Headlight mods/upgrades on a wedge GT

Luis
Thanks. I am thinking a seperate part is not available, but I will look. I usually rely on realoem.com. same pages I am sure as Max.
It will probably come down to installing the kit and possibly coming up with a BMW headlight used at some point, will have to watch for deals. I can't cough up $500+ for a new headlight now. Lot's of guys have added these kits without a problem it seems like.

Gilly

Everybody know about this EPC on line by BMW Motorrad?

http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/us/en/index.html

Click on the WEB EPC at the top and scroll down. Instructions there.

I use realoem.com
no username or password to use (BTW the username or password doesn't work on bmwmotorcycles.com website).
I believe the info is the same.

Gilly

Luis
Hey check out this picture. Where the bulb enters the reflector area, has those 3 small cutouts speced 120 degrees apart, if you look in your headlight, does it look like the shield in front of the bulb attaches to those same 3 areas? I might be able to make a shield so the xenon doesn't irritate other drivers. Actually it would be my brother and I, he is an excellent sheetmetal fabricator, could probably come up with something made of stainless steel.
If you want to try to get a similar picture. that would be great. I had a heck of a time getting this shot, I think the camera sensed the clear lense and didn't want to focus on the base of the bulb. Finally I shut off the LCD screen and used the old fashioned optical viewfinder, that finally worked. No idea how to manually focus my digital camera!
Thanks
Gilly

Gilly - been out for the weekend - I was able to take some pictures, you're not kidding it is easy to take!!

This one is from the right side (as your looking at the bike)



This one is from the left



This one if from the left side different angle


This one is from the right with a different angle


I can't angle the camera enough not to get flash-back from the reflector to capture the top side of the reflector cut out clearly.

Let me know if this works for you, if not I will try something else.

Luis

That's probably all I need to see, really. I don't think I can get quite that fancy, I have a few different ideas now anyways.
Thanks again. If I can pull off making a shield I will get info and pics on how I made that, too, assuming everything works OK.
I think the optics are OK for either bulb, it's the shield and how the bulb fits that's the real difference it seems like. The xenon bulb I am getting will be for a H7 headlamp assembly though.
With my brothers help I think I can get something that will be an improvement over the stock H7 low beam and not bother other people. WELL at least normal people, I know you probably get flashed just because it's xenon, even though it's a factory headlight.
Amazing the xenon works so much better with all that shielding around it!

Gilly

That's an interesting point about being flashed - I haven't yet. The light hits most cars right at the trunk line so it is properly dipped. Something to consider. Good luck on your project.

Something to consider in terms of what? Making sure I adjust the beam properly, or "yeah you better make a shield"?

One (edit: OK a couple)question, can you see how far the tip of the bulb goes in to the "cup" on the end? Or does it end in the cut out area? have to try to make sure I have the size and spacing right, doesn't look like the kind of thing you could take out and measure.
Maybe you could make a sketch, might work better than a picture.
I think the one I make will have to be narrower than stock to fit through the hole.
OH and does it look like the whole shield is that dull black color, inside and out?

Gilly

Gilly said:

Something to consider in terms of what? Making sure I adjust the beam properly, or "yeah you better make a shield"?

Click to expand...

Make sure it's adjusted properly

Gilly said:

One (edit: OK a couple)question, can you see how far the tip of the bulb goes in to the "cup" on the end? Or does it end in the cut out area? have to try to make sure I have the size and spacing right, doesn't look like the kind of thing you could take out and measure.
Maybe you could make a sketch, might work better than a picture.
I think the one I make will have to be narrower than stock to fit through the hole.
OH and does it look like the whole shield is that dull black color, inside and out?

Gilly

Click to expand...

Will see what I can do when I get home......

Sounds good, just make sure you wash your hands before handling the headlight

Gilly said:

Something to consider in terms of what? Making sure I adjust the beam properly, or "yeah you better make a shield"?

One (edit: OK a couple)question, can you see how far the tip of the bulb goes in to the "cup" on the end?

Click to expand...

It appears to be 1/2 way

Gilly said:

Or does it end in the cut out area?

Click to expand...

Just about real close - did not take headlamp out

Gilly said:

have to try to make sure I have the size and spacing right, doesn't look like the kind of thing you could take out and measure.

Click to expand...

Taking the headlight assembly off is not as easy as on the RT so I just looked around

Gilly said:

I think the one I make will have to be narrower than stock to fit through the hole.

Click to expand...

The D1R bulb is thinner and different geometry than the H7

Gilly said:

OH and does it look like the whole shield is that dull black color, inside and out?

