Improving Headlight

Fit thicker power feed wires and earth wires with relays switched by the original wiring so that there's less voltage drop - top upgrade for pretty much any Italian motorcycle. Somewhere on here (can't remember if it's in the ST thread of the Technical thread) there's a description of how to dismantle the headlight and clean the reflector - that tends to make it a good deal better...

 

I put a cheap chinese min-ballast and HID light in mine for the dipped beam. Vast improvement and a year on still works a treat.
No major changes needed, bar a bit of manipulation of the bulb retaining clip, but nothing destructive.

 

I fitted a cheap chinkey HID in my ST2 and then fitted a £15 bi-xenon projector with the HID. The light is so good that I have done the same for the 848 too. Have a look at my blog for more information. PM me if you need any help.

 

Really Teed off! Bought myself a secondhand headlight unit off ebay and it's arrived with a busted adjuster. I wanted to try some of the tricks on here but still have the original if required. Trying to get money back, can only hope! :-(

 

Brian, post a picture of what is broken. If the adjuster is just spinning then it may have just come out of the socket inside the headlight.

 

Cheers Bob, the squarish moulding on one of the headlight units, where the adjuster fits into it is broken in half and the broken part is floating about in the plastic casing. I could probably take it all apart and araldite it together but I really don't know if it would be strong enough. Having paid £30 for it and been told it was all in one piece I am somewhat disappointed. It looks like it may have happened in the post as the adjuster was very close to the outer packaging when I opened it. I think I would rather get my money back than try a repair!!

 

Just looked at my spare, but that has a bi-xenon projector fitted into it, and that is not quite a flat beam (so it is for driving on the right), but could it be modified to a flat beam.

 

Cheers again. I do feel I will get my cash back and can move ahead with another headlight. Mine is quite milky on the right (as you look from the front), I think dipped, beam and there is no power there. I have some HID bulbs and the ballasts and am hoping to take out the main beam cut-off and build up a headlamp set to replace what I have. If anyone can point out any problems I may have (e.g. Do the ballasts get hot?) I am happy to listen. This is an ST4 and I find it strange as I have only ever had dip/main lights in one bulb but it is interesting. ATB

 

I found with mine that the HID lights were just plug and play. It took me longer to find a decent spot for the ballast than to actually fit the damn thing

 

Brian, there is no such thing as a main beam cutoff. That cutoff in the "milky" projector is to give you a dip beam, remove it and you will not have a dip at all, just two main beams - instant MOT failure. The milkyness is explained on my blog, just a wipe will remove it and give you better light.
The HID ballasts do not get hot and the modern smaller ones fit just fine on the bracket to the left of the headlight with the fairing off. Again there is a picture on my blog.
There are so many possible modifications that you can make, the first being to clean the inside of the milky lens and the second to fit a HID inside the standard dip beam. From there you go to Bi xenon projector which gives main and dip in the one unit, but you can use the standard 55 watt halogen bulb or the 35 watt HID kit on this.

 

Bob, I understood from other threads that the two projector lights are the same, They both have the 'cutoff' but the dipped beam needs it so light doesn't shine upwards. The main beam is turned upside down so that, although not necessary, the light doesn't shine downwards. If the cutoff is removed then all of the light is used! but this is only necessary withthe main beam. The cutoff will be left in the dipped one. (I hope this makes sense - it does in other threads??) My examination of the broken head lamp shows that the small metal plate that constitutes the 'cut off' is, in fact, in both units, but is at the top in the main beam unit cutting off downward reflected light. It can be removed by taking out the small screw that holds it. Investigations will continue but his is all helpful stuff and thanks for that. Cheers Brian

 

Brian, the ST2 and ST4 do not have projectors in the main beam, only the dip, and I thought that you are talking about an ST4 here! The main beam is a standard halogen in a reflector.
If you are looking at my blog then do not confuse the later posts for the Ducati 848 headlight with the earlier posts for the ST2/4. The 848 has two projectors, the ST has one.

 

Thanks Bob. It is a 2001 ST4 so I'll check and send pics if I can.

 

Then is should be the same as all pre 2005 ST2 and ST4 lights with one reflector (main) and one projector that will look milky, (dip).
You should be looking at Ducati ST headlights – Ducati ST
And Ducati ST headlights part 2 – Ducati ST The 4th picture down shows the dip and main.

 

Those pics look the business Bob, thanks a lot for that. I am returning the busted headlamp unit to the seller and will look out for another. I will still clean up my foggy lens it looks like a glass of milk! But the ongoing build of a decent light will continue. I never knew Ducs were this interesting!!

 

OK.
New (i.e. different second hand) headlight unit purchased. I can see what you mean Bob about the main beam, there is no 'cut off' in the main (reflector) beam. I now have a problem with the bulbs. I got H1 bulbs as they said they were for ST4 but they do not appear to fit the dipped side of the light unit. (see pics of bulb, headlight unit, and the dipped beam side of the headlight fitting)
Can someone tell me what the correct bulb fittings are for this light unit, dipped and main, please?

Cheers B

 

Your standard dip beam projector looks like a H3 to me, the main beam is H1. Try Google image search on H3 and you will see.
If I were you then I would just pop a Bi-xenon projector in there and that will use a H1, but will give you a HID dip and main beam while ignoring the other side.
I have just written an article HERE.

 

Cheers Bob, I will look into it - the article is very good! The fight goes on!

 

For anyone still watching this thread, here is a little treat for ST2 and ST4 owners.
The ultimate ST headlight