Headlight Technology upgrade for the 1st gens

[Kurt827]

The problem I see on a 86+ is that it will not be as nicely trimmed out. the 83-85 has a glass cover over an inset lamp and it looks to me that the 86+ has a shaped lens that sticks all the way out. I am sure I can make this work on both, but the 86+ will not look as good. I need to wait for photos of the 86 headlight assembly before I can see what is needed to be done to make it work for all 1st gens.

 

 

Tim, Would it help if I sent you a 86 + head light assembly to work on? I just happen to have one laying around. Send me your adress if you think it would help. I will cover shipping for the cause.

 

 

Kurt827

[frankd]

Yes, the 83-85 are identical......

 

If the new headlights are 65watts each, you would have 130W total. That would be approximately a 10AMP draw (P=IE, or P/E=I.....If you have approx. 13Volts at the headlight, 130W/13V=10A). 10 amps is too much for the computer panel and the automatic headlight module that switches to high beam if the low burns out. What would be easy to do is connect the first headlight to the old headlight wiring. I had a 65 watt bulb in my 83 for years and nothing burned up. Then use two relays to light the other headlight. Connect one relay coil to the low and one to the high beam lead from the bike. Connect one side of each relay's contact to a fused source and the other side to the respective headlight's filament. This way you'd only have about 70W draw through the bike's headlight wiring.

 

The reason you have to have 1 headlight connected normally is that a relay's coil wouldn't draw enough current to satisfy the bike's computer module. This means that you'd have an alarm on the computer module.

 

You can buy suitable relays at Autozone or Advance Auto. They have them displayed with the driving lights.

[timgray]

you would not want to run with both on. you run with the low beam when on low beam, and then high beam for the high. Running with both on would melt the eye-sockets of every oncoming car driver. These things are incredibly bright on their own. I am hoping I can get some example light pattern photos to demonstrate.

 

As for the 86+ headlight assembly, All I need are photos of it in a bike from many angles first. After that I'll gladly take you up on the offer to fine tune the 86+ assembly.

 

the hard part is coming up with a "trim" piece to make it look good. I'm not goot at fiberglass so I wont be able to make anything for trimout.

Edited March 21, 2009 by timgray

[CrazyHorse]

you would not want to run with both on. you run with the low beam when on low beam, and then high beam for the high. Running with both on would melt the eye-sockets of every oncoming car driver. These things are incredibly bright on their own. I am hoping I can get some example light pattern photos to demonstrate.

 

As for the 86+ headlight assembly, All I need are photos of it in a bike from many angles first. After that I'll gladly take you up on the offer to fine tune the 86+ assembly.

 

the hard part is coming up with a "trim" piece to make it look good. I'm not goot at fiberglass so I wont be able to make anything for trimout.

 

Maybe the front part of the 86+ light assembly could be cut off and used instead.

[frankd]

Tim,

 

I didn't mean to run the high and low beams at the same time. I thought you were going to install 2 ea. 65Watt headlights and turn both on low beam normally, and both high beams when you switched to high beam. If so, my suggestion would make it work without burning up the computer panel or the auto high beam switch.

 

Frank

[timgray]

After researching and looking at photos and an actual 86+ headlight for the 1st gens. I cant see a way to upgrade these with the projector headlights. The simplest way for those bikes will be to replace your headlight with a 83-85 unit and then use the plate and lights I will be making and sharing the designs for. Yamaha decided to save a lot of money simplifying the headlight assembly and in doing so reduced the modify-ability.

 

I am moving forward on my 83 retrofit to newer headlights. More updates as I get further!

[PRAIRIECOOT]

Yes - Please keep me informed too

fantastic project

 

Ye ole Coot from the Prairies

[timgray]

Well Snaggletooth let me know that someone ripped off my idea....

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-Venture-83-85-Projection-Headlight-Upgrade-Kit_W0QQitemZ170377748373QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item27ab4e1f95&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

 

I really dont care that much about it, but they make it sound like they came up with the whole idea.

 

So if anyone has been waiting for this, There you go. I'm not going to be making any of these outside the prototype I have.

