Headlamp question?

[Gypsy Dragon]

Originally Posted by RACNRAY

That's the easy and best way to change the bulb. I have the same bulb in my Vaq, along with the matching bulbs in the running lites, great combo and a much brighter 'whiter" lite than oem halogen bulbs. They may not be as bright as LED'S or HID'S but a little less $$$ and easy to install.

I was kinda spoiled by my Busa with a HID low beam and the ZX14 with FOUR headlites, 2 low and 2 high. That 14, even with stock bulbs produced an impressive amount of light ahead. When I got the Vaq I felt as if it had a flashlite for a headlite!!

RACNRAY

My C14 made so much light it was hard to tell if it was still night. Once I got my VAquero headlight aimed properly, I wasn't disappointed, though. After all, my Z1000 uses a candle...

[c3po]

I just installed the Truck-Lite (27270C) LED head light housing on my Vak. However, this housing is in no way compatible with the stock armature onto which the stock light itself is attached. As should be, the stock fixture is designed for the bike. The TruckLite is a plain backed housing. There are no possible ways to attach this light to the stock frame. No holes for attaching a bracket, nothing. It is as pictured online. I had to get really creative in order to attach this light to the bike's stock armature. But since I was hell bent on replacing that stock headlight, I 'jumped' into the challenge. Once all that was figured out and done it looks great. The light is absolutely brighter than the stock halogens. As far as the pattern it casts, and how well it lights I cannot tell. When night falls and I'm able to take her out, I'll see. I've included a couple pics for 'visual'. I also replaced the auxiliary lights' bulbs with LED's. But aren't too thrilled with the illumination they provide. However they too are brighter than the halo's. Plan on getting more powerful H8 bulbs. Now I have extra amps to play with when installing additional lights!...lol

[c3po]

The finished install. Used Plasti-Dip to paint the bezel around the light. The finished assemble protrudes about half an inch more than the stock setup. But nothing really noticeable. Painting it black I think hides that cosmetic issue better. So I took her for a ride around the block to see the light pattern cast by this light.....pretty damn good...on high beam....even better. An absolute improvement!

[smokey]

Originally Posted by c3po

I just installed the Truck-Lite (27270C) LED head light housing on my Vak. However, this housing is in no way compatible with the stock armature onto which the stock light itself is attached. As should be, the stock fixture is designed for the bike. The TruckLite is a plain backed housing. There are no possible ways to attach this light to the stock frame. No holes for attaching a bracket, nothing. It is as pictured online. I had to get really creative in order to attach this light to the bike's stock armature. But since I was hell bent on replacing that stock headlight, I 'jumped' into the challenge. Once all that was figured out and done it looks great. The light is absolutely brighter than the stock halogens. As far as the pattern it casts, and how well it lights I cannot tell. When night falls and I'm able to take her out, I'll see. I've included a couple pics for 'visual'. I also replaced the auxiliary lights' bulbs with LED's. But aren't too thrilled with the illumination they provide. However they too are brighter than the halo's. Plan on getting more powerful H8 bulbs. Now I have extra amps to play with when installing additional lights!...lol

How did you do it? it would be great if you could let others know, I used the stock headlight shell but it involved taking the lens off, and grinding away until the LED light would fit in properly.

[c3po]

Well...I bought the light locally at a NAPA store. I brought the entire stock assembly with me to check for fitment and see exactly what I would need. I had already figured out the TruckLite would not fit (NOT 'PlugnPlay) without some adaptations. The guy at the store was very helpful in suggesting some parts he thought would allow me to attach the light to the stock frame. I ended up getting a metal (chromed) headlight retaining ring (about 7" wide). This ring slipped (rather snuggly) over the light, and it had several tabs around the periphery. I was able to carefully align two of the tabs with the stock armature in such a way that the light was level with the frame, as well as centered, so that when installed would thus also be leveled. Since the top half of the bulb is the 'low' beam'. Once I had these tabs aligned where I wanted them, I carefully bent them back towards the stock frame. Keeping everything aligned I used small self tapping metal screws to attach the ring to the frame. This gave me a secure and solid attachment. Cosmetically it left some to be desired, but since it is all inside the fairing, you wont see it at any speed...even while standing stll!...lol Besides I'm very partial to 'function' rather than looks.

[smokey]

Originally Posted by c3po

Well...I bought the light locally at a NAPA store. I brought the entire stock assembly with me to check for fitment and see exactly what I would need. I had already figured out the TruckLite would not fit (NOT 'PlugnPlay) without some adaptations. The guy at the store was very helpful in suggesting some parts he thought would allow me to attach the light to the stock frame. I ended up getting a metal (chromed) headlight retaining ring (about 7" wide). This ring slipped (rather snuggly) over the light, and it had several tabs around the periphery. I was able to carefully align two of the tabs with the stock armature in such a way that the light was level with the frame, as well as centered, so that when installed would thus also be leveled. Since the top half of the bulb is the 'low' beam'. Once I had these tabs aligned where I wanted them, I carefully bent them back towards the stock frame. Keeping everything aligned I used small self tapping metal screws to attach the ring to the frame. This gave me a secure and solid attachment. Cosmetically it left some to be desired, but since it is all inside the fairing, you wont see it at any speed...even while standing stll!...lol Besides I'm very partial to 'function' rather than looks.

So if I read that right you just attached it to the main frame, so it then becomes a rigid light in the sense that there would be no adjustment of the angle or direction of the light?

[c3po]

The frame which holds the light is 'floating'. I simply changed the points where the TruckLite attaches to the frame, compared to the points where the stock lite attaches to the frame. I still maintained the ability to adjust the pointing of the actual light. Which by the way, isn't a whole lot.

[smokey]

Originally Posted by c3po

The frame which holds the light is 'floating'. I simply changed the points where the TruckLite attaches to the frame, compared to the points where the stock lite attaches to the frame. I still maintained the ability to adjust the pointing of the actual light. Which by the way, isn't a whole lot.

If you get a chance and have the trim off I would like to get some photos of how you did it if possible, I have the same light as you but used the OEM headlight housing as the "container" to hold the LED headlight in place, I don't like that too much as it retains the heat from the LED light instead of letting air circulate around it. You can send them to my smokey@cvfr.ca email address if you get the chance, thanks.