changing headlight bulbs

kip

Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Messages
4
Location
New Zealand
Bike
no bike at pres
I assumed all H4's are the same, not so. Like others, my first attempt at removing bulbs was a challenge. until a mirror and a good light showed the intricacies of the bail location. I was put off by the Honda dealer's price for a genuine bulb (NZD64), only 45w/45 and only one in stock (two weeks delivery from Japan!). I went for normal H4's at 30% of that cost. I then discovered why the blown bulbs had two tags removed and I am relieved to find on the forum that I can bend them/cut them and have a good outcome. Interesting about the shims also. Thank you all for tips and advice.
 
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Messages
39
Location
Arlington,Tx
First off, Thanks to all for the pics,etc making the bulb change fairly easy... I had to change them at 10K miles as the left high beam on the stock bulb quit. I put in the Osram H4 SilverStars 55/60 and it was a pain... Now at 20.6 K miles the left low went away... I just put in the Osram Rallye 70/65 +50 H4 bulbs, we'll see how long they last... Install went fairly easy...
The biggest problem I had was getting the connector centered/started in the boot so I could slide it back on the bulb... 2 things that seemed to work for me, I've got smaller hands and coming in from the top worked well... Also, not wanting to touch the bulbs, after I used gloves to bend the tabs back I took the gloves back off and used one of those little gripper things (little wire things a couple of foot long that have the four jaws that come out when you press the end) to pull out the old bulbs and put the new bulbs in... You can just guide the bulb in to the socket and release it... Then you can grab the rear of the bulb to get it the right spot and put the clip back on... Yall try it maybe it'll help...

Thanks again for all the help and advice...

Kevin
 

joesmoe3

Happy Home
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
13
Location
Chantilly, Virginia
STOC #
5372
I'm wondering what is the wattage limit given the ST1300's wiring. Too long since I've been in there -- does the ST1300 use a relay set-up, or is all power running through the light switch and so on ? I ask because I'd like to put 85/80 Watt bulbs in this time.
 
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Messages
288
Location
Hamilton, NJ
Bike
2007 ST1300abs
STOC #
6472
Yesterday I got to try this again. On my cross country trip last Fall my left Osram 70/65 bulb burned out near Portland. While my buddy's Roadglide spent the entire day at the HD Dealer getting a major engine malfunction repaired (compensator, $1,000 warrant repair), I tried many, many times to release the tabs of the wire connector as I had the oem bulbs in my topbox as spares for the trip. Could not get them off, so right before closing time I rode a mile or so from our motel for the night back to the Honda Dealer that had done a oil and spark plug change for me that morning. Took two mechanic 15 minutes to get the old bulb out...the connector tabs were being difficult, but also the connector itself was stuck on the bold connections. Eventually got it. But that was an oem dim bulb. So I put a new Osram in yesterday. Tabs released easily...go figure...and had no issue getting the bulb out . I had originally used the shimsto use and tried them again...kept falling off the bulb and I have fat hands so no fun. Put the bulb in without the tab and had to fiddle with the bail to get in on and the the rubber boot kept blocking one of the bulb connections..took about 30 minutes and a lot of frustration but the left is done. The right still has the first Osram, still going strong....new Osram de-tabbed and dielectric grease applied to connections and stored in topbox ready for deployment.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
118
Age
64
Location
Duluth, Minnesota
Bike
2006 ST1300
STOC #
8279
Have I mentioned lately how helpful this forum is?

Yesterday my wife mentioned to me that my left low-beam was out. So last night I read the posts and today replaced both bulbs in under ten minutes. Nice.

Thanks again!!
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
3,357
Age
52
Location
Rindge, NH
Bike
2006 ST1300
I got to practice this Saturday. While I didn't have to remove the actual bulbs, I did have to remove the connectors due to a dead battery, several hours with the engine at idle, and the electric fan running. I needed to reduce the electrical draw so before push-starting the ST I unplugged both bulbs. No plastic removal- but I will warn that a nearly 100 degree day, hot asphalt putting off heat, and a very hot engine make for a not so fun project. The connectors came off easy enough- it was just jamming my hands down into a VERY hot space, and bumping into hot objects in the vicinity that was a pain (literally!) Fortunately it worked like a charm- once the engine was started the battery was able to charge with the lights off. THREAD IS HERE.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
70
Location
Franklin, MA
Bike
2004 ST1300
Thank you all for the great tips on replacement headlight bulbs. I found Mellow's method on going in from underneath to be the easiest. After 30 years of volleyball and countless sprained thumbs, it doesn't make it easy to squeeze the tabs on the connector. But once the correct position was found, it slipped right off. The clip also took a few minutes to figure out exactly where and which way to push and slide, but it came off fairly easy as well. Putting everything back was even easier once I figured out how the clips needed to move in reverse.

