Two position headlight?

Hi all, 96 1100RT, I rode after dark last night and noticed my low beam was lighting up the overhead signs. After I got home I did some research and learned there is a little lever that I guess gives the headlight a high and low angle. Mine was in the up position, maybe that's why the signs were getting lit. I've never heard of a 2 position low beam, what's (if that's what it is) the reason for this "feature"? Dave

Hi all, 96 1100RT, I rode after dark last night and noticed my low beam was lighting up the overhead signs. After I got home I did some research and learned there is a little lever that I guess gives the headlight a high and low angle. Mine was in the up position, maybe that's why the signs were getting lit. I've never heard of a 2 position low beam, what's (if that's what it is) the reason for this "feature"? Dave

Afternoon Dave P

I suppose there could be many usages of that little flip lever but I believe it's intended usage if to raise the beam a bit when a passenger or luggage is added to the back seat.

If the flip lever doesn't get your beam to where you want it pointed then, FIRST, make sure that the bulb is seated properly correctly in the reflector housing. If that is OK then there is plastic nut in the lower middle of that flip lever that you can turn in & out to change the beam vertical angle. (the oil filler cap tool will usually fit that nut)

DR- I read a post (I think from the MOA site) by Paul Glaves about the procedure is to adjust the light to spec, I've got a location scoped out (my neighborhood grocery store side wall) to do the measurement, vertically and horizontally. My driveway is not flat enough.

I thought maybe the 2 positions were for daytime and nighttime, thinking in the daytime I might be more visible to the cage drivers if the light was up, flip the lever down for nighttime riding, (which is pretty rare for me) to shine the light on the road.

I think the bulb is seated correctly, but I'll check it out. Dave

Yup it is for adjusting when you ride two up or loaded heavy. I think the normal position lever up is normal single rider mode and the lever down tilts the headlight nacelle down when you have a passenger. It impacts both low and high beam as the whole nacelle is moved. I use it all the time on my '99 RT

My waterhead has this feature as well.

Well hey, you are talking about my bike here. I had no idea about a headlight lever. I guess I just tried moving the heater vent levers, couldn't, got pissed off, and stopped looking for levers.

Seems kinda like setting the preload properly based on the load would keep the bike on an even keel, though?

Well hey, you are talking about my bike here. I had no idea about a headlight lever. I guess I just tried moving the heater vent levers, couldn't, got pissed off, and stopped looking for levers.

 

Seems kinda like setting the preload properly based on the load would keep the bike on an even keel, though?

Evening Puddles

And the knob to the upper left moves the inner assembly left -or- right..CW, pulls/moves it left, CCW to the right. Flip lever, "up" normal one up riding, middle (straight out), one up w/ a luggage load, down w/ heavy luggage load/pilon/passenger. As already pointed out, the knob @ the lever is to fine tune. CW moves the inner assembly up, CCW, down. A manual might tell more...would have to play around with each/both to refine..

Hi all, 96 1100RT, I rode after dark last night and noticed my low beam was lighting up the overhead signs. After I got home I did some research and learned there is a little lever that I guess gives the headlight a high and low angle. Mine was in the up position, maybe that's why the signs were getting lit. I've never heard of a 2 position low beam, what's (if that's what it is) the reason for this "feature"? Dave

If your headlight is already pointing at the trees then it's in the correct position for single rider and needs to be adjusted down. The lever is meant to point the light down some when two-up or loaded since the back end will tend to squat a bit.

Evening Puddles

Thank you!

Thanks everyone, that helps me understand the headlight system. I'll dial that sucker in next week. Dave