My headlight looks a bit odd. The upper portion of the reflector and the upper portion of the lense both look as if they've been very hot at some time. the chrome on the reflector is coming off a little and the lense looks to be deformed slightly. it has what looks like a halogen bulb inside.
Has anyone had this issue ?? :confused1: :confused1: :confused1:
May have had an HID at some stage with the heatsink jammed into the headlight shell.
No sign of any melting on wires?
That sounds plausible thank you. I've not had the lamp open so i'll have a look....BTW this is the first bike I've ever had where the headlight is on constantly...has anyone done a mod so you can turn it off? I'm guessing new switchgear is req'd ?
Thank You Sir
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Think it was K5 onward they came out hard wired to have the headlight on all the time. May have been an earlier model though.
I guess you could rig up a switch to turn it off, but why would ya? Better to be seen, yeah?
Quote from: Simonic on Friday, 31 August 2018, 01:29 PM
..has anyone done a mod so you can turn it off?
Older models din't just switch off the headlight, they also switched off one coil from alternator at the same time.
IF I remember correct.
Possibly a higher powered bulb has been used instead of the standard 55/60w one.
Headlight on with the ignition came in with the K3, with the switch gear and wiring loom being changed to accommodate (the light on-off switch changed to become the 4-way emergency indicators). Whether the K2's with Headlight off/on also switched a coil off on the alternator at the same time I have no idea.
There is no easy mod to change the wiring to switch the headlamp off, you can't just change the switch as the wiring etc is not in place.
Why change it anyway?
Thx Dave, K3 was it? I'll remember.
Cant help with bl/red melting headlight. Sometimes happens on blue n white, extreme friction at the speeds we reach. :grin:
Yes Notty!
Quote from: gsxbarmy on Friday, 31 August 2018, 02:41 PMWhether the K2's with Headlight off/on also switched a coil off on the alternator at the same time I have no idea.
No is the answer to that. Turning off bits of the charging circuit is a 1950s thing before decent reg/recs that could actually regulate the voltage became the norm.
Quote from: Hooli on Friday, 31 August 2018, 05:20 PM
Quote from: gsxbarmy on Friday, 31 August 2018, 02:41 PMWhether the K2's with Headlight off/on also switched a coil off on the alternator at the same time I have no idea.
No is the answer to that. Turning off bits of the charging circuit is a 1950s thing before decent reg/recs that could actually regulate the voltage became the norm.
My 1981 GS 1000 G did that trick, and I believe my K2 does too, according volt meter. 1950's or not.
Have a look at the wiring diagram, the headlight switch doesn't touch the charging circuit.
You're seeing the change in voltage due to the reg/rec regulating the charge due to the change in load.
Have you got a 1950's K2 T24? Gotta be worth a mint!!
Thanks for all the input gents,i'm doing several jobs on the bike today so i guess a good move would be to check the bulb first.
Re turning the light off,i'd simply like the choice.
Another reason K2s are best :stir:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Quote from: Hooli on Saturday, 01 September 2018, 12:40 AM
Another reason K2s are best :stir:
Quote from: Simonic on Friday, 31 August 2018, 01:29 PM
That sounds plausible thank you. I've not had the lamp open so i'll have a look....BTW this is the first bike I've ever had where the headlight is on constantly...has anyone done a mod so you can turn it off? I'm guessing new switchgear is req'd ?
Thank You Sir
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I have wired mine to only come on when I select it, so it's off all the time. No change of switchgear required.
Not the headlight, but headlight and melting related!
My 14 has a small circular "melted" effect on the top of the front guard.
Wouldn't polish out, was a bit strange.
One day when I was doing some electrical jobs on it, I had the original round headlight removed from its shell but still plugged in. Having the ignition on it was still on, but I'd rested it on top of the front guard!
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I have wired mine to only come on when I select it, so it's off all the time. No change of switchgear required.
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Did you fit a remote switch somewhere ?
Simonic, why do you want it off?
Quote from: Simonic on Saturday, 01 September 2018, 07:50 PM
I have wired mine to only come on when I select it, so it's off all the time. No change of switchgear required.
