Headlight dips the wrong way on a NZ new GPZ500S

[greenie1000]

Hi

I have a New Zealand new 1987 Kawasaki GPZ500s, and have a bit of a problem.
I have just failed a W.O.F for my dipped headlight beam pattern dipping the wrong way. That is the light dips down on the left and raises on the right. Funnily enough it has been getting warrants for 25 years like this. Should this not have been picked up during compliance/ when it was sold new?

First of all I would like to know my rights as to getting this fixed properly. Would Kawasaki New Zealand or who ever was the importer/original sales be liable to fix this? Would it be covered somewhere under New Zealand law as being sold, but not fit for purpose? I know this is the tech section so I am probably asking in the wrong place but it is worth a shot (feel free to point me to the right place)

Alternatively is there an easier way to fix this rather than shelling out approximately $350 for a new headlight from Kawasaki. A way of changing the beam? I do want this to be fixed properly, not just a temporary fix, or something to get through a wof.

Many thanks
Andrew

[nzspokes]

Turn it up the right way. :facepalm:

[greenie1000]

?? If only it were that easy, but it is a pattern on the glass making the light shaped that way. and its not a symmetrical headlight that I can just flip over or anything simple like that.

[oldrider]

Had the same problem with a bike I bought of AMPS in Auckland, they had been giving it a WOF no problem but when I took it to a vehicle testing station they failed it!

Cost me big time to rectify the situation! (pissed me off bigtime too!) :angry:

[greenie1000]

How did you fix it in the end? New light?

[sinfull]

That is the light dips down on the left and raises on the right.
Anyone else think this is soooo wrong ?


Ya headlight is suppose to dip to the left and up to the right on high beam, not the other way round !

[sidecar bob]

Hi

I have a New Zealand new 1987 Kawasaki GPZ500s, and have a bit of a problem.
I have just failed a W.O.F for my dipped headlight beam pattern dipping the wrong way.
First of all I would like to know my rights as to getting this fixed properly.

You have the right to buy a headlamp & have a bawl in the corner somewhere & then get over the fact that it was crashed sometime in the last quater of a century & someone imported the repair parts from the USA off Ebay.
Christ, what fuckin rights do you want??

[oldrider]

What rights do you get?

You get the right to pay for the repairs .... Caveat Emptor! (let the buyer beware!) :facepalm:

[James Deuce]

Canadian Spec GSXRs and GSXFs that were sold cheap on the NZ market in Suzuki Summer sales used to suffer from this malady. My GSX600F was thankfully sorted by the previous owner - at the cost of $1800 for a new headlight unit that dipped to the left.

Your only option is a new headlight unit.

Thanks goodness most new bikes dip neither to the left nor the right but just straight down.

[greenie1000]

I doubt it has been crashed that bad without showing any other signs, and especially as I bought it off its only other owner

I guess if there is no easy fix I will have to splash out for a new light then. Just may take a while on my poor as student budget.

Thanks guys

[hayd3n]

I doubt it has been crashed that bad without showing any other signs, and especially as I bought it off its only other owner

I guess if there is no easy fix I will have to splash out for a new light then. Just may take a while on my poor as student budget.

Thanks guys

can always go to a bike shop and try for another wof after 28 days

[jellywrestler]

I doubt it has been crashed that bad without showing any other signs, and especially as I bought it off its only other owner

well maybe just one stone was flicked up off the road and smashed it then?

[greenie1000]

Yup thats possible

[ducatilover]

Are you certain the glass pattern is wrong not the bulb? I always thought the GPZ/X/ZZR had a symmetric set up

[Motu]

most new bikes dip neither to the left nor the right but just straight down.

And ALL old bikes used to, there was a specific motorcycle bulb. H4 is a crap beam to have on a motorcycle, it's a car pattern.

[BMWST?]

And ALL old bikes used to, there was a specific motorcycle bulb. H4 is a crap beam to have on a motorcycle, it's a car pattern.

a million times better than 50w tungsten type bulbs

[sidecar bob]

And ALL old bikes used to, there was a specific motorcycle bulb. H4 is a crap beam to have on a motorcycle, it's a car pattern.

H4 is a bulb, it creates the light not the pattern.

[skippa1]

You have the right to buy a headlamp & have a bawl in the corner somewhere & then get over the fact that it was crashed sometime in the last quater of a century & someone imported the repair parts from the USA off Ebay.
Christ, what fuckin rights do you want??

+1 on that. My R1 suffered exactly that and was VERY expensive to fix.
As for having to crash it to smash one.....my old twin headlight speed triple suffered two smashed headlights on the way to Greymouth on the same trip. Both from stones getting flicked up. Suck it up and buy a new one.:blink:

[greenie1000]

Yup, just going to have to bite the bullet and get a new headlight. At least these aren't as expensive as the lights for some of your guys bikes!

[nodrog]

I will give you $450 for the bike if you want to make a quick hundy?

[greenie1000]

Nope, I'm good

[Damantis]

if the unthinkable were to "happen" to it.

[James Deuce]

And he'd get done for Insurance fraud really easily because it's documented that the current unit has failed a WoF check.

