Headlights..were they always that bad?

[Mike101]

A few weeks a go before the clocks change i took my K100LT off for its mot...It passed no problem but i had to lower the headlight beam to make it pass..again no issues at all there.

What i have found is that with the beam in a position to pass an mot i ahve a probelm while riding at night. On dipped beam to see anything in the road ahead and react to it i cannot go more than 25mph...yes 25mph..it's that bad..main is only 50mph...i ahve tested this over several nights and the speeds are acurate.

Any faster the 25mph and i cannot see what is on the road be it a brick or a dead something!

No yes i know i can put a better bulb in or fit a relay or fit spots lamps but thats not what i am saying here.

I don't remember bike headlights being that crap 20 years ago..where they really that bad?

Mike

[Redmurty]

Did many many miles riding at night in the late 70's and 80's and yes light were crap, we are used to LED everything now especially on cars

cheers Spud

[P4ulie]

My BM's coming up to 20 yrs old & yup the headlights shocking. High beam barely picks up cat eyes. Thankfully the spots do work.

I dont think being bedazzled by every single oncoming car helps. Its almost pleasant to have an old banger head towards you

[chico]

iirc my 1973 GT550 Suzuki had 35/35 watt dip/main beam bulb (Stanley brand) :laugh: so they can't have been great....oddly, indicator bulbs were 21 watt then...now they are 10watt, and we moan about not being seen...are lenses better nowadays

[Gas_Up_Lets_Go]

i had to lower the headlight beam to make it pass..

I would be asking how 'level' the bike was when tested - sounds to me that the leveling was actually level.

Personally, I'd just adjust it back up, so it's correct when you are sitting on the bike with your normal luggage.

[Mike101]

Yes i have moved it back up so i can see but the point of this was to pass a MOT the headlight is useless.

I'm going to sell the thing soon anyway.

Mike

[Nigel]

Lights on my S10 are good although would be nice to have a flip up on the left instead of a flat beam, probably to do with the main beam being operated by a shutter?
Lights on GS800 were good on dip but didn`t show far enough on main.

Remember the first time I rode a Suzuki GS750F at night along a country lane and I dipped for an oncoming car and as there was no flip up on the left the verge disappeared and I nearly ended up in a dyke hmy:

[Bernard Smith]

I have two R100RTs - one 1990 and one 1995.

Relatively both are not great, not like modern F800s and S10s (have had both).

Thank God for Leds as both have front and rear upgrades! (thumbs)

[jonny955]

A lot of new bikes are calling for a lighting upgrade by default (be that spotlights or a relay to make the second headlight work - doh!).

My current main bike (Stelvio) has a brilliant OEM set up with the optional spot lights and I do ride a fair bit of unlit A & B roads. It makes a huge difference to your confidence, especially on bends.

Jon

[ChrisA]

No, the lights twenty years ago were worse, but my eyes were better. B)