Riding in Europe

[saunders]

Hi All,

Can you help? I am over in Europe for a bit riding my 'Glee' [about 6 months]
What do I need to do with the headlights [adjustment wise or will a car headlight sticker thing work?].

The reason I am asking is that they seam to be riding a bit high. Also I want to ride with a passenger on or loaded, what will be the best settings for the light.

Any help will be appreciated [do not want to be pulled].

Thanks.

Paul

[Oop North John]

I reckon the glee's headlights have a vertical dip, so didn't adjust mine  for last year's trip down to Split, and don't remember getting any irate flashing.

Adjusting the rear preload for the weight on the seats should keep the level OK.

[saunders]

I came back the other night and there were lots of irate flashing at me [mainly from truck drivers].
So if anyone has any advice on the the angle the beams should be at, that would be nice.

Cheers.

[UK_Vstrom650]

I used electrical tape on mine to blank out the top and left sides as per dealerships recommendation. Still got some flashing at night though only rode once in the dark.

I'm pretty sure I read on here (may have been stromtroopers) that there's 4 screws behind the headlight that adjust vertical and horizontal?

[hookie]

Suggest you load the bike with luggage and a pillion plus yourself and then adjust the suspension to suit. Then with this load check the headlight setting and adjust it if needed. There are lots of sites on the internet that show you how to set the right height. If it is set properly you shouldn't get flashed by other drivers. Here is one that may help:-
       http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_5852411_adjus ... light.html

[saunders]

Thanks will try that.

[user650]

You can adjust the hight using the two inner headlight adjusters (pictures in owners manual I think), turn them both the same amount of turns, mine took one and a quarter, and remember how much you turned them to undo the adjustment if you want back when back home.  

[Jacko]

I had to adjust my glee lights, they were aimed high out of the showroom. I guess they're tested with 5 stone Japanese fellas sat on them.. The adjusters' location is in the manual, a 10mm bolt for each light..

[saunders]

Thank you for your good information, about the bike coming with the beam set high [I thought it was just me seeing things wrong]. It is due its 1st year service this month, so I will check it before and ask them to adjust it.

Paul

[Oop North John]

Adjusting the pre load won't compensate enough when loaded, especially if they were high in the first place.

Why won't the preload compensate when loaded? Ignore the lights being set up wrongly to start with, as you'd get similar effect if the rear tyre was flat, and that's not "normal" or correct either.

[saunders]

Thanks Ali, for all your advice and truths about UK riders in Europe and the times you get blinded, losing what night vision you have and the buttock clenching moments there after.

For my point of view, I do not like blinding other road users [or being blinded myself]. So when she goes for the 1st year service next week [when the snow stops] I will get the beams lowered to the minimum for a solo rider, and then with pillion use the rear tensioning as best as possible, if after loading and pillion it is still too high I will lower them further, as most of my riding is with the good lady strapped to the back.

As for the riders who do only ride in the day, the 'Glee' as its lights are on all the time, so there should be no excuse for not having the correct beam settings, both day & night.

**Also, can the beam direction be changed like the height, I know there is a knob for it [or do I need a new pair or lenses that will change the direction so it is not pointing into oncoming traffic]? If this possible, that would be good, it will save me trying to get them stickers for car headlights and making them fit, or just plain gaffer tap. [Any ideas on this one, now the beam height has been solved?]

Thanks for all your help.

[Oop North John]

Adjusting the pre load won't compensate enough when loaded, especially if they were high in the first place.

Why won't the preload compensate when loaded? Ignore the lights being set up wrongly to start with, as you'd get similar effect if the rear tyre was flat, and that's not "normal" or correct either.

But you can't ignore the lights being set up incorrectly in the first place.

Great logic there  

[skinny5216]

Has anyone actually put tape on their headlights while riding abroad. I have to admit I never had. The lights on the new glee are very bright and this year I should really consider it.
 

[saunders]

I have asked the dealership to lower the lights for me at my next service, if they are still too high I will lower them myself! [its only 1 knob per light up/down and 1 left/right].

[UK_Vstrom650]

Has anyone actually put tape on their headlights while riding abroad. I have to admit I never had. The lights on the new glee are very bright and this year I should really consider it.
 

Yes, me after the mechanic at the dealership wouldn't do it at the first 600 service, he just told me to use electrician's tape. I did, but drove once at night and did get flashed a few times by oncoming drivers. Not good!

[loggamatt]

If anyone who has put tape over the Glee lights could put up a picture of exactly where they taped, that would be muchos helpful!

[mjc506]

Look straight at your headlights, and you'll see a kind of 'target' (a circle with a crosshair) in the middle of the lens, straight in front of the bulbs. You want to mask off the bottom left (for UK bikes) of this, a la:

disclaimer: not to scale, bad photoshop lalalala

electrical tape works fine, but can be a bit of a pain to clean off after. You want to roughly match the shape of your mask to the shape of the reflective section you're blocking.

It'll be worth checking against a wall that your beam is now flat

[loggamatt]

Thanks fellas! I'll make sure to have a bit of a wall light pattern spotting and light taping session before my trip into Europe.

[saunders]

Whilst I was back in the UK ans just picked up my 'Glee', during the day people were flashing me [I thought it was because I had my lights on during the day (like the Volvo drivers)   ], but know I know it was because the lights were set to high.

To all new Glee owners [and others] - check your light settings, its bad enough car and truck drivers do not like us bikers, lets not give them more reasons.

[Hugo Magnus]

Whilst I was back in the UK ans just picked up my 'Glee', during the day people were flashing me [I thought it was because I had my lights on during the day (like the Volvo drivers)   ], but know I know it was because the lights were set to high.

To all new Glee owners [and others] - check your light settings, its bad enough car and truck drivers do not like us bikers, lets not give them more reasons.

Just a re-inforcement :of Saunders" comments:

On my first ride out at twilight a black BMW estate pulled out from a side turning across my path (as they do), He then put his fog lights on. My pillion suggested that my lights were too high with him on the back. A mile or so down the road he let me past (I waived my thanks) and then he got right up behind me (at speed), so I pulled over to let him pass. He boxed be in and gave me a load of abuse telling me to dip my lights, which of course were already dipped.

I would have been very grateful to have been politely told that my lamps were set too high......

This took the edge off what had been a great bimble.

So before I go out again I will need to make some adjustments, Hello ho.