I replaced the one of the OEM bulb with a Silverstar H4 ST 60/55W. Looking at the lights, it doesn't seem like there is any different, other than the color. So I did a quick test using a DSLR camera. I aim the bike against a wall, cover one side completely and aim the camera at the center of the bright spot on the wall and got a shutter speed reading. Then I did the same with the other side covered. The OEM required a shuttle speed of 1/30 sec. and the Silverstar needed a 1/50 sec shuttle speed. I did it again with a lower ISO and got a 1/5 sec for OEM and 1/8 for Silverstar. I don't know the exact formula to calculate how much brighter the Silverstar is. I just know it is brighter.

It's just funny when I read the "Key Features" list on Sylvania's website on the Silverstar:


  • Up to 40% increased downroad visibility*
  • Increased peripheral visibility by up to 50%*
  • Up to 50% brighter light*


The asterisk is listed lower down the page:

*Compared to worn standard halogen

 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,111
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
Practicing with the old bulb is great advice too. Anything touching the glass will bring oil and shorten the life.
Halogen lamps do not like finger oil. When you turn them on the oils react with the quartz envelope and can shorten the life of the bulb. I've heard that the lamp can even explode from the pressures within acting on a weakened point. So, if you do touch the glass, simply wipe it with alcohol and start over. In a pinch, (if you are using scotch or vodka to clean the lamp) you can even wash away the frustration of trying to replace these bulbs by having a drink.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
829
Location
Medina, Tennessee
Bike
2021 Tracer 9GT
STOC #
375
I put a new headlight unit in my 10 year old ST1300 recently and discovered that the new unit would not allow me to utilize the spacer/adaptors for H4 bulbs. The problem is that the spring clip that holds the bulb in cannot engage in the slot at its free end due to a small "nub" that has appeared on the socket on the newer unit. This may be true for newer bikes as well, don't know. Honda has succeded in making a job that is a PITA even more so with this new feature. Even with the spacer removed, the spring interface is still tight. Hopefully I won't have to do this job again before I get rid of the bike. My hands are just too big and I end up with multiple lacerations!
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
316
Location
Jacksonville FL
Bike
06 ST1300A
STOC #
8729
GGGRRRR is right. I spent 3 hours trying to get the first bulb replaced. After bleeding from both hands and even getting my wife's hands bloody I called on DDuelin here on the forum. He replaced them in less time than it took me to find the flashlight so I could watch and learn. Thanks Dave!
 

ibike2havefun

Still above the sod
Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
2,762
Location
Rockville, MD, USA
Bike
Bikeless (9/29/2019)
STOC #
8824
Grrr

Left headlight bulb
25,050 miles
69,550 miles
84,500 miles
113.000 miles
Left side bulb on mine quit as well- noticed it for the first time yesterday @ 36,000-ish. Dunno whether it had been replaced by the OO before that as no maintenance records came with the bike.

A bit of Googling leads me to believe this is a common problem on the ST1300, much like the stuck thermostat. Evidently the wiring design is such that it leaves the left bulb vulnerable to failure. Solution appears to be a replacement harness (another member in another ST forum recommended replacing the stock harness with the H4 Dual Relay Kit from Eastern Beaver - about 2/3 of the way down the page).

So, it looks as though I may get to make yet another trip through the fairing removal and reinstallation process sometime soon. I am beginning to understand why it is that so many experienced ST owners assured me that it gets easier through repeated practice- they have been there done that, curing all of the little ills I am now running into. Soon I'll be in their number, apparently.

Meantime, I may take the easy way out at the acknowledged price of greater long-term expense and "just" replace the dead bulb for the time being, knowing that a future project will be to do the job properly with a replacement harness. (Do a job badly and you guarantee having to do it again...)
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Shell Knob, MO.
Bike
2006 ST1300
Spent an hour trying the disconnect the headlight, frustrating. Spent a few minutes searching and found this thread. Should have started here. After the review and the photo, resumed the project and finished with in about 20 minutes. Thanks to all who share their experiences.

Ron
 
Top Bottom