My new posting signature - Sylvia is sold....

MaxPete

Lucille, Betty, Demi, Gretel & Big Sue money pits.
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Hi XS650 folks: the following message was posted this morning on the ST Owners web forum after a couple of people noticed that my signature had changed, so I thought I would repeat it here. My commitment to XS650s remains unaffected.

Pete
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Dear All:

With the acquisition of my dream bike (a 1983 BMW R100RS which I call "Gretel") and in preparation for retirement and the inevitable downsizing of the house, I have reluctantly sold my first modern bike: my 2007 ST1300A named "Sylvia" bought in 2015 after a 25 year absence from riding. I had a knee replacement a year or so back and was finding her a bit heavy plus I simply wasn't riding her much recently. In the last week or so of glorious fall weather here in SW Ontario, I have had a couple of final rides with Sylvia and she runs like a brand new bike - truly perfect in every way (just like Mary Poppins....). She is at Hully Gully - a big Honda dealer in London, ON.

I will say that she could use a set of tires and a new battery and her paint has suffered a few slings and arrows over the years (mainly well before I bought her I might add...) but she is complete and still in solid shape and is perfect mechanically with only 84,567 km (around 52,500 miles) which is barely broken in for an ST1300. Here is a list of the features still on the bike:
  • I had installed a set of turn signal LED indicators in the mirror housings (great for reminding me to turn the danged signals off after a turn);
  • FIAMME Freeway Blaster horn (perfect for alerting stupid gits in SUVs and thoughtless little twerps in BMW 3-Series cars playing loud music);
  • Signal Dynamics headlight and brake light modulators which work perfectly and have kept us safe for the last five years;
  • MCL handlebar riser with the electrical outlet and a single RAM ball;
  • OEM Hondaline heated grips which work fine (although I hardly ever used them);
  • I have recently cleaned and greased the windscreen actuator cables (the gears and drive cables were in mint condition);
  • the steering head bearings were upgraded to tapered rollers about 18 months ago;
  • the brake pads were new in 2018 and all of the fluids (clutch, brake and coolant) have been changed recently;
  • the clutch slave cylinder has been replaced with a new one (per the article which has helped so many folks).
She will make lucky dog a great touring companion with all the performance, comfort and reliability that brought us to the ST family of bikes in the first place - and I will miss her very much.

Anyhow, before I let her go, I removed some of the nice farkles which I had added over the years. Some of the farkles will be transferred to Gretel or my other bikes, but there are some, plus some spares that I had acquired that are unique to the ST and I cannot use them, so these will be sold:
  • a complete set of MCL highway blades including the mounting bolts and brackets and the proper cut-away black blade covers - all in perfect shape (I only actually used them 2-3 times as the ergonomics simply didn't work for me);
  • a set of RH and LH from turn signal/mirror housings (2007 colour - Digital Silver and I have both sides) that are still in the Honda parts boxes - never used (I am a pessimist and figured I would crack the original ones up - but it never happened);
  • a pair of front turn signal lenses and light socket bodies - in similar shape to the turn signal mirror covers;
  • a rear seat grab handle-luggage rack assembly complete with the latches and lock cylinders (unfortunately, I do not have keys for the locks but swapping the cylinders is a very easy few minutes work - or a locksmith could make new keys I am told);
  • an SW Motec luggage rack plate;
  • a manual for the ST1300 - I think it is a Clymer - but I will check and edit this post once I am certain;
  • a very nice rear seat police cowl in perfect condition which I had planned to make a sort of "poor mans" Smuggler storage box - but never got to.
There are likely some other items in my storage box - I will dig them out and take some photos. I just wanted to whet people's appetites and let you know that these items, and likely some more nice goodies, will be available soon. Pricing will be fair and will not include shipping - but I will say that I did take quite a bath in selling her so I would like to recover some ground for my next project.

Watch this space.

I will stay on the ST Owners site and will proudly display my ST Owners license plate frame on Gretel and I will continue to participate and offer advice (particularly on the clutch slave cylinder issues) to anyone who asks.

Kind regards to all,

Pete
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Hi Pete Best wishes to you in retirement and downsizing..BTDT..I too came to downsize my bikes..I too wanted something lighter..but i have come back to the ST1100 again.
I had downsized to a Suzuki Bandit 1250..and I did love its 500# weight and the power..But it always lacked in fairing and storage..Thus always wanting for more. When I wrecked it,It took me 2 years to return to a bike which was the XS650 in 2019...Then last July i obtained ST1100 #3..Completely farkled exactly how i would want it done...
I love the ST1100 and I will keep it and let my inheritors deal with it...It is a big red pig but I am used to them by now...
My XS650 on the other hand is not getting ridden enough...and ofc I am not well suited to the high maintenence it requires...I do love riding it and it looks beautiful..But I am considering putting it up forsale in the Spring...We'll see...
If i may beg your indulgence...
20200730-182725.jpg
 
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