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Head Light Bezel Removal from a Vetter Fairing

b25bsaboy

New member
Good Morning,

Bought the R75/6 home from storage yesterday and as I loaded the machine into the Wells Cargo trailer, I decided to take the Vetter fairing off the front end. This was the easy part in that 4 7/16" bolts and there she lay.

My attention then turned to the head light bezel that holds the head light glass on the Vetter fairing as I assume this goes back onto the head light bucket on the machine. This is where the fun begins, in that I havenÔÇÖt a clue how it comes off and I donÔÇÖt want to break it.

Does anyone on the board have any collective thoughts on this subject matter of removal?

I plan on shooting pictures of the complete strip down of the R75/6 and keep a log of the progress as time goes on.

Rick MacPherson :bikes :ca
 
I'm pretty sure Vetter used a standard 7" headlight which is NOT the same diameter as a BMW headlight... therefore the trim ring is probably too small for the bucket. Probably used an H4 bulb though.

Those trim rings are available but nose bleed expensive at $175.00 for a simple piece of stamped and chromed steel!
 
The one on my Vetter fit the headlight on the bike. '77 R100/7. On the bottom is a srew. Loosen the screw and turn the bezel and it is supposed to pop off. Mine never did and I would hve to pry it.

I underrstand some older bikes did not have the retaining screw and were known for falling off. May have some type of sealent to hold it on.

Ed
 
Actually, the headlights on many of those were an oddball size, about 6", I think... and to remove the bezel, you turned it counterclockwise something like a quarter turn and it comes right off...
 
Yarddog's on it. But all Windjammers utilize the 7" headlamp; sealed-beam, or H4.

The older Windjammer III (without built-in turnsignals) used a standard Delco 7" headlamp holder. It had a single screw at the bottom. Once the bezel is off there are three smaller screws that secure the bulb into the holder.

WJIII
1974-Windjammer-3-200.jpg


The Windjammer SS (with the adjustable headlamp and LEL (leading edge lights)) was fitted with our own headlight bucket. There is a slot at the bottom. Insert a screw driver to depress the "lock" and then turn the chrome bezel counter-clockwise about 1/3 revolution. Once turned, it should come off, but you may need to gently pry it loose (depending upon how much dirt/grit has accumulated in the "thread" over the years.)

WJSS
SSl.jpg
 
More problematic to me is how to get the danged bezel off of my /5 Toaster without screwing up the chrome and/or the paint... Why Fritz didn't just secure it on there using a screw is a mystery to me. Guess he thought we'd lose the screw...

The discontinuity to that concern is securing the battery covers with a freakin' rubber band
31.gif
 
I'll have to take another measure of the headlight on my Vetter...thot I measured it at 6" but who knows?
 
More problematic to me is how to get the danged bezel off of my /5 Toaster without screwing up the chrome and/or the paint... Why Fritz didn't just secure it on there using a screw is a mystery to me. Guess he thought we'd lose the screw...

The discontinuity to that concern is securing the battery covers with a freakin' rubber band
31.gif

Lew, I enjoyed your comment, so much so I was wondering what in H%#l I was going to give the R75/6 a nickname. Thanks to you it's now called the "Fritz Bike". Thank you for putting a smile on my face from ear to ear.....

Rick MacPherson: : bikes ca
 
Windjammer Headlight

My Windjammer SS has a 7" Bosch light. To release the retaining ring there is a black tab sticking out at the bottom adjacent to the ring which has to be pushed up to release the ratchet locking device. Then turn the retaining ring counter-clockwise. Be ready to catch the ring and glass envelope. If falls on the ground get your cheque book out and call Germany. When I did that there were no replacement lights in North America. ( I ordered two).
 
Last edited:
Good Morning,

Bought the R75/6 home from storage yesterday and as I loaded the machine into the Wells Cargo trailer, I decided to take the Vetter fairing off the front end. This was the easy part in that 4 7/16" bolts and there she lay.

My attention then turned to the head light bezel that holds the head light glass on the Vetter fairing as I assume this goes back onto the head light bucket on the machine. This is where the fun begins, in that I havenÔÇÖt a clue how it comes off and I donÔÇÖt want to break it.

Does anyone on the board have any collective thoughts on this subject matter of removal?

I plan on shooting pictures of the complete strip down of the R75/6 and keep a log of the progress as time goes on.

Rick MacPherson :bikes :ca

Evening!

Bought the Vetter fairing home from storage and with the help of a buddy from down the street tackled how to get the Bosch head light and bezel out of the Vetter head light bucket without breaking something.
Observation:
At the bottom of the headlight bucket and on the bezel there is two narrow slotes. The one on the bezel doesn't mean anything but the one on the bucket you have to take a small flat bladed screw driver and push in wards. Once you have pushed far enough on the spring steel clip, the bezel pops up about an 1/16" of an inch (sorry I am from the old school of measurement). Pull the bezel away and there it is azttached to a three U shaped plug.

Now the fun begins figuring out what all the added wires for the Vetter fairing are for and what to disconnect. Wiring is not one of my strong points!!!!!!!!

