 

[St-Gerard]

I agree with U.P. Carburetor sync and are the handle bar weights on.

 

[jdmccright]

3rd the carb sync, and yes that whine is normal. Shouldn't be any vibe at the grips, but numerous ppl change the handlebars, add risers, etc. So yours may not be OEM which does have weights at the end as already shown. Other possible causes of handlebar vibration at speed are worn/uneven front tire, bad head bearings, or a loss of fork oil.

Welcome to the club from SoMD!

 

[ST1100Y]

My first observation was the whine or whir of the engine and the light vibration thru the bars at all rpms .

G'Day,
so its a '93 with 45K on the clock... translates into 1400miles/anno... barely broken in...
And we don't know how long it was garaged before you've gotten it...
A fine buzz in the bar is acceptable, but I can't recall having vibrations in the pegs...
Possible some contaminants in the carb jet bores... either they dissolve by frequent use/fresh fuel, or speed the process up by adding some carb cleaner...
If that doesn't eliminate it, a carb sync might be in order...
Or, if it was parked for a really long period, maybe even inspect/clean/replace the jets...

The whine origins from the t/belt, just replaced mine, the new one is even a tad louder
(test an ST1300 with that timing chain, they sound & feel way worse... )

Common use rev range between ~2400 and ~5500rpm, it will pull nicely from 1200 onward, but actually not much to gain wringing it much over 6000rpm...
YMMV

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Congrats on your ‘93 and welcome. 4th or 5th on the carb sync, plus run some carb treatment in the fuel. If you still have the 28 amp oil-cooled alternator, inspect and clean all the connections. Get the Honda Service Manual. Ride it! Good luck.

John

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Does it have bar risers on it, or aftermarket bars? The handle bars are rubber mounted and vibration dampening bar end weights. Sometimes the extra leverage causes the rubber mounts to get distorted and transmit vibration.

You didn't really state whether you have any maintenance history or not. My course of action, whether there is a vibration or not, would be to;
1- Replace the spark plugs. Never mind what they look like, just replace them. They are cheap and easy to change. Buy them from a reputable dealer and replace them and eliminate one possibility.
2- Run a few tanks of fuel system cleaner through it if for no other reason but to eliminate another possibility.
3- The base idle RPM specification is 1000 +/- 100. I always found that they run better when set to 1100 rather than 1000 RPM. Check the condition of the air filter before doing this.
4- Make sure that the vibration that you are feeling is not from unevenly worn or poorly balanced wheels/tires, or bad wheel bearings, or failing U-joint, or failing head-stock bearings, etc..

If none of that is the cause or makes a difference then it is time to start localizing the source of the vibration to determine where it is coming from so it can be diagnosed.

Since it is new to you, have a look through the below;

Maintenance Items Needed for a New (old) Bike​

 

[BodineJCS]

Does it have bar risers on it, or aftermarket bars? The handle bars are rubber mounted and vibration dampening bar end weights. Sometimes the extra leverage causes the rubber mounts to get distorted and transmit vibration.

You didn't really state whether you have any maintenance history or not. My course of action, whether there is a vibration or not, would be to;
1- Replace the spark plugs. Never mind what they look like, just replace them. They are cheap and easy to change. Buy them from a reputable dealer and replace them and eliminate one possibility.
2- Run a few tanks of fuel system cleaner through it if for no other reason but to eliminate another possibility.
3- The base idle RPM specification is 1000 +/- 100. I always found that they run better when set to 1100 rather than 1000 RPM. Check the condition of the air filter before doing this.
4- Make sure that the vibration that you are feeling is not from unevenly worn or poorly balanced wheels/tires, or bad wheel bearings, or failing U-joint, or failing head-stock bearings, etc..

If none of that is the cause or makes a difference then it is time to start localizing the source of the vibration to determine where it is coming from so it can be diagnosed.

