Spit balling headlight solutions

[Chav]

After adjusting and re adjusting and breaking my preload knob I've sort of come to the conclusion that the sharp cut off projector low beam isn't a good solution on a bike with so much travel. The difference from the high beam and low beam makes it impossible to have the light set well enough for 2 up and solo riding.
So what I'm thinking is adjusting the high beam for best performance and letting the low beam be slightly low to provide good visibility in front of beam with the addition of some dimming driving lights/fog lights to provide good low beam visibility and not being blinding people. I'm sure someone else has come to a similar conclusion.
So I was thinking about using piaa 2500k bulbs in the headlights to create good visibility from oncoming traffic and using a whiter light as the fog lights. I'm not seeing anything in laws that prohibit warm lighting. Only blue green and purple.

 

[TenereGUY]

Oh, I feel your pain... but there is a solution. First I too broke my preload knob. I bought a black anodized CNC machined aluminum adjuster knob. It's bigger and much easier to turn. The link is somewhere in my thread as another member posted it there (What TenereGUY has been up to). Second, you need a new spring on the rear shock. I called Traxxion Dynamics Suspension (Marietta, Georgia) and talked with them on a Thursday and they made a custom spacer and sent me a new Hypercoil spring by Wednesday the next week (Northern Illinois) and solo I hardly have any preload in. I am above the red line. Then loaded for the Alaska trip I had a whole lot of range to choose from. The new spring and spacer cost me $155. What a difference. It was funny as I had bought Suspension for some other bikes from them. They ask weight of rider and gear and intended use. Single, two up, loaded for trips etc. Told them me and loaded for trips. You going to just use it for trips? No, I also ride with just me and no other loads. Then... hey, you've lost weight since we last talked. Congratulations! We both laughed and then they sent me a spring with the perfect range. If you can't change it yourself a shop will do it for around $50 USD. I also went with inexpensive Oxilam LEDS with no ballast. Plug and play. $19 and much better than stock.

 

[Chav]

Oh, I feel your pain... but there is a solution. First I too broke my preload knob. I bought a black anodized CNC machined aluminum adjuster knob. It's bigger and much easier to turn. The link is somewhere in my thread as another member posted it there (What TenereGUY has been up to). Second, you need a new spring on the rear shock. I called Traxxion Dynamics Suspension (Marietta, Georgia) and talked with them on a Thursday and they made a custom spacer and sent me a new Hypercoil spring by Wednesday the next week (Northern Illinois) and solo I hardly have any preload in. I am above the red line. Then loaded for the Alaska trip I had a whole lot of range to choose from. The new spring and spacer cost me $155. What a difference. It was funny as I had bought Suspension for some other bikes from them. They ask weight of rider and gear and intended use. Single, two up, loaded for trips etc. Told them me and loaded for trips. You going to just use it for trips? No, I also ride with just me and no other loads. Then... hey, you've lost weight since we last talked. Congratulations! We both laughed and then they sent me a spring with the perfect range. If you can't change it yourself a shop will do it for around $50 USD. I also went with inexpensive Oxilam LEDS with no ballast. Plug and play. $19 and much better than stock.

I have plans to upgrade the spring for sure as we do a lot of 2 up with luggage riding. We are small people but a better spring would be handy. I also already have the eagle mile preload knob on the way.
I've been on the fence about LEDs. I've had pretty bad experience with trying to get LEDs to not scatter badly in projectors. Maybe the scatter would help with the cut off though .

 

[TenereGUY]

You're going to love that knob compared to stock. Those Oxilam LEDS were so cheap I thought... why not try them. I have a good cut off line and good pattern on the road. When I was removing the stock bulbs I looked at where everything on the base was situated at. Then put the Oxilam bulbs the same way. The spring upgrade is much cheaper than a penske and I was looking at getting one but the lead time was to long. I have no desire to spend the money on a penske now. The stock shock will have to start wearing out before I look into getting a penske. That's how much of a difference the Hypercoil spring made.

 

[Jlq1969]

If I had problems with the light regulation, I would try the following. Regulate the low beam, just before dazzling, that would be the “macro” regulation. I wouldn't worry about the high beam, because it is a circle (like the magnifying glass), and it will always illuminate high. Then for the “micro” adjustment…I would remove the headlight, put a rubber spacer or small springs between the headlight and its support. Then I would adjust everything...I would leave the low beam as it was before...and if I needed to go down a little more, tighten the bottom screws more and loosen the top ones...it would be fast and simpler than adjusting the adjusting screws...but… For now I don't have this problem...

 

[Chav]

If I had problems with the light regulation, I would try the following. Regulate the low beam, just before dazzling, that would be the “macro” regulation. I wouldn't worry about the high beam, because it is a circle (like the magnifying glass), and it will always illuminate high. Then for the “micro” adjustment…I would remove the headlight, put a rubber spacer or small springs between the headlight and its support. Then I would adjust everything...I would leave the low beam as it was before...and if I needed to go down a little more, tighten the bottom screws more and loosen the top ones...it would be fast and simpler than adjusting the adjusting screws...but… For now I don't have this problem...

I'm not following the micro macro? I have two adjustments, one for the left and one for the right. Unless I'm misunderstanding the functions.

 

[TenereGUY]