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R1100RT Headlight Adjustment


Roger C

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While riding at night on low beam, I noticed there is more light to the right side of the lane I'm in than center. I read somewhere this is intentional and the headlight lens is built to spread the light The repair manuals point me to a knob on the left side of the back of the headlight to adjust or shift the headlight throw. Which direction should this adjustment knob be turned to bring the beam more to the left--CW or CCW?

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While riding at night on low beam, I noticed there is more light to the right side of the lane I'm in than center. I read somewhere this is intentional and the headlight lens is built to spread the light The repair manuals point me to a knob on the left side of the back of the headlight to adjust or shift the headlight throw. Which direction should this adjustment knob be turned to bring the beam more to the left--CW or CCW?

 

Morning Roger

 

It's been so long since I have owned a BMW 1100 so I haven't adjusted the headlight lateral throw in years.

 

As a rule if the adjuster is on the L/H side of the headlight then turn knob to the right (in) to move throw left.

 

I usually don't pay much attention to adjuster directions but just put the bike on the center stand in front of my shop door, or garage door, then turn adjuster until I move the light pattern to where I need it to go.

 

 

 

 

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RT%20Headlight_zps3bp2i7ga.jpg

 

Morning Michaelr11

 

That is the same info that is in my BMW service manual. Unfortunately it doesn't help as it only gives adjuster rotation for the vertical distance.

 

It doesn't give rotation direction for side angle adjuster (3).

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It's usually apparent which way the adjuster moves the headlight, just as soon as you turn the adjuster and see the headlight move. Shine the light on a wall or garage door so you can see the beam pattern. I've not seen the R1100RT beam pattern, but it's also pretty common for a headlight lens to cut off the low-beam light on the left to avoid blinding oncoming traffic, like these auto lights:

17988d1129411252-elise-headlight-beam-pattern-pic-request-lightpattern.jpg

Edited by lkraus
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It's usually apparent which way the adjuster moves the headlight, just as soon as you turn the adjuster and see the headlight move.

 

Morning Larry

 

That's the method I usually use.

 

But I usually start out with the common sense method that most headlight assemblies are spring loaded so if adjuster knob is left of center then turning the adjuster knob in (to the right) moves the light pattern that way (to left) & if adjuster knob is right of center then turning the adjuster knob in (to the right) moves the light pattern that way (to right). Not 100% foolproof but generally works for most.

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My headlight on low beam was so far right that I could see the side ditches very clearly but squat in my lane. I have adjusted the left hand knob and will check the light pattern tonight. I'm thinking the center of the beam to the right should be on the outer white line of my lane. The width of said light beam should be wide enough to cast light in front of me in my lane. Thanks for the help.

Edited by Roger C
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My headlight on low beam was so far right that I could see the side ditches very clearly but squat in my lane. I have adjusted the left hand knob and will check the light pattern tonight. Thanks for the help.

 

Morning Roger

 

Unless someone messed with that adjuster then more than likely something is out of place.

 

The first thing that comes to mind is that the bulb isn't seated correctly (I have seen that a number of times when the lighting pattern is way off to one side or the other) -- So, maybe check to make sure that the bulb is seated correctly in the headlight housing)

 

 

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I am guilty of messing with that adjuster knob months ago. Then, I was introduced to the lever and knob on the R/H side of the headlight and that was the knob I should have been adjusting.

 

So now I am cleaning up my own mess. Maybe someone else reading this post might want to know which knob does what.

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Robert Mayrand

If your bulb is seated correctly in the reflector you should see clearly on the wall the light cut out line on the low beam, the light cut out is just on the left side of the headlight lens, on the right side you should see a line that goes up at an angle. The line cut out on the wall should be just a few inches lower than the center of your headlight, and the point where the light cut out line and the angle line meet should be just a few inch to the right. Same as image below but reverse since this is UK and wrong side of the road.

Beampattern.jpg

Edited by Robert Mayrand
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I believe I have it adjusted properly now. I had to turn the knob much more than I anticipated but all's well that ends well. Rather than using a wall, I used the actual highway and the angled line is very visible.

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