dabubble got questions

[gk45241]

I have a 79 xs 1100. I am loving the headlights you got from harbor freight. When I visted them all they had were 5" lghts? What size lights did you use? Two 5" lights seem wider thean the stock mounting would hold. You also stated that the mounting was of your own design. Could you please give a newbee some info on how you made these lights work, what size, what bulbs, and how you mounted them?

For what i am sure is the hundredth time,,,,,Your ride rocks!

Thanks in advance,
Gary King

[gk45241]

bumo

Anyone? Anyone? Lol

[DiverRay]

Try sending a PM to him. I don't have the information, as I'm on the wrong coast...

[subike]

I used two 3.5 in lights that came as a pair and fitted to the stock light ears.
The wireing was a plug into the existing loom. 65w bulbs and parklights. I bought them off of E-bayfor us$50.00. The bullet side lights I used were also the mounting bolts for the headlamps.
Have a look in dabubble build thread at the last pic, they are of my copy of his bike. The lights are a reasonably common aftermarket set, as they are used extensivly here in New Zealand for trikes.
Hope this helps

[Da-Bubble]

Sorry I took so long...

I just saw this thread. The lights are 5". I used a piece of flat steel about 1/8" thick by 2" wide. Heated it with a torch and used a vice to bend it into a u-shape. In one of the pictures on my thread you can see it hanging from the garage door lift while painting. I used the stock headlight mounting ears rotated out a bit to mount the bracket. Then both lights just bolt to it. I used 35w Hellas in each to have a max of 70w. The special had a 60w bulb on high beam so I didn't wanna burn up the wiring. Hope you're still out there somewhere.

See ya,
Scott

[gk45241]

bracket

How hard was the bracket to make?.... steel, aluminum??? what guage.

Thanks,

Gary

[Da-Bubble]

Gary,

It was a piece of flat iron approximately 3 feet long by 2" wide by 1/8" thick. It's been over a year since I made it so I'm a little fuzzy about step by step instructions. Basically you can center the lights where you want them and drill those holes. My lights are so close they touch in the middle. Then you bend the ends of the steel up at about a 75 degree angle to meet up with the stock headlight ears. Drill the mounting hole then mark it where you need to trim the excess (you don't use all 3 feet). You'll have to rotate the "ears" out a little on each side but they don't look funny. You'll also have to put a slight twist in the bracket to make it match up to the ears. It's not hard if you have a vice to clamp it in and a $10 propane tourch (and welding gloves to keep from burning your hands). I took some pics for you but cant find my cable to upload them.

Give it a try. It's not hard.

P.S. I guess if enough people were interested I could make an assembly you could just bolt on.

Scott

[subike]

Here is a link to the lights I used.

www.nzstreetfighters.com

they are 90mm units joint in the middle,
they bolt directly on to the XS ears with no changes.
All you need to add is a tool bag under the lights to hold the wireing loam.

[fredintoon]

How hard was the bracket to make?.... steel, aluminum??? what gauge?

Hi Gary,
like the man plainly sez, 2" x 1/8" steel flatbar. Or if you get a 2" strip sheared from sheet steel, 11Gauge is the nearest to 1/8" thickness.
How hard to make? If you have a torch, hacksaw, vise, drillpress and a BFH it shouldn't take too long at all. Doing the job with no hammer bruises and vise-marks on the finished part takes longer, of course.

[Da-Bubble]

Here is a link to the lights I used.

www.nzstreetfighters.com

they are 90mm units joint in the middle,
they bolt directly on to the XS ears with no changes.
All you need to add is a tool bag under the lights to hold the wireing loam.

Those are cool but $300!!! Geez!!! I spent less than $30 on mine including the bracket and 35w hellas. The single most expensive items purchased were the tires at $290 and the paint supplies at $250. Those are nice though if you've got the money. And I bundled and wrapped all of the wiring / plugs behind my headlight using wiring split loom. Saves my toolbag for the only storage I've got!

Scott

[gk45241]

lol Plainly sez

Yeah Sorry about that. got ahead of myself thinking of the whole bend it to fit the ears part and overlooked the materials. Thanks for the info. About time to go shopping and picking up parts. Will start on that right after I figure out why my petcocks. failed and flooded my damn carbs...AGAIN...

Thanks,
Gary

[TopCatGr58]

Will start on that right after I figure out why my petcocks. failed and flooded my damn carbs...AGAIN...

Thanks,
Gary

Hey Gary,

IF your carbs flooded, then it's not necessarily just the petcocks fault. IF the float valves in the carbs are sealing properly, then you won't get any flooding. Yes, the petcocks are allowing fuel to reach the carbs, but the carb float needles/valves should stop it. IF the carbs overflowed, then you need to recheck the carbs as well!
T.C.

[Da-Bubble]

I had the same problem with my petcocks. Not to contradict TC but I replaced my Float Valve needles/seats twice and it didnt fix it. I finally replaced the rubber diaphram in the petcocks and that stopped the flooding.