I have no low beam... except when I slap....

I pulled both bulbs from my headlight. BOTH are blown. The bulbs were PIAA Super White-SX H4 12v60/55W (one bulb has "1GB" at the end and the other "2EW", if that means anything) Im going to purchase some new bulbs and hope that nothing is shorting them out. Im betting nothing is... just one was gone and now the other went.

I pulled the switch. just sprayed some WD40 on it and clicked it back and forth a dozen or so times. Hopefully that is the fix...and no need to play with relays.
 
Well I am looking in the Service manual. It was mentioned above by someone else that it is the cluster of 3 relays. The middle one is the [-]Fuel Cutoff Relay[/-] Bank Angle Sensor Relay. I has confirmed that on page 21-5 of the Honda SM. Still looking to verify that the other two are High and Low but I am pretty sure that is the case. Sorry, I haven't pulled them so I can't say for sure how they come out.

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Edit: I see Dave posted while I was still composing this...

Howe, the headlight relays are on the right side of the sub-frame as Jim identified in post #17. You might want to get yourself the Honda Service Manual if you're going to work on your ST and need to identify systems and parts locations, like relays. However, like Jim mentioned, I found the actual relay locations were reversed on my 1991.

As to removing Tupperware, you own a fully faired sport touring motorcycle; accept that and get on with it. It quickly gets easier and familiar with repetition. Don't put off maintenance or troubleshooting just because the wonderful plastic parts that protect you and your special conveyance have to be removed.

Sounds like you may just have a simple double low-beam filament failure. Please follow up for all of us that are now 'invested' with your request for help.

Regards, John
 
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IpswichST said:
I pulled both bulbs from my headlight. BOTH are blown. The bulbs were PIAA Super White-SX H4 12v60/55W (one bulb has "1GB" at the end and the other "2EW", if that means anything) Im going to purchase some new bulbs and hope that nothing is shorting them out. Im betting nothing is... just one was gone and now the other went.

I pulled the switch. just sprayed some WD40 on it and clicked it back and forth a dozen or so times. Hopefully that is the fix...and no need to play with relays.
Click to expand...

Did you have the shims in there as well?
 
I have the manual... I searched the darn thing looking through the "electrical" section. As pointed out, section 1, page 27 indeed does have the relays, I didnt find them because section 1 is the "general information" section and I didnt think to look there. You learn something every day.

John OoSTerhuis said:
As to removing Tupperware, you own a fully faired sport touring motorcycle; accept that and get on with it. It quickly gets easier and familiar with repetition. Don't put off maintenance or troubleshooting just because the wonderful plastic parts that protect you and your special conveyance have to be removed.
Click to expand...

Im certainly not intimidated by the plastic. And as you say, once you do it a few times you can do it with your eyes closed. My only problem is that I do not have a garage and it has been raining for what seems like eternity.


John OoSTerhuis said:
Sounds like you may just have a simple double low-beam filament failure.
Click to expand...

Its looking like it is that simple.
 
It had me stumped as well. I didn't expect to see it in General Info section. I knew I had seen it in there before but couldn't believe I wasn't finding it. So kept trying different sections. Finally I was about to give up again and then thought I flip through General Info and there it was....
 
2 new Sylvania H4 bulbs... a mess of figuring out how to get them in, seated, and clamped (a good 20 mins on the first one), some bulb jiz and "voila"... I have low beams.

What I have learned here is that there could be a multitude of reasons why my low beams didnt work... and that there are many people who know all of them. But in the end, the Honda ST1100 is a durable bike that holds out pretty good.. as long as you do the regular maintenance (like changing headlight bulbs).

Thanks to all for your help
 
It is odd that you loose both low beams at the same time. It is possible though that one was out for a while and you didn't notice. Then over time the second one failed. It will be interesting to see if you notice more light from the bike in low beam compared to the past. Well before they both were burned out that is...
 
I didn't spend big dollars on bulbs. After reading some other posts which mentioned a shorter life with the fancy bulbs I chose longevity. Besides, my next modification is going to be auxiliary lights... LED ones.
 
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