changing headlights from uk to europe

[oldrider]

Hi all....newboy on the block...just bought a uk bike to ride in europe and need to know how to change the headlights over...any advice?

 

[KingY]

Turn them upside down?

I joke. You are going to need to buy a Europe set of headlights, but then some of the connections might need to be extended to reach as the connections will be on opposite sides of the bike. Or go naked? only one headlight, cant go wrong

 

[turbid]

i may not be of great help but i think you can adjust the angle at which the headlights point. remove the two black inner cowls and there should be 4 nuts to tinker with, i think it would improve, if not entirely solve your problem

 

[Popeye70]

i may not be of great help but i think you can adjust the angle at which the headlights point. remove the two black inner cowls and there should be 4 nuts to tinker with, i think it would improve, if not entirely solve your problem

It would help, as the light beam can be adjusted a little away from the oncoming traffic, but the reflector itself is different.

Where you drive on the RHS, the reflector throws more light out and up towards the right to light up the right road shoulder, effectively blinding oncoming traffic if you suddeny ride somewhere with LHS driving. And the other way around, of course.

I have seen people masking with tape the part of the lens where the blinding light would shine through, but that means reducing the total amount of light projected from the headlights. That would only be a quick fix when driving on the other side of the road for a limited time.

 

[degake]

Hi all....newboy on the block...just bought a uk bike to ride in europe and need to know how to change the headlights over...any advice?

I assume you have a faired FZ6? (so not an FZ6-N)
If so, there are a couple of options for you....

1. buy a LHD headlight assembly (used on eBay, around €290)
2. convert to a naked headlight (e.g. VS-01 or VS-02 kit, sold by Dev_usc)
3. install HID projector units into your current assembly.

I think France doesn't have any technical inspection for bikes you have to go to, so you could do any of these options.
If you do have some kind of (yearly) inspection you're bike has to go through, it's better to get some information from them first on what options would be in order with there rules....

If I were you, I'd order some Morimoto Mini HID projectors and get them retrofitted into your headlight...
You'll have a far better light output in regards to any halogen setup, plus you'll have a LHD light output pattern as well (make sure you order the LHD version though )

Grtz,


Degake

 

[Motogiro]

The cheapest way would be to get someone who's converted their bike to naked from a faired version that has the US or European head lamp assembly. You may be able to get one cheap.

Alright who'd got one laying around and doesn't need it!?

C'mon....help your brother out!

 

[oldrider]

Thanks for all your comments...ended up buying second hand LHD headlights and then had to cut into wiring loom to extend both left and right bulb cables. It has taken me 4 months, so far, to try and get my bike accepted into France as they have the most complicated and bureaucratic technical assessment system on the planet.:cheer: