4 corners tour

[RUSH]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here.
I just got finished cleaning the carbs on my bike and they are working GREAT!!. Thats the first step to my goal of doing the four corners this may. Im riding my first bike, an XS11E that I bought in '92 for the amazing price of $900. She has factory full fairing and hard saddle bags. Right now she has only 32k miles on her, of which I put 20k on. The bike has been in storage for 2+ years so it took 3 trys before I got the carbs completely clean, theres nothing like doing the job right the first time.
I was going to put her up for sale, but I got this wild hair and thus I will be off this may for a grand adventure.
My only real problem is I have a headlight that is one peice, ie the bulb itself is not replaceable. You must replace the entire unite and I have not been able to find a replacement or an alternative headlamp. Any ideas??

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Rush,

Congrats on your carb work, 3rd times charm, eh?!

As for your headlight, I thought those fairing ones were just CAR sealed beam headlights?? I would think you could take it out, and go to your local auto parts store and match it up pretty easily, like a 6014 or something similar, round or rectangular!?
T.C.

[MAXIMAN]

I thought those fairing ones were just CAR sealed beam headlights??

Mine is. When I got that XJ1100 home the light was very dim. When I pulled it out of the fairing the guy at the autoparts store said it had a manfacture date of 1982. I guess it was the original sealed beam. Gawd it was dim. I'm sure back in the day it seemed fine.

Replaced it with a halogen and made huge difference.

Anyway should be able to replace the whole lamp.

Hey RUSH - Four Corners is a long way from WA. Ya gonna ride down?

I used to go to school in Durango (Ft. Lewis). I going over to Monument Valley on my Maxim ASAP. It is supposed to be some of the best riding in the US.

[Czekus21]

Welcome aboard. If you don't mind a round headlamp assy. from a Vetter fairing, I have an extra one. It would probably look stupid but it will work. Glad you decided to keep her. I've thought about selling my 79 SF but got to thinkin, Every time I sell something I enjoy, I kick myself in the rump. I got to keep her. She's part of the family now.

[RUSH]

http://www.ironbutt.com/ridecerts/
cut and paste if needed
the xsE was the only model to have the one peice headlamp. sucks to be me. ill find someway around it though.

[Dennyz]

Rush,

If you find yourself in the Pacific North West, please feel free to stop by. I can put you up for a couple of days. I have a cozy loft in my shop that is a great place to shack off some road coodies. I can show you some local rides.
n

[Dennyz]

oops, I did not think to check your location. You are in the PNW.

[RUSH]

Thanks Dennyz, but Im already in the PNW. I live in Lake Stevens.
Ill be starting the 4 corners tour at Blaine. Hope to see you on the road! safe travels to all!
Thanks for the offer of the headlight, Im going to see if the next years model will work with my fairing. If not then Ill just "modify" the replacement when needed.

[pathfinder]

The square headlight from a 79 or 80 will work plus it is an H4 type bulb. I may have one of the sealed beams I'll check around. A plain sealed beam for a car will not work, because it does not have the adjustment tabs, which align the headlight up down or side to side. Your headlight has a metal back for these nothing else does.

[ratbyk]

Headlight Conversion

The headlight on my 78E died and I went through the chase around routine. Gave up on that. I cut the tabs off the back of the original (78) seal-beam. Obtained a 80/100 watt sports car seal beam. JP welded the tabs onto the back of the replacement. With a lot of forceful but gentle manipulation I was able to install it into the 78E headlight housing. With more headlight adjustments (at night) I was able to lay out a very effective beam in front of the Ratbyk. That was 4 1/2 years ago. Still running around with the same seal beam. It can be done!
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"
92 ZX11 Temptress

[Pat Kelly]

Is this 4 corners as in AZ, NM, UT, CO?
Or is it WA, CA, FL, MN?
I dream of doing a lap of the USA.

[RUSH]

see the link on my earlier post. Its a tour of the four corners of the usa. Thanks for the info on the headlight, ill see what I can find at the local bike wreckers.

[chevy45412001]

xj headlight

my XJ has the changeable bulb only set up,went with the hyper white man does it work well.Approaching daylight conditions at dark.

[2fast]

four corners

Best of luck on the 4 corners quest! I did a Saddlesore last spring on my 78 XS11. Got a nice note from Mike Kneebone ( the IBA Big Guy) with my cert. He is an old XS rider and dug the fact that I did it on mine. Most riders are on something much more modern.

[brock]

4 corners is Florida, Maine, California, and Alaska, not Washington. That's what i'm hoping to do this summer.