PrairieParson

Now I have to consider another possible alternative. I have been surprised at the number of 1st Gen. machines. I might also consider going with a 1st. Gen Venture as an alternate to the RSTD. Any opinions? PrairieParson Lubbock, TX=The capitol of Fly Over Country

Well, you guys have sold me. It sounds like just what I've been looking for. I am official in the market. I just don't want an all black one. George, The ST-1300 is a very powerful, fun bike to drive. It is plenty fast, solid, handles well, gets 45 mpg if your not to heavy on the throttle, there are plenty of farkles available, the stator can run electric vest, grips etc. The moving windshield is great. Two up is no problem. You can ride with a 150 plus pound person on the back and not even notice they are there. However, it is a heavy bike at well over 700 lbs, and the motor is mounted high, which makes the bike top heavy. If you look at the ST owners web site you will see that most of the posters have dropped their bikes, because there is a special place to log the number. I dropped mine three times. It is a two man job for me to lift and at 57 I didn't want to ruin my back trying to lift it alone on a country road in West Texas. I already did that once. Its so top heavy Honda installed tip over bars, knowing dropping would be a regular problem. But the biggest problem I had was the heat. Now if I lived in Wisc, Michigan, Canada, or the Rocky Mountains, it would have probably never been an issue, but I live in Texas, and the heat for me was just too much to take. It seems that the plastic that encloses the motor retains too much engine heat, and unless you want to start cutting up the plastic, it just never gets enough air flow to keep that heat from radiating off the bike and making 95 degree days even hotter. Also the air that does come out of the vents is so hot that it can really make your lower legs feel like their burning. Some people have even had this happen. If you look at the ST owners web site under known issues, you will see all kinds of discussion on the heat issue. Other than that the bike is great. The stock seat is useless but theres plenty of aftermarket replacements. Valve adjustments are every 14,000 miles and is a 5 hour job if you take it too the shop. Rear tires last 8000-10,000 miles. If you have any more questions, let me know. Prairieparson Lubbock, Tx.=The capitol of Fly over country.

Don't even think of sending another winter like last year south. I spent 40 years living in the north, mostly Wisconsin. When I got the chance I moved and the wife says we are not going back. The daily snow shoveling, the slush in the boots, scraping ice and snow, you can have it. But last year we had snowfall every week for over a month. Some of the snow even stayed on the ground more than a week. There better not be another winter of weather like that or someone's in big trouble. PrairieParson Lubbock, Tx=The capitol of flyover country.

Thanks for all the info so far. I have no doubt that I will not have near the lean angle on a RSTD that I would have on a V-Strom. I don't even come close to dragging pegs on it as it is. However, I make a trip to Arkansas about once a year, and I don't want a bike that I can't lean over to some degree to make the turns. I was also concerned about power at slow speeds because some of the roads in Arkansas, are uphill with some very steep curves. I would like a bike with some grunt so that I can accelerate out of these curves. This is where the V-Strom fell short. I had to bring it down to second and hit the gas hard to keep going up. Any further advice would be helpful. Thanks again for the information. I really like the looks of the RSTD or Voyager, so this is probably what I will be in the market for. PrairieParson Lubbock Tx.=The capitol of flyover country.

I'm still considering my purchase. I was curious as to why you switched from RSTD to a Roadstar? I'm considering buying one of these two fine machines. PrairieParson Lubbock, Tex.=The heart of flyover country.

I joined the sight to gather information before I purchase a RSTD. I was hoping that I could get some questions answered so any help will be appreciated. I've owned a Honda ST1300 and am now driving a V-STrom. The V-strom is fine for short trips, but I'm 57 and would like something a little more comfortable, less susceptable to crosswinds, and better for 2 up riding. I've never owned a cruiser so I was wondering. How much engine heat do you get on hot days? How does the RSTD do in the twisties in the mountains? Can you get through the corners without constantly dragging? How does the performance of the engine differ from a typical 2 cyliner cruiser like a RoadStar? Is the RSTD a little anemic starting out without reving the motor? Like I said, any help will be appreciated. PrairieParson Lubbock, Tx.

Never drove an FJR but have logged 22,000 miles on the ST-1300. The ride is so smooth that even over 110 mph, its still smooth as traveling 70, only the telephone poles go by faster. Great wind protection, plenty of power. However its heavy and top heavy. Drops are common. Mine went down three times. Biggest problem for me was the heat riding in Texas in summer, otherwise I'd still have it. Also great 2 up bike. Can't even tell you have a passenger on. 45mpg. Very reliable motor. Never had any mechanical issues.