WJBertrand
Ventura Highway
Just returned from my annual summer tour to WeSTOC. This is a rally for Honda ST (1100 & 1300) owners that I've been a member of for a long time. www.westoc.org This year I rode my '15 Super - T because the ST1300 is sick in the garage with a misfiring problem. The rally moves around the western US with this year's event held in Spokane Valley, WA. The location could be more aptly named "Smokane" Valley considering all the fires currently burning across the state.
My Super - T was equipped with the factory tall shield, factory Yamaha side cases and a Givi Trekker Outback 42L top case. I also farkled in a StarCom1 advance, Escort Redline Radar detector, Garmin Zumo 550 with XM (still works for me). I also had a Road Gear jumbo magnetic tank pad and dry bag with tools strapped to the back seat.
Left Ventura, CA Friday Morning 8/21 with the first night's stop in Mesquite, NV. From there it was on to Lehi, UT for night 2 via Zion and UT 12 and Torrey. If you haven't been there, check out the gourmet food at the Cafe Diablo on UT24 just west of Torrey. The rattle snake cake appetizers are highly recommended. Night 3 was spent in Salmon, ID at the Sacagawea, Inn. Nothing special but the $3 breakfast is a good deal. For dinner I recommend Bertram's Brewhouse. Good steaks and micro-brew beers.
We arrived in Spokane Valley on Monday the 24th and spent the week there through Thursday night at the WeSTOC rally doing day rides around Lake Coeur d'Alenee and the St Joe highway. Even did a few miles of gravel road, heavily washboard though. The bike handled it OK but I need a stronger mount for the radar detector or to remove it for such conditions. There was a lot of interest from the ST community in the Super - T.
On Friday morning, having fewer days for the return trip, I made my way to Burns Oregon for Friday night and Minden for the final night arriving back in Ventura last night.
For a guy used to riding Honda STs for the past 20 years, I was pleasantly surprised how good a long-distance sport touring mount the the Super - T is. The bike never missed a beat and gave no problems at all. My only real complaint is a relative lack of wind protection that made itself evident during Saturday's ride from Burns to Minden. There were constant cross winds of +50 MPH, really tiring. The thing is also very mechanically noisy and it would be nice if Yamaha could reduce the clatter and amplify the exhaust a little.
Some stats: Effectively doubled the the mileage on the bike, averaged about 46 MPG over the trip, which would have been better except for that day of cross winds, which drove the average down several MPGs. In spite of 100+ degree temperatures, in Nevada and Utah and 80 MPH speed limits, at those temperatures in much of Utah, the engine appears to have used nary a drop of oil. I changed to Castrol 4-T 10w-50 full synthetic in anticipation of the extreme conditions. Also fitted a Mobil 1 M-108 filter.
All in all I give the Super - T a two thumbs up for this kind of touring.
My Super - T was equipped with the factory tall shield, factory Yamaha side cases and a Givi Trekker Outback 42L top case. I also farkled in a StarCom1 advance, Escort Redline Radar detector, Garmin Zumo 550 with XM (still works for me). I also had a Road Gear jumbo magnetic tank pad and dry bag with tools strapped to the back seat.
Left Ventura, CA Friday Morning 8/21 with the first night's stop in Mesquite, NV. From there it was on to Lehi, UT for night 2 via Zion and UT 12 and Torrey. If you haven't been there, check out the gourmet food at the Cafe Diablo on UT24 just west of Torrey. The rattle snake cake appetizers are highly recommended. Night 3 was spent in Salmon, ID at the Sacagawea, Inn. Nothing special but the $3 breakfast is a good deal. For dinner I recommend Bertram's Brewhouse. Good steaks and micro-brew beers.
We arrived in Spokane Valley on Monday the 24th and spent the week there through Thursday night at the WeSTOC rally doing day rides around Lake Coeur d'Alenee and the St Joe highway. Even did a few miles of gravel road, heavily washboard though. The bike handled it OK but I need a stronger mount for the radar detector or to remove it for such conditions. There was a lot of interest from the ST community in the Super - T.
On Friday morning, having fewer days for the return trip, I made my way to Burns Oregon for Friday night and Minden for the final night arriving back in Ventura last night.
For a guy used to riding Honda STs for the past 20 years, I was pleasantly surprised how good a long-distance sport touring mount the the Super - T is. The bike never missed a beat and gave no problems at all. My only real complaint is a relative lack of wind protection that made itself evident during Saturday's ride from Burns to Minden. There were constant cross winds of +50 MPH, really tiring. The thing is also very mechanically noisy and it would be nice if Yamaha could reduce the clatter and amplify the exhaust a little.
Some stats: Effectively doubled the the mileage on the bike, averaged about 46 MPG over the trip, which would have been better except for that day of cross winds, which drove the average down several MPGs. In spite of 100+ degree temperatures, in Nevada and Utah and 80 MPH speed limits, at those temperatures in much of Utah, the engine appears to have used nary a drop of oil. I changed to Castrol 4-T 10w-50 full synthetic in anticipation of the extreme conditions. Also fitted a Mobil 1 M-108 filter.
All in all I give the Super - T a two thumbs up for this kind of touring.
. You really should look into a bigger screen. I fitted a Parabellum tall just before I left and the difference was striking. I still miss the electric screen on the ST but I doubt I would miss it as much as the electric cruise on the S10. 'Both are great bikes but given the flexibility the S10 provides the modest trade offs are reasonable. 
