Alright, let’s talk about this 1992 Honda ST1100. It sort of… appeared in my life, you know how these things happen. Looked like a solid machine, but boy, was it hiding some stories under that faded plastic.
Getting Started – The Ugly Truth
First off, it hadn’t run in who knows how long. The seller was a bit vague, which is always a good sign, right? So, the initial plan was simple: get it running. Easier said than done. The battery was shot, obviously. Slapped a new one in, turned the key, and… silence. Not even a hopeful click. Just a big, fat nothing. My enthusiasm took a bit of a hit right there, I tell ya.
So, I started digging. Checked the basics: fuses, starter relay. All seemed okay, which just made it more annoying. Ended up tracing wires for a good while. Found some crusty connections near the starter solenoid. Cleaned those up, gave ’em a bit of love, and finally, we got a crank! Still wouldn’t fire, but progress is progress.
The Fuel System Nightmare
Next up, fuel. Pulled the tank. It smelled like old paint thinner. Drained that gunk out. The fuel filter looked like it had digested a small animal. And the carbs… oh, the carbs. Getting them off an ST1100 is an exercise in patience and scraped knuckles. They were, as expected, completely gummed up. Varnish city.
I spent what felt like days disassembling those four carburetors. Every little jet, every passage. Soaked ’em, scrubbed ’em, blew ’em out with compressed air. One of the float needles was stuck solid. Had to gently persuade that one. It’s just tedious work, no way around it.
- Pulled and cleaned all four carbs.
- Replaced all the old, brittle fuel lines.
- Put in a new fuel filter, obviously.
- Cleaned the inside of the fuel tank as best I could.
With the carbs back on – which is another fight in itself – and fresh fuel in the tank, I tried again. It coughed. It sputtered. And then, it actually roared to life! Well, maybe not roared. More like a grumpy old man clearing his throat. But it was running!
More Than Just an Engine
Getting it running was just the start, though. This old girl needed more TLC.
The brakes were spongy. Bled them, but the fluid that came out was nasty. Decided to just rebuild the calipers while I was at it. New seals, gave the pistons a good clean. Much better. Then, new pads front and rear. You don’t skimp on brakes, period.
Changed all the fluids, of course. Oil, coolant, final drive oil. The coolant looked particularly grim. Flushed the system a couple of times just to be sure.
The tires were ancient. Hard as rocks. No way I was riding on those. So, off came the wheels, and on went a fresh set of rubber. That always makes a huge difference to how a bike feels.
Electrically, apart from the initial starter issue, it wasn’t too bad. Just went through and cleaned up any connections that looked a bit green or loose. These old bikes, sometimes that’s all they need.
The Payoff
After all that wrenching, tightening, and checking, it was time for a proper test ride. A bit nervous, not gonna lie. You always wonder if you missed something, if some bolt isn’t quite tight enough.
But she pulled away smooth. The V4 engine, once it was warmed up and the carbs were sort of synched by ear, actually sounded pretty sweet. It’s a heavy bike, no doubt, but once it’s moving, it feels planted. Took it for a good long spin, and yeah, it’s a comfortable old beast. Still got a few little things to sort, a bit of a plastics rattle here and there, but the core of it, the important stuff, is solid now.
It was a lot of work. More than I thought it would be, as usual. But bringing an old machine like this back from the brink? Pretty satisfying. It’s not perfect, it’s a 1992 machine after all, but it’s got character. And I know every nut and bolt on it now, which is a good feeling.
