Should I buy an ST1100 or ST1300?

Both are great bikes with pros and cons for each. I've owned both at the same time and currently own a 1300. I think you should go with the best example of whichever one you can find and afford (both are very affordable at this point). I would consider age and parts availability in your decision.

FYI - I'm in the Greensboro NC area and would be happy to meet and ride with you.
 
I've ridden ST11s for about 150k miles and an ST13 for about 5k miles. As mentioned above, there are pros/cons for each that are all relatively minor IMO... both are excellent bikes. The big turn off for me on the ST1300 was the engine heat... much, much hotter than my ST11. No way I could commute in the Texas summer on an ST13.
 
RobbieAG said:
Both are great bikes with pros and cons for each. I've owned both at the same time and currently own a 1300. I think you should go with the best example of whichever one you can find and afford (both are very affordable at this point). I would consider age and parts availability in your decision.

FYI - I'm in the Greensboro NC area and would be happy to meet and ride with you.
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That's really helpful as I live in Greensboro myself. Maybe I could come up one evening this week and see your 13? I've never even seen either one in person, just videos, pictures, etc
 
I have lots of experience on the 1100, less so on the 1300 (~ 1000 miles total)- I really like them both. Would I give up my 1100 to get a 1300? Not at this time. I find the 1100 fairly easy to work on (I was originally timid about working on it)- many here have done far more than I ever ventured to do however (but with time, I have learned quite a bit and this forum is of great help when you do have a repair issue- which isn’t that often). Maintenance is very easy (well, for the 1100 with which I have the most familiarity). Every bike is a compromise of sorts and many things can be changed (suspension, bar risers, seat, etc). I would say an 1100 has a price advantage (at least for now) as the 1300 is a newer bike, and likely a little more money but with more mileage. The 14K 01 you specified, if in decent shape (garaged) and as long as it starts right up and runs well might be a good pick for you (and yes, new hoses and such could be considered down the road a bit)- my timing belt was like new at 33K and hoses looked equally good, so if you get that bike, I think you can start assembling the parts for the job, but it‘s not an urgency to do that work right away. I’d do all the fluids (oil, clutch, coolant, brake, rear drive, and new tires) and then ride it for a while.

For either bike, they don’t do anything ‘great/ amazing’ but do all things quite well and competently. They’re larger tour bikes (1100 more tour than sport/ 1300 more sport that tour). You can’t go wrong with either one. My preference now is the 1100 though (caution...thread drift...I have been researching the NC750X as a local toss around bike, so Who knows, maybe one of those in my future??).

I agree...I would look at comparison articles written in the past (many available online) and decide what’s best for what you want.
 
I've owned a ton of bikes over the years, nearly all of them used. If you're careful you can get a decent older machine in a good shape, ride it for a few years, and (assuming you keep her in good shape) sell it for little to no loss. Older bikes have essentially depreciated as much as they ever will. I just recently faced the 11 vs 13 question, and opted for the 11. It was about a grand less expensive, and closer to pick up, so... good enough. She's old, she's slow, and in high cross winds she gets a bit... weird. But, she will cruise at triple digit speeds with absolutely zero drama. Wind/weather protection is decent, and luggage is ample enough for my needs. Some day I'll get a 13 as well. If I live long enough, I'll have owned and/or ridden at least one of every make and model. Well, that's the goal at least. :) Can't go wrong with either, but a test drive on each may show one is more comfortable than the other (which, to me, as I get older, is priority number one).
 
Horsehead said:
That's really helpful as I live in Greensboro myself. Maybe I could come up one evening this week and see your 13? I've never even seen either one in person, just videos, pictures, etc
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Sure, I'd be happy to show you my 1300. Shoot me a PM and we can work something out.
 
To the OP, I read your post and haven't read the others (yet)... I had a similar debate in my head.

To me:
  • BMW = expensive parts & maintenance when something goes wrong.
  • 1100, I was put off by reports of swing arm rot (not to say they all do, but it's a big job on an old bike...)
So I bought a 1300.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Swing arm rot is just not a big deal on this side of the pond for ST1100s.
Three of mine have over 100,000+ miles and the swing arms are still in great shape. ;)
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I concur with Uncle Phil. Riding in the winter with salt on the roads is very uncommon in North America (but from what I can tell, it is pretty common in the UK) - and so massive corrosion is not normally a consideration here.
 
