Headlight adjustment procedure?

[Uncle Hud]

Cars flash their headlights at me more than occasionally. That leads me to think my low beams are adjusted too high. (City riders rarely get a chance to use high-beams.)

I know how to adjust the headlights, and have read several threads on adjusting them. Most deteriorate into the typical "headlights" or "high beams" quasi-porn that I like about you perverts. I'll just go ahead and refer to the headlight adjustment knobs as nipples.

This entry is the closest I could find about the procedure for adjusting headlights:

........................................


LAF posted: Isn't there a general way to align lights against a wall? I thought you go a set distance mark where the low hits and then adjust height to a certain area of that. I am old and feeble so I don't remember but there is a way to do this pretty easy, I think?
Rayzerman19 posted: Yes there is..... however the majority of people think that setting on lows is too low (including myself). Yamaha put too much difference between low and high. If you use the recommended setting, the lows are too low and the highs are good. There is no good compromise with both lights set the same. The solution I suggest is adjust low beams to that setting then raise them both one turn of the adjusters. Have someone ride in front of you in daytime a few hundred feet ahead and let you know if your lows are look dim (i.e., at 500 feet say, you're not that "visible" and your lows look like parking lights). They should be set just to the point of being almost full brightness, and you are 'visible'. At night, this may be slightly annoying to oncoming traffic, maybe not, but you might be of the opinion it's not good enough. So now lower the left a half to one full turn of the adjuster and raise the right a half to a full turn. Check against the mark on your wall so you know for next time. Now at least you'll be seen better in daytime by oncoming traffic and have decent lighting at night. Tweak on future rides if necessary. This is the only compromise that works for most of us who do not do a lot of night riding, otherwise, you'll want auxiliary lighting. Oh yes, and change out those stock bulbs for something a tad brighter.

........................................

All well and good, but no reference to the actual measurements and/or targets on a wall that I'm seeking.

Once that's done, I'll get busy twisting the nipples so those high beams display properly.

 

[eflyguy]

That's odd. I ride with high beams during daylight, and have never been flashed. I also have converted to HID so they're super bright. This is in Metro ATL - I live in East Cobb.

I used to get flashed almost daily when I ran a modulator, but at least I could tell I was seen. Switching to straight HID, I am even more visible - you can just tell by the way people react.

So perhaps the fact you're running low beams means they are effectively flashing oncoming traffic as the cut-off moves around with the road surface?

 

[eflyguy]

Oh - as to how to adjust, I use this procedure for cars and bikes - on level ground against a wall or building, put tape where the cut-off is with the bike about 10' away (obviously, with you on it), then ride/drive towards the wall from 30' or so. The cutoff should be slightly below the tape until you get back to the same position - about an inch down for every 10' back. A little less, the taller the vehicle (and our headlights are actually quite high compared to most cars.)

Depending on the effectiveness of your headlights and bulbs, you can adjust to get more throw closer in or out, but that's usually good enough for me.

 

[ionbeam]

Another take on headlight adjustment:

Redneck: Turn the headlight adjuster up until traffic starts to flash you, then back off the adjustment 1/2 turn.

Technical: Find a level driveway or parking lot with a wall or garage door at least 25' away. Using your trusty Stanley tape measure place your motorcycle so the headlights are 25 feet* from the wall. Sit on the bike and have someone measure from the center of the headlight to the ground, trying not to carry a lot of weight on your feet. Go to the door or wall and draw a horizontal line at the height of the headlight center, preferably using a long level. Now measure two inches lower and draw a second level line. You will sit on the motorcycle and adjust the headlights until the top edge of the headlight cut-off is on the lower line. It may help to put a towel over one light so you can adjust only one light at a time. Done.

* There is no consensus on this distance, you will find procedures that vary from 12' to 27' with 17' to 20' and 22' to 25' being common. If you have good googlefoo, most state inspection stations have a specific distance from the headlight to the reference wall and it varies from state to state. This is consistent with what eflyguy posted, it's just a little different method to get to the same end.

After carefully getting the headlights aligned, if you add a pillion, significantly change suspension settings or add weight in the side bags and/or the trunk all bets are off.

Here is an automotive article on headlight adjustment.

 

[Brodie]

The low beam has an excellent cut off on these bikes. My rule of thumb is to adjust them just below the the rear window - trunk lid of the average sedan I find myself behind; that's with me seated on the bike. I'm not lighting up their passenger compartment and dash board, even when I stop behind them at a traffic light. This places the light's cutoff just below the oncoming drivers line of sight.

My Clearwater Glendas are mounted above the brackets level with my mirrors and are at minimal intensity nearly all the time. This compromise has served me well these past 9 years with no one flashing me to lower them.

YMMV

Brodie

 

[Ignacio]

My rule of thumb is to adjust them just below the the rear window - trunk lid of the average sedan I find myself behind; that's with me seated on the bike. I'm not lighting up their passenger compartment and dash board, even when I stop behind them at a traffic light. This places the light's cutoff just below the oncoming drivers line of sight.

There it is. Same here. I've never used nor felt I needed a "procedure" for this.

 

[Uncle Hud]

So, I'll start with the redneck procedure -- and I swear New Hampshire has as many rednecks as Georgia, proportionate to population -- and will use a "pull up behind cars at the red light" technique to fully calibrate the alignment.

I'll have a demonstration tent at NAFO for all those interested.

 

[escapefjrtist]

I've been adjusting the low-beam cut-off at 36" off the deck at 20' for many years. Seems to work well, seldom get flashed and even with a passenger the low beams remain at a reasonable height...I read it on the neenernet, it must be true!

YHMV

--G

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I often use with highbeams in during daylight. That's what my modulator is set to run on. Not for when I'm behind d someone. I set the low beams so the top cutoff is about at the trunk lid of the average car. That way a healthy blip on the throttle puts them temporarily up in the mirrors. For night use in the left lane. Adjust. Ride. Tweak. I adjust on the back wall of my garage, but have adjusted in the parking garage at work to fine tune.