TexSTOC '99 Equipment Report
This years trip to the Texas ST1100 Owners Club in the Ft. Davis / Big Bend Area put 1565 miles on my recently acquired bike. This was my first long distance trip so it gave me the chance to really evaluate not only my bike but my riding gear as well. Below is my evaluation of the equipment I used:
1.
'97 Honda ST1100Trip Start Mileage - 4966 miles , 9/30/99
Trip End Mileage - 6531 miles , 10/3/99
Average Gas Mileage - 46 mpg
Stability:
Relative to my previous bike ('95 CB750), the ST was smooth as silk out on the open road! This is probably the result of its weight and the wind resistance afforded by its well designed fairings. It was an absolute joy to pilot on the open road.
Engine:
The ST's power plant was awesome. I had a ton of reserve torque for quick passes around traffic no matter how fast I was going.
Reliability:
The ST performed flawlessly and didn't give so much as a single problem. This mirrors the experience that I have had with every Honda vehicle I have ever owned (2 other Honda motorcycles and 2 automobiles).
Comfort:
Back - This is the area I was unsure of before I left. I have a slightly herniated disk in my back that can bother me at times. There have been times in the distant past when it was downright crippling. The slightly sporty posture of the ST (stock bars) had me wondering if it was going to be "back friendly". I am happy to report that after many hours and miles in the saddle (as many as 580 miles in one day), my back stayed perfectly healthy. I suspect that the forward posture kept some of the weight off my spine and thus prevented any problems.
Wrists - I purchased the ST a month ago after having owned a standard (750 Nighthawk). The one thing that I immediately noticed was that my wrists and hands ached some as a result of the forward posture. I found that with time, my body gradually adjusted to this condition by supporting itself with the back muscles. By the time that I was ready for the trip, I was not having any real problem with it. On the trip though, I did find that my wrists and hands would get somewhat fatigued rather than painful. A large part of this definitely had to do with the brand new gloves that I was wearing. I will soon be putting on a set of Helibars which should eliminate any part that posture contributes to the discomfort.
Rear - I found that I could stay in the saddle almost twice as long as I could on my CB750 before my butt began to ache. After about eight hours on the ST (except for rest & meal stops), I found myself having to stand up on the pegs every once in a while in an effort to make the aching go away. A Corbin Saddle might allow me to go a little longer before the aching starts but I'm not sure it would be so much better that it would justify the cost. Although it could be better, I found the stock saddle offered adequate comfort.
2. Aerostich Darien Jacket & Pants
Jacket:
I experienced a wide range of temperatures while on the trip. Early mornings and nights in the Davis Mountains found temperatures hovering in the 40's while the Big Bend Area baked in near 100 degree heat in the middle of the day. This range in temperature made me real glad that I purchased the 'Stich rather than leathers. In the early mornings it was cool enough that I wore a windbreaker under my Darien Jacket and closed all the vents. At mid morning it warmed up enough that I took the windbreaker off. An hour or two later I would open all the vents. Because of the light color of my jacket (HiViz Yellow) I stayed quite comfortable even during the hottest parts of the day. I was very pleased with the versatility of the Darien!
Pants:
Throughout the entire trip, I wore the Darien Pants with only light denim shorts underneath. While on the highway during the cool mornings, I found that the pants offered good protection from the wind, so my legs did not get cold. During the heat of the day I found that the pants breathed well enough that my legs stayed relatively comfortable, especially while on the road.
Rain Protection:
It only rained on us once. This occurred during a 5 minute light shower that hit us in Seguin. No water at all seeped through the pants or jacket. Admittedly this was not a good test because of the short duration and light intensity. I have however been caught in serious downpours before and found that the 'Stich kept me quite dry.
3. Boots
I wear a pair of Red Wing, steel toed wellingtons that are very comfortable. I keep the leather oiled down so I never got any water seepage during our little shower in Seguin. I have been in heavy rains with them on before while riding and never got any seepage.
4. Gloves
This is the one piece of equipment that I found lacking. Just before I left, I purchased a set of $69 gloves from the local Honda shop. They had the Honda logo on them so I figured they would be good gloves. I wasn't down the road very far at all before I found some of my fingers trying to go numb on me as the result of leather ridges inside the glove pressing down on the inside base of my fingers. This caused a restriction of blood flow to the rest of the fingers. It took me a while but I found a position to hold my hands that helped a great deal. What I did was to leave my fingers straight with them covering the front brake and clutch levers. I operated the throttle with my thumb and the edge of my palm. With the fingers straight and not pressing against the handlebars, there wasn't enough pressure for the leather ridges to affect the blood flow through my fingers. Needless to say, I'll be looking for a much better pair of gloves soon.
5. Helmet
I own an Arai Quantum/E Helmet that I have had for six months. Wearing it for almost twelve hours in one day while on this trip was a real test of the helmets comfort. It was extremely comfortable, well ventilated, and fit like a glove.
@
Back@
Home