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[ST] carbon silencer, tires and other maintenance issues
- Subject: [ST] carbon silencer, tires and other maintenance issues
- From: "joe smith" <ottawa1966@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 00:23:31 +0000
Hi,
I bought a 2002 blue ST a month ago. I paid a bit of a premium for it
because I love the blue colour, only had 6500 KMs on it, and was showroom
condition according to the seller. Finding a good Triumph ST up here is
difficult because not too many are sold in Canada. Being 5 hours away from
the seller I bought the bike based on pics and video he sent me. He also
agreed to bring it to me on the back of a truck if I paid his gas. I had to
send him a $500 deposit that I'd lose if I didn't accept the delivery. When
he got it safetied the Bridgestone Battle Axe tires needed replacing. He
suggested I get the new BT014's because even though I'd be touring he
thought it better to have slightly softer tires, so I trusted his judgement
and he had a set put on (at my cost). I phoned the nearest Triumph dealer 3
hours away to see if I was paying way too much. They thought if the bike was
in as good condition as the seller said I wasn't paying that much of a
premium. They were surprised that the seller recommended the soft
Bridgestones. They said I won't get much wear out of them and that the
Bridgestones were all wrong for the Sprint. My question is should I have
gone for a harder, touring tire to get more mileage, or was the advice for
softer compound to get better grip wise? In the end it is a matter of
personal taste?
The dealer I talked to also suggested I make sure that the Triumph carbon
silencer was put on by a dealer and the engine tuned. I specifically asked
the seller and he said for sure that was done, but he had no maintenance
records.
Anyway, he delivered the bike on a rainy Sunday and of course it looked at
first glance to be as clean as he said. After I took delivery I noticed some
minor scratches and the plastic edge of one of the front indicator light
lenses seemed to have minor damage, so the bike wasn't in what I would count
as showroom condition. Granted I'm the type that can walk through a new car
lot and notice imperfections in paint jobs, so I wasn't taht upset that the
bike was not scratch free as the seller said, but I was a bit miffed.
I rode it for a while and fell in love with the bike. I decided to take it
to the dealer for an oil change since it was a nice sunny day and excuse to
go for a ride. The seller told me the oil had been changed at the beginning
of the season, but the dealer was shocked how dirty the oil came out. Plus,
they had a terrible time getting the non-triumph aftermatket oil filter off
the bike. Luckily they checked their records and saw that the original owner
never brought the bike in for any of the recalls. At this point I'm
wondering if the seller was more interested in washing and waxing his bike
rather than having the mechanics looked after. I couldn't believe he'd never
had the recall work done. I doubted if he did in fact have the pipe
installed right. He told me he took it to a dealer in London, Ontario. I
phoned them and they had no record of doing work on the bike. My question is
if the idiot (seller) did buy the pipe and just slap in on himself is there
anyway I could tell just from normal riding, or is there a chance the engine
has had some damage done to it if the tuning for the silencer was never
properly done? I'm bringing the bike down to Kingston later this week to
have the works done. They ordered the parts for the recall work. I also
want the fluids replaced, valve job, coolant flushed, hoses checked, etc.
The seller gave me the factory pipe. I've been wondering if I should have
them put it back on the bike because I've been told that even with ear plugs
driving a bike with loud pipes will cause long term damage. I noticed the
carbon pipe says it is not for street use. This is the first bike I've had
without the factory installed piple so I don't have anything to compare it
with. I haven't heard an ST with the factory pipe to compare. How would
those who have ridden with after-market exhausts compare the Triumph carbon
silencer in noise level. Do you think I'd be best to have the factory pipe
put back on? I love the sound of the carbon silencer, but I don't want to go
deaf in the long run?
I love the bike and hope the dealer doesn't find any surprises when he does
the major maintenance later this week. I don't think that I'd buy a bike
again without seeing it in person. Even the best pictures can't reveal minor
defects. Plus, I'd want to see maintenance records. I'm making sure to keep
any copies of work I do in case I sell it in future.
Thanks,
Jim
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