Topic: Broken headlight / possible fix?

[chrisf]

Hi All:

I dropped my headlight a few nights ago and broke the glass. My first question is if I can get a replacement for the glass part. Is this possible and if so, how much will it cost me?

Also, I read a blurb from Oregon Motorcycle Parts' website that says something about braking the glass lense, then replacing it with a halogen bulb. Has anyone ever tried this? If so, where did you get the replacement glass lense from? Any help is appreciated because I'm starting to put the bike back together.

Blewo is the rest from the Oregon Motorcycle Parts website:

Is there a cheaper alternative to the OEM sealed beam headlights?

If your bike has a 12 volt electrical system and headlight is larger than 5 ¼”, you can replace the bulb with an auto sealed beam.
This fix is perfect for many older bikes with 6" round headlights.

Take an old dead sealed beam and tape up the glass with duct tape, put it in a paper bag,  then whack it with a hammer in
about the center of the lens.  Carefully remove all the broken glass and discard it.  With a die grinder or similar tool cut out
around the bulb so there is about a 1" hole in the back of the reflector.  Purchase a car 5 1/4" Halogen sealed beam and glue it
in with a generous amount of silicone rubber sealant.   You will need to get a plug for the back of the car headlight but many
larger Japanese bikes use the same plug and it should be easy to get one at most motorcycle salvage shops. 

This type auto headlight has an internal halogen bulb surrounded by a glass reflector and lens so if it gets hit by a rock and gets a
small hole in it, it'll keep on shining.  This should run you about $7 for the sealed beam and you'll use about a dollar's worth of
sealer.  It'll also be about 50% brighter but the Halogen bulb will draw a little more power.

http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/FAQ.html

--Thanks, Chris

[Bob Wessner]

Not sure I understand your current circumstances. Is your current light a standard sealed beam?

[dusterdude]

if its a sealed beam an h6024 light will work real good or you could step up to an h4 kit.

[chrisf]

TBH, I'm consused too. The headlight is from a 69 CL350 looks like the type where the whole glass assembly gets tossed when the bulb burns. Here is a picture of it.



If i chop up the reflector to fit the new bulb, where do I get the glass part?

Any help is appreciated.

--Thanks, Chris

[jdigga]

I thought you just replace the entire unit--glass, bulb, reflector, and all--with a new sealed beam unit.  Or like duster said you can get a halogen kit where the bulb is separate from the reflector/glass part.  Oregon's suggestion to use an automotive sealed beam is good too, though I think the beam pattern is different.

This page is from Mike's XS, a Yamaha site, but it gives you an idea.  The headlight parts are close to the bottom:

http://www.mikesxs.net/mikesxs-electrical.php?category_id=2.5

[ProTeal55]

I would replace the entire unit with a newer H4 unit.
They sell them in all sorts of sizes, so I am guessing you can find something that will work..

[chrisf]

The confusing part is that I measure the headlight @ 6". Replacements are listed @ 5 3/4". And to top it off, it seems like 6 1/4" seems the right size. What size are you guys buying to replace the CB350?

I'd like to use the H4, but if one cannot be found, where can I find a stock replacement?

--Thanks, Chris

[ProTeal55]

You need to measure the blub itself (not the housing/trim ring).
I would guess the size would be the smaller of the two, but who knows what u have on their.
You can always buy both sizes and see which one works (sealed beams are cheap)..

[Bodi]

I think the idea of breaking the original headlight is to save the outer ring with the mounting pivots and adjusting screw ear. Unless you buy an OEM headlight, you're not going to get one with that adjusting system on it.
That assumes of course that your headlight uses the top and bottom pivot with a side adjuster, most Honda ones do. Honda used 3 headlight sizes I think, one of which (on the 350-4, 400F, CB360, CB250 Nighthawk, etc) is an oddball size not generally available as an H4 unit. Yours may be this size (165mm?) or a more normal "car" size.
Anyway, this break-and cut plan assumes a metal reflector. If yours is all glass, you could still break the glass out and glue a standard sealed beam or H4 halogen bulb into the metal aiming ring. Or just glue a bulb into the main headlight ring. This is what I've done with an old Cibie H4 unit (the correct size for the 400F but without the aiming tabs, Cibie supplied a sheetmetal doughnut and some weird springs to do what the glue does). It works fine and I have no need to re-aim it side to side.

[edbikerii]

You could just get a headlight assembly from another bike, including the bucket, etc.  There are even lots of custom jobbies around in nice shiney chrome and stuff!  I think www.mikesxs.net has some.

[chrisf]

Thanks for all this advice guys. I'm partial to my current headlight bucket because of all the time I took painting it--it looks awsome. Are headlights still available for these things from the dealer? I need to stop in there today and get some other stuff, so I'll check on the headlight as well.

Yep, the lense is glass, the reflector is metal. I'm to the point now of just wanting to get it on the road, then worry about the other stuff later.

I'll check with the dealer.

--Thanks, Chris

[ProTeal55]

Chris.

I cant see why you just cant get a replacement lens/light for your ride ?
Go to any parts store and pick one up. I am tripping over 7'' sealed beams in my garage.
The CB750 had used them, the 450 has one, and the 55 runs them as well...

[dusterdude]

i didnt consider it might nor be a 7" light,the smaller number is h5024 or something like that,hopefully the auto parts boob will know which one is the small lite.

[ProTeal55]

Not saying it is a 7'' lite, I just cant see finding a light that will fit being this big of an issue (thats all)..
I mean you can open the drag specialties catalog and order whatever diameter lens you want...

[mack808]

there is a H4 style beam thats fits the earlier 350 twins and 350/400Fs. I believe it was 154mm sold by Hella. It is a odd size and the normal auto style lamps are not quite the same size. But the biggest problem with putting a H4 style bulb/beam is that the charging system is marginal at its best and will have trouble keeping up with the 55w low beam and the 60w hi-beam. I believe the original was only 35/35watt. Hope this helps you.  Also if its of any help, I have a used sealed beam for the 350 twins. I check and both hi & low are good. comes with trim and retainers. If thats a help its yours for $15.00 to your door. I have a bunch of twin stuff and i am moving next year so it all has to go one way or the other....... 

[chrisf]

I'll take it--I think! Could you measure the the headlight please and let me know the size? Please email or PM me the details.

--Thanks, Chris