Changing lights to drive on the continent

JTalbut

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• Sep 9, 2002

• #1

Folks,
What is the normal procedure for changing lights when driving on the continent?

Do you actually dismantl the front end on the ferry to fiddle with the bolt as suggested in the manual?
Or do you stick some black stuff on your lens?
Or do you just blind the foreigners?

Yesterday I took my light unit partly to pieces in order to follow City Slicker's advice to enable the change documented in the technical book, but I don't much fancy doing that on a ferry.
So what does everyone else do?

J.T.

 

Greg Masters

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• Sep 9, 2002

• #2

JT

I assume that you're talking 1150GS here.

To switch dip, you have to remove the screen and the instrument cover. After that, it's just a five minute job to release the dip beam holding ring, twizzle the lamp and replace everything.

They don't let you work on your bike whilst it's on the ferry, but you could do the job whilst waiting on the quay-side. However, it'd be my luck that it's either raining or there would be no waiting time before loading.

I normally do the job before I leave home.

Greg

 

guitarman

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• Sep 9, 2002

• #3

Black tape for me. Easy, quick, cheap. Also I very rarely ride at night as I'm usually in the bar !

 

Howard Millichap

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• Sep 9, 2002

• #4

Ditto Guitarman.

 

City Slicker

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• Sep 9, 2002

• #5

JTalbut said:

Yesterday I took my light unit partly to pieces in order to follow City Slicker's advice to enable the change documented in the technical book

Click to expand...

So, did you find the pin that stopped you rotating it as per the manual?

If you did and cut it off, this will be the last time you have to mess about with it; just whip off the silver cover, loosen the torx clamp bolt, rotate and re-tighten. Bingo in 2 minutes flat.

If you didn't, maybe some bikes exhibit the feature and others don't, in which case Anyone else come across the same problem?

FYI, in case you haven't read the thread in which this is discussed, see ( !!! Where has this post gone to !!! - can an admin please find out why I can't find it)

 

DavidHolmes

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• Sep 10, 2002

• #6

Guitarman

Perhaps you should have used more black tape. Especially on the bottom left quadrant of your dipped beam unit

 

JTalbut

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• Sep 10, 2002

• #7

Re: Re: Changing lights to drive on the continent

City Slicker said:

So, did you find the pin that stopped you rotating it as per the manual?

Click to expand...

I did, and duly cut it down (not off, it acts as a locator but by grasping the whole of the big lamp from the handlebar end in my right had I can still twist it appropriately, and it does make a difference.

I just don't fancy the idea of losing six torx bolts on the quayside.

I'm very grateful to you for your original post, without that it would have been far more difficult.
When you know what you are looking for there are only a few more bolts to undo to get to the pin.

 

guitarman

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• Sep 10, 2002

• #8

Not much escapes you does it Dave ? Anyway where's that penlight ?

Howard, being a St. Leonards man you should join us over at Wessons one Saturday.

 

Banjaxed

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• Sep 10, 2002

• #9

Or ...

... change the light over in the comfort of your garage, use the black tape on the way to the ferry and after getting onto the boat, remove with a flourish (that's a small rodent common in Sussex).
On returning to filthy Calais, reapply the black tape, which you saved by sticking to the inside of your screen ...