[/quote]
Did you fit a remote switch somewhere ?
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No, I made a little circuit with a relay and some diodes that wire into the back of the headlight and is activated by the flasher switch to bring the lights on, I have made a few of them for a couple of people who don't want their lights on all the time.
Quote from: grog on Saturday, 01 September 2018, 07:55 PM
Simonic, why do you want it off?
I'd simply like to have the choice
Here is Australia they brought in an ADR (Australian Design Rule - i.e. any imported vehicle must comply with) that headlights were to be permanently wired to ON, ostensibly as a safety measure. Not sure if that rule still exists but I think so.
I'm not convinced by the safety aspect. I think If I am riding with the sun behind me the light would serve to break up my silhouette more, actually making me harder to see. In any event, I suspect other places had similar rules so easier for Suzuki just to do it for all their bikes.
There is a similar EU rule, hence it was changed K3 onwards.
I've now had theight off. No sign of melting wires which is great. It's fitted with a regular 55/60 bulb. The headlight is stamped with 'stanley' and the whole thing is plastic. Is this genuine do you think or a cheapo replacement someone has fitted at some point?
If its stamped STANLEY then its the genuine article :onya:
Put a pic up of the melted bit
I've never seen any headlight do that before.
Hopefully you find out what caused it .
The glass part of the headlight is shared by most of the naked suzuki's (gsx500,bandit 600/1200,sv650/1000 possibly others too)
so should be available 2nd hand without to much hassle
Good luck
:cheers:
Looks very odd to me too. Only way I'd say you could replicate that would be to leave the bike idling for a very long time on the side stand with the headlight going. Possibly with a std bulb, but there may have been a higher wattage bulb in there previously.
Thx for putting the pic up.
Sorry to see that mate, but that looks like a chemical reaction to me , celliulose thinners or a strong cleaner.
Yes, I wondered if the melting was on the outside too, caused by an external source, but think we'd have been told if it had started to melt from the outside & not inside.
If the 'melting' has started from the outside, there's any number of things that could account for it, chemicals to careless use of a blow torch.
Don't feel left out, mine is the same
It's got the std 60/55W globe in it, stuffs me
Since I started this post I've been using the bike and the headlight has got worse.There is now a noticeable dent in the top half of the lens.
As I said before the bulb is a std one and looking at the back side of the lens it does say Stanley on it. I'm going to bin it over the winter and replace with a mk1 bandit 12 headlight with a glass lens and metal bowl.
Just so you know
The 600 bandit
Gs500
And sv 600/1000
Also share headlights with the gsx1400
:cheers:
good info Seth.
Thanks for the info Seth.... Changing the headlight is just one of many jobs I'm doing over the winter
@Simonic what else you planning ?
Hopefully it all goes well.
:cheers:
Quote from: Simonic on Saturday, 03 November 2018, 04:48 AM
Since I started this post I've been using the bike and the headlight has got worse.There is now a noticeable dent in the top half of the lens.
As I said before the bulb is a std one and looking at the back side of the lens it does say Stanley on it. I'm going to bin it over the winter and replace with a mk1 bandit 12 headlight with a glass lens and metal bowl.
Yep, top half of the lens
Put your hand on it after a ride, gets quiet hot
Quote from: seth on Saturday, 03 November 2018, 08:27 AM
@Simonic what else you planning ?
Hopefully it all goes well.
:cheers:
I have a fair list....Prior to my ownership the bike seemed to be used on just hi days and holidays and not much care inbetween.
So far I'm going to...have the engine set up by Jon Warrington in Malton...It runs only ok....Doesn't like to rev hard ,I've checked the basic stuff with help from you guys and I need a bit more specialized help now.So. When it's running ok I'm going to clean it up a little,the rear sub frame need painting,some powder coating,wheels,swinging arm,footrest hangers,fork legs ,yokes etc.
New headlight and clock casingsrear shocks,fork springs,some rewiring and then I'm ready for the summer.
I also have a Z1000st I'm building and a '71 Charger to keep me busy......
Has anyone found a glass lens to replace the OEM plastic one?