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KoroJ's Blog

It's just a Bulb!

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In a past life (my 2nd of the current one – or chapter 2 perhaps), I was an Aircraft Electrician in the RNZAF, and eventually they told me I was an Avionic Technician. Big deal, I worked on batteries, power generation, distribution and regulation, all sorts of motors used for all sorts of purposes and lighting systems. I changed bulbs on teeny weeny lights that lit up gauges and instrument panels, on small lights that lit up other bits and bobs in cockpits, on still and flashy flashing Nav Lights, on big mother landing lights and oscillating or spinny-winny anti-collision lights. I even changed anti-coll lights on the tails of DC3's and Andovers, but fortunately, since I'm just a tad shakey when it comes to heights, I never had to scramble up the tail of a Herc or Orion to change their ones!!

Anyway, one can read that I've changed a bulb or two in my time!

Well, it was recently brought to my notice that the left mainbeam headlamp bulb had blown on my ST1300. Normally I would just get the nice man at Boyles to change it on a service, but the lack of riding had me over 2,000km from a service and although there was no haste as no night riding in the immediate future, and there’s a spare fitted and operating right next to it, but I have got the big NI16 all-night ride coming up in October, plus a practice night ride before that, so I attempted to attend to the problem. How hard could this be....it's just a bulb.

So, I rang Mr Boyle, had a chat and mentioned that I needed a bulb. That perhaps I should change to Night Breakers or some other flash thingy might be worth considering, but hell, the lights on the ST are pretty damn good and it all got too hard so I just turned up one Saturday and bought an H4 off the shelf.

It was just a bulb, so when I got home that evening, I tried to fit it! It looked interesting, a ring at the base with three locating tabs, funny little dish under the main filament to direct the light output up to the top reflector.....or perhaps that was blocking the light from getting down to the bottom hi-beam reflector...should be easy enough to change!

First off, I put the bike on the centre stand, pushed the bars one way and then the other to see how easy it would be to get a hand in there and on the item in question, then I headed upstairs to pull up the workshop manual on my notebook and see what it had to say about changing a main-beam bulb....and what a load of toss that was!

I went back down to the garage, had a fiddle but nothing worked or made sense....so I went back up stairs and rang Ken because he used to have an ST and did his own servicing. Sure enough, he's changed a bulb but couldn't really remember...”go on YouTube” he says!

I tried YouTube...nothing ….so I tried the ST-Owners site, found some guff went down to try it....didn't work....so I went back to look some more and sure enough there was some more guff that was much clearer....so back down and voila!! There is a knack to remove the connector and once one has that knack, it just pops off.

I worked out how to remove the spring clip that holds the bulb in place, the old shot bulb pops out and I'm ready to drop the new one in. Yeah right!!

Being careful not to touch the glass, I get it in place and try to line it up. I spend a bit of time on this and by now, Ann is home so I call her down to assist (I can't see into the front of the headlight while working to get the bulb in from the rear.)

Ann guides me, “twist it this way, twist it that way, point it left, right, up, down”....it won't. I ask her to fetch a mirror so I can see for myself.....that doesn't work either! I find that by turning the wheel to the right, there's less room to get my hand in, but I can fiddle at the back and see in the front.....big deal, still won't work. I then give up, pulled the bulb and put the old one back in. It just slots straight in! I grab the new one,...still won't go, so I pull it and study them both.

Well I'll be damned. A close inspection/comparison reveals that the tabs on the new one are slightly smaller and where the old ones are spaced at about 135°, the new ones are about 130°!! …or vice versa…FFS!!

I eventually go back to the shop...... “Oh shit”, he says “You need the Honda one. That'll cost!!!”

I contact them again a few days later. I had already returned the $24.50 H4 and he reassures me that he’s ordered the Honda jobby and it’s only going to be $60-something!!!! “Holy Shit”, I blurted, perhaps I need to cut the tabs off the ordinary H4?....or perhaps I better re-visit changing/upgrading to some flashy bulb? I’ll probably get a pair for less than that!!” In the end I can’t be bothered and say, “Oh bugger it! Just get the bloody thing.”

*Sigh*…..I was just changing a bulb. It's something we do all the time and take it for granted. I don't consider I wasted an hour or two pissing around,….(although I might have been able to earn some coin to go towards buying the bulb in that time). I learnt (re-learnt) one of life’s lessons....or was that one of Murphies Laws? Thank God our Air Force never had any planes designed and built by the Japanese!! At least I now know I can change the main bulbs on the ST in 5-10 minutes and if I carried a spare, I could do it on the side of the road.....in the dark! FFS...it's just a bulb!!!

Umm….and I won’t be carrying a spare! I better do some homework to see what else is out there….FFS….it’s just a bulb!!!

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Comments

  1. Gremlin's Avatar
    Haha, but a highly important bulb! I'm sure the lekky version of me had nothing to do with it That said, knowing how to change the bulb is always important, as you always have to change them at the worst of times!

    I think it was the 2009 Grand Challenge, about 2330 on the way to Te Kuiti, I'm following my boss, mate behind us, that I lose forward light (only one bulb on the KTM). Instant, WTF, dash lights are on, bike is running, but no headlight. Try high beam, ok, low beam, nothing... right, I've lost low beam. Sit on high beam until Te Kuiti.

    Mate (first and only GC) panicks like crazy in Te Kuiti, telling me that's the ride ruined, no way can you wait until dawn before continuing, OMG, what are you going to do etc. Once he's mostly finished freaking out I calmly reply I'm replacing it Yes, I reply, I'm carrying a spare. Bit of messing about and 15min later the bulb is replaced and we're all good to go.

    Then there was the failed quick trip to Cape Reinga that ended in Kaitaia with no low beam. Then I lost high beam returning and rode by indicator light. A mate picked up a speeding ticket coming north to Whangarei with spare bulbs (some of which were also blown). Perhaps that explains why the BMW has all the "backup" lights

    Ah... lights
  2. STJim's Avatar
    I am a little surprised with all the riding on 3 ST's you have never had this issue arise. I have had it twice and know better than to muck around with it myself. I have the Honda dealer change the bulb.
  3. Blackbird's Avatar
    No such thing as "just a bulb" John! The standard 65w bulbs which my Street Triple came equipped with were abysmal compared with the same wattage xenon bulbs made by Ring Automotive I used on the Grand Challenge. Got them from Autobulbs Direct in the UK at a very sharp price.

    Cheers,

    Geoff
  4. Flip's Avatar
    I broke a headlight on the HD.

    Went to the agent they asked if it was smoke,pattern or jeweled as there is 3 types.

    I said it was clear which was the jeweled one. The guy went out back and came back with a box and said that is $72 and it came with a new bulb and small wiring harness.
  5. whatastoner's Avatar
    Never a dull moment, excuse the pun in your house Koro.
  6. GTRMAN's Avatar
    Makes me feel like I should have kept my mouth shut !

    Standard H4 bulbs on the conscience, no problem as long as you have the hands of a ten year old girl......
  7. *Boot's*'s Avatar
    Well… I hate to brag but we usually take existing parts to the wholesaler with us, then inspect, then purchase… but what would I know? I'm not an avionics engineer… I'm just a normal day to day sparky.

    HAH!

    sounds like you had a lot of fun that a book won't tell you.

    IE: for inferior replacements we have ensured they won't fit so we can screw you harder by first confusing the crap out of you then making you pay three times the price once you have understood that there IS ONLY ONE WAY (I have a mother who I swear rides a broom on her days off….. well….. even her days on!) So I understand EXACTLY how you feel soldier

    I swear to god the "Mafia" is the less of the two evils between them and the "Government!"