Shifter Linkage Problems on my ST1300 2021 Ep 17

Between Covid 19 lockdowns, working too much for a retired guy and weather, it has taken me forever to replace the seized gear shifter linkage on my Honda ST1300. I am not a certified mechanic... I may be certifiable, but that is another story. That being said, there's still not much I won't try to tackle.
Music credits:
"Broken Reality" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...
"Breakdown" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...
Dreams Become Real by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.fi...
License: creativecommons...

[@tmorrow5522]

Hello. My name is Taylor. I recently bought a Honda st. I found your video while looking through KZbin videos. I appreciate your video and your patience. I’m a novice at riding and I’m trying to have a sensible mid life crisis at 53. Take care.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

The ST1300 (or 1100) is a fabulous bike. Change the fluids, brake pads and tires and it will last forever... or until you crash it in a ditch which I did in July. Still looking for a replacement but, as much as I loved the ST, practical reasons while I am hauling the tent trailer, I am looking at older Gold Wings. The ST towed the trailer just fine but gearing on the GW is probably more appropriate. Enjoy and ride the heck out of your ST.

[@Kpate1]

Just replaced gear linkage and foot pedal , great video to understand how it all fits together. Put my bike on centre stand with front wheel lifted 4 inches to give a bit more access. Thanks for your video. It’s like having a new gearbox !!

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Yes, having that linkage working felt like the bike was brand new. It's an easy enough part to forget to take care of yearly. I remember thinking I had to replace some gears and/or clutch.

[@wingandhog]

I’m 61 and have the same eye issues. It does suck getting older. I count my blessings that I am fit in every other way.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

I'll take the eyesight inconveniences, the alternative does not appeal to me. We count our blessings.

[@SpyderWayne]

You are way too patient Jim, but I mean that in a good way. My patience would have headed for hills and I think I would have ended up wearing a special white jacket, the kind with the extra long sleeves that tie in the back. And I'm sure I would been uttering a few choice 4-letter words (dang, darn, rats, crap, poop, heck, mama...& probably more 😳😭😠😡). I'm looking forward to seeing the ST back on the road, with Henrietta in tow of course, and a big ol' smile on your face !!!

[@OldGuyonaBike]

I'm cheap lol... thus I have to be patient. Actually I like to prove to myself that I can still do anything this side of rocket science and when the local technician rates hit $80/hr., well all the more incentive. We've got close to 1,00 km on the rebuilds, shiifting fine and hope to be camping later this week as long as I can get a couple of dry days.

[@assessor1276]

Good for you Jim - Step 1 completed and well done! …and as I said in the ST-O post there is no alternative to the sidestand and lying on your back to access the underbelly. Any kind of jack or hoist blocks access too much. Even the centrestand is in the way for certain steps. It would be best to hang the bike from the rafters and stand under it (scary…!!!) but who has a garage that could take that much weight. Pete

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Next house I have will have a garage with a centre beam capable of sustaining a 5 ton hoist lol. Side stand and an extra 3/4" under the wheels did the trick for me on the CSC rebuild... coming to a video soon.

[@gotthumbs2235]

Looking forward to seeing the repair process for the clutch slave cylinder. Mine slowly leaks down over time. It seems it's leaking into the engine case, because I don't have any puddling under the bike. I should have taken care of it, but it's been easier to simply top up the fluid and get back on the road. Take care and looking forward to seeing some bike trips soon.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Repair videos are in the editing stages, while I still try to get some camping in. Can I get 2-3 dry days in a row...lol. Nope.

[@assessor1276]

If you just keep filling it up it will eventually fail to the point where you cannot shift or even start the bike off from a stop - and then you will be stranded. Not fun.

[@takeonetheater]

Jim Just discovered your channel..well done! Your video reminds me of "this old house" on public tv during the 80's in the states -lol. You have a very natural and warm quality on how your interpret your mechanical exploits on the motorcycle and your life 👍 I just completed a front end repair after letting my 07 st sit for nearly 3 years. My son thankfully managed to survive a collision with a motorist that cut him off, ...by miracle my son kept the bike vertical without falling off but the front fork got a -10' bend 😳 Bike all repaired and rubs like a champ ..a keeper

[@OldGuyonaBike]

"This Old House" was a good show. Was it Norm who hosted it? Been a long time. Glad you've got your ST back on the road. My real season starts in a couple of weeks. Thanks for finding the channel.

[@tomfillmore9710]

Good video Jim and I sure do know what you are talking about when trying to get on your feet after being down on the floor when I was having back trouble and doing my back exercise couldn't get up with out getting a hold of something that's went you know your getting old hope Larry went easy on you with no damage at your place thanks for the video and take care

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Larry missed my side of the island. We got rain but it seems like it was from a different system. The joints and muscles don't quite work like they used to but at least they still work.

[@joechevy2035]

He's the Red Green of motorcycles... 😂

[@OldGuyonaBike]

That is a real compliment! I'll have to start my own "Lodge".

