955 st headlight performance

[sparkyjim]

I've recently got a 2003 955 sprint st and I'm generally delighted with it with the notable exception of the lights. The bike has already had the relay mod. so both lights are on but at night on unlit roads the performance of the headlight is downright dangerous. I'd heard that it is the only major weakness with the bike but I certainly didn't expect it to be so bad. I don't remember any problems with the lighting of the speed four that we had a couple of years ago.
I'm considering upgrading the bulbs with the ones on ebay that offer 30% more light that standard but it seems to me that a 30% increase still wouldn't be enough
please let me have your views and experience on this subject......
Thanks

[PhxMan]

Sparky, I felt the same way with my 99 St, replaced the stock bulbs with the 30% brighter Silver star ones and it helped, but would still like some more light. There is a thread here about upgrading to HID and that is proably the best way to go. Keep riding and keep grinning PhxMan

[jeffster]

Hi Sparky,
Don't forget to make sure that the lights are properly aimed. I had to lower my brights aim to where they show just beyond where the dims leave off.
jeffster

[dolson]

Stlakid is the expert on this, (among other things) If I remember him stating that the Osram? bulbs were the same as SilverStars and a lot less expensive. Usually a 2fer. He did his and our homework on this.

Don

[Hokie]

Upgraded my bulbs to silverstars earlier this year and it made a significant difference, but would still like to have more light. As was stated above, the HID conversion is probably the best choice, but I'm sure it isn't cheap.

Good luck.

[MVP44]

Dolson, via STlakid, is spot on here.

Short of the HID the Silver Star/OSRAM is the best I have found (tried PIAA also and they did not compare to the Silver Stars)

Good to know about the OSRAM substitute - missed that one

The Silver Stars have been the best IMHO of all out there thus far and I am sure Stlakid is correct in his assessment of the cheaper osrams being equivalent.

BTW - in my frequent changing of bulbs in search of more illumination I have found that the lights can be changed without removing a single piece of plastic - takes a little finagling, but once done you will never again take your fairings off to replace the bulb.

[SprintST]

I upgraded to Silver Stars on both my 99 and 02 Sprint STs. Avoid any e-bay special that claims to simulate HID with just a bulb, or uses the term Zenon. They suck! I ended up aiming my headlights to where the highbeams are almost straight level with the ground, this is to get a decent light pool from low beams. I still believe the reflector and lens are built wrong, but that's just me.

I'm with MVP44 too on how to change bulbs without removing any parts of the fairing. You just have to have the forks turned the right way, and REMEMBER HOW THE OLD BULB CAME OUT! Fishing around blind trying to get the tines to line up is the most maddening part really. That and the locking spring keeps dropping in the way, heh

[GerryP]

Originally Posted by MVP44

Dolson, via STlakid, is spot on here.

<SNIP>
BTW - in my frequent changing of bulbs in search of more illumination I have found that the lights can be changed without removing a single piece of plastic - takes a little finagling, but once done you will never again take your fairings off to replace the bulb.

Please, do tell...as of tomorrow I may own a 2001 Blue Sprint ST.

Had similiar prob. with my 03 Kawasaki ZR-7S. Added silverstar bulb and PIAA
aux lights.

Regards,

Gerry

[norcaltriumph]

I too have Osram Silverstars installed in my Sprint and my Tacoma truck. I would say for the money, you're not going to beat these. $30 will get you about 25% more light output and it's a whiter light. Between the Silverstar bulbs and the re-aiming of the reflector, I'm happy.

By the way, IIRC, anyone who wants to do this needs to make sure they get the Euro-spec Osram bulbs vs. the US Sylvania Silverstars.

[MVP44]

It is pretty much like SprintST said - an exercise in patience with a minor in dexterity.

I turn the forks all the way in the direction of the bulb you are replacing giving max clearance behind the bulb. I put my arm up behind the cockpit from in front of the fork tube. Better picture - kneeling right beside the front wheel put your arm right between the forks and up behind the cockpit.

From here it is all by feel - you can get your hand on the connector, but not where you can see what you are doing so get a good picture in your head before you stick your hand up her skirt. Remove connector, rubber boot - pop loose the spring clip and hold bulb firmly in place while you remove it - don't twist it in your hand. Look at the orientation of the tabs on the bulb you just removed and put the new bulb into your hand with the same orientation so it will match the mating ring. Reverse order and you are done with that side. More art than science, but it can be done.