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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 11:30:47 GMT
I know these are deflectors and do something with the headlamp beam........but why are they fitted to a UK bike? Any ideas?  |
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Post by mansell on Jul 2, 2015 11:40:59 GMT
They shouldn't be, they deflect the beam when travelling abroad driving on the "wrong" side of the road. A lazy tourist perhaps who forgot/ couldn't be arsed to remove them?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 11:53:17 GMT
They shouldn't be, they deflect the beam when travelling abroad driving on the "wrong" side of the road. A lazy tourist perhaps who forgot/ couldn't be arsed to remove them? Are you sure, mate? This is the third GS500E (mine being the third) I've seen with these fitted - all UK bikes. Mine supplied by a UK dealer with these on from new.....and the bike has never left these shores since it came here in 1994. Could it be that the fairing was a licensed Suzuki aftermarket product and that it was produced in Spain - and used what were essentially Aprilia twin headlights.......therefore do you think these are needed to convert the beam to UK ? Weird one..... |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 11:56:55 GMT
That said is the purpose not to dazzle on coming road users?....if so, they are surely fitted on the wrong side? Or am I reading this wrong?
They are fitted to the bike as shown in the above pic.
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Post by mansell on Jul 2, 2015 12:00:00 GMT
That is a plausible explanation, but I can see no purpose for them on UK roads. Strange a dealer wouldn't have removed them.
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Post by Cheggy on Jul 2, 2015 17:57:53 GMT
I'm almost certain these are for lining up your beam. I think you put them on and Park a certain distance from a wall and make sure the "reflection" looks a certain way?
I'm going to try to find what I mean. Back soon.
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Post by greybeard on Jul 2, 2015 18:24:18 GMT
They are NOT beam-benders. All they do are block out the brightest beam of the light from dazzling oncoming traffic - ON EUROPEAN ROADS WHEN FITTED AS IN THE PIC. If they were (in effect)LHD lights, the beam BLOCKERS would be the other way around....and you would still fail the MOT as it is not an acceptable way of adjusting non-uk lights for uk use.
Unless the bike had been abroad, I can see no sensible reason for having the black tape on there......
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 19:38:22 GMT
That's what I thought and I am eager to remove them....
It's just odd that I have seen this on a few of these bikes now in exactly that position.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 21:44:25 GMT
Could it be that the fairing was a licensed Suzuki aftermarket product and that it was produced in Spain - and used what were essentially Aprilia twin headlights. I'd say it's exactly this  - the bits of tape are to stop the beam going to the right and dazzling oncoming traffic in the UK - assuming they are not just "up - down" dipping lights as a lot of bikes are ? The LH part of the bowl reflector sends the light over to the right - it reflects off the bowl not direct from the lamp - if that makes sense ?  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 21:49:08 GMT
Not trying to be controversial here  Best pic I could find :http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dloc.org.uk/2010/headlight_lhd_large.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.dloc.org.uk/2010/traveltips.php&h=1075&w=1434&tbnid=VJnqqR4cab3IkM:&zoom=1&docid=a3LeCQ-8FU-uiM&ei=WLGVVZT0A-Pg7QbB5qPgAg&tbm=isch&ved=0CCEQMygBMAE And they are fine for the MOT www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m1s01000603.htm |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 11:11:17 GMT
So in a nutshell.....they look to be fitted correctly for U.K roads, Boje? It's all to do with the reflection of the beam? If I removed them, they will dazzle oncoming U.K traffic (on my approaching right hand side). Is this what you mean sir?  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 11:27:42 GMT
This discussion is confusing me now- I thought I understood the function of these headlamp stickers and now I am not so sure? I always thought the tapered prism was there to throw light to the left when driving on the left. So the prism is like that below on UK bikes (CB900FZ) In which case Nick has continental design headlamps and the stickers are correctly on there to convert to UK use by blanking off the incorrect throw to the right. Lines up with the story about where the kits came from as well. But the stated use of these stickers is to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic.....  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 11:50:49 GMT
What's also interesting is that I replaced my reflector unit on my deluxe for a NOS one several years back but the design on the lense (as per above) is inverted (from the original and the one above) - it is a European unit. Never had any issues on the MOT......hmmm.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 12:15:20 GMT
So in a nutshell.....they look to be fitted correctly for U.K roads, Boje? It's all to do with the reflection of the beam? If I removed them, they will dazzle oncoming U.K traffic (on my approaching right hand side). Is this what you mean sir? I'd say they are now correct for use in the UK - its just masking off the bit of the lens that would "kick up" on the right - so the beam should now be flat - as Crouchy says in the UK lamps kick up on the left to illuminate the path and let you see without dazzling oncoming traffic . Some bike headlights just have a symetrical beam that it is flat so is suitable for LH or RH road use . In Crouchy's pic of a UK lamp you can see the prism on the LH side (as you look at it in the pic!) that throws the beam up on the left - yours FB would be on the opposite side - phew |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 12:18:49 GMT
So........... these look a bit scabby so I am either going to take them off or if they are an MOT requirement I will re-create fresh ones......do you reckon I can just get rid? Personally I don't like the look of 'em but safety overrides cosmetics of course.
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- the bits of tape are to stop the beam going to the right and dazzling oncoming traffic in the UK - assuming they are not just "up - down" dipping lights as a lot of bikes are ? The LH part of the bowl reflector sends the light over to the right - it reflects off the bowl not direct from the lamp - if that makes sense ? 
