ahusain wrote on 10/21/14 at 09:37:40:Dave,
What do you suggest for better lights? Got something kind of noob friendly?
My current thinking is that this set-up will get you the most lighting for your dollar - while using standard equipment and not using the LED or HD bulbs.
Here is a quote from the Danial Stern site:
There are four basic differences between Hella Vision Plus DOT and a Cibie / Hella ECE/E-code lamps.
First is in the lighting pattern. For us in the US, the regulations date from the 50's. The US DOT mandates a dispersed pattern that puts a percentage of the light output UP and to both sides of the road so that overhead or roadside signs, which may not have other lighting or reflective characteristics, are lit for you.
The European standard allows all the light to go on the road - they have a law that any overhead or roadside sign has to have it's own, independent lighting or must be highly reflective. So not only is there more light on the road with your low-beams, the high-beams are more precise as well. There is also a triangle of light on the right side to light up roadside signs.
The effect is that the E-code lights actually put more light on the road for you to drive with, and offend oncoming traffic MUCH LESS because of the sharp cutoff in the lighting pattern; and all of this with the same wattage lamps as in the US. That's on low beam. Because of the DOT low-beam requirements, and the resulting lens and reflector design, it's impossible to get a good high beam.
So if you buy a 7" bucket from Dime City, and then buy a 7" Hella or Cibie headlight assembly and install a good H4 bulb.....you are going to have about the best affordable headlight that you can get.
Satin Black Bucket - $ 54.95:
http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-choppe...Chrome Bucket (Deep British style bucket) - $ 62.95:
http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-choppe...Gloss Black Bucket - $ 74.95:
http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-choppe...Daniel Stern Lighting E-Code Headlight:
Hella $ 42.00, Cibie $ 78.00
http://www.headlightservices.com/Headlamps.htmlThat last item we need to locate....is the headlight mounting arm that works best with the Savage forks.
The one fellow that has done a similar conversion thought that the clamp on light mounts pushed the headlight out too far, and that the arms had to be bent. I believe both of those issues could be resolved by trimming the length of the arms, and by using spacers on the sides of the headlight.
I am using an 8" headlight from a 1982 Yamaha Virago920, and it is big and works well and is pretty rare and expensive when you find one....however I believe the 7" E code headlight will work just as well.
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