Re: [ST] headlamp aiming

[al bailey <acb@xxxxxxx>]

"Ralf St.Clair" wrote:
> 
> No, it's not in the manual (owner's or repair). The procedure (ie.
> how to move the focus) is there, but not the target settings. It says
> something like "When setting is satisfactory" assembly is the
> reversal of disassembly. I use level setting on high beam at 25
> feet-- the centre of the beam is the same distance up a friendly
> brick wall as the lights themselves are above the ground. I also
> point the right one slightly to the right, to illiminate the ditch
> (I'm in the US). Those settigns seem to work okay with my 135watt
> PIAAs.

here's a compilation of remarks on this subject by Bil Swartz
and Dennis Griffin, from posts made about 10 months ago
(thanks guys, i printed this out before aiming my lights,
and it was a handy reference - al.):

On Monday, December 10, 2001, at 07:41 AM, Bil Swartz wrote:

Something I read recently suggested that the hotspots
from your lights should be one inch lower at 25 feet
than the lights are up off of the ground.

What that means is you want to place your bike on a
level surface 25 feet from a wall.  Measure the height
of the headlight from the ground (call this H), then
measure the height of the hotspot the light projects
onto the wall from the ground.  Adjust so that the
hotspot is in front of the  bike and 1 inch lower on
the wall than H.

On Monday, December 10, 2001, at 09:54 AM, Dennis Griffin wrote:

This is how I have always seen recommended, and have
done it myself. But I will add that it is best to have
someone else take the "H" dimension while you, the
normal rider, are seated on the bike, with a normal
load, properly aired tires (you do check them daily,
right?) and a half a tank  of fuel. Then, when I get
to the side of my favorite K Mart, with a flat parking
area leading to a block wall (reference grid lines), I
place a 3" piece of electrical tape on said wall at
H - 1". Place a marker on the ground ~ 25' back from
the wall. Now back off and ride directly toward the
tape on the wall, trying to stay perpendicular to the
wall, with the longitudinal axis of the bike centered on
the tape. Stop at the marker and start your adjustments.
If you can't reach the adjusters from the saddle, put the
bike on its center stand, noting the vertical change of
the beam on the wall. I like having my left headlight
hot spot ever so little left of center, with the cutoff
definitely no higher than the tape, and the right
headlight a bit more right of center and a tad higher.
I don't like having the beams converge, as this can
create too hot a hot spot, and reduces the illumination
where you need it more. Double check the vertical
alignment from seated in the saddle, off the center
stand, if the center stand was used. After doing this,
notice where your beams hit parked cars/trucks or those
moving with you. The beam cutoff should be about at the
base of the windshield of most passenger cars taller than
a Mazda Miata, and well below the windshield of the SUVs
and 4x4s that run around the Phoenix area. Find a dark 
country road to check your horizontal alignment. I have
found this setup to not dazzle oncoming traffic, give good
road coverage and get the attention of cagers or critters
thinking of coming out from the right. On a wide, slightly
divided roadway, I have even found that I can get away
with out getting flashed while on high beams.

- -- 
       /\ _
      /  \ \    al bailey
     / /_ \ \ _  415.448.crud
    /_/  \_\___\  acb@xxxxxxx

     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=