 

Note: dont install the lamps like his photo shows. They are backwards. Install them the other way around as the glass lens one is the low beam and has a better roadside coverage if installed on the right side.

[camos]

We all know it was a great idea you had Tim.

Still a bummer to have it ripped off.

 

You got me interested, the reason I don't ride much at night is cause I don't see as well as I used to. The lighting on mine kinda stinks. I monuted some driving lights down low on the engine guards, but I get a lot of brights being flashed at me cause they are mounted so low it's hard to get much distance out of them without blinding oncomming traffic. Let us no how it all works out.

Perhaps you are expecting too much from your lights. The beams from fog lamps mounted low are not meant to extend beyond the low beam and should actually be somewhat less. Fog lamps have a wide beam while driving lights have a narrow beam. Fog lights can be on all the time. Driving lights are not particularly good for near or side lighting and should be turned off with the high beams.

 

Fog lamp aim at 25 feet measured down from installed height axis
Up to 18" (46 cm)	1.5" (38 mm)
18.5" to 28" (47-71 cm)	3" (76 mm)
28.5" or higher (72 cm)	4" (102 mm)

axis = centre

[rhncue]

Well Snaggletooth let me know that someone ripped off my idea....

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-Venture-83-85-Projection-Headlight-Upgrade-Kit_W0QQitemZ170377748373QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item27ab4e1f95&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

 

I really dont care that much about it, but they make it sound like they came up with the whole idea.

 

So if anyone has been waiting for this, There you go. I'm not going to be making any of these outside the prototype I have.

 

Note: dont install the lamps like his photo shows. They are backwards. Install them the other way around as the glass lens one is the low beam and has a better roadside coverage if installed on the right side.

 

Tim, do you know who these people are who are building these kits? I was just wondering how they got your idea from you.

I don't know what the final selling price will be but at present, 140.00 including shipping sounds pretty cheap for all the components I see in the pictures. I don't think I like the final looks of the unit in the bike though aesthetically. Will these type of bulbs really increase visibility that much? Does the Venture have the amperage to run another 65 watt bulb?

I can see that you are disappointed that someone is producing these kits but, I feel, if you started to produce your units you could sell many on this board and probably others.

 

Dick

[dingy]

Hello,

 

I am the one that has the headlight kit on ebay.

 

After seeing the picture that Tim posted on 3/13 of his mock up for the headlight upgrade, I followed this thread waiting for the chance to get one for my 83 Venture. I checked back to this thread very often to see any progress. He did not post again until this morning in this thread. I am a private individual doing this. I do not believe I did any thing illegal by taking something that was posted on the internet and making my own version of it. If Tim has a patent on this I will remove this item from Ebay. As far as copyright, I did not use anything in this thread other than seeing a picture to make this kit.

 

Tim, I apologize to you for not contacting you about my kit prior to putting it on Ebay.

 

On 8/10 I had the opportunity to buy two sets of the projector lamps that are used in this kit. I did so with the intent of installing them in my Venture. I could only buy the lamps in pairs, two low beams as a set & two high beams as a set.

 

I have access to Solidworks 2009 3D cad software. I designed a mounting system to incorporate these lamps into my bike. I have been doing this type of work for about 30 years now. I have plenty of time to do this as I am not working due to health reasons.

 

The firm that I used to be Engineering manager at produced the plates on a Strippit turret punch for me. I had two of each plate ran since I was going to have a pair of lamps leftover.

 

I put a kit up for sale on Ebay to try to recover some of my costs.

 

Tim mentioned in his first post that the low beam should be mounted on the right side. It is mounted on the right side of the bike. This is the same mounting position as several other bikes have using this system. I do not think that mounting it 4" to the left will make any noticeable improvement.

 

Gary

[timgray]

Technically yes, you did not do anything illegal. I'm looking at it as incredibly rude or very bad manners.

 

Asking first would have been the right thing to do. I more than likely would have gladly let you do it, or partnered with you on it if you would have asked.

 

The low beam is shadowed by your inset behind the glass, there is a lot of side light that comes out of that lens and it will light up the road side better when installed on the left side.

