Headlamp Adapter Rings

I realise that this is some way away from Gary's famous adaptor rings but, like him, I'm always looking to enhance the visibility of my bikes. All get a LED headlamp bulb and a set of extra LED drls of one kind or another. Same situation with the 2013 HyperStrada 821; a Ducati which may well not be to the taste of most Monster owners! It's the newest bike I have and incorporates Canbus wiring and alternative riding modes which are rather unfamiliar to one of my age. And of course it has lights that don't power-up until the motor is running.

Anyway, I had to fit an LED H4 bulb that was Canbus-proof, and then added some COB LED strips to either side of the radiator shrouds. It looked very impressive, but along the way I seemed to have lost mainbeam function on the headlamp. Dip; yes, and mainbeam flash; yes, but no mainbeam full-on.

Rather dreading I'd corrupted some of the programming of the ECU, and worrying about how to get the bike past the MOT, I dismantled the headlamp again, at the same time trying another brand of LED with a canbus defeat add-on, and also putting the old halogen bulb back in. Basically, the HS headlamp is the worst I've ever come across for beam pattern and projection, but the design and style permit no alternatives. Anyway, all the bulbs I tried behaved the same: no mainbeam full-on.

Starting to tear my hair out, I dismantled the lighting switch but everything looked clean and good in there so no joy. That was until I realised that the mainbeam flash trigger seemed to have an additional function. You may have guessed: I'd been trying to alter the headlamp beam by using the other switch in the block that accesses the riding modes! Oh dear So all is well after all, but it means I need to re-program what remains of my brain before taking each bike out...

Nick

[Darren69]

If I can join the 7 inch club? Can you please put me down for a black one when you do the next batch? Thanks.

[Mr Gazza]

You might be better off ordering a bare one to spray yourself Darren. I'm afraid all my plates are rather full at the moment and I seem to spend all my time spinning them!
If I remember I will try and order a can of satin black tonight, but don't hold your breath while I put it on the rings!... Sorry..

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by Darren69

If I can join the 7 inch club?

Size isn't everything, you know...

[Darren69]

Plain is ok Gary, if it's easier for you? My painting skills and experience are somewhat limited, I sprayed a lot of brackets and stuff with generic black Hamerite on my Laverda rebuild and on the Harley Sportster I blew the whole frame over and most of everything else with black Hamerite too and it didn't look too bad in the end, but far from perfect. If you can let me know what prep I need and what to paint as a base coat or primer I will have a go.

[Mr Gazza]

Darren. I'm afraid the evening went SHOOM! without ordering any paint.

I like to use professional aerosols from Ketts as they have a nice little steerable jet and they are as good as a spray gun. I more often than not get special colours mixed too, so I stick with a good company.
I usually spray a medium coat of primer filler, then a very light rub down, then a top coat, in three or four light applications.

I can't see you having much trouble with Hammerite if that's what you're happy with, as the object is only to colour the visible part of the ring and make it easier to wash the flies off. You'd probably be okay with a priming coat of Hammerite, a light rub over and then a top coat, as above. The rub down is just to smooth the slight grainy finish you get on the bare Tricoya. If you're worried just try it out on the back.
Out of interest which light are you thinking of fitting?

[Darren69]

Hey Gary, thanks for the heads up. Life get's in the way sometimes, so don't worry? I'm thinking by the sounds of things the paint you use might be expensive for me to just paint one ring? I'm favouring a satin black finish anyway since I think it will be easier to get something acceptable. I had considered hydro dip carbon style but when I looked into the starter kits are £50 so that's not viable for one small item anyway and with the rest of the lamp it's pretty trivial anyway. Satin black would be fine.

As regards the lamp unit I chose it's one of those generic LED projector type that look a bit like the Motodemic or other expensive types and include a metal heat sink rear and internal fan with 2 LED projectors and a halo DRL. I had originally ruled those type out as I didn't think they would suit the bike with the current stock lamp unit but then I remembered I had a carbon shell and rim in a box doing nothing and it might look Ok with that. So I was kinda swayed with that setup so I got one. It's still in the experimental stages and will have to see how it looks all together but I figured that if I had an adapter ring it would give me options and I could fit whatever I wanted?

[Luddite]

Originally Posted by Darren69

I had considered hydro dip carbon style but when I looked into the starter kits are £50 so that's not viable for one small item...

Hydro dipping has certainly come a long way in recent years. This carbon effect is very convincing.

[Darren69]

yea, and I'm coming down from the usual 8 inches too!

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by Darren69

yea, and I'm coming down from the usual 8 inches too!

Bah, it's only average...

[Darren69]

Yea, I think if I had a load of bits to do it would be worth the effort, but for one small part that isn't really seen it was overkill. I have too much carbon on the bike now anyway!

[Mr Gazza]

Finger pulled out with a resounding pop and paint ordered!
Coming by bicycle from Outer Mongolia, so not expected until Wednesday at the earliest... Black rings available soon..

Can I put my name down for one please? I would also take it plain if that suited? Thanks

[Mr Gazza]

I've sent you a pm ngavin2001..

[Darren69]

I origanally thought these LED units were too modern looking and would not suit a monster with it's retro style headlamp, but I have had a rethink considering the carbon shell/rim that I bought but was undecided on what to do. It would look ok with the chrome rim with the original lamp/lens but that was poor and even HID wasn't brilliant and since they have decided that HID conversions are not acceptable I decided to to go for it.

I have since decided that it would look nice with an LED unit, so with Gazza's help I'm just getting all the bits together.

Well all the required parts for this conversion are slowly coming together now. I still need some minor hardware: rim clamp and screw etc. and the wiring loom, since I want to make this conversion to swap out the whole headlight unit plug and play so I can switch it easily: -

Carbonvani shell and rim: -



Which I have to say is just an absolutely lovely bit of kit: -



One of Gazzas adapter rings: -



LED lamp unit: -



It all seems to fit together nicely. I've not used the clips yet as I noticed that the lamp unit was cracked and it is still visible when fitted together so I am waiting for a replacement/refund on that.

More to follow when I clip it all together.

This is what it should look like when all 3 parts together: -