MaxPete said:
Riding in the winter with salt on the roads is very uncommon in North America (but from what I can tell, it is pretty common in the UK
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Another reason here is the motorised screen on the 1300.

Here in the UK, if it's a little damp out, and the gritters have been out dropping rock salt a few days before... 1 mile down the road and you simply can't see. So I drop the windscreen, and then another mile down the road, and I'm busy wiping the visor on the helmet.

Might not be a problem in other parts of the world, but for me, the potential of having to swap out the swing arm definitely put me off.

But that said, 1100 riders exist in the UK too, I just bet that they park it in a garage for winter.
 
ad.hom said:
Another reason here is the motorised screen on the 1300.

Here in the UK, if it's a little damp out, and the gritters have been out dropping rock salt a few days before... 1 mile down the road and you simply can't see. So I drop the windscreen, and then another mile down the road, and I'm busy wiping the visor on the helmet.

Might not be a problem in other parts of the world, but for me, the potential of having to swap out the swing arm definitely put me off.

But that said, 1100 riders exist in the UK too, I just bet that they park it in a garage for winter.
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The 1300's motorized windscreen IS a plus. Forgot to mention that with my comment.
I have an aftermarket screen for the 1100 which is taller and completely shields me from wind. Once Texas warms up, the shorter stock screen goes back on.
Much easier to manually select the height.
 
Oldbikefixr said:
The 1300's motorized windscreen IS a plus. Forgot to mention that with my comment.
I have an aftermarket screen for the 1100 which is taller and completely shields me from wind. Once Texas warms up, the shorter stock screen goes back on.
Much easier to manually select the height.
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The adjustable windscreen on the 1300 is one of the bike's best features but it is a maintenance item. I replaced the adjuster mechanism on mine this past year.
 
GryST said:
As much as I loved the Bandit, ST13 is WAY better. Wind protection, seating position, comfort is much above Bandit. On top of that, the ST13 is more agile and loves twisties more than B1250.
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You may have just completely sold me on the ST13. I can't believe it's more agile than the B1250! There was a B1250 local for not a lot of money that I was seriously considering over either the ST11 or ST13 because I just wasn't sure if I should stick with something smaller / more responsive so that the "fun" factor would be higher even if the long term comfort wasn't. Wow. As nimble as my '01 B1200 was, I am really impressed that the ST13 might be even better!
 
Having owned both the 1100 and 1300, I can tell you the 1300 was better for both myself and my pillion. More power - you basically can't come out of a corner in the wrong gear - and better ergos for both of us. And while the seat on the 1300 was better for helping her avoid kissing helmets I can tell you you will likely be looking for a custom seat whichever one you get if you intend to do long days. A friend gave me an AirHawk pad which was a godsend with my stock seat on the 1300. My 1100 came with a Corbin already installed.

TBH I liked both of them and would still be riding the 1100 if I hadn't lost it in a fire. I now have a Victory Vision and while I had both it and the 1300, I have to say the 1300 felt like a 1000RR when I got back on it after a lot of riding on the Victory. (insert apologies to any superbike owners here that may take offense - I am not half the rider you are).

Mechanically, I am a luddite and the most I get up to is an oil change ( and plugging a flat tire....). Other than the time my mechanic friend helped me change the leaking fork seals on the 1100, that was really the only maintenance I did myself. But that was the only maintenance it needed. I did have the water pump replaced on the 1300 and new rubber put on but that's it. Really, until you own a Honda bike like this you have no idea how much more reliable and worry-free they are. I would have left on a cross-country ride any time with either bike and not had any attention on it.
( other than making sure I packed the AirHawk for my butt....)

Whatever you choose, show us a picture and even if it isn't a Honda don't be a stranger. A lot of us ride other bikes now that Mother Honda doesn't make our old mounts. It doesn't matter what you ride, it matters THAT you ride.
 
kiltman said:
Don’t need a motorized one watch how easy this one is to adjust when riding. ;)
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Very clever! I have one of those adjustable Givi windscreens on my other bike (2017 SV650). It works quite well; never thought of putting it on my 1100 when I had it (not sure they were available at the time).
 
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