Would this headlight work?

[HotShott]

On a 450 (Halogen version)

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/4120,431_Black-Dietz-Type-Headlights.html

[GearJammer]

If I'm not mistaken, the stock 450 headlight is halogen, no ? Do you have to buy 'em by the pair ? As long as the mounting bolt can be made to work on the stock headlight mounting bracket or, if necessary, a mounting bracket is fabbed up, I don't see any reason that they wouldn't work.........Pretty dang sharp in black, too!

[sox]

1) Sorry GearJammer, the stock 450 headlight is not Halogen.... :) Remember, we're talking about a 1986/87 bike here...lol
2) The light wouldn't work without redoing the whole mounting system as the Rebel one has the mount as part of the headlight (screws through the bottom into the yokes horizontally) and the one in the link mounts vertically.

Is a cool looking light though innit??

sox

[MadRat]

Well, if it's not a halogen, what is it? I just had to replace the bulb in my 450. It's not a sealed beam. It's a smaller bulb than a tail light bulb , just over 1/2 in. diameter and less than 1 1/2 inches long. (the actual glass part) Hmm, I was calling it a halogen.

[GearJammer]

Had brought the manual over to try to continue helping Gene with his camshaft prob, but ole Ed already had him covered.

Checked the headlight & sure enough, it's a quartz halogen bulb.

Man......I need a drink, LOL! (not really ;) )

[HotShott]

Man was anybody else having problems with the site the past few days? I had a freak-out about my frame and had to go to the other Reb forum to get answers.

I know to use that light, a new bracket would have to be fabbed. I was more questioning if the electrical system would handle it. I do like the look of the back of that light being black.

The 450 isn't a sealed beam? (I'm a dumb-a$$ and didn't even check) So, the 450 doesn't have the dim headlight issues I always hear Reb owners complain about?

[GearJammer]

http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/parts/Honda/CMX450C+REBEL/1987/174106

Above is the schematic for the headlight........you can see the quartz halgoen bulb. Yes, I'd think it would be brighter than a traditional seamed beam unit. You may be able to compare bulb ratings between the stock & the aftermarket headlight, but my best guess is that you'd be O.K. with the aftermarket once fabbing the needed bracket & keeping in mind that the fabbed bracket would preferably have the ability to adjust the headlight aim.

[sox]

Checked the headlight & sure enough, it's a quartz halogen bulb.

Oops....
Your absolutely right GearJammer..my sincere apologies! That's what I get for not looking in the book...lol

But it is a sealed beam unit (at least in the '86 model) which is why they're so damned expensive....Don't know if they do some kind of replaceable bulb headlamp that would fit.....

sox

[GearJammer]

It's casual, sox, no apologies necessary.......mine's an '86 & I partially disassembled it when trying to chase down a short. Had rolled the bike into the shop & it proceeded to drop away from me. I held the handlebars & followed the bike down to break it's fall & it j-u-s-t missed slamming into the workbench, LOL!

After that, the headlight's been intermittent, so I just keep the headlight fuse out & use the bike for day rides only (gonna sell it, the new owner will have to chase down the short as I simply don't have time to deal with it).

The halogen bulb itself can be replaced, which isn't too expensive, but totally agree that the entire headlight unit is pretty pricey at $74.

You bring up a good point here.........sealed beam headlights come in standard sizes of what ? approx. 5 1/2" & 7 1/2" ? (somewhere in that area) On the chop, I buy car headlights that fit inside the headlight shell & the price is about the same as for the halogen bulb itself.....roughly $7.......If the Reb headlight diameter is the same standard of maybe 7 1/2" and the socket is the standard 3 prong type, one might be able to simply replace the entire $74 stock headlight for a $7 car headlight.

Edit: Maybe not.....just checked the diagram again & the dang rim screws into tabs on the dang headlight edges, LMAO!)

[ole Ed]

Just checked on e-Bay and found an 86 450 headlight for 45 bucks, shipping and everything. Goes off bid in 17 hours and there are no bids as of yet. It has the mount and the bulb. Thought I'd come back and tell ya, just in case ya interested.

[GearJammer]

Thanx ole Ed.......Don't need one here, but someone else might. Mine works, Hi-Lo works, just that intermittent cut-out & I'm pretty sure it's in the right-hand control switch where the bike landed when I dropped it. If I just barely nudge the starter button after firing up the bike, the light will go out, so it's probably in the switch slide area.......