Best Headlight Replacement Bulbs??

[Pete in PA]

Well I went with GE Nighthawk bulbs. Good light and picked them up at Wally World. I AM using the shims and after going back and forth with and without I think the shims are needed. I now can swap bulbs in less than 5 minutes.

 

[Fortunet 1]

FYI, shims are needed for the ST1100, but . . . not the ST1300.

Shuey

Can we get a consences here !!?? NO SHIMS ON 1300 ST's using a standard H4/9003 Osram & loosing the bottom two tabs !!! RIGHT ???

 

[Mellow]

Can we get a consences here !!?? NO SHIMS ON 1300 ST's using a standard H4/9003 Osram & loosing the bottom two tabs !!! RIGHT ???

Your choice to use them or not but I never have and have never had any problems.

 

[Fortunet 1]

Your choice to use them or not but I never have and have never had any problems.

I REST MY CASE !! After reading this ENTIRE thread..I dont want to hear ANYONE say that "OH shims are needed !! Its DONE, OVER ,KAPUT !! Yeeeeah !!

:bow1: Thanks Joe !

 

[Gator]

Well that was $10 not spent.

Guess I'll have to PP this site with the savings.

 

[FED50H]

I was running stock 45Watt and one Silverstar bulb. When I went to Pep Boys they had one motolight. Made for motorcycles with an orange tint. It is supposed to give you 50 feet more of light. I noticed a difference right away. Riding home last night I could see much further than before. I can't see the orange tint, but I can see the difference in distance. Too bad they only had one. I am happy with the combination till one burns out. For what it is worth, I just bend the bottom tabs back. They haven't slipped or moved and the roads around DC aren't the smoothest.

 

[Old Glory]

I'm exhausted reading this thread. About three years ago I replaced the stock ST1300 headlamps with Osram 70/65W Bilux H4 with P43t base. I can't tell if any of the bulbs recommended in this thread are exactly these, or a replacement if the ones I bought are no longer manufactured. Can anyone give me a source for replacing the Osrams I already have (the left burned out the high beam).

Thanks,
John-

 

[FED50H]

I finally replaced the other stock headlight with another motolight. I had to order it. Best thing I have done. The motolights are a huge improvement. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a replacement.

 

[Bentone23]

I'll buy the shims from you! I just put H4 Sylvania 60/55 standard bulbs in ($19.00 at AutoZone) that say Osram on the back. They are simular to the 45 watt Honda ones with the differences being size of the filaments and the tabs.
I had trouble with removing the plugs. I read more posts in this thread and had the windsheild, dash cover, 2 side lower covers and a few other plastics off for electrical additions. But I found it easiest to remove the plastic cover under the headlight and sit in front of the front wheel on a stool and face the headlight. Using waterpump pliers (handles in one hand and jaws in the other) I guided the jaws over the forward part of the tabs, squeezed the pliers until the locks released. The plugs came off easy then. I then printed a picture from the post showing the back side of the bulb installed and reaching in the same way, I looked at the picture on my knee and felt around for the bail release and the bail swung out of the way. The bulb came out easily.
I then took a pair of vice grips and closed them tightly right on the line where I wanted to cut off the 2 bottom tabs on the new bulbs. I then locked them and bent the tabs back and forth 1 and a half times and they came right off. I hand filed the area with a file til smooth.
After sitting again in the same spot, I looked through the lens and saw the bulbs when they were lined up and swung the bail closed.
My issue is this, the bulbs rock slightly back and forth to the left and right with the bails holding them. Will this vibrate at speed? Should I get the shims? I have the ST1100 of 2002 vintage.

 

[Rick77]

Should I get the shims? I have the ST1100 of 2002 vintage.

Shims are required for the ST1100.

 

[Bentone23]

Shims are required for the ST1100.

Just bought shims for $21 including shipping.

Bruce

 

[scootac]

Anything new on this front?
Need one for the RIGHT side!

 

[Andrew Shadow]

1. I mentioned something about the DOT having a restriction of 90W on bulbs in individual housings. His reply, and I paraphrase: There is no such
90W DOT limitation on headlamp wattage, though various rumors of limitations like this are quite persistent on the internet.

Not sure about this. From what I understand the Federal Motor Safety Standard No. 108 applies to all motor vehicle headlamps. It lists various maximums for different types of headlamps. The maximum listed for any type is 70 watts for high beam on one type and 65 watts for low beam on another type. I did not bother to research what type the ST 1300 has to determine maximum allowables or even if this is still the latest standard.

You can have a look here;

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2004-title49-vol5/xml/CFR-2004-title49-vol5-sec571-108.xml

 

[Jefro]

Just replaced my left headlight with the Osram Rallye 64205 70/65W Ultra-high efficacy +50 H4.
It is really amazing and a significant upgrade from the ok stock bulb.
Just broke off the 2 extra tabs and installed without any extra rings.
Did the installation from below the headlight housing.
I got 2 bulbs for $35 with free shipping from Candlepower.com. Easy people to deal with, and shipped very quickly.
Jefro.

http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html

 

[Kzneft]

Has anyone tried the PIAA bulbs ? They make six different bulbs. I was thinking of the H4 Star White Antivibration Halogen bulb. Has anyone tried these and what was their results ?

Also does the ST1300 use the same bulb for both the high beam and low beam?

 

[Shuey]

Has anyone tried the PIAA bulbs ? They make six different bulbs. I was thinking of the H4 Star White Antivibration Halogen bulb. Has anyone tried these and what was their results ?

Also does the ST1300 use the same bulb for both the high beam and low beam?

I've tried all the PIAA H4s. The primary difference between them is brightness and color. I prefer the GTX-Super Plasma bulbs as providing the best distance lighting for both low and high beams.
• H4 Star White: 60/55w with 110/100 equivalent output
• H4 GT-X Super Plasma: 60/55w with 135/125 equivalent output
Both are anti-vibration. The GT-X bulbs have a slight purplish look on low beam and are bight white on high beam.

All the H4 bulbs provide both low and high beam lighting.

Note: for your ST and any of these H4 bulbs you DO NOT need the shims. Period.

When picking up a new bike I've replaced the stock bulbs with H4s before rolling out the first mile on my last two STs as well as my current FJR. So . . . what are you waiting for? They're all brighter than the stock bulbs!

Great seeing you at FLSTOC,
Shuey

 

[Kzneft]

Ok, that does it. I will be ordering them today. Thanks for the info Shuey !

 

[Shuey]

The next step forward will be when someone makes a stock bulb replacement . . . in a LED! Brighter, cheaper and lower power draw; I can hardly wait.

Shuey

 

[ST Gui]

I'm wondering what the new Hondas' LED headlight "bulb" are like. Pricey, and could they *possibly* be utilized in another bike? Say? an ST1300. How creative and intensive would the conversion be. And would it cure the Left Headlight syndrome. Just wondering'.

Brighter, cheaper and lower power draw

It'll be "pick any two" for a while, when it does start.

 

[ddemair]

I'm planning on replacing the stock bulbs, but something I've noticed (and hope is not true for replacement bulbs) is that on high beam, I get a lot of reflection from traffic signs... almost too much.

If I adjust the headlight lower, it reduces the reflection, but then the low beams are too low. Anyone else notice this?