Talk me into / out of a Pan

flytoolow said:

Still undecided but Im still leaning towards the ST1100 A.. Ive got to flog a few first so it won't be till next year. Next question is where do I buy it? second hand Bikes are normally cheaper here (Switzerland), but there's a good chance I will move to France next year, so I will need to export /import it..

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Join the “Pan Clan” Facebook page, a steady stream of bikes for sale on there - one 1100 just now that looks nice, and only £1900.


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I know you're asking about a Pan, but I'll throw another suggestion in which I was in the dark about till I got one - A Kwak 1400GTR. All the comfort of an RT with the go of a ZZR and the reliability and bulletproof build of a Pan. OK it's not as nicely finished (the plastics are a bit plasticky compared with Honda and BMW) but it's shaft drive, little in the way of electrickery (ABS and traction control only) and is an absolute hoot, or a complete pussycat, or a uber-comfy mile muncher that shrugs off a pillion or full load as if they weren't there. Cheap too. Post 2010 facelift model the one to go for IMHO. I liked my 1100 Pan but couldn't get excited about it.

Jason P said:

I know you're asking about a Pan, but I'll throw another suggestion in which I was in the dark about till I got one - A Kwak 1400GTR. All the comfort of an RT with the go of a ZZR and the reliability and bulletproof build of a Pan. OK it's not as nicely finished (the plastics are a bit plasticky compared with Honda and BMW) but it's shaft drive, little in the way of electrickery (ABS and traction control only) and is an absolute hoot, or a complete pussycat, or a uber-comfy mile muncher that shrugs off a pillion or full load as if they weren't there. Cheap too. Post 2010 facelift model the one to go for IMHO. I liked my 1100 Pan but couldn't get excited about it.

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I had a 2009 1400GTR ,and I must admit it was a bit of a rocket ship, but comfy as a sofa

I avoided St11's for 20 years as being boring and old fashion... Then bought a cheap project and fixed the usual fixes... Alternator, swing arm, tank, head bearings... At that point I was still post project but the bike has really grown on me in 18 months n 12k miles... I have an 11GS still which is now more the 2nd bike... I have had many BM's GS's, RT's LT and ridden many more... Up to the 12RT hexhead the ST11 still holds it's own and the ST13 maybe still does... My 12RT had more equipment, did more things but wasn't a better bike... If I has bought an ST13 instead of the RT I would have kept it and missed out on several other bikes I have tried... If I had been willing to buy an ST11 in 1998 then I may not have owned BM's...

For the people who pan the Pan, they may not have ridden one much, may like a bit of a pose or have a bike that your mates ask you about... They may swan around the dealerships "being someone" and talking shite with the salesman and buying a few newer bikes... They may think they have biker "street cred"... The ST11/13 will give you none of these thrills but will give you a bike you can ride whenever, wherever, whatever, two up, single, touring, shopping, commuting... You wont be looking in shop windows at your reflection and will not get the cappachino sippers swooning at your riches and good taste down Baristaville… But you'll ride, and ride and ride and ride...


If you can ride properly you will not be left behind by many folk, will enjoy it all in decent comfort and it will be characterful next to much of todays blandola PCP fodder... You need to ride it not just let it ride for you and the quality of the cycleparts on the ST11 is not a patch of the 13... The engine is a peach though and even though the ST13 is quicker and more up to spec, it's not necessarily better...

My ST11 holds it's own and will cruise at illegal speeds all day and I mean riding all day not thinking 250 miles is a big ride... It is scruffy enough to be totally ignored by anyone including scrotes, they are small enough to filter like you mean it and I could set fire to mine tomorrow and lose less than most people are paying interest, never mind repayments and depreciation on their precious jewels...

Three things... Shiny is not necessarily the best as the rotten bits hide away on 11's... Neither is original... Aftermarket exhausts and screens and all the extras are worth noting on bikes to buy... Also shop bikes at this age as not better than private sales from the right buyer... Do your homework and you'll have a great bike for a couple o thou...

Good luck

PS I ride most days if I can and the ST is presently sitting covered in salt after another damp n windy commute up here... Top fun n no bother...

That sounds about right.

To add - I’m doing about 1000 miles a week on my current job, and will be for the next year. I’m looking for a 2004/5 st 1300 as a commuter bike, and don’t expect to pay more than £3k, and I know it’ll still be worth about that when I’ve finished with it. And I have every confidence it’ll still be going strong.


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Nin said:

That sounds about right.

To add - I’m doing about 1000 miles a week on my current job, and will be for the next year. I’m looking for a 2004/5 st 1300 as a commuter bike, and don’t expect to pay more than £3k, and I know it’ll still be worth about that when I’ve finished with it. And I have every confidence it’ll still be going strong.


