Ron Major PIAA Brackets ( ST1100 ) *

[KoTAOW]

Ron Major PIAA Brackets ( ST1100 )

These PIAA brackets have a unique history.

They are designed by the distinguished Iron Butt veteran and reknown ST1100 engineer Ron Major, who passed away suddenly during the 1997 Iron Butt Rally due to a heart attack. Ron specifically designed these brackets to securely affix the PIAA 910 Projector Lamps to the ST1100's lower mirror bolt, solidly in the frame. The brackets are identical for all models, all years of the Honda ST1100.



In the above photo, you are facing the bike, you are standing in front and just to the right of the ST1100. The (left) mirror housing has been removed so you can see how Ron's black anodized aluminum brackets fits the PIAA Lamp to the lower mirror frame bolt. Ron uses the highest quality aircraft grade stainless steel socket-head bolts for all fastening hardware.

The result: the lamp is mounted such that it's light beam runs exactly parallel to the bike frame! Consequently, when aligning the headlight beam, there are no left/right adjustments to be made; only vertical adjustments are necessary.

General PIAA Installation Considerations

Those with a 1996 or later ST1100, with its hefty 40-amp alternator, you should definitely take advantage of the 110-watt H3 bulbs that should come stock with the PIAA kit. When Ron Major sold the kits, he included a set of two 55-watt PIAA H3 bulbs to replace the stock 110-watt bulbs... the modest 28-amp alternator on pre-'96 model years can't handle the strain of the 110's.

When sourcing the 55W H3, ensure you obtain original PIAA lamps (they are worth it), and get the latest H3 variant, the "55-watts consumed/85-watts perceived" version, PIAA part number 13455.

Those with a 1996 or later ST1100, with its hefty 40-amp alternator, you should definitely take advantage of the 110-watt H3 bulbs that should come stock with the PIAA kit. When Ron Major sold the kits, he included a set of two 55-watt PIAA H3 bulbs to replace the stock 110-watt bulbs... the modest 28-amp alternator on pre-'96 model years can't handle the strain of the 110's.

When sourcing the 55W H3, ensure you obtain original PIAA lamps (they are worth it), and get the latest H3 variant, the "55-watts consumed/85-watts perceived" version, PIAA part number 13455.

PIAA Switch Wiring

Follow the PIAA kit instructions for general wire harness connections to the various system components. The following instructions are germane to toggle switch wiring ONLY!

Obtain a high-quality, high-amperage switch for this project. You want a double-pole, double-throw, center-off toggle switch, available at any decent hardware/electronic store for around $5-10.
Do NOT use the stock switch that came with the PIAA 9162 kit. While it is a nice lighted switch, it was designed for use in the safe, dry, vibration-free confines of a car's interior. This switch will not stand up (over time) to the severe duty life of a motorcycle's exterior surfaces.

For each position of the switch (top, center, and bottom), solder the two poles together for redundant reliability. (Shown as the thick black jumper lines in the above image).

The center two poles are connected to the stock PIAA relay.
One switched hot lead (12 volts present whenever the ignition key is on) goes to one of the double pole connections.

The last double pole connection receives its source *directly* from the low beam source or high beam source, depending on your preference and/or local ordinances. Which way is best for you? It really depends on your state's Vehicle Code.

Some states say aux lights must be used with low beams only (as in a fog conditions), many other states allow use of aux lights in conjunction with high beams only. So this last wire connection depends on which configuration your state laws require.

The point is this: one of your switch settings should be "state-legal", so that if you are ever pulled over by the police, you can demonstrate your auxiliary light system is within legal state requirements. For the other toggle switch setting, I personally like to configure such that the PIAAs lite off regardless of high beam/low beam settings.  

Specific Installation tips, tricks, tasks

Obtain a high-quality, high-amperage switch for this project. You want a double-pole, double-throw, center-off toggle switch, available at any decent hardware/electronic store for around $5-10.

Locate the switch on the left gray faring pocket panel, approximately 2 5/16" ABOVE the rectangular kneepad mount cover. Remove the left side maintenance cover before drilling to view the available room behind the gray panel, also to ensure that you don't inadvertently drill into the nearby frame.

