Hmmm,
question for Derek.
Are you sure the low beam is H3 ??

Reason I ask is that they supplied an H1 kit for the guy with the 996, and other wweb sources are showing replacements bulbs for the ST as being H1 for low beam, H3 for high beam.
Is it possible you have your numbers round the wrong way ?

I'm holding off on my order until I've checked my light tonight.

You might be right. I haven't taken them out to have a look. If the Low beam is H1 that at least will allow the fitment of a +50% job which might make up for the crap beam pattern.

I seem to recall that the ST has a screw adjuster stuck out the back of each headlight. If you leave off the instrument surround panels you should be able to get ot them. Making sure they are free and well lubricated would be a good plan too of course because they were only thumbscrews! :)

I had assumed that the Low beam was the H3 from page 63 of the manual (Fig.66) which shows the bulb in the left hand lamp with a wire attached to it but the illustration is probably for a European model. Do they have the low beam projector unit on the other side? :puzzled:

Its weird eh Derek.

I've searched a bit more and got even more conflicting information now :puzzled:
I've asked autolamps whether the H1 HID bulb will fit in the H3 base and ensure the correct bulb depth/focus, especially given this was the kit they supplied to the 996 owner.

Oh, and when I rang P&H to ask they told me botrh were H7 fittings... :lol:

I'll check tonight anyway to be sure.

The H1 and H3 bases are quite different. The H1 is round with a flat on one side whereas the H3 is round with a notch out of it. It may be possible to fit an H1 into an H3 fitment but I think the filament position and orientation are also different so it wouldn't focus properly.

Derek,
you were correct, the low beam is indeed H3, the full being H1.

I've not checked if I've got a reply about the H3 based HID bulbs yet.

Will keep you all posted if I do buy the HID kit.

[UPDATE]
Right, got a reply and brought the kit :sing:
They have sold a few kits to Ducati owners, both old and new style STs as well as other bikes in the range.

I have brought a dual kit that does both the low and high beam. They also sell just the H1 or the H3 kits on their own, or with appropriate colour temperature bulbs for the non HID light.
I have requested details of pricing for a discount (I previously set up a group buy for the porsche guys). Once this is mailed through to me I'll pass it on.

I should get the kit in a day or so, so will attempt to fit it this weekend and post pictures :burn:

Cheers,
john.

[Edited on 18-7-2005 by John W]

John.
How did you get on with this mod?
Andy

Hi

And what was the cost for both kits?

The lighting is probably the only weak area I've noticed on my ST4s

Daryl

Hi all,

sorry for not getting back to you before.
I've been away on a trip, and then away on work.

The lights. Well, what can I say.
Get your ST out in the evening and flip on the low beam in an unlit area. Make a note of how far you can see, and how wide the beam is (i.e. how much of the road sides you can see). Now flip on the high beam and note it again.

I have my lights set to suit for two up touring, as this is how it is almost exclusively used. I state this so you know my lights are correctly adjusted and not pointing skyward. With the two of us on the bike I would liken the distance I can see (amount of road lit) to that of the standard high beam, but with far better definition.
On high beam, you can see as much as you need to.

As an example, I was on a piece of unlit autobahn south of Munich, and on low beam I could happily cruise at 95mph seeing all I needed to. On high beam 120 was no problem (couldn't go faster - the pillion speed controller kicked in ;) )
On the A25 & A29 I could ride to the conditions without being restricted by the previosly poor vision.

To compare them to other bikes, we went with a VFR750, a VFR800, and a FJ1300, and my lights lit the road the best, with the possible exception of the FJ.

When you flip on the high beam it comes on at one colour and changes colour over about 5 seconds as it warms up. You don't really notice just how much more you can see on high beam until you turn it off again. :cool:

Now for the prices.

I have details of the various kits, with special prices for DSC members.
These are to be submitted to Paul James for inclusion in the next newsletter.
They will do low, high or both beam kits, and do kits for pretty much anything.

I took photos of my install and will do a fitting instruction sheet to make life easier for others. The job involves removing the side panels,top fairing and taking the headlight out helps too. Apart from that, its all pretty simple.

As a rough guide, expect to pay in the order of 275GBP for the low & high beam kit (H1/H3), including vat & delivery.

If anyone wants to see the lights or the install for themselves and is local, send me a mail and I'll try to sort out a free evening.
I will post some pics but have not suckedthem out of the camera yet.

Apologies if it sounds like I'm raving about them, but I honestly feel the lights now do the bike justice. No more having to sit behind a car as I can't see enough to overtake it !