Since it is new to you, have a look through the below;

Maintenance Items Needed for a New (old) Bike​

Thanks Andrew for the reply ... First off , this is a oddball bike for a Honda IMO , why they chose this engine is beyond me , the engine whine is quite lame and unnecessary and i dont really care for it and would of preferred a inline 4 cylinder in this case , but since I own it , I want to know it , and make it the best it can be like all my bikes . I dont modify , fiddle , or accessorize my bikes , stock all the way with oem parts if at all possible .. I am a veteran motorcycle mechanic at 60 years old , bought my current Goldwing new in 86 when i was 23 years old and have never taken it to Honda and have learned to service and repair myself as well as many other motorcycles I have owned . I have owned at least five Yamaha Fj1100/1200s in my past years , loved those bikes , and so far I think they were better in a lot of ways than these STs , definitely much faster , more comfortable , smoother , but not near as good of handling as the St , but not bad either but since those bikes are in short supply , I grabbed the opportunity to get the ST . I have no service history , the guy I bought it from bought it from the original owner and did nothing to it , barely rode it 3000 miles in two years and it is all stock except the corbin seat ( Sorry , its a terrible seat , way too firm and makes my rump hurt in short order ) and the bike is a creampuff that hasnt been messed with . Okay , to be clear on the vibration , it has a vibration from start up , when its not even in gear , not a tire issue for sure . Its constant and does not change thru the rpm range . Its on the lighter side but after a 30 mile ride today , my finger tips were tingling . . It doesnt buzz the mirrors or anything , but definately transmit thru the bars . If anything it smoothes a bit above 5000 but its annoying to me . The bars are stock and the barends are on there . I have only had the bike a short two weeks , I started running some seafoam in it today and will treat it a couple more times and new plugs sitting on the bench . The plugs looked good though , normal in my view , but i will change them just the same . Carb sync ?? I am not fimiliar with this odd ball engine , but all the carb syncs i have done to my bikes where never for vibration issues , but driveability issues , and this bike has none . No hesatation , no cold start problems , idles like a rock at 1100 rpm , it just doesnt seem like a sync issue in my experience . I will do it of course but It would surprise me if that was the issue . i checked all the mounts , exhaust pipes etc for looseness and its all fine . My next move is plugs , valve clearance check , replace rubber bar mounts if possible , and a carb sync but its gonna take some time . If you think of anything else , shoot me a reply as i appreciate you for replying as well as all the other members . I will update when I get some stuff done on the bike and repot back ... Thank you

 

[gcos]

Thanks Andrew for the reply ... First off , this is a oddball bike for a Honda IMO , why they chose this engine is beyond me , the engine whine is quite lame and unnecessary and i dont really care for it and would of preferred a inline 4 cylinder in this case , but since I own it , I want to know it , and make it the best it can be like all my bikes . I dont modify , fiddle , or accessorize my bikes , stock all the way with oem parts if at all possible .. I am a veteran motorcycle mechanic at 60 years old , bought my current Goldwing new in 86 when i was 23 years old and have never taken it to Honda and have learned to service and repair myself as well as many other motorcycles I have owned . I have owned at least five Yamaha Fj1100/1200s in my past years , loved those bikes , and so far I think they were better in a lot of ways than these STs , definitely much faster , more comfortable , smoother , but not near as good of handling as the St , but not bad either but since those bikes are in short supply , I grabbed the opportunity to get the ST . I have no service history , the guy I bought it from bought it from the original owner and did nothing to it , barely rode it 3000 miles in two years and it is all stock except the corbin seat ( Sorry , its a terrible seat , way too firm and makes my rump hurt in short order ) and the bike is a creampuff that hasnt been messed with . Okay , to be clear on the vibration , it has a vibration from start up , when its not even in gear , not a tire issue for sure . Its constant and does not change thru the rpm range . Its on the lighter side but after a 30 mile ride today , my finger tips were tingling . . It doesnt buzz the mirrors or anything , but definately transmit thru the bars . If anything it smoothes a bit above 5000 but its annoying to me . The bars are stock and the barends are on there . I have only had the bike a short two weeks , I started running some seafoam in it today and will treat it a couple more times and new plugs sitting on the bench . The plugs looked good though , normal in my view , but i will change them just the same . Carb sync ?? I am not fimiliar with this odd ball engine , but all the carb syncs i have done to my bikes where never for vibration issues , but driveability issues , and this bike has none . No hesatation , no cold start problems , idles like a rock at 1100 rpm , it just doesnt seem like a sync issue in my experience . I will do it of course but It would surprise me if that was the issue . i checked all the mounts , exhaust pipes etc for looseness and its all fine . My next move is plugs , valve clearance check , replace rubber bar mounts if possible , and a carb sync but its gonna take some time . If you think of anything else , shoot me a reply as i appreciate you for replying as well as all the other members . I will update when I get some stuff done on the bike and repot back ... Thank you

