M750 '98 replacement headlight

[larsen]

Can anyone suggest a simple and cheap replacement headlamp for my project as the silvering on the reflector on my Bosch has suffered over time till now the bottom 25% of the silvering has gone. Thanks in advance for any help.

[Darkness]

Have a look at this, http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=54693&highlight=Headlight+ring

And have a word with Gazza whether he's got any spacer rings left to exchange for Commando vouchers?

[Mr Gazza]

Thanks for the plug Darkness.

Yes always happy to receive Commando vouchers. I still have Black, Gold and bare adapter rings in stock at the original prices +export duty to Caernarfon.. :chuckle:

The ring allows you to fit any 7" unit that takes your fancy.. Stick to H4 fitting and you can also keep the original plugs and wiring.
Almost any unit will be an improvement on the standard fitment Bosch.

Details here;
http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=56038

[jerry]

Can anyone suggest a simple and cheap replacement headlamp for my project as the silvering on the reflector on my Bosch has suffered over time till now the bottom 25% of the silvering has gone. Thanks in advance for any help.

I have one you can have for £10 plus postage its a crystal clear 7'' one aftermarket brand new ,,

im away in Thaikand but can get daughter to dig it out

[Nickj]

I've got a good original light fitting off an S2R ..... BUT it will still be less than good.

I'd go with Mr Gazza's conversion ring and fit a light that works better, I did hence the spare and yep works a treat.

[Jez900ie]

I've got a good original light fitting off an S2R ..... BUT it will still be less than good.

I'd go with Mr Gazza's conversion ring and fit a light that works better, I did hence the spare and yep works a treat.

Totally agree. Mr Gazza's ring makes a huge variety of options available. The best bit is that once fitted you will have a headlight that actually lights up the road. Get rid of the FisherPrice standard one...

[Nickj]

The Gazzagate ring of confidence ... think old toothpaste ads :chuckle:

[utopia]

Ha, ha. Though "Gazgate" scans more accurately.

I've said plenty on these before but I'll repeat ...
A truly brilliant mod.
The crap headlight issue had been discussed on this forum ever since I first joined, with no economic solution which retained the classic monster shell ever being found.
Then Gazza's mod came along and suddenly, and for just a mere tenner, any 7 inch unit on the planet could be fitted.
The kit is excellent quality too.
But there's more.
This kit is pure motorcycle folk-art, produced by an enthusiast, for enthusiasts, and sold at a friendly price.
Call me an old softie (you wouldn't be the first) but I value mine for a lot more than just the improvement in the headlight.
Proper, salt of the earth motorcycle gear, the likes of which is seldom available in today's world.
I've got two, even though I only have one monster.

[mickj]

That's a proper endorsement, made me think of buying one even though I don't have a round headlight to put it in. :dizzy: ;)

[jakefh]

Does anybody have any recommendations for a 7" unit for a M900sie?

[Mr Gazza]

I have been using an Autopal crystal unit for a couple of years now, they are sold as land rover defender upgrades. It works well with Osram Nightbreaker or Phillips X-treme vision bulbs. The bulbs seem to have been improved upon since I last bought some, so should be even better now.
I am now using an H4 LED bulb with great success, but unfortunately I can't find that particular one for sale anymore... There are plenty to choose from though.

The Cibie H180 has good reviews, but sadly I can't give one myself as they were out of stock when I tried to buy one... Dacs has one but I don't know if he's tried it out in the dark yet.

Jerry tried a Wipac polycarbonate unit with apparent success, I can't recall the model number at the moment!

If you search under upgrades for Defenders or the old Mini you will come up with quite a few alternatives including the ones mentioned.

If you really want to see where you're going, but aren't too worried about a traditional look, there is a plethora of powerful LED units out there, many of which have been tried by members on here using my conversion rings. They all seem to be very good, but the price varies considerably... Expect some recommendations from users..

