Contact Overland Solutions for all your custom modifications and setup for overland travel.

Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Technical, Bike forums > Kawasaki

Kawasaki Kawasaki Tech Forum - For Questions specific and of interest to Kawasaki riders only. Questions comparing which bike is best etc go in the "Which Bike" forum.
With more than 58 destinations worldwide, Edelweiss Bike Travel is Number 1 in guided motorcycle tours!

We've had a code update on the HUBB that should fix any issues with the new right hand column. If the HUBB still "looks funny" please force a refresh to get the latest code update. (Hold down the shift OR ctrl key, and click the refresh button on your browser, OR Ctrl R, OR on Macs, Command R). If you still have a problem please post it here.


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 28 Jul 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: kent
Posts: 73
how do I adjust the beam for travel abroad?

Hi all.
I'm off across france and spain soon and I have recently bought some of the stickers to adjust the beam on my 07 kle 500, but there is nothing in the instructions about motorcycles much les the kle 500. i know there are adjusters on the inside of the headlamp but have found they don't seem to make much difference. can anyone advise me on where to place the stickers or are there any motorcycle specific stickers to adjust the beam?
any advice anyone?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 28 Jul 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: England
Posts: 152
i think the lens is symetrical so i would just swap the bulbs and sockets over so the high and low beam are opposite
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 28 Jul 2009
Redboots's Avatar
Moderated Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SW France soon to be NE France
Posts: 816
Put the bike in front of a garage door or wall so that you can see the dip beam pattern.
It its level, with no flare up on the left side, you need do nothing as its a flat dip beam.

If it flares to the left, stick your stickers on the left side of your headlight (as viewed from the saddle) as per the car instructions.

John
__________________
Nostradamus Ate My Hamster
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 28 Jul 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: kent
Posts: 73
thanks

gonna get on it as soon as i get a chance. very much appreciated!!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 30 Jul 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Posts: 69
Sorry, this is a total noob question...

What do stickers have to do with the headlight beam?

Just curious...
__________________
AtlasRider.com
Sport Touring Blog
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 30 Jul 2009
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Posts: 389
Quote:
Originally Posted by AtlasRider View Post
Sorry, this is a total noob question...

What do stickers have to do with the headlight beam?

Just curious...

Here in the UK, headlamp beams on cars and bikes (almost always) point slightly to the left when dipped. So when we go abroad, the dipped headlamp will dazzle oncoming riders/drivers. The same vice versa for continental riders coming to the UK.

The bending of the beam to left or right is done by a small lenticular lens in the glass of the headlamp. So putting a sticker over it blocks that bit of the dipped beam, which then points straight ahead.

You can just use any piece of sticky tape or duct tape, but the kits, available in shops in Dover and Calais and on the ferries, (and all motor-parts shops) will show you exactly what shape to cut the sticker to (if it needs cutting, sometimes it won't) and where to stick it on the headlamp. Otherwise trial and error can be used. Generally the sticker amounts to about one square inch, plus or minus.

The problem with bikes is that many bike headlamps are not covered in the instructions that come with these kits. (Whereas most modern cars and some older ones actually have a faint etching on the glass to show you where to put the sticker).

As an example, my Honda Dominator here in the UK is a French model, so it's headlamp points to the right when dipped. So it won't pass the annual test here. Luckily I found that the headlamp kits on sale did have instructions that covered the lens of my headlamp so I didn't have to spend time on trial and error.

Some riders when buying a model of bike from the continent for use in the UK go to the trouble of putting a UK headlamp on.
Either way it won't pass the annual test if the light points to the right when dipped.

Cheers
__________________
TTR250 - London to Cape Town
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 30 Jul 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Posts: 69
Thanks for the detailed explanation McCrankpin!
__________________
AtlasRider.com
Sport Touring Blog
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Headlight beam converter- do bike specific ones exist? JCB1981 Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? 4 7 Apr 2008 23:15
High Beam Falk65 Yamaha Tech 3 18 Jul 2007 17:02
high beam and low beam on adventure 640? dgamboa KTM Tech 4 14 Aug 2004 06:46
Adjust suspension or not? Marianne Yamaha Tech 6 1 Nov 2002 14:23
How to adjust forks? OXXT Yamaha Tech 2 21 Apr 2002 00:19


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:32.