Evening all. I've had a quick look at an ST4S and would appreciate any advice from you lot before making a firm commitment to buy. It's on an 02 plate with a grand total of 5k miles showing. Not heard it run yet 'coss the vendor had stuck it on an Optimate but neglected to turn it on. So unable to fire it up and the digital readout screen was, well, flickering. That seemed to calm down and produce some sense once the optimate was turned on. Condition looks about right for a bike that's barely got wet and never seen salt but has been parked up in a decent garage under a cover for at least 2 years ..... with annual trips to the MOT station (he says ....I've not looked at any paperwork yet). Only thing that raised my eyebrows was a small collection of blisters in the paint on the top of the tank, which the vendor says have appeared since the last time he covered it up. And when I opened the filler cap a decent growth of white corrosion was revealed adorning the inside of the cap surround. I did remember my maglite so had a look at the floor of the tank around the pump assembly and there was a small (size of a penny) patch of corrosion. Torch was not up to letting me see as far back as the furthest reach of the tank floor so I guess I'll have to have a better look or rely on crossed fingers. So ..... an anyone advise on the paint bubbles ..... it's that matt grey finish. And are the tanks prone to rotting if left with maybe a gallon of super unleaded in 'em to do nasty stuff? And do you think I'll be looking at flaky rockers if it's only getting run once a year or so? It had a full service, including belts, by Louigi a couple of years (and no miles) ago so hopefully it'll only need a set of belts before it gets properly used. Anything else I should be looking at, specifically? I guess it'll need pulling apart and greasing and ElectoProtecting as a matter of course but is there any way of anticipating the ignition key chip problem? Oh yes ..... I think I've agreed 3k if the motor sounds OK and it gets a fresh MOT.
If you don't buy it I will. I've got an St4 and its done 44,000 miles. Just put new belts in it and it runs superb.
Did you borrow a belt tension guage or do you know a reliable alternative? I did the belts on the 748 I had a few years ago and was able to borrow a guage from a guy down in Britten Ferry but I've lost his contact details! The job's easy but I understand the 8 valvers need a bit more accuracy in the tension departement than my old SS which seems happy with the "45 degree twist" method.
5mm allen key an 45* twist method are both acceptable methods of checking tension. Thoroughly check the fuel tank for rust/leaks etc, particularly on the left rear seams, look for staining on the frame as well. Also make sure the sale includes the two black keys, red key & code tags with log books too if possible. Don't buy it until you can start it easily from the battery, many problems can be disguised while still on the charger. Craig
Fuel tanks can start to leak from the mounting plate of the rear hinge, especially if the tank's been propped up with lots of fuel in it. If there are signs of corrosion on the bike, then I'd want to check every electrical connector on the bike to make sure the corrosion hasn't got to those too. Intermittent connectors can make fault finding difficult. To your question about the immobiliser, the short answer is it can be bypassed - knowledgable people such as Chrisw on the forum can re-flash the ECU to remove the immobiliser completely.
Do you know when the belts were last changed? If it's sat for more than a couple of years since they were last done, I'd recommend a change as a good precautionary measure. That and an immediate oil change/flush to get rid of any condensation. Flushing out the tank wouldn't be a bad idea either - being stored with a part-filled tank is about the worst-case (store full or empty). Check the clutch pushrod hasn't seized or the seal on the slave gone (black clutch fluid). That aside, an ST4s with 5k is a diamond find - they're one of the best all-round bikes ever made, imho.
The tank is an issue, the bubbling paint is most likely caused by sloppy filling and petrol has got between the paint and the metal. Needs to be cut back to metal and resprayed unless you are happy with a repair. Rust patches inside the tank can be treated using POR15 if and its a big if, the metal isn't thin. I'd hold back £250 just in case. Andy
Thanks for all the replies so far .... brilliant. When the vendor lets me know the bike's running I'll go and take a better look with a brighter torch. Has anyone tried to match the paint on one of these? Or even clean it properly? That matt finish looks a bit porous to me. When I had water inside the tank on my 748 (quite a lot of it ... don't ask!) and consequently rather a lot of rust but no actual perforation I used only the "rust stopper" first part of the POR kit, which seemed to do the job. I'm not keen on any sort of actual sealant just in case it starts to break up. Everything was made a lot easier by the huge aperture where the pump assembly located ...... is the ST the same? When I found rust appearing inside the tank on the SS I had to do everything through the filler cap aperture ...... I managed to remove any loose material and then painted Trustan rust killer onto the rusty bits ..... seemed to work but I'd rather be putting paint on top. Anyone know of a paint that is modern-fuel resistant?
Yep ST is very similar to the interior of 748 barring the fuel level indicator. Buy a cheap fuel siphon so you can empty the tank into a container to do a good inspection. Feel for wetness at the lower seams & look for brownish fuel stains on frame etc Paint is easy to match, don't worry. What matt finish are you talking about? Craig
I'd check the fork leg bottom bolts have not been overtightened and cracked the very bottom of the legs. Also the clips ons for the same reason. Wheel bearings seem to need replacing more often than is funny, not a reason not to buy it though. check for frame cracks around the swinging arm mounts. When you switch off the ignition does the dash go off quickly or does it flicker for a second with the LEDs appearing to want to hang on . This is a possible indication of a poor earth.
Ah the slow colour, shouldn't be matt, should be glossy I'm joking of course, great colour! You will need the later model seat too, as well as headlight upgrade if you plan to ride at night. As others have said, the complicated electrics of the S model have their own demons, I am an analog man. Craig
Thanks mate! Thought I was going mad there for a minute. While you're on ...... what tensioning device do you favour for the very wonderful Exactfit timing belts?
May be worth checking the front calipers aren't corroded also, I know they shouldn't be if the bike hasn't seen salt but I thought (and please correct me if wrong) that those Brembo goldlines are very difficult if not impossible to get seal kits for, so you would be looking at replacements. Incidentally maybe the newer 4 pad calipers would fit, as I believe they are an upgrade anyway.
Right ..... thanks for that. I'm fairly hopeful that things won't have been overtightened as I get the impression that the vendor isn't very spanner-happy and that LouigiMoto have been in charge of maintenance but I'll certainly put this on my check list. Is there an easily available list of torque values? Or must one risk the Haynes Book Of Half-Truths? Strange about he wheel bearings .... perhaps something to do with the large diameter spindles?
Torque values are easy too, get a Haynes or Desmotimes manual, wheel bearings should be good for 75,000kms If it looks pretty clean, has low miles and books with keys you have a good platform for many years of spending , it's great. Craig
The best results indicated by customers was the Gates Carbon Drive App but I'm told it has been de listed on iTunes but is still available on Android? People were getting very accurate repeatable results using an added microphone plugged in to their phones - watch for interference though from strip lights etc
