Headlights again!!!

[Tomas03]

G'day everyone,
Have tried to read every thread on headlights but am still struggling with the following questions.
1 - What size is the small headlights that seem to be on L's? I've measured mine and it appears to be about 5.9 inches (150mm).
2 - Is there a halogen globe conversion for these?
3 - And now the tricky one I actually found this light at a wrecker (along with an awesome chrome front guard) and thought it would look great on my 80 GSX1100 (GS1100). I took off the horrible square light, and replaced it with the beautiful little chrome round one, thinking I could get a halogen replacement eventually. But pending that I connected it up anyway. Interesting problem eventuated. When the light is on low beam, the headlight warning light comes on, but goes off when you switch to high beam Any ideas.

[Steve]

Not sure how the headlight warning system works on Suzukis, but I do have experience with similar units on Kawasakis and Yamahas.

On Yam and Kaw, if the low beam filament is burnt out, it will automatically switch to the high beam filament, but at a reduced power, and turn on the warning light. If the high beam filament burns out, it will switch to the low beam filament at full power and turn on the warning light. Because your warning light comes on with the low beam, I suspect a problem there.

Check with a meter to make sure your low beam filament is not burnt out. You can also use wires directly to a battery. When looking at the back of the bulb, hold the bulb so the terminals are aligned LEFT, TOP and RIGHT. Connect the LEFT bulb terminal to the battery negative terminal, the TOP bulb terminal to the battery positive terminal. If the bulb lights, the low beam filament is obviously good. You can check the high beam filament by connecting across the LEFT and RIGHT terminals on the bulb.

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[Tomas03]

Halogens for old bikes

Whilst trawling the net looking for lights I happened upon these 2 sights. Don't know if they are any good but the products, especially the first, look great. A halogen globe in the original socket fitting

http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/page5.html

http://norbsa02.freeuk.com/norbsa02/goffylighting.htm

I'm going to assume that the little lights are 5 & 3/4 inches as that seems to be a common sized on old bikes and cars.

Thanks for that info Steve. I'm gonna bath the bike today so will check it then. Hopefully it is a simple as that. I hate chasing electricity.

[Steve]

I'm going to assume that the little lights are 5 & 3/4 inches as that seems to be a common sized on old bikes and cars.

Contrary to what might be popular opinion, my purpose in life is not to disappoint people. But ...

I don't think you are going to be so lucky as to find that your light is the common 5 3/4" size. I just measured a light in my parts box. Not sure if it's the light I took off my wife's 850L to put on a 7" light or if it's a spare from a 450T that we had for a while, but the lens measures about 6 1/2" across. That was sort of following the curve of the lens, so actual measurement might be closer to 6 1/4". Either way, it's too small to be a 7" and too large to be a 5 3/4". I think your initial measurement of 5.9" might be pretty darn close.

If you are looking for a halogen replacement, look for one of the newer L model replacements. I just did a quick search through the fiches at BikeBandit and it seems that most, if not all, of the '78 bikes had sealed beam headlight bulbs. Starting in '79, some of them went to halogens. The 1000L and 750L had halogens, but the 850G had sealed beam. The 850L did not appear until '80 and it started with a halogen, and the 850G was converted to halogen, but it's the 7" size.

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[Tomas03]

Headlight

Thanks Steve

I've nearly resigned myself to that. I'm in contact with the fellow from

http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/page5.html

Should be able to get a globe from him, as well as halogen globes for the rear.
I still have the issue of the warning light being on when the low beam is on. I double checked and the low beam is definitely working. Could it be that because the older lamp is a much lower wattage than the halogen original (25w v 55w) that the warning lights think the is connection.

[psyguy]

Could it be that because the older lamp is a much lower wattage than the halogen original (25w v 55w) that the warning lights think the is connection.

that "25W" is suspiciously low so indeed that might be the reason for the warning light comming on
i think even the old halogen had low beam at least 45W