Just a thought, have you checked the engine oil level in the sight glass. Let it cool down, on the main stand on level ground, oil level should be in the middle or lower part of the glass. Some on here here have reported overfilled oil as causing vibrations.

 

[ST1100Y]

... why they chose this engine is beyond me...

LOL!
Kinda self explanatory though...

The motorcycle was developed in Germany at the Honda Research and Development Center in Offenbach under the project name Transeuropa
as a competitor to the BMW K 100 LT (luxury tourer) and was initially built only in Japan, later also in Honda factories in Europe.
Honda required the developers to provide a long range, perfect weather protection and comfort, as well as an integrated standard luggage system that
could hold two full-face helmets, as well as safe handling when fully loaded and at top speed on motorways, combined with agile handling and absolute reliability.
The development department in Offenbach designed a motorcycle with shaft drive and a newly developed, longitudinally mounted V4 engine, a high windshield,
and fully enclosed side panels with integrated 35-liter panniers.
<snip>
The longitudinally and very low mounted 90° V4 engine (based on the Moto Guzzi concept), allows a shaft drive without angled output,
and makes the motorcycle more maneuverable then a transversely mounted engine, as the centrifugal torque of the crankshaft rotating
at high speed does not counteract the lean angle.
Furthermore, the clutch rotates in the opposite direction to the crankshaft to reduce the typical Guzzi (or Beemer boxer) tipping moments during de/acceleration.
The engine is liquid-cooled, has four valves per cylinder and four carburetors.
Fuel consumption is approximately 6.5 liters of regular gasoline per 100 km at a highway speed of 130 km/h, regardless of load.
The V-engine pulls smoothly from just 1000 rpm*, making the motorcycle easy to control on wet roads.
Where other motorcycles have their tank located (making them top heavy), the ST 1100 features its air-box with a large car-style filter.
The large sheet steel tank is positioned in the frame behind the engine and underneath the seat, providing a favorable low center of gravity and ranges of over 500 km on country roads.
The twin headlights are height-adjustable via a rotary knob in the dash; in some countries however, only one of the two low beams was allowed to be lit ex works.
The swing-arm rests on an adjustable single shock absorber on the right.
<snip>
Some motorcyclists describe the Pan European as a car on two wheels and criticize its heavy weight.
The longitudinally mounted V-engine makes the ST1100 easy to handle.
Fourth gear goes up to 205 km/h (127 mph) and fifth gear serves as an overdrive to reduce engine revolutions.
At 200 km/h (124 mph), the engine revs at comfortable 6500 rpm.
The long and wide seat offers driver and passenger a comfortable position even on very long daily stages of over 1000 km (620 m).
The payload of 200 kg (440 lb) is sufficient for two adults with protective clothing and luggage, unlike many other touring bikes.

(source: Wiki)

* They designed a "sporty travel limousine", able to handle the steep, narrow European Alpine roads and long days with ease and no need to strain the engine (or driver and passenger with an annoying sound-stage for that matter) with massive "rev orgies"...
Its the general consent here that the ST1100 is "the Honda Accura on two wheels"...

 

[St-Gerard]

While you have the plugs out check compression, one low cylinder will vibrate the engine. Also check valve lift . When I first got my St it vibrated till I balanced the carbs. One reason why Honda chose a 90 degree V4 ,it is mechanically balanced.

 

[dwalby]

Its the general consent here that the ST1100 is "the Honda Accura on two wheels"...

ha ha. Back in the late '90s when I first started riding my ST, I worked with a guy who drove an Acura Integra (IIRC). Anyway, the car had a higher redline than the ST, which we both thought was pretty funny.