Rick MacPherson :bikes :ca
 
My attention then turned to the head light bezel that holds the head light glass on the Vetter fairing as I assume this goes back onto the head light bucket on the machine. This is where the fun begins, in that I havenÔÇÖt a clue how it comes off and I donÔÇÖt want to break it.
Your /6 BMW had a Bosch headlight assembly consisting of the chrome trim ring, rubber gasket, lens (H4), reflector and bulb holder with bail. That assembly came fitted to the headlight bucket and had to be removed in order to mount the Vetter fairing. However, none of the Vetter Windjammer fairings used the BMW headlight. If your "Vetter" faring has a BMW Bosch unit from the original bike headlight bucket, you probably have a LUFTMEISTER fairing which is a copy of a Vetter and DOES in fact use the BMW Bosch unit. As I said in an earlier post, Vetter fairings are responsible for a lot of missing OEM headlights ...not to mention the BMW lamp socket and wires. You will need to begin looking for an OEM headlight assembly. Depending on the year, your bike may have come with the chrome ring that has a screw driver slot release or a actual screw and clamp assembly (much better idea). The screw in type - good news here - will fit earlier headlight buckets.

There are several good headlights on ebay right now in the 250.00 price range. You can piece one together off ebay in a few months for less or find one occasionally in the flea market here or the IBMWR list. I think that the new price on them is in the $400.00 range now...Proceed with your disassembly but be prepared for a moment of discovery.
 
Your /6 BMW had a Bosch headlight assembly consisting of the chrome trim ring, rubber gasket, lens (H4), reflector and bulb holder with bail. That assembly came fitted to the headlight bucket and had to be removed in order to mount the Vetter fairing. However, none of the Vetter Windjammer fairings used the BMW headlight. If your "Vetter" faring has a BMW Bosch unit from the original bike headlight bucket, you probably have a LUFTMEISTER fairing which is a copy of a Vetter and DOES in fact use the BMW Bosch unit. As I said in an earlier post, Vetter fairings are responsible for a lot of missing OEM headlights ...not to mention the BMW lamp socket and wires. You will need to begin looking for an OEM headlight assembly. Depending on the year, your bike may have come with the chrome ring that has a screw driver slot release or a actual screw and clamp assembly (much better idea). The screw in type - good news here - will fit earlier headlight buckets.

There are several good headlights on ebay right now in the 250.00 price range. You can piece one together off ebay in a few months for less or find one occasionally in the flea market here or the IBMWR list. I think that the new price on them is in the $400.00 range now...Proceed with your disassembly but be prepared for a moment of discovery.

I guess I may have goofed in thinking that what I had was a Vetter Fairing which in fact as pointed out by this gentleman what I have in fact is a LUFTMEISTER and not a Vetter. Went and looked more closely at the fairing in the shop and pictures, and I stood to be corrected.
My Bad!

Rick MacPherson :bikes :ca
 
Not Bad, Not bad at all...

The Luftmeister (air master) fairing also uses the original front BMW turn signals including the lens, reflector and the black plastic housing. The TS housing and reflector with bulb fit inside the fairing and are accessed through the side pockets and removed by unscrewing the two long screws holding the lens in place on the outside of the fairing. Look at the motorcycle parts diagrams on line and note the turn signal mounting stalks. Then look at your motorcycle and see if those stalks are still in place. Often when a ÔÇÿLuftyÔÇÖ was installed, the turn signal wire(s) were taped and tucked back inside the stalks...A much more labor intensive route sometimes taken was to remove the stalks which was un-necessary for the ÔÇÿLuftyÔÇÖ but practical for the Vetter. If one finds an airhead BMW, say 1976 for instance with the turn signal stalks bent up, that was done to allow clearance for the forks to turn inside the confines of the Vetter fairing fork bay. Hopefully youÔÇÖll also have a plastic headlight cover which kept dust and moisture out of the headlight shell when the headlight assembly was relocated to the fairing. Those are handy to have so hang on to it.

The bike to fairing wire loom if professionally installed will have been plugged into un-used terminals of the appropriate color code for lights and turn signals and can simply be un-plugged and the entire loom drawn out through which ever port has been used in the headlight bucket. Those wire looms with connectors are NLA. Stash it in the fairing pocket so it doesnÔÇÖt get lost. Often, the bikes original headlight bulb connector was simply folded back into the headlight bucket and will be there waiting for the return of the original headlight. Those short wire harness / bulb connector assemblies are still available.
 
If one finds an airhead BMW, say 1976 for instance with the turn signal stalks bent up, that was done to allow clearance for the forks to turn inside the confines of the Vetter fairing fork bay.

My /7 came to me with the Lufty fairing on it...I'm second owner but I'm fairly certain it came this way from the dealer...color matched with the Wixom bags. My turn signal stalks are bent up. It was my understanding this was the standard practice with the Lufty to afford proper clearance. However, in looking down at the stalks, it looks like there would have been plenty of clearance without bending them. However, to be on the safe side and in the even that the fairing might be installed slightly one side or the other, I can see where bending the stalks creates the necessary room to avoid even the potential that they might have hung up. Just my theory, I guess...
 
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