If Guzzi made a Water Cooled V 4....ST 1300?

[bigbikerrick]

Hello Folks, Its the middle of the monsoon season here in southern Arizona, and I have been catching up on maintenance on my newish Honda ST 1300 sidecar rig. When I removed most of the "tuppeware" for a brake system flush,inspection, and generalized detailing, I realized how much like a Guzzi the bike is/ and also how different....If Guzzi made a water cooled V 4, this would be the "Norge". This bike is very overbuilt, and tough. Made to last for the long haul, like a Guzzi. Honda barely changed anything, at all in many years, also like a Guzzi.
  I keep going back and forth comparing things,and some differences are interesting, such as how Honda  located the clutch at the front of the engine, and the alternator between the "V".
 
  I can see why many police depts. used these bikes, they were made to take abuse, and keep on going.
Rick.

https://www.google.com/search?q=honda+st+1300+engine&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4tsaTueTqAhVBJzQIHeU8C74Q_AUoAXoECAsQAw&biw=979&bih=469#imgrc=Nj091WgsUqkwbM

[ironox]

I owned a 2007 ST1300. Everything you write about the motorcycle is true. What a workhorse of a bike. That said, I had to get rid of mine after one riding season as it was a hot smoking volcano of a ride. The heat was very unpleasant. It needs better heat management for certain.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Not that they didn't think about it, before the first ST came out.

[LowRyter]

The ST1300 turned off a lot of riders due to heat from the engine. 

The ST100 had few vices but not much excitement or power compered to a Guzzi.

I've not ridden either Honda but that'st the consensus from my readings. 

[jim_W]

I rode over 300,000 miles on two ST1100's . Loved the way they covered miles on long trips and 300 mile gas stops. Then I found a Guzzi CalVin and fell in love with the Guzzi motor. The Honda motor is flat reliable but you love it just like you love any other appliance. It just works. my thinking was that if I had the CalVin motor in the Honda it would be a perfect bike.
  Then I bought a Norge thinking I would get the best of both worlds.   I think the Norge is a great bike but the motor isn't at all like the CalVin and the handling and comfort is not like the ST Honda. 
  Guess there is a reason many of us need more than one motorcycle.

[John Warner]

A Water-Cooled V-4?
They haven't even got round to a W-C V-Twin yet!!
Given another 40 years or so, I'm sure they would consider it.   

[bigbikerrick]

I have read alot regarding the "heat"  given off , and so far on mine, have not found it to be too bad at all. I think it depends on how much fuel is in the upper tank. as the fuel gets low, the bottom portion of the tank, does get a bit warm, in the crotch area.
   A funny thing, I have a motorcycle cop friend who put alot of miles on ST 1300's that claims he could not get his wife pregnant when he first got married, for4-5 years,  then the local PD changed to HD's and his wife got pregnant with their daughter.....My Buddy jokes, that either ST's cause male sterility, or HD's cause male virility!
  I guess at my age, I can afford to gamble!
Rick.

[bigbikerrick]

Not that they didn't think about it, before the first ST came out.

Very interesting, Charlie! I never knew that.
Rick.

[bigbikerrick]

I rode over 300,000 miles on two ST1100's . Loved the way they covered miles on long trips and 300 mile gas stops. Then I found a Guzzi CalVin and fell in love with the Guzzi motor. The Honda motor is flat reliable but you love it just like you love any other appliance. It just works. my thinking was that if I had the CalVin motor in the Honda it would be a perfect bike.
  Then I bought a Norge thinking I would get the best of both worlds.   I think the Norge is a great bike but the motor isn't at all like the CalVin and the handling and comfort is not like the ST Honda. 
  Guess there is a reason many of us need more than one motorcycle.

I agree with you, Jim. Its hard to fall in love with a Honda engine, the way we do with a Guzzi. The sound I think has alot to do with it. My buddies call my ST rig "The Jetson" since it sounds like George Jetson's car. I have ordered some Delkevic slip ons for the Honda, hopefully it will give it a little deeper exhaust sound.
The ST makes an excellent sidecar tug, but there will always be at least 1-2 Guzzis in my garage.  There truly is no substitute!:laugh:
Rick.

