Headlight Gaurds? Yes Or No?

[FJRME]

I think they're illegal in CA anyway. If you do get pulled over, it is a fix it ticket. I know for autos anyway, you cannot cover or tint the front lamps. The worry is that the light will be redirected into oncoming traffic I think. They're still sold here.

It's not illegal to buy or sell them, only illegal to use them. Same with tinting your windshield(auto) beyond factory specs. I don't know about dark tinted (bike) windshields.

 

[zorkler]

guards i got no stinking guards

 

[BrunDog]

I use a Ventura guard. I like that I can put it on or take it off easily with the velcro.

I don't do too much night riding, so I am content to risk a little light reduction for the benefit of protecting the $$ lenses.

-BD

 

[madmike2]

I gottem. I dun kare whut ennyone sez. I wanted'em sow I bought'em. Too many trukz throwin' rocks, etc. Shure, mebbe I'll never need'em, but I gottem. 'Sides, helps my purdy blue Feejer not look like everbody else's. Sooo, mebbe yew shouldn't gettem, sose mine and yern won't look-alike.

 

[teerex51]

My feeling exactly, bro

Couldn't put it better myself (er... the spelling maybe) :haha: :haha: :haha:

Stef

PS: Could also have agreed with Radman's view earlier on this thread but - as a rule - I don't publicly agree with Radman

 

[dobias]

It was too damned hot to ride in the daytime, so last night at 10:30 I tested the Cee Bailey headlight armor. Thanks to the ABS, I almost made a complete stop before hitting a doe. She crossed over the two lane from left to right as one of the cars passed me going the opposite way. My lights were dimmed at the time because there was more oncoming traffic.

I hit her hard enough that both Cee Baileys shattered. Some fairing tabs were also broken under the headlights. I hope I can make repairs without new panels.

I don't know what Cee Bailey calls "armor" but I'll use the English FJClub version next.

The deer quickly disappeared after impact.

Three cars stopped and offered assistance. One gal had turned around and came back to offer her cell phone. It reaffirmed my faith in people.

dobias

 

[dobias]

Discovered the FJ Club sells the Ventura. I found it at Sport Touring USA.

dobias

 

[spine60]

I'll run the risk of no guards, I don't like the look and feel it would be a rare case that they would get hit. :bleh:

 

[afterburn]

Has anyone even heard or seen of a motorcycle that broke a headlight that was not involved in an accident? I sure haven't. Even with cars it is extremely rare, and those headlights are much lower to the ground and thus have a bigger chance of being hit by a rock.

To me they are just another way of getting some of your hardearned money.

 

[dobias]

At the risk of stating the obvious, I'm sure the Cee Bailey guards prevented the breaking of the headlights. And, yes, I've had stone breakage of headlights on my cars and even on my earlier bikes.

I think it's well worth spending $42 now than $300 for a headlight assembly($600 to have a dealer do it).

dobias

 

[Bounce]

I tried to use the adhesive style armor because I liked it better (no cleaning underneath) bt never could get a good fit because of the complex curves of the lenses. I used something from 3M on my last bike and once it's installed you just clean it like a regular lense.

I went with the CeeBailey armor shells that connect using the velcro dots. I had that on the bike before last and it works okay (except for the need to clean the inside of the armor).

In either case I can't recommend any sort of tint for the reason Warchild doesn't recommend using them at all. You'll lose a lot (more) lumens to the tint and every bit of it's needed down the road.

Replacing one is a lot cheaper than replacing the OEM lense. That's my reason for using them at all. Keeping them clean is about the only thing I worry about cleaning regularly.

 

[radman]

I noticed when cleaning my CB's the other day that the erosion from sand etc has begun, tiny pitting and sanding. They are preventing the headlights from being ruined by this, the very reason I got them. Your call.

 

[Woodstock]

I second what Bounce said. Getting tinted armor is dumb, will seriously degrade your light down the road. I have the CB for the same reasons others have stated.

 

[Mogan]

I have the CBs and haven't noticed any material reduction in lumens. I also have PHIDs installed so the light comin' off the headlights is crap compared to those anyway. The PHIDs are my best defense against deer and we have ZILLIONS in New Jersey!

 

[WestminsterFJR]

Judging by the nicks and chips on my CB's that would have otherwise damaged the lights, I would say they are worth it.

 

[bluedevil]

on the bike before the FJR I was luckey enough to get to buy a new glass for the headlight, after that I got a headlight cover, in 6 months it was cracked but the headlight was fine, 4 years later I traded the bike in on a FJR.

one of the first things was to get the big CB windshield and the headlight covers.

one of the covers has been broken in half but the headlight was OK, I replaced the covers from CB again.