08 Headlight aim.

6167 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by ncbeast, Nov 5, 2010

Bingo

Discussion Starter · Mar 3, 2010

Greetings all!

I have been dealing with this since new. Here's my history;
Took delivery of the 08 RG in September 07. Love the bike, but the headlight didn't seem as good as the single beam on the 02 Standard I had previous. I played with the aim as much as I could as I found the headlight pattern was too low, but I discovered that I couldn't adjust it too much as the black plastic headlight mount was hitting the clear plastic cover, thus limiting it's travel. I also noticed the silver coating in the headlamps wasn't the best, they had a slight fog in parts of them.

A good excuse to upgrade to the euro lights option. I ordered the 09 headlight trim as well so I could replace the plastic lens cover that the bugs used to get behind.

Anyway, I thought the different light pattern would solve my problems. Nope. In fact, I have to adjust the headlamp assembly out so much at the bottom that the 09 cover can't get on far enough to engage the clips, so I have to use the clear lens again, and they actually hit the inside bottom of that as well.

Solutions;

I have tried to adjust the top single adjuster in as far as I could, to the point that it wont go in any further, in the hopes of bringing the whole assembly back to give me more adjutment. If I leave the adjusters in the factory position the aim is too low and the headlight electrical plugs can actually touch the inner mounting bracket.

I tried to adjust (raise) the entire fairing by the bolts on the neck mount, but there doesn't seem to be any adjustment there.

I checked the headlight assemblies, and they both seem about the same, so there is no malfunction there.

I just wonder if I am missing something, as there must be a way to adjust this, but if it came from the factory this way, maybe I have an odd one that doesn't have the clearance for some reason. I am trying to 'squirm' the fairing a bit, but it can't be moved too much, with the inner fairing and blinker lights fixing it's position. Last idea left is to try and tilt the individual headlamps in the assembly before I mount the assembly in the fairing.

TIA

Bingo

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binsjohn

· #8 · Nov 5, 2010

dwsmith said:
Oh great, just when I thought I was done buying toys! I just talked to the guy about ordering those lights. Of course, he was quick about getting them sold to me, duh. He was nice enough to mention that since I was going with a higher wattage light that I might want to install a relay. Any thoughts from any of you electrical types out there? I am one of those mechanical types! He mentioned that it could tend to mess things up on my electrical if I don't use a relay. Scares me!

There hasn't been any response to this post and it would definitely be important to know if the stock headlamp circuit can handle the additional current required. Assuming the factory bulbs are 55/60s, two bulbs would draw about 4 amps on low beam and 4.3 amps on high beam. The 80/100s would draw about 6 amps on low and 7 amps on high. That really isn't a huge increase, but if anyone has tried the 80/100s it would be great to hear if you've had any problems or went to a relay.

I'm also wondering if the additional heat causes problems for the lens, reflector or the mirror plating on the reflector.

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binsjohn

· #10 · Nov 5, 2010

96349 said:
After nearly two years of running the BMW headlight bulbs there are no ill effects whatsoever. Go for it! You probably will have to re-aim your headlights because you will have a lot more light shining on the road. Use a 3/16" deep socket on a flex driver for easiest re-aiming. Turn both screws equally on the back of the inner fairing in a clockwise direction to raise light pattern. Counter clockwise to lower. I have re-aimed at least six RGs after doing this and every one had to have their lights beams raised up at least two full rounds (turns) on each side. Re-aim using low beams and test ride at night to see results.

Thanks for the info. Will do.

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