The Motorcycle BBC calls “A Serious Threat to Life” - Honda Pan European Review

Quick Overview

The Honda ST1100 Pan European motorcycle earned a reputation as a "serious threat to life" following a 2007 coroner's inquest where a police officer died due to high-speed weave instability, leading 22 UK police forces to withdraw the bike from service, despite Honda maintaining its safety and noting that later generations addressed the issue with design changes like a steeper rake and shorter wheelbase.

Key Points: A 2007 BBC News report highlighted a coroner's inquest where a police bike was deemed a "serious threat to riders' lives" due to high-speed weave. Following the death of PC David Shreeve, 22 UK forces withdrew the Honda ST1300/ST1100 models from service after comprehensive safety checks. An examiner reported that the problem was "the worst weave on any bike he had tested in his career," after breaking his leg and fracturing both wrists in a separate test. The original 1990 Pan European featured a V4 90-degree, 1085cc engine timed by a belt, which was lighter than the chain used on race bikes. The successor Pan European (Gen 2) featured a steeper 27-degree rake and a shorter 61.2-inch wheelbase to mitigate the weave instability issue. The host notes that the bike's massive size and weight (heavy engine, huge seat, large fairings) contributed to its stable, but stubborn, handling, particularly in adverse conditions like snow. Despite the safety controversy, the Honda ST1100/ST1300 models were known for excellent range (up to 500 km) and features like integrated audio and linked braking systems (CBS-ABS).

Context: The video reviews the Honda ST1100 Pan European motorcycle, a popular touring bike from the 1990s, contrasting its high-mileage reliability and touring comfort with a serious safety controversy that erupted in the UK around 2007. This controversy stemmed from an inquest into the death of a police officer who crashed due to high-speed weave instability, leading to the temporary grounding of the police fleet of these motorcycles.

Detailed Analysis