For each side of the switch (top, center, and bottom), solder the two poles together for redundant reliability. The center two poles are connected to the stock PIAA relay. One switched hot lead (12 volts on whenever the ignition is on) goes to one double pole connection. The other double pole connection receives its source *directly* from the low beam source only.

Under this arrangement, one throw of the toggle switch results in PIAA activation ONLY when low beams are lit, the other throw results in PIAA activation regardless of low/high beam status.

Ensure you use sound engineering practices: solder all connections (no mickey-mouse crimp connectors; if you must use them, solder on top of the crimp), use premium-grade wiring (small 18-22 AGW wiring is fine, you are only passing signal voltage here, we are talking milliamps).

Perhaps most important of all, ENSURE you encase all wiring in good-quality wire-loom, zipped-tied to nearby frame structures as appropriate. Nothing says "amateur" about a job more than dangling, un-loomed wires hanging about. The bigger concern is that un-loomed wires are candidates for eventual failure due to chaffing.

Do NOT cut into the PIAA harness!! To do so only introduces another future potential point of failure! Wrap excess cabling around nearby tubes, framemembers, piping, etc and zip-tie appropriately. Loom all exposed wires.

Mirror Housing Cutout Template

LEFT mirror housing, viewed from above. Left and right templates are mirror images of each other.

A = 6  3/8"

B = 6  5/16"

C = 1  5/16"

D = 1 3/16"

E = 3/4"

While the above dimensions are as accurate as possible, nothing substitutes good common sense when it comes to cutting into your bike. Install the PIAA brackets FIRST, then compare how the templates line up with the installed bracket BEFORE you start cutting! Then, check it again.

You get ONE OPPORTUNITY to cut the mirror housing correctly, so TAKE IT SLOW!!! Hurry the job, and you greatly increase the chances of dorking it up. The mirror housing is one very expensive piece of plastic to replace, so take a slow and methodical approach!  



The LEFT mirror housing taped with with the original Ron Major template. You can clearly see the red rectangular area that is to be cut out.
ENSURE that you carefully and methodically check and re-check the position of the template BEFORE you start cutting!!



A very fine (32 teeth/inch) hacksaw slowly cutting one side of the rectangle.
Use a very sharp machinist's scribe to score the remaining side (it will take many strokes) until it cleanly "snaps" off with pliers.

USE CARE, GO SLOWLY, USE PATIENCE!!!

(end of part 1 of 2)

[KoTAOW]

Dick Seng's Grinding Instructions

An Alternative to Cutting  

To make the cutouts on the mirror housing to accept the newly installed brackets, here is what I did:

Remove the mirror cover completely. Install the brackets to the mirror bottom bolt hole using the long bolt only & snug up. Mark a black line onto the red fairing on either side of the brackets. Remove the brackets & re-install the mirror cover and then transfer the marks to the bottom of the cover. Use a little judgement about the angle and depth.

Because I have the equipment I used my grinding wheel, on which I had just installed brand new 1" wide wheels and the job went very quickly and smoothly as I was able to grind a little; Check. Grind some more; Check. Etc., until I had it right.

(And you want to be careful to just grind a little at a time. The grinding wheel will eat quickly at the plastic and if you're not careful, you could over do the depth, so discipline is the way to go: grind a small amount & check, etc.)

I then smoothed the edges with a fine file, removed all ink marks with alcohol and re-installed everything. Of course at this point, you will want to install the lights to the brackets and do the aiming procedure before permanently installing everything.

- Dick Seng, STOC #631  



Ron Major's rally-modified 1994 ST1100s fitted with PIAA 910s

Aiming your PIAAs

With the bike up on its centerstand, you mark off exactly 15 feet from PIAA lens to a vertical wall. Now use a heavy black felt tip pen to draw a straight, horizontal line on this wall exactly 25.5" high off the floor.



When the PIAA lights strike this wall, the beams will have an oval-shaped pattern as shown above. Adjust the PIAA lamps (vertically) such that the horizontal line runs exactly through the center of the ovals. Tighted the PIAA lamps in place and GO RIDE!

(end of part 2 of 2)