Trying to buy another ST1300

SD1

SD1

Joined
Apr 26, 2019
Messages
18
Age
58
Location
N. Bama
Bike
2012 BMW R1200RT
Hey all, I have kind of a barn find... 2013 ST1300 with only 16k miles.... bike had been sitting for YEARS... older guy passed away and daughter is settling his estate...she is asking a lot but after I looked at it I think she figured it out and she said as much so I think I can get it on the cheaper end of things.

The bike looks pretty decent, it was partially covered and it has a ton of dust on it (its black) it does NOT run, I put a jump box on it and it did spin freely but def a fuel/fire issue...tires have tread but are OLD, 100% needs new tires.

My question is, how much trouble is it going to be to rehab this thing. The girl doesn't know when it last ran, but the most recent tag is from 2019 so it could potentially have sat for 5 years. Its sounds fine when you try to start it, just won't fire. There is gas in it and surprisingly its not gelled up, but it def has a varnish to it, no rust, it is sitting in a shop and girly thinks it was both covered and garaged since new. Oil is full and relatively clean.

So it needs battery, tires, ALL fluids, plugs, filter... the Windscreen looks opaque, I would want to replace that.... Brakes, I am guessing its probably $1000 worth of goods and at minimum a few hours of work.....

It looks good and low miles, its a clean title... I would like to save it, what do you guys think am I asking for trouble?
 
Actually in Bama now... I am pretty decent shade tree.... : )

I am just wondering if there are any bombs hiding under that cover that might scare me off....
 
I also have a barn find, 4k miles.


The headset bearings are usually toast if the grease has not dried out or been washed out. That is important cause tires will go into self destruct tire wear. And tires are CRAZY expensive now. I always drop the Triple clamp and inspect.

Also, brake pucks could be ok, but its best to remove the brakes and inspect for cleanliness and puck movement - while they are out, I suggest yanking the pucks, and clean the pucks and seals. Same goes for the hydrolic clutch. Its a good idea to dissemble the brake levers and lube the move/ contact points.

Often mice build nests inside so check for damage and follow the wire harness.

These bikes can be really nice ones, so for me its always worth the DIY time. Be advised , you will get hosed if you take it to a dealer.


H2
 
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I bought a 2007 a few years ago and that hadn't been started for about that long and the fuel pump was rusted badly. The lower tank had a ring of rust around it as well. If the bike you're looking at had fuel in the upper tank then the rust may not have occured at the fuel pump or lower tank.
 
The only thing I'd really be worried about is wire harness/electrical issues. Everything else isn't too crazy to fix. I would go over the electronics as best as possible, making sure everything works outside of the motor not running.
 
I think your $1000 is very optimistic. Check the price of tires and windshield. Not much left of the $1000. Your time/labor will be considered as free.

You'll probably have more in it than it's worth but you'll know what you have. :)
 
SD1 said:
So it needs battery, tires, ALL fluids, plugs, filter... the Windscreen looks opaque, I would want to replace that.... Brakes, I am guessing its probably $1000 worth of goods and at minimum a few hours of work.....
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Add fuel pump to it. My bet is that the fuel in the tank became a smelly mush.
You can buy Shinko Verde 011 instead of more expensive Bridgestones and won't know the difference. I say $1500 is the most you can spend. The only consern is wiring, but if the bike is firing, chances they are good. What is the asking price? Since it's a project bike, I wouldn't pay over $1500
 
My 04 sat in a shed for a number of years and rusted the fuel pump and lower tank and would not run. I replaced the fuel pump with one off ebay, cleaned up the tank it it started right up.

If you get that far and it still doesn't run, I would try checking under the air box. You might even try spraying some starter fluid into the throttlebody and see if you get a response.

Good luck!
 
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Add about $200 for a new Secondary Master Cylinder, and $30 for a service manual.
The SMC will very likely need replacing, because the brake fluid will have clogged it up.
The air filter may be trashed by small rodents.
Was it in a heated garage, or stored outdoors in a shed? That may make a difference also.
Take a list of the items you see listed above, and use online pricing to prove to her you're not trying to simply lowbell her or rip her off. And mention st-owners.com, everybody in the world knows about us, so she can't argue.
Also, an auction company or wholesaler wouldn't give her $1500 for it, and if she intends to sell it for $4000 or higher, then she is actually ripping off the buyer, because most people will have no idea what it will take to make it roadworthy again, and as mentioned, a dealer will charge upwards of a couple more thou... IF one would work on it at all, which would be unlikely in its current condition.
 
If you prefer working on bikes to watching TV you will get more than " a few hours" of entertainment if you buy this bike. If the body work looks great and no rust in the tank it's probably a safe bet. Good luck.

Keep in mind that you can buy a nice running ST1300 for 3 to 4k so don't overpay for the project.

There is a 2010 in the For Sale section here, that says it's a good runner with about 20K for miles - $2,500
 
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Hey all, thanks for all the feedback. Had a little weather drama yesterday and no interwebs for half a day, ALL great suggestions, I agree with everything you guys said.

She was asking $3500 which I think if the bike were dialed that might be ok, but I told her $1500 as I was giving her a running total, I told her I thought I would be into for $3k and probably a little more if I gave her $1500... she was pretty receptive and just wants it gone. I think she just looked on Marketplace and pulled a number based on that???

Anyway, I actually thought the market was a little stronger, I think it is here in BAMA, good low mile bikes are hard to find. I think its worth $4k maybe even 45 in this neck of the woods.

I dont want cheap tires, I had pilots and Sportmax on my last BMW, I also have a tire hookup. I found the windscreen for $185. I agree on the Master cylinder and I am curious about the fuel pump, I should have been paying more attention, I cant recall if I heard it spin up or not....

Anyway, I am going to make a decision by Friday, appreciate all the feedback!!
 
@billo I will have to update my profile, I moved East years ago but thanks for the offer and yeah that one up in Jersey seems like a smoking deal.... someone should grab that....
 
Bust....ugghhhh... Called girly this am to go and see if I could collect this thing today.... she had sold it to a neighbor the day after I looked at it....

Serves me right....The bike was nice.... I should have closed it while I was there grrr... I def know better

Maybe there will be a new member from Southern TN with a nice low mile black ST....
 
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