2004 HONDA ST1300A — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

MOTORCYCLE DEMONSTRATED ONCE BEFORE THE BOILING OF FUEL IN FULL FUEL TANK AFTER DRIVING. A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS LATER I DECIDED THAT I WOULD REMOVE THE FUEL FROM THE TANK BECAUSE I BELIEVED THAT THE GAS MAY HAVE CONTAINED TOO MUCH ALCOHOL WHICH MAY BOIL AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE. I REMOVED ALL BUT ABOUT 2 GALLONS OUT OF THE 7.7 GALLON TANK. I RODE TO A FUEL STATION AND REFILLED TO ABOUT 3/4 OF AN INCH BELOW THE FULL MARK. I LEFT SOME EXPANSION SPACE DUE TO THE HOT WEATHER. THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE OF THE BIKE WAS NORMAL AS ALWAYS. UPON RETURNING HOME I STOPPED THE BIKE OUTSIDE OF THE ENCLOSED GARAGE JUST TO CHECK THE TANK BEFORE I BROUGHT IT IN SHOULD THERE BE ANY PROBLEMS. I WAS CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO REMAIN ON THE BIKE AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION TO UNLOCK THE FUEL TANK. WHILE SITTING ON THE BIKE WITH MY HELMET, JACKET, AND SUNGLASSES STILL ON I INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE CAP AND OPENED IT. UPON UNLOCKING, THE CAP BURST FULL OPEN AND INSTANTLY FUEL SHOWERED ME AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OF THE BIKE AS IF A HOT RADIATOR CAP WAS OPENED. RELIEVING THE PRESSURE IN THE TANK ALLOW THE FUEL TO SPONTANEOUSLY BOIL . AFTERWARDS I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT 1.5 TO 2 GALLONS CAME OUT OF THE TANK IN A MATTER OF 1 SECOND. COVERED IN FUEL I QUICKLY JUMPED OFF THE BIKE STILL HOLDING THE KEY WHICH BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. MY CONCERN IS FOR OTHER RIDERS THAT MAY ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM. I TAKING THE BIKE TO GET THE TANK VENT SYSTEM REPAIRED BY A HONDA DEALER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE VENT SYSTEM HAS FAILED TO AN UNSAFE CONDITION. *TR

THE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS NOT VENTED OR ROUTED PROPERLY, CAUSING 450 DEGREE FAHRENHEIT TEMPERATURES TO VENT ACROSS THE MOTORCYCLE OPERATORS LEGS, CAUSING PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. THE TEMPERATURE IS HOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE PHYSICAL PAIN WHEN THE PLASTIC SURROUND THE LEG AREA IS TOUCHED. THIS PROBLEM IS PANDEMIC TO MOST OF THE ST1300'S ON THE ROAD. I CAN PROVIDE THE NAMES OF HUNDREDS PERHAPS THOUSANDS OF OWNERS WHO HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM I AM DESCRIBING. THE DEALERS TO INCLUDE HONDA NORTH AMERICA HAVE NO RESOLUTION FOR THIS, EXCEPT TO RECOMMEND COOLANT FLUSH, OIL CHANGE. NONE OF THESE FIXES THIS PROBLEM. *JB

FACTORY RECALLS - HONDA MOTORCYCLE 2004 ST1300 I RECEIVED A RECALL FOR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN DECEMBER. I HAVE CONTACTED 3 DEALERSHIPS IN MY COUNTY & 2 ADJACENT COUNTIES. NONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM TO DATE. ALL 3 DEALERSHIPS TELL ME THE SAME THING, THAT THEY WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE REPAIR KIT FOR THE NUMBER OF ST1300 MODELS SOLD FROM THEIR DEALERSHIP. IN ADDITION, NONE OF THE DEALERS HAVE RECEIVED THE PARTS. I HAVE RECEIVED A SECOND RECALL FOR ANOTHER BRAKE PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT I WILL HAVE A SIMILAR WAIT FOR THE SECOND RECALL. IN ADDITION, IF EITHER RECALL IS CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION DUE TO LACK OF REPAIR PARTS. IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS NOW FOR THE 1ST RECALL.*JB