Finally, a big thank you to all those above saying flattering things about my adaptors.. Especially the big softie.. :mand:

[jakefh]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Is this the Cibie you were talking about?
https://www.minisport.com/cibcb082441-cibie-h180-halogen-headlamp-unit-rhd.html

[Darkness]

Yes, but is there a sidelight with that one, and they are out of stock at the moment.
Try these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-CIBIE-7-ROUND-HEADLIGHT-MAIN-DIP-WITH-SIDELIGHT-H180-LAMP-TAKES-H4-BULB/310540714720?hash=item484dab42e0:g:W-MAAOxyuCJRfeak

[Darkness]

Or if you are feeling flush:
http://www.simmonites.com/shop/vehicle-accessories/ece-led-headlamps/

[dacs]

I got my Cibie from Larkspeed. Not done much after-dark mileage with it, but enough to know that the Cibie unit actually marshals the photons into a beam, unlike the original lamp which just allowed them to wander off in any direction they liked. As for Mr Gazza`s Ring (sorry, cant resist), it works very nicely indeed.

[Mr Gazza]

You need the Cibie with the pilot light hole as in Darknesses link to Larkspeed.
Larkspeed are the cheapest for the Cibie and as it happens I had another go at ordering one last night .Today I get a message to ask if I realised the delivery date was January. Oh well it's paid for now and January will soon be here.
(Tip; cheaper from larkspeed via Ebay than from Larkspeed direct.)

Thanks for your order for an adapter Jake it will be on it's way ASAP.

Dacs.. We will have to compare the Cibie and Autopal side by side one day (Or night!).. And thanks for the kind words.

[bigredduke]

Any suggestions for easily replacing the appalling headlight on the 'newer' monsters (1100 Evo)?

I have only ridden once after dark and once was more than enough. Dip is dismal & main beam just lights up the front mudguard a little more. 45mph max on country roads that I know well.

[buzzbomb]

If you look on the "snow tyre" thread there's a pic that Luddite posted that shows a lovely round head light, now all it needs is a group of us to get together and make the idea work.
I know that Jan "MOB" installed an old style round monster head light on his 1100s but the one in the recent post looks so much neater.

[bigredduke]

Yes, looks good but I would want to know it definitely performs much better than the stock item before starting a conversion!

[jakefh]

Thanks everybody.

I've ordered from ebay, so looks like I'll be waiting until Jan too :-)

I'm also looking forward to using Mr Gazza's :cens:

[Luddite]

Any suggestions for easily replacing the appalling headlight on the 'newer' monsters (1100 Evo)?

I have only ridden once after dark and once was more than enough. Dip is dismal & main beam just lights up the front mudguard a little more. 45mph max on country roads that I know well.

Fingerpuk's carried out a nice conversion recently, fitting a traditional (i.e. Not LED) Motodemic unit.

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=56891&highlight=motodemic

It certainly looks the part but I don't think the bike's been on the road since the conversion so he won't be able to tell you how effective it is.

[bigredduke]

Thanks for the link. Conversion looks classy but it should for over £400! I need to have a bit of a think before I spend that kind of money. I am a Yorkshireman after all.

[Mr Gazza]

Surely it's not beyond the wit of Man to make something to pick up a pair of standard early Monster brackets?
The original "hoop" or "horseshoe" mounting is a little over engineered perhaps, and has some pretty specific mounting points, but there must be something on those yokes that could be picked up to hang some headlamp lugs on?

The original Monster headlamp is the best shape for a Monster in my opinion and will be a reasonable price second hand from some obliging member on here.. Probably complete with brackets!
It should be fairly well known by now that we can get any 7" unit into these to good effect. Or simple just cut to the chase and mount a 7" shell in the first place.

[Darkness]

Surely it's not beyond the wit of Man to make something to pick up a pair of standard early Monster brackets?
The original "hoop" or "horseshoe" mounting is a little over engineered perhaps, and has some pretty specific mounting points, but there must be something on those yokes that could be picked up to hang some headlamp lugs on?

The original Monster headlamp is the best shape for a Monster in my opinion and will be a reasonable price second hand from some obliging member on here.. Probably complete with brackets!
It should be fairly well known by now that we can get any 7" unit into these to good effect. Or simple just cut to the chase and mount a 7" shell in the first place.

