ST1100 headlight types

[lonerider41life]

Hello,
I bought a 1998 Honda ST1100 CBS-ABS-TCS, 159000Km, which was a bit unused for a while. The motorcycle starts, the engine works well, the brakes are quite weak, it can be seen that it went to the bolts of the cylinder head protection covers, which cover the protection cover of the timing belt, but I do not have a history of service and requires minimal maintenance to be safe to operate. It had a lot of changes and additions in the electrical installation, which I removed to bring it up to standards. I have a doubt though. One of the former owners made an extension to use both low beam bulbs, although the headlight glass is not identical on both sides. Please, if you can help me with tips, to leave the connector for the short phase. The motorcycle was imported from Germany, it can be seen that it was lying on the left, I assume that the headlight was also damaged and may have been replaced. The engine code is SC26E, so I don't know if it's the EU or UK version and I don't know what type of headlight is fitted. I put a photo with his glass (which is on the motorcycle) and another photo with another type of headlight, which I assume should equip the model that has both bulbs connected on both phases, to see the differences in appearance. What "eye" need to have the low beam bulb connected? Thank you.

 

[Roger]

This may help... https://www.danielsternlighting.com/images/Codes.pdf

 

[ST1100Y]

One of the former owners made an extension to use both low beam bulbs, although the headlight glass is not identical on both sides.

When you check the wiring diagrams for the different European versions, you'll find that some nations had one low bulb energized, some again both low beams on... and all use the same E4 headlight assy for right hand side traffic (asymmetric low beam pattern with a right side upward kick, illuminating the shoulder, and lower on the left toward oncoming traffic...
(by regulations all my AR ST1100's, '92, '94, '96 and '00 had only the RHS low bulb energized, which a) looks a tad sloppy and b) can lead to getting pulled over for "half your headlight not working..."... naturally I've both low bulbs enabled, additional visibility and increased safety if one filament blow during night time...)

The other headlight assy in your pic shows a symmetric pattern, could origin from an area with left hand traffic (UK, Australia, NZ), or in a US spec model (it's socket wouldn't fit a H4 spec bulb though...)

 

[bdalameda]

When you check the wiring diagrams for the different European versions, you'll find that some nations had one low bulb energized, some again both low beams on... and all use the same E4 headlight assy for right hand side traffic (asymmetric low beam pattern with a right side upward kick, illuminating the shoulder, and lower on the left toward oncoming traffic...
(by regulations all my AR ST1100's, '92, '94, '96 and '00 had only the RHS low bulb energized, which a) looks a tad sloppy and b) can lead to getting pulled over for "half your headlight not working..."... naturally I've both low bulbs enabled, additional visibility and increased safety if one filament blow during night time...)

The other headlight assy in your pic shows a symmetric pattern, could origin from an area with left hand traffic (UK, Australia, NZ), or in a US spec model (it's socket wouldn't fit a H4 spec bulb though...)

You are correct -the US versions have a modified H4 bulb so a standard H4 will not fit without making modifications, there are adaptor rings to allow a standard H4 to fit the US housings. UK and some other Euro. countries have a more symmetrical lense and light beam pattern. These also take a standard H4 bulb. I bought one of these housings from the UK and put it on my US ST1100. It was far better than the clipped off beam pattern of the US lense. I did not know that any ST1100's had single one-bulb low beams. I've never heard that before.

 

[spiderman302]

Hmmm.
To answer your direct question the left side in the 1st picture is the high beam side and the right is low beam.
the low side has more grooves in the lens to spread out the light. the hi side has fewer grooves to make a brighter spot.

But you could light up the hi side with the low filament as well, this would give you a nice hot spot in the middle of low beam pattern.
this low beam lens looks like it was designed for RH traffic. top tab of the H4 is straight up.
But motorcycles are usually set for a flat beam (like the second fixture) so that LH vs RH does not matter.
the second fixture is symmetrical so you could use either for a single low beam if that is required by your country.
But a single halogen bulb is not enough light to ride faster than 30 mph....

Both assembly's are marked for H4 bulbs.
I will vote that you try to make the headlight in the bike work with both low beam filaments - so keep and use the extension.

 

[lonerider41life]

Thanks all for your answers. I fond a guy that have a 1994 ST1100, with same headlight glass. For low beam, left side (as riding) of headlight are on, so I modify mine like that.

 

[Niall]

When you check the wiring diagrams for the different European versions, you'll find that some nations had one low bulb energized, some again both low beams on... and all use the same E4 headlight assy for right hand side traffic (asymmetric low beam pattern with a right side upward kick, illuminating the shoulder, and lower on the left toward oncoming traffic...
(by regulations all my AR ST1100's, '92, '94, '96 and '00 had only the RHS low bulb energized, which a) looks a tad sloppy and b) can lead to getting pulled over for "half your headlight not working..."... naturally I've both low bulbs enabled, additional visibility and increased safety if one filament blow during night time...)

The other headlight assy in your pic shows a symmetric pattern, could origin from an area with left hand traffic (UK, Australia, NZ), or in a US spec model (it's socket wouldn't fit a H4 spec bulb though...)

How did you manage to wire it so that both bulbs are enabled on low beams ? I would like to do this on my ST1100 as the lighting could be a LOT better. I have just gotten LED Bulbs and will try fit them today!

 

[lonerider41life]

How did you manage to wire it so that both bulbs are enabled on low beams ? I would like to do this on my ST1100 as the lighting could be a LOT better. I have just gotten LED Bulbs and will try fit them today!

Hello.
I don't have the motorcycle anymore (I changed it to a GL1500), but I attached a wire to the plug in the left low beam connector and mounted another plug in the right low beam connector to the right bulb. I passed this wire through a separate switch, near right poket key lock, so that I could only use this right low beam bulb when needed and not permanently overload the electrical installation...

 

[Niall]

Hello.
I don't have the motorcycle anymore (I changed it to a GL1500), but I attached a wire to the plug in the left low beam connector and mounted another plug in the right low beam connector to the right bulb. I passed this wire through a separate switch, near right poket key lock, so that I could only use this right low beam bulb when needed and not permanently overload the electrical installation...

Thanks for your reply! Do think that running a wire to the unconnected leg of the bulb from the low beam relay ( effectively mirroring the low beam setup on the left lamp ) would overload the electrical system, even using LED bulbs which draw much less power?

Regards
Niall

 

[lonerider41life]

You could mirroring the low beam setup to the other lamp. I think LED lamp drain low current if these are low power than halogen lamp (LED bulbs are measured in lumen, I guess) so the LED light lumen could be aprox. wattage light from classic or halogen bulbs at low ampers. I am not specialist in that. Maybe if I had a stronger battery (16A or more) I probably would have connected both bulbs directly, without that switch, meanwhile, I didn't want it to be an additional load on the alternator (the 12A battery on the st1100 being a bit small for additional consumption)