Replacing Honda ST1100 Bulbs, Cracked it!!!

[Greencan]

Evenin' All...
Well the bike cleaned up well and so I set about replacing that blown low beam head lamp that others reminded me of at Blackheath, but before doing so I pondered just why, not just for me but others found this task so troublesome. And I think I have found the answer.

To start with after removing all the necessary panels, ABS controller,  electrical plug and it's cover boot; then before plunging my hand in and blindly begin pressing and manoeuvring the retaining clip in unsighted faith that it would release. I  first got a strong torch and mirror and studied just how the 'springing' action actually works, then holding the torch between my teeth I began to gently depress the top of the retaining spring when I realised that this simple action was not only moving the bent end that clips over the lug upwards, it was trying to release itself 'over' the top of the lug but was getting stuck. Why?

I then pushed a little harder while at the same time putting pressure so that the retaining clip would move upwards and outwards, and it released and folded down allowing easy removal of the u/s lamp and the adaptor ring.  But something was odd the tangs on both the lamp and the adapter ring were all at the same angles and on the lamp all in tacked, then the penny dropped. This lamp was one I had removed from bike 2 a few years back when I fitted a pair of adapter rings to it after it'd blown a lamp and I replaced both of them with H4 +50's and obviously brought the good lamp home with me. More on this latter.

Anyway, it didn't require much grey matter to work out that rim of the lamp + the added thickness in the way of the wee stainless steel adapter ring was the cause of the retaining clip getting 'stuck'. So what I did with the new lamp was first of all cut off all the tangs, then (this is the important bit), crush down and bend slightly back that area of the lamp where the tangs had been. (see Pics). Then fit the adaptor ring to the new lamp then place the 'combo' into its socket on the back of the headlight and re-fitted the retaining clip first time.

So, the solution is to make sure (if you are using H4's in conjunction with the adapter rings), to ensure that all the tangs are removed (in addition to folding down the 2 straight pins on the H4), and then flatten the remaining  area the tang was attached to before installing the adapter ring. It really made all the difference.


The 'Hybrid' blown lamp I removed and before I took to it with side cutters for the purpose of illustration


Tangs removed


Tangs remove + rim flattened

Now back to u/s lamp in the pics. OK, some years ago on the STOC site Guys were posting their efforts of un-soldering the 55 degree ring from the Honda OEM lamp, and resoldering it to a H4 lamp, having first removed it's ring. Well, this is one of those 'hybrid' lamps I have used to illustrate in the pics (now u/s). It was the one I kept from bike 2...and if you look closely, you'll see it has been resoldered obliquely, and not square.


The resoldered OEM Honda ring onto the H4, NB misalignment

Hope this helps.

Ciao, the can :)

[Greencan]

To start with after removing all the necessary panels, ABS controller,...

Oops...I had brakes on the brain lately...tis not the ABS controller that needs to moved, it's the Spark TCS whatsit, sorry 'bout that

[alans1100]

The only panel that really needs to be removed is the black panel under the headlight (that's what it is there for).......two phillips head screws. Sorry, That's it, nothing else. Turning the wheel left/right depending which globe will give you more room.
Remove leads from globes, pull off rubber boots, release spring clip (easier after the first two or three......done it a few times in six years) remove globes. Insert new globe/spacer, reverse removal procedure. The retaining clip shouldn't interfere with globe base as they never do on my 1100 as the clip is locked in beside and above the globe but can be tricky for the first few times ( it gets easier).

I bend over lower two tabs (have never cut them off) but the idea of flattening the rim would certainly locate the globe closer (if not) to it's correct position so I'll give that a go next time I need to replace a globe.

I've just put spacers in last week. LH side took about two minutes, however RH globe and spacer kept separating so it took a few minutes longer. But it still took about half an hour from start to finish for both globes. Sometimes I have more trouble locating the plug on the globe than anything else.

On the other hand, the first time I replaced a globe it took over an hour 'cause I couldn't locate the globe properly. I mean H4 came out so H4 should go in and it was a while before I found out that Honda had it's own H4 globes and the trick was to bend or remove the lower two location tabs on other H4 Globes. Until I found that out I just located the globe using the top tab and clipped the globe in and hoped for the best.

I heard about the spacers a bit later but mostly what I read seemed to say they weren't needed as bending/removing lower two tabs was enough. After a bit more reasearch I bought some and installed them last week. I'm also trying out 6000k Xenon bulbs and I would have to say that after the spacers went in that low beam is better than it has been in five years. High beam is good but driving lights improve it.

Hope that helps someone

[Greencan]

Arvo Alan et al...

The only panel that really needs to be removed is the black panel under the headlight (that's what it is there for).......two phillips head screws. Sorry, That's it, nothing else. Turning the wheel left/right depending which globe will give you more room... Remove leads from globes, pull off rubber boots, release spring clip (easier after the first two or three......done it a few times in six years) remove globes

Well I guess that one method that can be applied I guess, but as you say may take up to six years to perfect . But like Harry Montebello from ABC 'The Straits'...I too"...don't do knees." Furthermore I figure if I am going to be open enough and offer what I think is helpful advice for others I thought perhaps best if I cited the Manufacturers written procedures as a base standard to begin with.

I mean H4 came out so H4 should go in and it was a while before I found out that Honda had it's own H4 globes and the trick was to bend or remove the lower two location tabs on other H4 Globes

Well, again no actually. What Honda has fitted are proprietary lamps with 55 degree lower tangs on a deliberately oblique aligned base and with a specific length and positioned lamp and filament(s) to comply with Australian Designs Rules. H4 globes have a 45 degree tangs, a straight (or parallel), soldered retaining ring, and different focal length filaments matched for vehicles with suitable reflectors to accommodate H4 globes.

Begs the question my last statement... ...doesn't it!

Just a thought

Ciao, the can :)

[alans1100]

We are not doing much different, the manual says one thing but there's more than enough room by just removing the black panel only. The whole middle fairing inner cover seemed like overkill.

I never had an owners manual for my bike, still don't so it was finding the best way to replace a blown globe. The online manual I did find a fews years back doesn't  mention anything about replacing headlight globe. At first I tried removing screen and going in from the top, but not enough room and then noticed the panel below the headlight after. So it's all trial and error.

Globes:- I bought a couple sets from a Honda Dealer in Perth while I was there thinking they would go straight in. They were 45/45w globes but still had standard H4 base which I found out after I tried to put them in. I Still have one good one waiting for the day I can pair it up.

34901-MN5-003 Honda globe part number OEM for 45/45w globes. The same globe goes into US, Canada and Australia and so does the headlight lens.
The rest of the world uses standard H4 60/55w globes .

Description from this site says it's still H4 even though the base is different.

http://www.powersportsplus.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-34901-MN5-003.html?gclid=CPWxlqL6wq8CFcODpAodDjrSXw

[Bikebear]

I'm pretty sure the standard bulb is a H6. Not easy to source from spares shops. I bought a set of adapters that I haven't used yet, but when I need them they'll be there.

[Streak]

i found this on you tube...it is the European version though

Installing The Honda ST1100 HID Xenon Lights

american version

HID Install

I am lead to believe that U.K. & europe headlights have standard H4 sockets and the rest of the world need to use the Honda H4 globes as the headlights have the 'Honda' H4 socket.

A couple of pics to show the differences between the Honda and std H4's...notice that the retaining ring on the std globe is in a different position to the Honda ones...however the globe and base itself is the same length as the Honda globe...

[alans1100]

All good, but is you have ABS then the ABS module or whatever it is gets in the way above the headlight sockets....plus HID (high intensity discharge) as I understand it is not the same....HID's need a ballast to fire the bulb...the bulbs I have in mine are Xenon H4 (halogen)...these are not HID...

Cheers

Kev

The globes in that second video are the the same type (different brand) to what we have Kev and the pakaging has HID on it. Talk about misinformation, what hope is there if the company that makes the product doesn't label it right?

I had a negative comment on that  My MC sight about blue tinted globes and the lack of light down the road and that it was just a fashion statement. Funny, my light is way whiter on low beam than the standard H4 is on the road. I can actually see some of the road on low beam on the highway at night when I need to dip. The blue tint takes the glare away for oncoming motorists as well giving a whiter light.

Kev, there's three different 1100 headlights.

One for England which has the 60/55w H4 Globe. Flat low beam.
One for Europe with 60/55w H4 Globe but has the RH drive pattern on low beam (lights aim to right)
One for US, Canada and Australia with 45/45w H4 globes. Flat low beam. The 1100 headlights are seen as one headlight with two globes as there is no divider between the globes so the lower wattage is to suit US laws. I know our ADR specify a maximum brightness on low beam which might explain why we never got the English headlight assembly.




 

[Shaun]

Makes you feel sorry for manufacturers, having to deal with each country and its particular rules, hacking into their economies of scale.

[Greencan]

Hi Ya Guys...

Welllll...

Sorry but it wasn't my intention to upset the apple cart...but to make one think about the consequences of of "what if's" if push come to shove as it were with the authorities...In Victoria we do not have routine annual vehicle inspections...yet! But when I lived in the NT, they did, and if your vehicle didn't meet the annual inspection...well it could be costly. Presently in Victoria there is a 'push' for annual vehicle inspections where 'farkles' as some like to refer, could deem your bike un-roadworthy...just a thought :).

Apologies if it got people off-side

For what it's worth I have undertaken every service on my bike (green one), which I have had since new, from the day I got it in May 1998, apart from it's first which Mr Greg Snart from Honda MPE most kindly undertook for me free of charge...I figure or the total cost of servicing a bike, only 33% is on parts, the remainder is labour. So as I am saving >60%, I choose to keep my bike as original as possible...a win, win situation.

Another reason for going 'over the top' was this:


Dodgy seals



















$8.05 repair courtesy of Clark Rubber

Cioa, the can :)

[Greencan]

Evenin' Graham et al...

The vid from You Tube you posted is a tad mis-leading insomuch as the commentary refers to H4 HID's, which isn't right. HID, or High Intensity Discharge is vastly different from that of the 45% tang globes  of a parallel H4 lamp.

Kev's right. H4 is a generic spec. The Honda ST1100 globes are proprietary to suit the relevant Country  ( ta Shaun), hence the 55% lower tangs and the off set, as for the HID's...well they open up a whole new can off worms.

In many States in Australia, retro fitting of HID lighting is illegal (good reasons for that), this explanation I will cite is but one of em!

In 2004, while working as a Paramedic and a qualified Driving Instructor with Ambulance Victoria, I received an email form a Fellow with the NRMA who had been alerted of a case were a tow truck operator in Sydney was 'shocked' while attending a crash during which, trying to cut through (what he thought), was an energised 12 volt battery cable of a wrecked vehicle (to make it safe), was in fact a 300mm length of braided line for a remote capacitor for an aftermarket HID lighting system.

The estimated shock he received when the capacitor cable he inadvertently cut through de-energised was thought to be equivalent to be around 100 joules. This energy is pretty much equal to a bi-phasic cardiac (heart start), defibrillator. And IF one received an unintentional 'defibrillation' with energy at this level, it could reproduce a lethal electrical cardiac arrhythmia.

All I say is; be thoughtful about any modifications you do to you ST's...that's all 

Just a thought (or two).

Ciao, the can :)