Agreed, it should be possible to modify the U bracket to fit the later yokes or make an equivalent. Looking at the 696 fische on Stein Dinse, on the top yoke there are options of extending the handlebar mounting bolts downwards, or using the threaded holes on the underside that the later style headlight fixes to, and there are a pair of slotted ears on the bottom yoke, albeit further back in than the early fixing.

[Mr Gazza]

Agreed, it should be possible to modify the U bracket to fit the later yokes or make an equivalent. Looking at the 696 fische on Stein Dinse, on the top yoke there are options of extending the handlebar mounting bolts downwards, or using the threaded holes on the underside that the later style headlight fixes to, and there are a pair of slotted ears on the bottom yoke, albeit further back in than the early fixing.

Well there you go. If there are two potential mounts top and bottom then it shouldn't take too long to farge up some brackets to mount an original Horseshoe and then a Monster headlamp with a Gazza converter.
Using an original Horseshoe would retain the rubber mounting too, and possibly utilise the brake hose clamps?
Two evening's work and less than a hundred quid I reckon... :thumbsup:

[Mr Gazza]

I got a lovely surprise this morning when a mystery parcel arrived.
Yes. My Cibie H180 , which was on back order and not expected till January at the earliest.

So heads up to all those interested in these units. They're back in stock at Larkspeed.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-CIBIE-7-ROUND-HEADLIGHT-MAIN-DIP-WITH-SIDELIGHT-H180-LAMP-TAKES-H4-BULB/310540714720?hash=item484dab42e0:g:W-MAAOxyuCJRfeak

I've never had one in my hand till now and it looks very promising.
The reflector is a perfect smooth parabola and not faceted at all. The lens has some very crisp refracting patterns.
Strangely the bulb socket for the H4 is slightly on the squiff. I assume this is to concentrate light to the nearside on dip? But it will probably do the same to the high beam to the offside.. Curious!
A full test will follow as soon as possible. I also have a next generation LED "bulb" to try, with 4 large LEDs and a cooling fan. A feature is that the dip and main LEDs are on at the same time, the main extinguishes when dipped.
I was going to try and wire in this feature on the bike to give the main beam more power and infill, but now I don't have to... :biggrin:

Heads up to Yellowfever also.. I see that the Cibie is made in Belgium, so there should be a good chance of getting a right-hand dip version locally.

[Jez900ie]

I got a lovely surprise this morning when a mystery parcel arrived.
Yes. My Cibie H180 , which was on back order and not expected till January at the earliest.

So heads up to all those interested in these units. They're back in stock at Larkspeed.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-CIBIE-7-ROUND-HEADLIGHT-MAIN-DIP-WITH-SIDELIGHT-H180-LAMP-TAKES-H4-BULB/310540714720?hash=item484dab42e0:g:W-MAAOxyuCJRfeak

I've never had one in my hand till now and it looks very promising.
The reflector is a perfect smooth parabola and not faceted at all. The lens has some very crisp refracting patterns.
Strangely the bulb socket for the H4 is slightly on the squiff. I assume this is to concentrate light to the nearside on dip? But it will probably do the same to the high beam to the offside.. Curious!
A full test will follow as soon as possible. I also have a next generation LED "bulb" to try, with 4 large LEDs and a cooling fan. A feature is that the dip and main LEDs are on at the same time, the main extinguishes when dipped.
I was going to try and wire in this feature on the bike to give the main beam more power and infill, but now I don't have to... :biggrin:

Heads up to Yellowfever also.. I see that the Cibie is made in Belgium, so there should be a good chance of getting a right-hand dip version locally.

I look forward to your review after fitting.

[yellowfever]

Thanks for the heads up Gazza, I too await the full review with keen interest!

[Mr Gazza]

A busy evening with far too much to do, but I couldn't resist popping one of my new LEDs into the new Cibie and plugging into the bike.

Swapping from the last generation LED bulb in the Autopal clear crystal unit and the new generation LED in the Cibie, there is a very clear difference in general light output and colour. The Cibie is putting out a good deal more white light that the former.
Whether this is down to the bulb or the unit I don't know, and how good the beam pattern is, is yet to be seen. very difficult to say in the workshop with the lights on, but there is definitely a brighter light and more of it, coming out of the new set-up.

Besides which the Cibie just looks like a quality piece of kit. Well made and good fittings.