R1100GS - CBR 400 headlights into the Touratech frame

Tsiklonaut

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Mr. Gecko donated me Touratech twin headlights frame I collected today morning for a DYI jobby :bow.

Altough I already got a pair of Honda CBR400 reflectors off the eBay they didn't fit into the Wunderlich twin headlights frames I had. Touratech and Wunderlich twin headlights -> they both have the same plastic reflector elements that are prone to melt if over 35W bulbs are used. 2x35Watts H4 isn't much improvement over 55W single OEM headlight...

So here's the motivation to put Honda CBR400 headlight elements into TouraTech frame (PS: NOT possible into the Wunderlich frame!) and use proper 2x55W, theoretchically giving you twice the lightning improvement riding in the dark.

Here's the procedure:

Honda CBR400 OEM headlights come like this:
DSCN1790.jpg


You need to cut the corners and you need to burnish everything out nice'n'ROOUND - lot of handwork!

With some precision burnish and some "bending" with the hammer you can fit the elements into the TT bottom frame.

Now they'll fit in:
DSCN1824.jpg


DSCN1828.jpg


Now you need to modify the upper TT frame, since the glasses have been re-locared with this mod. I burnished the outer half-circles of the upper TT frame. It's aluminium, so easiliy burnishable with proper round gable.

Now the upper frame will mount on (the upper black plate on the pic):
DSCN1829.jpg


Note how stiff the two elements are with each other:
DSCN1830.jpg



So after about 2 hours of hard handwork (I have blister on one of my fingers now, coz of lot of burnising-measuring-burnishing-testing-remeasuring-burnishing :)), your lights are ready:
DSCN1833.jpg


And you can mount 'em on the bike:
DSCN1839.jpg



DSCN1841.jpg



They look good on the 1100:
DSCN1846_800.jpg

:thumb

Hope this gives you some ideas for those who have melted TT/Wunderlich elements who're tosser enough to have time for some relatively serious handwork, with a good set of burnishing tools and not that soft-handed. :D

I can say the reflectors seem to be MUCH better than the plastic ones. I'll let you know how they do in real life conditions if I have my first night rides.

Take care, and million thanks to the Mr. and Mrs. Gecko for the TT frame :clap

Margus :beerjug:
 
Hey Margus that looks like a good job. :thumb2 I'd heard it was possible but never found the information on the finsished version so I'm glad you have been able to make some use of the bits that were sitting around on my workbench.
Let us know how they work in the dark.
Are the CBR lamps both high and low beam or one high and one low ?

By the way have you got a shortened beak on your bike ?
 
thanks for the idea, was lookin for a set of lights to fit mine. gsxr 1100 lamps are too big.n exup are hard to find:blast
grate job by the way.....
more projects needed on here:D
ugg.
 
i wonder if theres room in there for H4 HIDs?
I bought a car set on the bay and have the hardware to run two (spare connections currently in a bag on top of airbox) I was looking at the TT set, Does anyone know if HIDs would melt the plastic lenses? (35watt)
Stewart
 
Does anyone know if HIDs would melt the plastic lenses? (35watt)

Nope, they shouldn't. HID transfers most of its energy in the visible spectrum, unlike regular bulbs that transfer most of theirs in the infra-red (heat) spectrum. So while HIDs are brighter, they're also run much cooler than the regular halogens.

Fitting HIDs is one of the ideas I'm having in mind, too :)
 
Hey Margus that looks like a good job. :thumb2 I'd heard it was possible but never found the information on the finsished version so I'm glad you have been able to make some use of the bits that were sitting around on my workbench.
Let us know how they work in the dark.
Are the CBR lamps both high and low beam or one high and one low ?

By the way have you got a shortened beak on your bike ?

Yes Marc,

CBR400s take H4s - high and low beam, but the versions I've got do not have the small parking bulbs inside. It shouldn't cause MOT problems here in Estonia, but it might in UK or in Western-Europe if you don't have front parking lights :augie

I can switch temporarely back to the stock OEM reflector I have for spare if it comes to that.

Shortened the beak meself too for some time back, looks muuuch cooler and proper now. Also fit an GS Adventure tank I got off the fleaBay, so the bike has changed colours 3 times - the ADV tank came in silver, so it was easier for me to repaint the beak rather than tank, and painted with cheap'n'strong spray paint made for car-wheels :blast but it does the job as you can see on the pics :beer:

Cheers, Margus :beerjug:
 
Margus,

Know its a long time since you started this thread - do the CBR400 lights work OK with the 60/55W H4's? - any trouble with the reflectors overheating?
 
Margus,

Know its a long time since you started this thread - do the CBR400 lights work OK with the 60/55W H4's? - any trouble with the reflectors overheating?

I abandoned the idea and went back to the original headlight, my glass reflectors/lenses were heat damaged when I got them, presumably by the standard H4 bulbs that were fitted, they were Japanese in origin , marked "Stanley" and appeared to have had some modification in order to make them take the H4 bulbs, they were also very close to useless for riding in the dark.
 
Margus,

Know its a long time since you started this thread - do the CBR400 lights work OK with the 60/55W H4's? - any trouble with the reflectors overheating?

I think you ought to have a look at some of Margus posts to see where he is at the moment.You might not get a reply for a while.
 
Margus,

Know its a long time since you started this thread - do the CBR400 lights work OK with the 60/55W H4's? - any trouble with the reflectors overheating?
I have had this mod on my 1100 for many years now and have had non problems :thumb2

I think you ought to have a look at some of Margus posts to see where he is at the moment.You might not get a reply for a while.
Keep up at the back there, they have been home a week now :thumb
 
I've a 2002 GSA1150 and am thinking of tidying the headlamps & instruments. Replacing the lot with an enduro style front light and an IMO / trailtech instrument - but probably butcher in the GS idiot lights.

Am trawling round now for threads - anyone seen any good ones?

Oh, btw I'll be doing this on a budget....
 
I have long been thinking about such a modification.
Question: in Russia, right-hand driving and Japanese headlights create the "wrong light." Can anyone know the European (right-hand) headlights that are suitable for this?
 
you want lights that dip up and down they are normaly accepted anywhere
 


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