[oranges3]

MOTUS MST

[LowRyter]

I know a couple of guys the bought the 1300 when they when left over "dirt cheap" 5 or 6 years ago (like $8k).  I was tempted to check out the deal.  They got a bargain and rode around and complained they were too hot and left them in the garage. 

These guys have more than 3 bikes so they didn't have to learn to like it.  That's all I can pass on.

BTW- I can ask them if they still have them and want to sell them.

[Ncdan]

The WSPD went with the ST1300 after ditching the BMW due to outrageous maintenance cost. The guys I talked with about the STs all pretty much agreed on he same issue. They loved them on the cold days and hated them on the hot days.

[inditx]

Hello Folks, Its the middle of the monsoon season here in southern Arizona, and I have been catching up on maintenance on my newish Honda ST 1300 sidecar rig. When I removed most of the "tuppeware" for a brake system flush,inspection, and generalized detailing, I realized how much like a Guzzi the bike is/ and also how different....If Guzzi made a water cooled V 4, this would be the "Norge". This bike is very overbuilt, and tough. Made to last for the long haul, like a Guzzi. Honda barely changed anything, at all in many years, also like a Guzzi.
  I keep going back and forth comparing things,and some differences are interesting, such as how Honda  located the clutch at the front of the engine, and the alternator between the "V".
 
  I can see why many police depts. used these bikes, they were made to take abuse, and keep on going.
Rick.

https://www.google.com/search?q=honda+st+1300+engine&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4tsaTueTqAhVBJzQIHeU8C74Q_AUoAXoECAsQAw&biw=979&bih=469#imgrc=Nj091WgsUqkwbM

Hey bigbikerrick,
Still have your ST?
Did you find pipes for it?
Fix the heat issue?
Inditx

[nc43bsa]

I rode a late-80s Honda CBR1000F (Hurricane) for a day and thought IT was the hottest motorcycle ever.  Is the ST1100 worse than that?

[wymple]

I talked to an ST rider in the Black Hills years ago & while reliable as the devil he said it was as boring as a refrigerator.  He could cruise all day long at any speed.

[mechanicsavant]

Hopefully the new V100 will be considerably lighter than the ST the ones I rode were stupid heave w/the weight up high !

[PeteS]

I rode my brothers ST1100. Certainly much faster than any Guzzi I have ridden and handled well too.

Pete

[twowheeladdict]

I considered the crazy futuristic cruiser version of the ST1300 when it was deemed a flop and Honda was discounting heavily. Couldn’t find a deluxe close by though.

The problem with large capacity liquid cooled bikes is that the radiator is there for the engine, not rider comfort. You have to have a heavily clad bike in the attempt to move that heat behind the rider instead of at the rider.

[ToddK]

I now have my first water-cooled 4-cyl(straight), and at 1040 cc boy does it throw some heat on my shins if the fan kicks on at a light! SO much more heat thrown than the air-cooled V7. She definitely wants to keep moving.

[Kiwi_Roy]

The ST1300 motors seem to be available, I wonder if anyones shoehorned on into a guzzi?
I have a friend who put a Hillman Imp car engine into a royal Enfield to make an awesome machine.

[Tom]

There was a guy from Nebraska out here that put a Mitsubishi Dodge Colt 4 cylinder into an Eldorado.  It used the Eldo rear end and trans.

[MMRanch]

 

If Guzzi made a liquid cooled anything ... it would't be a Guzzi anymore !   

[Huzo]

If Guzzi made a liquid cooled anything ... it would't be a Guzzi anymore !   

You’re going to find a LOT of people who disagree with you on that one pretty soon.
I was going to get a V100, but I’m still trying to wear out my current two bikes. I hope to come upon someone up in the high country riding a V100 one day and me on my V85.
I’ll ask him if he’d like a little “play…”.