Click to expand...

It appears to be the same color all over.

OK I'll assume the cut out is open just above where the arc is (between the electrodes, which are inside the glass tube.

What I meant by the "narrower than stock" is this shield i want to make, will need to be a smaller diameter than what you have. Mine will have to go through the same hole in which the bulb goes into the headlight. Your shield I am sure was put on the reflector beofe the lense was put on, it will be larger than mine can be. I don't believe the outer lens is something I want to try to take off.

I don't think the geometery is different on the bulb. The xenon bulb I get might have a slightly different position for the arc (in or out) than the stock bulb, as mine will have an H7 base. That of course can change the geometery for the direction the beam will take inside the headlight as well as outside. Since the reflector shape seems to be the same I am hoping for the best.
Gilly

If the kit is to replace an H7, then won't it be good without any additional shields?

CJack brings up a good question - are you replacing the Halogen H7's with HID H7's?

The Xenon Bulb I have is a D1R, and the bulb geometry is different than an H7 being that the D1R is thinner. At least they appear to be when I was searching on the web.......

This is a great thread - hope it works out for you Gilly

Initially I thought the same, just pop it in. I've had posts on other forums of GT owners who have done just that. It's a popular item, too bad mine didn't come with it. I think later on it bacame almost standard equipment in the US anyways. So, I wouldn't be the first or last to just install it.
My whole problem is I want to make it function as well as stock, without getting flashed and more importantly, to not pi$$ people off.
OK, so you can actually see the problem. The problem will be that there is no glare shield on my bike. I would say this is omitted on the halogen, because if you look at the pic of my bulb, the stock H7 bulbs have that dark spot painted on the end of the glass.
The Xenon bulb won't have that, there is the external wire that leads to the front of the bulb (makes the outer part of the electrode pair) and they don't do that paint thing on them.
So instead BMW puts this metal shield inside the headlight, see Luis' pictures. That dark painted thing isn't part of the bulb, it's part of the headlight. I want to try to replicate that if I can. My brother is an excellent welder. My idea is using a metal tube, have my brother fabricate a base for the tube which would mimmic an H7 base, this will go between the headlight and Xenon H7 bulb, so the bulb will in effect be holding the shield in place. Weld a cap on the end facing forward. Cut or grind an opening for the light (probably just one large square opening in the top half, leaving the forward part closed up, so just an opening approx on top of where the arc will be, I don't think I have to be quite as exacting, it will be better than doing nothing).
The Xenon bulb that comes with this kit has an H7 base on it instead of the type manufacturers use. It's really a Xenon HID bulb, just a funky base so it works in a H7 headlight.
I am somewhat bolstered by the reflector looking the same between the real Xenon headlight and mine. If there is a difference I believe it to be pretty minor.

OH and again I would disagree the geometery is different, unless the reflector really is different, which I doubt, but I would agree it would be a problem if the bulb capsule was moved forward or aft a "lot". Others will also tell you the arc is different than a incandescent filament, etc etc. Well fooey, I'm trying it.
Stubborn.
Hope nothing melts though...
I can put it back to stock if it doesn't work out, but from reports I hear, it works out fine. This particular kit I bough was recommended by another GT owner who says it has been working fine for a couple years now.
I DO have to make sure I get this colored black though, as you don't want the beam reflected back by the shield, it needs to be black to absorb the light, not reflect it back to the bulb as this will shorten bulb life.
Thinking high temp engine paint?
Powder coating would probably be best I suppose.

Gilly

More pictures

This is the "power" base of the bulb as mounted on the back of the headlight assembly housing



Sideview of the bulb assembly as it is removed from the housing assembly



Inside reflector #1



Inside reflector #2

TOO cool! Thanks much, I can definitely see how BMW does it now!
Since my headlight will need to remain as it is, my plan is to make a metal base so it drops in the same area that my headlight bulb drops in to.
Attached to that (welded) will be the largest diameter tube (stainless or aluminum) that will pass in to the headlight through the headlamp bulb hole.
I will get a round cap welded to the end of that tube.
Instead of the strange openings you have on yours, I will have the top half of the circumference of the tube removed. Might try doing those 2 slots on the bottom of the tube also.
Possibly get the whole thing finished in a dull black powdercoat.

Gilly

Another thought is see if Beemer boneyard may have any light assemblies and you can get the shield.

Just a thought......

Not sure if the shield would "transplant" onto the back of a halogen reflector headlight.
IF they had a xenon headlight with a smashed outer lense, I would be willing to try to seperate my lense and rear cover to install the reflector. I'll try them.
Gilly