Grace Said.: Meet Scarlet, The STX

Admit it, we all have our dream want i.e. dream car, dream camera, dream house etc. But whether or not you have the financial capability to have it, it will still be your dream purchase. You think of it from time to time, you research about it, you talk about it, you hope that some day, you can have it.

Well for dear, he has his dream bike too. He didn't actually have a specific brand, but he more or less narrowed to three brands - the Honda ST1300, Kawasaki Concourse 1400, and the Yamaha FJR 1300. These three types are known as Sport Touring Motorcycles, which are essentially manufactured in an attempt to blend performance with long-distance capabilities while providing comfort and relative safety to the rider. And since we've recently taken up bike touring in our neighboring country, getting a Sport Touring Motorcycle would definitely be our choice. Or rather, his choice.

Any how, I told him about my preference of getting the Honda ST1300, because I like the brand, and there is this particular color that I like - which is the dark glossy red. So with much persuasion, we pretty much settled on getting that as his dream bike.

Despite settling on the choice and having that "want" for some time, dear was sitting on the fence, which was a good kind of procrastination since Sport Touring Motorcycles are a hefty purchase. But one day, I surprised him by initiating and accompanying him to the bike shop where there was already a Red Honda ST1300 in stock. I shocked him further (after working the finances) that he could go ahead and buy. Ha ha! You should have seen the look on his face - both smile and glee and with his dropped jaw asking "Are you serious!?"

To cut the long story short, we went to collect his new purchase a week later. I named her Scarlet which the defined in the dictionary as 'of a brilliant red color'. Isn't she beautiful? (Picture taken from here)

Fortunately, I had the chance to pillion on Scarlet when we left the bike shop. To be honest, I was scared because there wasn't a top box (which his previous bike used to have) and I was afraid that I might be blown away or something to that extent. But surprise surprise, I felt very comfortable in it.

...

So here's my take on the Honda ST1300 from the pillion's perspective:

(Pardon my lack of technical terms)

The bike is very smooth. Unlike his Honda CB400 Boldor, the lunges from moving off are very much reduced. No sudden jerks, as the pick up is very smooth and gradual.

It is so comfortable. Did I mention how huge the pillion seat is? Gosh, sitting on it sure feels like sitting on a huge and thick padded cushion. Oh and the seating posture is fantastic. Everything just feels so right when I'm on it. And I recall yawning a few times because I was comfortable and relaxed. Hmmm, I don't know how else to explain.

It is so stable. I guess the heaviness and bulkiness of the bike adds to the overall stability. In fact, it is so stable and smooth that when it travels at 100km/h, it feels like you are traveling at 60km/h.

...

Well, I am excited about Scarlet's arrival, and am sure that dear is even more so than I am. Because with Scarlet, touring is going to be a breeze from now on :)

Possibly Related Posts:

Share This On: