Replacing ST1100 Taillight Bulbs

Trying to pull tail light assembly off of my '96 to access the tail lights.
Have four screws (two underneath and two inside the real cowl) but nada moving.

The back-story: Installed an Audio vox cruise control back home in Bethesda for cross-country trip to San Diego and return through Des Moines.
Test rode on Sunday afternoon but it didn't work. Had run out of time because was heading west on Tuesday morning early. (Will post 2 1/2 days of rain and %$#@ northern cross winds one day).
So, warm and dry at my sister's house in Spring, Texas, I trouble shot the system. Bingo a few volts at the purple wire because of the back voltage from the LED brake flashers in back.

Cure: Isolate the LEDs by feeding them through a relay.

Dunno how the PO had hooked them up but their wires dissapear into the taillight module. Lacking the manual (I optimiscally left it home) I'm out of ideas (but have some choice cuss words

Carl in Spring, Texas <carl.custer@gmail.com>

Carl, it's been awhile since I fussed with the 1100s tail light bulbs, but IIRC, - depending of course on what farkles may be crammed into the area, you can access the bulbs by unclipping each side of the black plastic "tool tray" that's in front of the bulbs, and fold/force it forward and down to access the bulbs.

Fred has it just right. That's how I've always done it.

Thanks guys.:bow1:
Yeah, the tray full with three "black boxes" and one big fuse block.
Guess I'll hook the purple wire to a relay and clean out that tray when I get home in November. :

Fred D said:

Carl, it's been awhile since I fussed with the 1100s tail light bulbs, but IIRC, - depending of course on what farkles may be crammed into the area, you can access the bulbs by unclipping each side of the black plastic "tool tray" that's in front of the bulbs, and fold/force it forward and down to access the bulbs.

Click to expand...

I know this is an old thread, but I'm trying to swap out the tails with LEDs. I'm finding it difficult to get to the bulls :-( ! What's this black plastic tool box? Is it the original tool box area?

I'm trying to get to the bulbs from the rear outside. I've a few pictures. I thought I could remove the plastic red/amber thingy and change the bulbs -is this not possible?



There seems to be some adhesive bond there. :-D

The tool box is under the seat, there is a fold down panel towards the rear

Fred D said:

...you can access the bulbs by unclipping each side of the black plastic "tool tray" that's in front of the bulbs, and fold/force it forward and down to access the bulbs.

Click to expand...

...which is why you ought to consider this access point when installing farkles...
I've therefore velcroed (industrial grade) items like intercom, alarm, etc... into the compartment...

Avtrician said:

The tool box is under the seat, there is a fold down panel towards the rear

Click to expand...

Thank you Brock, I'll go at it from the tool box. So I do not need to remove any rear-fairing, I just need to get the seat off & remove the tool box fold-down panel. Thanks a lot! I'll post back with updates.

Regards,
Vishnu

thepaleobiker said:

I just need to get the seat off & remove the tool box fold-down panel.

Click to expand...

hmm-yes... kinda RTFM-issue ;-)

[h=3]Taillight Maintenance Cover[/h]

• Push the flaps of the document compartment in and back against the sides of the document compartment (1).
• Pull the rear of the document compartment up toward the front (2).

Source: http://www.pan-europe.utvinternet.ie/owners_manual/maintenance.htm

Ha ha thank you Good Sir I humbly concede its a real RTFM issue :banghead:- I have a big fat Hayes Manual & I should be reading it thoroughly before posting here.

I'll post updates & pictures, for the others with potential RTFM symptoms After all, "Its smart to learn from your mistakes, but its smarter to learn from other's mistakes"

Thank you again !

Regards,
Vishnu

ST1100Y said:

hmm-yes... kinda RTFM-issue ;-)

Taillight Maintenance Cover

• Push the flaps of the document compartment in and back against the sides of the document compartment (1).
• Pull the rear of the document compartment up toward the front (2).

Source: http://www.pan-europe.utvinternet.ie/owners_manual/maintenance.htm

Click to expand...

I do have a recommendation other than LEDs:

http://kisantech.com/mag/index.php/tailblazer.html?p=1

I have these on my bike and I love the fact that they flash the people behind you- I alse have an LED llicense plate frame with built in tail light. It's a little more money but well worth the flashing to other drivers (and takes really no significant time to install).

thepaleobiker said:

I have a big fat Hayes Manual & I should be reading it thoroughly before posting here.

Click to expand...

LOL! :lol:
"Banalities" like how to replace bulbs aren't to be found in a workshop-manual, their dealt with in the Owners Manual. :grin:

Reminds me when I got my first ST1100 in '92 (which in fact was my very firST motorcycle ever...), I didn't even have the licence back then, in fact still was in riding-school, but I spent an entire afternoon, studding the Owners Manual page by page while working myself from nose to tail and top to bottom of that wonderful machine... reverently...

Thank you Bob! I do appreciate the advice very much, I happen to have LED hyperlites? Those tiny super flashy things . I was considering the LED switch also because of the allure of reduced current draw : :

I'll be performing this swap in a few hours (hopefully!!) Will share some pics soon.

Regards,
Vishnu

Erdoc48 said:

I do have a recommendation other than LEDs:

http://kisantech.com/mag/index.php/tailblazer.html?p=1

I have these on my bike and I love the fact that they flash the people behind you- I alse have an LED llicense plate frame with built in tail light. It's a little more money but well worth the flashing to other drivers (and takes really no significant time to install).

Click to expand...

Ok the swap was successful. I was able to reach the bulbs, it was simple, thanks to the help given above :-D

1) Remove seat, reach the tool pouch, pull the two tabs inward and fold the back plastic panel forward, exposing the 4 bulb holders







After installing, I can definitely see that the lights are brighter. In the video below, 3 bulbs are LED and the left turn light is still a halogen bulb, for comparison.

[video=youtube;sEKRbmXlFxE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEKRbmXlFxE[/video]

Hope the pics & video helps whoever comes along next on this path.

Regards,
Vishnu

thepaleobiker said:

...I can definitely see that the lights are brighter.

Click to expand...

I always wonder why the tail-light of the US spec ST's isn't fully illuminated, but shows that dark, trapeze shaped spot in the centre?
They must have made a different reflector-mould, dividing the tail-light into two chambers...

On the EC spec tail-light the full Celon is illuminated, by position as well as brake lights...

Yes , you are right - The two red brake lights are in separate compartments and there's a divider in between them. If you look a little closely at the 2nd picture in my previous post, you can see the two red brake light bulb holders and a relatively large space between them. Its solid metal cast/frame there.

So the Euro spec bikes have it different you say? Interesting. Maybe its something to do with specific laws (I'm no expert, pure speculation). Like how the Headlights in US bikes arent true H4/55W.

Regards,
Vishnu

ST1100Y said:

I always wonder why the tail-light of the US spec ST's isn't fully illuminated, but shows that dark, trapeze shaped spot in the centre?
They must have made a different reflector-mould, dividing the tail-light into two chambers...

On the EC spec tail-light the full Celon is illuminated, by position as well as brake lights...

Click to expand...

You can spot it on this ex police bike:

http://youtu.be/LXN9AizAW0Q

thepaleobiker said:

Yes , you are right - The two red brake lights are in separate compartments and there's a divider in between them. If you look a little closely at the 2nd picture in my previous post, you can see the two red brake light bulb holders and a relatively large space between them. Its solid metal cast/frame there.

So the Euro spec bikes have it different you say? Interesting. Maybe its something to do with specific laws (I'm no expert, pure speculation). Like how the Headlights in US bikes arent true H4/55W.

Regards,
Vishnu

Click to expand...

Years ago, I wound up with the rear end pretty much disassembled (to get to the broken seat latch). While I had the rear light assy out, I cut into the center portion and wired in a pair of red led strips inside it. They're the ones that blink for 5 seconds or so when the brake is applied and then go on solid.

I've never seen anyone else with that farkle.

BudC said:

I've never seen anyone else with that farkle.

Click to expand...

IIRC did Ted Norris install a 3rd, dual filament bulb in his... many moons ago...

ST1100Y said:

IIRC did Ted Norris install a 3rd, dual filament bulb in his... many moons ago...

Click to expand...

Don't remember that. I don't think I've seen Ted since the first Colorado Westoc, and he had the sidecar then... or that memory could be just another senior moment .