[@cyclingsfatsuma9808]

Thanks for these videos from a commonwealth cousin. Just bought a new to me but old to the world red one like yours. I hope not to have to do all the work you are doing but great to know these resources are available.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

With regular maintanence the ST1300 can last a very, very long time. I'm not as regular as I should be lol. Videos coming up in 3-4 weeks of rebuilding the clutch master and slave cylinders... not too bad a job. There are things that will have to be done with age but parts are available. Lots of YT resources too. I go searching for those every time I have something new to work on... and then video my work too lol. Thanks for watching.

[@sf100800]

always great when you can do the repairs yourself, a must when a bike owner things are looking good Jim, take care

[@OldGuyonaBike]

I get frustrated at times but in the long run it feels really good to be able to do the work oneself. As Pirsig said, the machine you are working on is not the motorcyle but it is yourself. Or something to that effect.

[@PhoenixQc1]

Apologies. But darn, next time just move the bike on blocks, under the wheels, or F, just get a rear wheel stand...

[@OldGuyonaBike]

I work with what I have. I don't think raising it by 6"-12" would have helped. I would have then been on my knees the whole time and still crouched over. Even if i had a lift table and was able to get the bike to waist height, it still would be an awkward spot to get into.

[@TexRider]

I know how you feel. I get down on the ground and start to work and can't see figure out by touch that I have the wrong wrench oh no now I have to get back up to go get the right wrench haha

[@OldGuyonaBike]

I try to get as many tools within arms reach as I can. Getting down ain't so hard, it's the getting up that's a killer.

[@shanecoker8566]

I bought myself a cheap drive on lift for my bike a few years ago and don’t know how I survived with out it. I don’t know if you have Harbor Freight in Canada but their lifts work great.

[@wingandhog]

I just gave my harbor freight lift to my son and ordered a new J&S jack. The Harbor Freight jack was a tad too weak to give me a comfort feeling when lifting my GoldWing which is slightly larger than my Harley Electra Glide.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

For 90% of the work i do, the old Black Jack works fine. Maybe I will look at a table lift in the future.

[@assessor1276]

We have Princess Auto - similar to Horrible Fright but with a slightly lower Chinesium content.

[@takeonetheater]

A Must have ..bought one last year ..not as good as the pros but good enough for the $

[@patrickdavis7815]

Jim nice job and you still have your face in the wind and that is what counts...

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Yes... and I think I wil go catch some of that wind today. Got a sunny break.

[@tysoncott7402]

Honda says to drop the engine to do the slave cylinder, it can be done without doing that but its still a royal PITA!!!

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Yes it is a PITA lol... and the thought of dropping the engine is a pain in the wallet! In the process of editing the rebuild work and I did not take the engine out.

[@assessor1276]

The Honda method is totally silly. Go on ST Owners and there are dozen of folks who have R&R’d the clutch slave cylinder without any of that nonesense.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

@@assessor1276 Even Old Guy on a Bike can do it without removing the engine lol... video coming soon.

[@brianfromnh2596]

Good to see you getting your hand greasy again! Did you get a hair cut between shooting days? I was going to say that you still had covid hair but it seems on the second day is was gone:)

[@brianfromnh2596]

Jim, check out your fellow Canadian's ST1300 site kzbin.info/www/bejne/oX6bhHWgqbuobKM

[@OldGuyonaBike]

I think I got my time lines a little wrong. I did a priliminary look one week and I did not get back to the actual work til the next week and I did have a haircut in between. I keep wearing the same shed work clothes and forgot lol. Sharp eyes Brian... sharp eyes.

[@brianfromnh2596]

@@OldGuyonaBike envious of all that hair:)

[@OldGuyonaBike]

@@brianfromnh2596 I am noticing that it is very thin on top these days... and not going to get any better.

[@merlled9857]

I just spotted you coming out of curling.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

Need another little run with the trailer. Did a ride out to Cox's Cove Falls this afternoon. It was a good ride.

[@PDG1956]

I would have laid the bike right over on its crash bars - placing some protective wood or plastic to prevent damage. Check that there's not too much petrol to spill out of the tank.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

The thought had crossed my mind. The ST is pretty protected if you just lay it over gently. With the reserve gas under the seat I think one would have to completely drain the system and probably also the coolant system. I know with the shifter I had to work from both sides as well. I think I would still do it the same way if I had to do it again. Seeing that this was at almost 200,000 km and 15 years, the chances of me having to do this again is pretty low.

[@WindyTherapy]

I am sorry to hear about the linkage and clutch issues Jim. You made this repair look easy but I am sure it wasn’t.

[@OldGuyonaBike]

It wasn't too bad once I got started. That darn splinned shaft was the worst part.

[@WindyTherapy]

What’s the overall weight of your rig ? Yesterday I stopped in a Hwy scale station so for the first time I got my pop up camper properly weighed. (230 kgs / 500 lbs) I was surprised as It was 55 kgs (120 lbs) heavier than I expected. I am sure our bikes clutch and engine suffer pulling our toys so I need to reduce the weight a bit more.