Article [13] ST1300 - Final Drive Oil Change

I have never changed my differential oil since buying my 2006 ST1300 around 2008. Cracked it open and lube still came out the fill cap. Thanks all for inspiring/shaming me to maintain a virtually infallible machine. :) The differential oil wasn't very dirty at only 41K miles.
 
Changed mine today for the first time since I've owned the bike (Oct 2019). It will be done yearly from now on when I change the engine oil!!

It was green/grey :eek: but replaced with some nice clear/amber. Almost forgot how much gear oil stinks! I used to oil my Nighthawk's chain with 80w (it's what they recommended for it back in the 80's....)

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That looks almost like it got water in it somehow.

BTW I still use 80w on my chain but mix it with ATF.
 
If it ate brass, someone put the wrong oil in there.
Does look like moisture also.
 
It takes so little gear oil, last week I changed mine and it looked like a chocolate milkshake.
I have owned this second ST bike for a year and bought it with 42,000 miles on it.
Don’t think it was ever changed.
So I let it drain over night, checked the gears and they looked brand new.
Added another ounce in the morning to rinse some more out, then did a fill.
A day later I drained that out and now I’ll run this for 10 months till next spring.
 
I have always replaced my gear oil about ever other engine oil change but I think I also get bored and change it with the engine oil just for grins... it's cheap and a bottle lasts a long time. Just don't over torque the drain or fill bolts.
 
Obo said:
That's what I was thinking, unless it wasn't normal gear oil in there to begin with... or there was some brass in there the fluid "ate"
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There’s no brass in the final drive.
 
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Yeah, the normal honda gear oil has a green-ish tint to it so probably some moisture over the years entered through the vent.. could just be high humidity or lots of riding in the rain... maybe a low water crossing but that's pretty high water to reach that. Just change and it should be good to go.
 
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Mellow said:
I have always replaced my gear oil about ever other engine oil change but I think I also get bored and change it with the engine oil just for grins... it's cheap and a bottle lasts a long time. Just don't over torque the drain or fill bolts.
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Wouldn't hurt to replace the o-ring on the fill cap. They do retain a permanent squash after a while and may lead to metal/metal contact around the perimeter.
Just a note....these caps are the same as the valve covers that were used on the old Honda small bikes.
 
Oldbikefixr said:
Wouldn't hurt to replace the o-ring on the fill cap. They do retain a permanent squash after a while and may lead to metal/metal contact around the perimeter.
Just a note....these caps are the same as the valve covers that were used on the old Honda small bikes.
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I have no idea, never replaced one but good idea.
 
Mellow said:
Just don't over torque the drain or fill bolts.
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What I like to do is mark the fill cap to the final drive casting before I remove the fill cap with a pencil mark, this way I don’t over over torque it with a 17 mm wrench
Fill cap is made of pot metal and breaks easily.
DAMHIK Don’t ask me how I know.
 
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