[greenie1000]

Yeah I only have 3rd party insurance, and not really into defrauding the system.

My mate just suggested these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001P5UVTE/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

They change the beam for car going from europe into the UK. Do you think that I would be able to get a warrant with one of these on the bike?

Cheers

[FJRider]

Yeah I only have 3rd party insurance, and not really into defrauding the system.

My mate just suggested these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001P5UVTE/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

They change the beam for car going from europe into the UK. Do you think that I would be able to get a warrant with one of these on the bike?

Cheers

Just E. mail a few bike wreckers .... there might be one around ... somewhere.

[Voltaire]

My old Ducati had the same problem a few years back, got it re-vinned as I had been overseas and all was good until I went to testing station....its for a LHD..... so sprung $150 for a new lens and he still was not happy...ended up twisting the lens slightly.....
Had a more modern Ducati with funny shaped headlight and it got smashed by a truck with bits falling off it...
locally S/H they wanted $500 Plus
Got one on Ebay Italy for bugger all.....but in the old days it was the lens that determined Lhd/rhd....now its the reflector.....the lamp ( bulbs grow in the ground my old Post Office tradesman used to say) has no function on direction.
So got the new headlight and carefully took off lens and fitted to my old reflector.
Job done.
When I used to go from England to France, apart from painting the lens yellow to keep the Frogs happy you could fit a bit of black tape thing that altered the dip.....who knows they might do them on Ebay UK under Keep the Froggie Bastards Happy Lights....

[sinfull]

Hi


I have just failed a W.O.F for my dipped headlight beam pattern dipping the wrong way. That is the light dips down on the left and raises on the right. Funnily enough it has been getting warrants for 25 years like this. Should this not have been picked up during compliance/ when it was sold new?


Many thanks
Andrew
I'm still baffled here ! Up above he states the light dips down on the left and raises on the right !

Aint that the way it's suppose to be ? Or have we suddenly started driving on the RH side of the road and i missed it !

[greenie1000]

This is what the VIRM says you have to have (asymetric lights):

269025

My light does the opposite

[sinfull]

This is what the VIRM says you have to have (asymetric lights):



My light does the oppositeRight, with ya now where ya said dip left and raise right ! ya were talking that shape shit (first i heard of this isymet... shit)

Ya learn something every day !

[Damantis]

And he'd get done for Insurance fraud really easily because it's documented that the current unit has failed a WoF check.

Aparrently. I mean, it COULD just fall over... or be the victim of a callous act of vandalism.

Just say'n.

[actungbaby]

Canadian Spec GSXRs and GSXFs that were sold cheap on the NZ market in Suzuki Summer sales used to suffer from this malady. My GSX600F was thankfully sorted by the previous owner - at the cost of $1800 for a new headlight unit that dipped to the left.

Your only option is a new headlight unit.

Thanks goodness most new bikes dip neither to the left nor the right but just straight down.

OR check on ebay i got brand new unit for under 300.00 well just better to stick to buying from england not the usa

I didnt think this i bidded on usa spec lights not thinking about this issue so was just lucky didnt make that mistake myself.

Mind you my bike was imported from states and was only because light was smashed to bits that had to get new unit, makes me wonder

How passed it warrents since 1998 with us light fitted.

[mrbond]

Brought one 2.5 yrs ago for my XL600R when is failed WOF
for same reason. No problems with WOF since.
(just need to trim to fit)





Yeah I only have 3rd party insurance, and not really into defrauding the system.

My mate just suggested these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001P5UVTE/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

They change the beam for car going from europe into the UK. Do you think that I would be able to get a warrant with one of these on the bike?

Cheers

[Owl]

Aparrently. I mean, it COULD just fall over... or be the victim of a callous act of vandalism.

Just say'n.

You related to tigertim20?:sweatdrop

[FROSTY]

Its probably far too late now but I bet the BULB needs sorting out.Yes the lens dictates the scatter of light etc but that is only if the bulb is sitting both where its soposed to and turned the way its soposed to Ie the tangs in the right places. If either are wrong the beam with be wrong. It souds to me like the bulb isn't sitting in the holder propperly.

[nodrog]

It souds to me like the bulb isn't sitting in the holder propperly.

A retarded Thalidomide would have a hard time putting the bulb in the wrong way.

[scumdog]

A retarded Thalidomide would have a hard time putting the bulb in the wrong way.

Well! I'll have you know KB has no shortage of THEM!!

[nodrog]

Well! I'll have you know KB has no shortage of THEM!!

"look mum, no hands!"

[tri boy]

Kwacka NZ did some shonky things re lights on some models.
ie, KLE500s were sourced around the world, and came in with right dipping lens.
They sent left dip units to all the franchised dealers to retro fit, but some never got changed out, and the subsequent new lens went onto the parts shelf for future resale.
I know this because I had sent an email to K NZ after kannys bike failed a wof because of the same issue.
I researched the bikes history within an inch of its life, and found that most of the bikes that slipped through came out of Wellywood.
Dodgy fucks those windy city boys...............