RE: st-digest V1999 #213

["Rick Damiani" <rickd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-st@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-st@xxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of David
> Sampson
> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 8:43 PM
> To: ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: st-digest V1999 #213
>
>
> Before everybody goes out quoting the Motorrad article in which the
> Sprint ST beat the competition, one must consider the original review of
> the Sprint ST which also appeared in the bike. The reviewers severely
> criticized
>
> 1. The heavy clutch

This is a heavy clutch? That's news to me, but then I spent my formative
years operating a stem propulshon plant that contained 1.2 billion valves,
all hand operated and all seemingly stuck shut.

> 2. The nearly unusable centerstand (nothing to grab to get the bike up
> on it)

There are two places to grab onto - one under the rear cowling (that silver
bar that is removed when the bags are attached) and the passenger grab rail.
I usually use the passenger grab rail myself.

> 3. The luggage (from another bike, didn't align with the bike and was
> not level with the passenger seat, and all the steps and parts needed to
> raise/lower the pipe).

Raising the pipe with the pannier kit in place requires removing one of the
pannier brackets, that's true...

...it also does nothign for ground clearence since the peg and right-side
belly pan touch down first no matter what position the pipe is in.

> I for one, seriously considered a Sprint ST. However, based on the
> number of (outright) design, manufacturing and quality problems, I doubt
> that I will.

I have put 12,000 miles on my Sprint in the four and a half months I have
owned it. I had exactly 1 (one) problem - a minor fuel leak - that was fixed
in about an hour by the dealer. You must not be framilar with how forums
like this work. People post here when somehting noteworthy happens. Passing
12K miles wiothout incident is not 'noteworthy' so you don't see those
posted too often. OTOH, a single major problem (a radiator leak, for
example) will be posted and discussed at length. The picture you form from
that is misleading at best.

> Reading this group's messages makes me think that Sprint ST owners are
> an incredibly - actually, overly -  tolerant group (centerstand recall,
> fuel gauge problem, crankcase bolts, etc., etc.).

Proactive recals before any problems were discovered in any customer bikes
do not a beta-test motorcycle make. As for the fuel gauge - I have yet to
see a motrocycle with one that works half as well as the trip odomiter. I'd
much rather have an oil pressure or oil temperature gauge than a fuel gauge,
but that's just me.

Still, a Sprint is not for everyone. I hope you find the bike that is right
for you. Let us know what it is when you find it.



 *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
 The ST Mailing list is sponsored by the Unofficial ST Website
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=