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I have been thinking to sell up and buy an ST13 for a while... I am a serial eBay ST13 botherer and have a few saved on my eBay as we speak... Whether I'll buy soon is another matter but there are some really good looking 13's on at the mo for around £3k or thereabouts... Shopping list is heated grips, top box and if possible wind deflector kit and Helibars… A couple like that at the mo... Like you say 30k or 90k makes not a ton of difference...

Check for ABS. Some of the cheaper ones are non-ABS.


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Nin said:

Check for ABS. Some of the cheaper ones are non-ABS.
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On an older bike is ABS a necessity or a hinderance regarding reliability.
Ive always had ABS coming from BMW, but steered away from it for my 95 Yamaha GTS1000 for this very reason.

Personal choice really. In my experience abs has saved me a couple of times when I know I wouldn’t have been able to brake with the skill needed to avoid a bump.


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Scottish borders between Christmas and New Year on the St11 , there and back in a day "rude not to" .......just saying

Also this weeks runs into work going fine, Halvarseens, heated grips, neck warmer, Schuberth and one ST1100 Tin boxes stuck in traffic? na ...long live the Pan

Spot on... Plenty of people going on about Pans being boring who probably are having a week or two off the bikes... Ha ha... Every days a biking day and bikes like this are ready for it...

Practical bits... My abs is not working but the brakes still work well and the linked setup is the most complicated bloody design but seems reliable and is as good a balance as you'll get so "feels" just right... Plus the Pans are slightly more sports tourer for riding position which is actually better especially when you're pushing on in the twisties as you can move around and weight you're feet hands and backside properly rather than being too upright on the RT... This makes a big arsed bike feel much more nimble than it should be...

Evening all, having just purchased a 2005 abs model today,and having never ridden one before, must say lam very pleased.Picked it up near Grantham and rode back the 270 miles back home in East Lothian. At just a tad over 6’ and having long legs found it surprisingly comfortable, engine is a peach cruising at 80 effortlessly, all for less than 3.5k.

Yep, my ex-London Ambulance Service bike joins me next week. 20k miles planned for it next year...


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Nin said:

Yep, my ex-London Ambulance Service bike joins me next week. 20k miles planned for it next year...


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Ha ha… I've been eyeing those as well as the ex DSA bikes... Always serviced and the DSA'ers will have had an easy life... And Jeez you will be seen in that ambulance yellowish... + deffo no chat with the middle aged Steve Mcqueen brigade at the services on the way back to their car while you eye up another 200+ miles...

Wrigsby1 said:

Ha ha… I've been eyeing those as well as the ex DSA bikes... Always serviced and the DSA'ers will have had an easy life... And Jeez you will be seen in that ambulance yellowish... + deffo no chat with the middle aged Steve Mcqueen brigade at the services on the way back to their car while you eye up another 200+ miles...

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It arrived yesterday - actually in silver so looks quite "civvy". Lots of buttons to press that don't do anything any more. Any ideas where I can get a guide to taking all the electrical bits off? There's a whole extra battery in the back ...

Nin said:

It arrived yesterday - actually in silver so looks quite "civvy". Lots of buttons to press that don't do anything any more. Any ideas where I can get a guide to taking all the electrical bits off? There's a whole extra battery in the back ...

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Sadly not and as with ex Police bikes they can have a fair few mods... I have seen the RH switchgear on the ads for the ex paramedic bikes and that alone looks a bit of kit...!

I bought mine out of sympathy for the machine.
Stuck in a friends barn for a few years.
Took a ton of muck off it and had a go at staring it.
Started on on the left bank, checked stuff and deduced it was the coil.
I plugged in a pair of CBX coils temporary like.
Started up running sweet and spins around the yard.
I had a look at the rear swingarm and it looks solid.

I dont need the bike and may move it on.
I get the impression that this bike is unbreakable.
I bet if I serviced it and put the bodywork on it would hum down to Malaga without a complaint.
A lot of bike for €500

Nin said:

It arrived yesterday - actually in silver so looks quite "civvy". Lots of buttons to press that don't do anything any more. Any ideas where I can get a guide to taking all the electrical bits off? There's a whole extra battery in the back ...

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IIRC, Abingdon Motorcycles (Steve KIng & family) were involved in the supply chain way back when. Sadly they sold out to Blade, became Abingdon Honda & more recently the whole operation has transferred to new premises on the adjacent trading estate.

If anyone can put you in touch with expertise locally then it will be Stewart Yardley, who I understand is now with Premier KTM, at the X-roads out on the B4017 Cumnor Road, just past the RAF base.

Cheers - yes I know Stewart well, he’s now at Premier Bikes. We were chatting about the Pan just a couple of days ago. Steve sold me my first one in 1995!


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I'm pretty sure Steve rides a blue Pan 1300