[silentbob]

The stock low beam projector on the 1098 has a light cutoff to prevent blinding oncoming drivers. This is to be expected.

But in order to put out light at a higher angle with the high beam, Ducati simply turned the projector housing upside down. This puts the cutoff on the high beam in such a way that no light ever makes it to any region remotely usable to the rider (unless you are looking for bats in the tree tops).

The cutoffs are easily removable through the hole for the light bulb. Just go in with a magnetic scerwdriver and remove the scerw and then extract the cutoff with the magnetic tip. You turn it sideways to get it out of the hole.

The result is a high beam that puts light on the road in front of you where you need it and it greatly increases your own visibility for those of you who ride with the high beam on during the day time.

 

[elevens]

That certainly explains the difficulty with aiming that bloody high beam. Thanks for the tip.

Edit: Can the procedure be done on the bike or did you do it on the bench?

 

[silentbob]

That certainly explains the difficulty with aiming that bloody high beam. Thanks for the tip.

Edit: Can the procedure be done on the bike or did you do it on the bench?

I did it on the bench but it could be done on the bike. You might want to use a mirror to see what you are doing though.

There is a single phillips head screw just a little bit off center from the bulb hole.

 

[gillistheman]

Thank you tremendously. I've always had a hell of an issue with the 1 inch gap in vision between the low and high beam.

 

[Visitor Q]

You should snap some pix, do a little write up.

Jason

 

[ckirkst2s]

Thank you very much for the heads up that this can be done on the 1098. FWIW I did this to the ST2 back in '99. The issues were the same & the benefits remarkable.

Chris

 

[silentbob]

Thank you very much for the heads up that this can be done on the 1098. FWIW I did this to the ST2 back in '99. The issues were the same & the benefits remarkable.

Chris

Good to know, I was thinking about doing the same to my ST4 but ddin't know if it was the same.

 

[silentbob]

I just tried the mod on my friends 848 tonight and I was able to pull it off without disassembling the bike. It was a pain in the ass but it can be done. His bike doesn't have HID lights but removing the cutoffs on both lights is as big of a change as going to HIDs and leaving the cutoffs in place.

Here is a crappy cel phone pic of the cutoff.

If you remove the bulb and use an inspection mirror you will see a philips head screw holding the cutoff in place. The screw will be just about even with the top or bottom of the bulb hole, depending on which side you are removing. You will have to look with the mirror to get an idea of where it is and then go by feel since the screwdriver will block your vision. Once the screw is out you can fish out the cutoff with a magnet. When you get it close to the bulb hole you will have to pull it out sideways and line up the edges of the cutoff with the notches in the bulb hole.

 

[Quagmire]

Nice, thanks for the tip! SO much easier to just remove the headlights first, I can't imagine what a pain it would be to do it on the bike. The cutoff is a tight fit to pull through the opening!

 

[plum]

a rite up on the 1098 would be great! I found the low beams are great but the high beams throw light where you dont need it!

 

[elevens]

Sitting on the bike, is the high beam on the left or the right? My battery is in winter storage and maybe my memory is in winter storage too.

 

[Visitor Q]

Sitting on the bike, is the high beam on the left or the right? My battery is in winter storage and maybe my memory is in winter storage too.

He referred to sides so I am thinking these are to be removed in both lights?

So what are the steps here?

1. Remove the bulb
2. Use an inspection mirror to locate the screw. ***Is the screw directly in front as if you where installing the bulb back in?
3. Remove the screw
4. Remove the cut out

Some one needs to take some before and after pictures with the lights shot against a wall.

Jason

 

[silentbob]

Sitting on the bike, is the high beam on the left or the right? My battery is in winter storage and maybe my memory is in winter storage too.

Low beam is on the right but I ended up removing both. So far the low beam has not caused any problems but if on coming driver start complaining at night then I'll just angle it down a little.

 

[elevens]

VQ: See the thread I started with instructions entitled "High Beam Blocker Plate Removal Instructions"

 

[silentbob]

He referred to sides so I am thinking these are to be removed in both lights?

So what are the steps here?

1. Remove the bulb
2. Use an inspection mirror to locate the screw. ***Is the screw directly in front as if you where installing the bulb back in?
3. Remove the screw
4. Remove the cut out

Some one needs to take some before and after pictures with the lights shot against a wall.

Jason

The screw is centered left to right but is even with the top or bottom of the hole depending on which light (hi or lo).

The cutoff needs to come out sideways and the edges slide through the notches on the hole for the bulb.

If you remove the headlight assembly it is much easier to do and it becomes very clear what you need to do when you look inside. I removed them on the second bike with the headlight assembly in place. But, having done the first one on the bench I could already visualize what I needed to do on the second one. I say if the fairing is off, remove the headlight assembly and do it. If not, give it a try in place and if you get stuck, then remove it.

 

[Visitor Q]

VQ: See the thread I started with instructions entitled "High Beam Blocker Plate Removal Instructions"

Jason

 

[col]

if u say the highbeam projector is a regular one turned upside down cant we go in and turn it the right way up and use headlights on both sides without blinding anyone?

 

[Visitor Q]

if u say the highbeam projector is a regular one turned upside down cant we go in and turn it the right way up and use headlights on both sides without blinding anyone?

That is a good question. Why not put it back in the right way?

Jason

 

[Vic_Ducfut]

Another satisfied 'mod'er

Removed both cut-offs the other night.
It was a tight fit sliding the cut-offs out.

IMHO, A huge improvement on the Hi-beam side.
From cr*p to a normal cycle headlight.

The low beam side seems less focused, so the effect was less dramatic. I got flashed running the high beam at night, but not running just the low beam.

Next, an HID install for the low beam side,
and the 1W marker lights mentioned elsewhere.

All this for mostly 'daylight visibility'.
No such thing as too much light on a cycle.

 

[elevens]

That is a good question. Why not put it back in the right way?

Jason

I prefer to see the ENTIRE road ahead, not just the top half or the bottom half.