 

Actually I will ask for something to be done....

 

I want you to change the listing to call it a VentureRider.org headlight mod kit. and any you sell from now on to be called that. I'd ask for you to donate a portion from every sale to the site here as well, but that is your decision.

Edited August 31, 2009 by timgray

[dingy]

Tim,

 

I have retitled the listing on Ebay as you requested.

 

I have also entered the following lines to the description.

 

The idea for this kit came from the VentureRider.org website.

 

5% of any proceeds from this auction will be donated to that web site.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170377748373&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

 

 

Gary

[Freebird]

I want to thank both of you for keeping this relatively civil. It appears that some feelings were hurt and I can understand that but it sure seems that it was not done intentionally. Donating 5% is a nice thought and though appreciated, is certainly not necessary.

 

I can see that Gary does feel bad about it and Tim I hope that you can see that too and accept the apology that has been offered and that this can be the end of it.

 

Hopefully you can both take this to email or private message if things are still not settled but I you are both to be commended at this point.

[timgray]

No problem. I still say that if someone wants one of these to check out the listing on ebay. I find it makes a big difference on the car and my testing on the bike showed a marked improvement.

 

The high beam is simply incredible on a dark country road. It's like someone turned on floodlights.

[Rocket]

No problem. I still say that if someone wants one of these to check out the listing on ebay. I find it makes a big difference on the car and my testing on the bike showed a marked improvement.

 

The high beam is simply incredible on a dark country road. It's like someone turned on floodlights.

 

Looks like a new winter project for me, in the making....... :mo money:

 

Need to pay off a few things first though & my Vacation (PIP & the Cody Roundup) that I will be soon starting....

[Freebird]

Just to be fair and keep everybody updated, Dingy did do as he said that he would and made a donation of 5% of the selling price to VentureRider.org I know that he feels bad about the way this played out and hopefully now we can all put it behind us.

[Peder_y2k]

So where is this kit available now in 2012?

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

'83,88 Venture

[twigg]

So where is this kit available now in 2012?

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

'83,88 Venture

 

This kit is not the best way to go in 2012.

 

A single HID Projector will fit in all 1st Gen Ventures, easier in the earlier bikes but doable in the '86 on.

 

You will get more light for less power than even a single halogen bulb.

 

There is a thread in this Forum showing you exactly how to do it, and I don't care how many folk copy

 

Indeed, consider it a gift.

 

Here ... fill yer boots:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67750

[jimmyenglish]

I too would like to know where this is! Looks totally badass.

 

 

Put a single HID off ebay in my 86' back in 2008. Got the pair plus ballasts for $55. Incredible diff! Need Hi beam? Turn knob. However, I like the look of this much more and a flickable high beam would be neat.

[twigg]

I too would like to know where this is! Looks totally badass.

 

 

Put a single HID off ebay in my 86' back in 2008. Got the pair plus ballasts for $55. Incredible diff! Need Hi beam? Turn knob. However, I like the look of this much more and a flickable high beam would be neat.

 

How do you mean, "flickable high beam"?

 

The projectors can't really be compared with the HID kits (I have one of those too. It was on the VR and now is on another bike).

 

You can now get 2" HID Projectors, and might be able to get two of them inside the VR shell on a plate like we are talking about.

 

Mine is 2 1/2" and there is only room for one.

[dingy]

Just a side note on the projector light setup. I have the same set of H9 bulbs in it that came with light set.

 

3 years on a set of high intensity bulbs seems good to me. I carry a spare one on bike, but haven't needed it yet.

 

Gary

[friesman]

I too would like to know where this is! Looks totally badass.

 

 

Put a single HID off ebay in my 86' back in 2008. Got the pair plus ballasts for $55. Incredible diff! Need Hi beam? Turn knob. However, I like the look of this much more and a flickable high beam would be neat.

 

I bought all adaptor plates and hella projector bulbs assys to do this but nevergot around to it. I think my cost in it would be around 150 bucks but would sell it for 100 bucks plus shipping to you if youre interested.

 

Brian