2001 St1100 Europe only one headlamp lights..

[drawderm]

On European bikes, only the left head lamp is on when the dipped headlight is selected even though both headlamp bulbs has standard h4 bulbs with two filaments. The wiring loom going to the right headlamp on my bike only has two wires whereas the wiring loom plug going to the left headlamp has three wires. Think this is somethjng to do with EU regs from the late 90s which no longer exist.

In order to get to both headlamps to light when dipped, i have put a new plug on the right h4 bulb and connected the three wires to the left plug. This is an order to ensure that both headlamps light up regardless of whether high beam or dipped beam is selected.

Does anyone foresee any problems with this in terms of an extra load on the relay for the left headlamp given that it is now lighting two bulbs? Also any issues with the alternator having to light an extra h4 bulb all the time when normally it only has to cope with one?

 

[Larry Fine]

As long as both bulbs are fed through the relays, they will handle the current just fine, as will the alternator.

 

[drawderm]

As long as both bulbs are fed through the relays, they will handle the current just fine, as will the alternator.

Thanks.. willl post a pic of what ive done..

 

[drawderm]

Yellow, blue and red wires are connected to new H4 plug on right headlamp. These are connected to appropiate wires going to original left H4 socket. However, its all going through the same relay.. I'm guessing North American bikes only have one relay for both dipped headlamps and not one for each headlamp?

Old h4 socket with only two wires now redundant and shown for reference only.

 

[Larry Fine]

I'm guessing North American bikes only have one relay for both dipped headlamps and not one for each headlamp?

We have one relay for both bulbs' dipped beams and one relay for both bulbs' high beams.

 

[Uncle Phil]

The ones in the States have both bulbs on when on high beam.
I can't imagine Mother Honda using different relays or alternators on European ST1100s versus USA ST1100s.
You should be just fine.

 

[Capital]

I had EU ST11 model, both low beam bulbs lit up. Not sure if it was like that from factory (based on market), or PO hacked it. But everything was in order, so don’t worry about fixing it

 

[Larry Fine]

In my Clymer manual, different markets have different wiring diagrams, so there is no one right way.

 

[CYYJ]

...to get to both headlamps to light when dipped...

Uh, be careful and do a bit more research before you start making wiring changes.

The headlight assembly - meaning, the glass lens at the front and the reflector assemblies that surround the bulbs - is very different between North American spec bikes that are designed to have two bulbs lit on low [dipped] beam and European spec bikes that are designed to have only one bulb lit on low beam.

You might just find that the side of the headlight that is normally not illuminated during low beam operation has a reflector pattern and/or glass lens pattern that is only intended for high beam use. In other words, if you wire things up so that both bulbs are operating at the same time, you might create a situation in which you are constantly blinding oncoming drivers because one side of the headlamp is only designed for high beam operation.

If you were on the continent, I would suggest sourcing a North American headlight assembly, but because you are in the UK (right hand drive) you are out of luck in that respect, there is no such thing as a headlight assembly designed for two low beam bulbs operating with a RHD pattern.

Michael

 

[STeve A.]

My UK spec ST1100 has both low beams lit and has lens & reflectors which give correct beam pattern for UK spec i.e. RHD?
Why do you say no such thing ?
If euro spec head lamps are different, UK spec headlamp assemblies readily available on e bay last time I looked..

 

[Upt' North]

I'm sure we've been here before.
Some UK bikes had both dip beams from the factory. Can't say it was all but I believe most did.
The dip pattern is also flat so doesn't favour left or right hand drive. Again I can't say this was all UK bikes but it seems the norm.
I've ridden 97, 98 and 2001 ST's and they all had two dipped beams.
Upt.

 

[STeve A.]

Just been out & checked, and you are correct, dip beam is flat...
Did you sell your ST Upt ?
Yours is the only other Tasmanian Green I have seen.

 

[Upt' North]

Just been out & checked, and you are correct, dip beam is flat...
Did you sell your ST Upt ?
Yours is the only other Tasmanian Green I have seen.

Yes sold last year to a nice chap from Edinburgh.
Enjoy your 11.
Upt.

 

[STeve A.]

Yes sold last year to a nice chap from Edinburgh.
Enjoy your 11.
Upt.

Cheers Buddy, Don't get out much these days, Not parting with mine yet though.
All The Best...

 

[drawderm]

Well just to update, ive fitted a new connector to the right headlamp and used scotch lock connectors to connect to wires on left headlamp. No issues with beam on the right headlamp and both light up fine!

Thanks everyone

 

[ST1100Y]

In my Clymer manual, different markets have different wiring diagrams, so there is no one right way.

Actually an old topic... my-mc.com and that
Back in the day I did an intense P/N research & comparison on ST1100 headlights...
EC spec headlights with H4 bulbs have the RH upward kick in the light pattern, plus, depending on designated sales region/local regulations, had either one or both low beams active
and then there was this strange discovery:
US spec models (RHS traffic, lower wattage bulbs), as well as Oz spec (LHS traffic) use the same assy, hence must have a symmetrical light pattern...
Only the UK spec had a unique P/N over the H4 bulbs used (and again there where some with either one or both low beams connected...)
Conclusion is that any headlight assy can handle two regular H4 bubs without any issues (as my AR designated ST's do since years)

I would however not advise using anything with more then the regular 60/55 watt H4 lamps in there, a) for overloading the wiring/electric system, b) possibly overheating/dulling the reflectors
Early EC spec ST's had no relay for the low beam, routed directly through the RHS switch-pod... installing higher wattage, "rally type" H4 lamps did often result in melting switches.
US spec bikes always had the lights hard-wired, hence always had relays for both, high & low beams

source: wiring diagrams in the OEM Honda workshop manual... and my aging memory-banks...

 

[ST1100Y]

... and used scotch lock connectors to connect to wires on left headlamp.

umph... IMHO a failure waiting to happen... especially considering the English weather over there, and the tendency for year round usage with brine on the roads...
Scotch locks are cutting into the wires plus aren't sealed in any way, perfect recipe for corrosion, failing connections, breaking wires...
I'd use a more rigid and waterproof form of connectors... but that's my 2 cents worth...

 

[Erdoc48]

I’m late to this thread- saw the other one about ST1100s in the Swiss Alps years ago on tour (the video shows all the 1100s with just the one side illuminated)- if a European/ UK bike is lighting both sides of the headlight assembly, does it pass an MOT? Doesn’t matter here in the US (in SC, even extra lights are fine as are LEDs as long as not red or blue up front), but I was just wondering.

 

[ST1100Y]

- if a European/ UK bike is lighting both sides of the headlight assembly, does it pass an MOT?

Despite Austria being among the "one eyed" regions, I was flagged down by a LEO and reminded "to get that fixed" back in early spring of '93...
So I did "the mod" and never had an issue about both low beams running during the annual inspections...
(some did raise an eyebrow over the running lights, but this faded due to current models featuring this OEM now...)
As long as light pattern and beam height are correct, plus no glare or scatter are detected (hence no LED mods over here), all is fine...

 

[Roger]

Scotch locks are cutting into the wires plus aren't sealed in any way, perfect recipe for corrosion, failing connections, breaking wires...

I quite agree, - and then again I have had scotch locks in the 1100 tail without any problem for the last 24 years for some trailer wiring.