Head lights

[davegs]

I have read the fm and the dreaded Haynes book of crap (why did I bother)
been trying to adjust my head light up a bit. Tried the bloody "adjust ment knob / load setting but seems to make no difference even on main beam I don't get flashed just comeback from the IoM where roads are dark!!, I assume that it's clockwise to make it higher?, yes I have hid on dip.

 

[(RIP) Miff]

Park facing a wall, approx 8 foot away. Bike on centre stand. Then mark where the light cuts off. Adjust the bottom nut. You should see it move one way or the other.

 

[Nick V]

Park facing a wall, approx 8 foot away. Bike on centre stand. Then mark where the light cuts off. Adjust the bottom nut. You should see it move one way or the other.

There is a lever-like device right next to the vertical-adjustment knob.
Try moving this up and down with the light on high beam.
If the beam doesn't respond through the full range of lever movement, the reflector inside the headlight housing could have become displaced from it's actuation mountings (possibly after an accident or a drop).

To double-check, remove one of the rear headlight bulb access covers. Try GENTLY moving the reflector back and forth by hand. If it moves easily, it's been displaced, and you have a problem. At this stage, you COULD go to BMW and offer up your children as a sacrifice... but if you drill a 10mm hole next to the three-pin electrical connector at the back of the housing, you will now have a handy access port.
Now, use a Phillips screwdriver to undo the screws securing the female ball connector, snap said connector back over the ball, and re-fasten the screws.

Sorted.

 

[thegasman]

before you start drilling....

If the reflector is loose, first check the adjustment screw isn't wound all the way to the extreme of it's range, which will also leave the reflector flapping about in the breeze.

 

[Nick V]

Thegasman has a good point, and I should have mentioned that earlier.

To double-check, remove the headlight assembly from the bike, then remove both bulb access covers from the rear of the headlight assembly.

Have a good look inside the housing, towards the bottom rear of the reflector.
You should be able to see, with a fair amount of clarity, whether or not the threaded adjuster has come adrift of the threaded shaft, and whether or not the vertical-adjustment pivot (a white plastic widget held onto the reflector by three Phillips-head screws) has come adrift of the pivot ball.