Speed3Chris
I like Dick
I didn’t plan on changing my headlight reflector as I was pretty happy with upgraded bulb and wiring harness which dramatically improved light. As a side note, I do believe that lighting is a weak point on many production bikes including our bonnies. Replacing the reflector in my case kind of just happened. For ’09 Triumph allegedly improved the reflector to the point of almost being decent…but its still a low buck item with plastic lens.
Mine cracked and not sure if I took a rock or if the plastic lens just cracked due to higher heat of 80/100W Wagner H4 bulb I run + Eastern Beaver wiring harness which pushes more current to the bulb.
See my Eastern Beaver harness installation in the Project Zone if interested in improving your lighting.
Many talk to Daniel Stern and drink his koolaid…he knows lighting but there are other more cost effective sources for equivalent stuff he sells. Further, the Cibie headlight he recommends which is a good reflector to be sure…costs about $80 which is a lot to spend for a reflector and even for a good one. But…the Cibie which bolts fine to earlier Hinkley bikes is reported to be a problem beginning with EFI bikes….Cibie tabs requiring surgery with it never fitting quite right as some report.
Below is a picture of the receptacle retainer of the EFI bonnie. Perhaps some know if it looks different than earlier Hinkley bikes:
So, I didn’t want the Cibie because it required surgery to make fit as many report and therefore I looked for something else. Hella is a well known company in lighting and they make a model 7” glass and reflector I wanted to try. Hella sells two similar units and I prefer the ECE or European versus DOT spec reflector because it clips the top of the beam to prevent blinding drivers. This is particularly good when running a high wattage bulb which I do and what many Europeans do as well and hence the ECE spec. DOT mandates lower wattage because the light pattern is more diffuse with ambient light blinding on coming drivers even if the light is correctly aimed if running higher wattage.
So the reflector/glass assembly I chose is: Hella ECE 7” HL79562 which is just over ½ the price of the Cibie unit. My bet is its as good or close enough to the Cibie. There is no comparison between the Hella reflector and the factory one…in materials, construction as well as light emission. I prefer a glass to plastic lens. There is one downside if this matters to you. There is no parking light hole in the Hella. This doesn’t matter to me but maybe a legal matter in Europe…not sure. I have never used the parking light feature on my bike.
Comparing the geometry of the clips that orient the light anglularly in the frame:
Stock receptacle clips:
Hella receptacle clips:
Notice the clips are similarly shaped but appear perhaps a bit taller on the Hella. This perceived difference does not affect its fit into the retainer. Unlike other receptacles, no surgery is required to make the Hella glass fit just like the factory unit to the EFI headlight. Better to be lucky than good.
Fit of glass to mating ring: It sandwiches line-to-line as shown same as factory glass:
Lastly, pics of the light installed in the external headlight front ring. Also notice the standoff behind the glass that refracts the light. Also included is a pic in back. The bulb retainer is a better construction than the stock unit as well:
Since many have commented about the problem of fitting an upgraded glass to the EFI bikes in particular and who wants to pay $250 for an inferior reflector replacement...ridiculous...I thought I would show this installation to help others. Please note that it is possible my headlight is similar to earlier Bonnies. I believe this is unlikely but possible as inventory many times is exhausted on a running basis through model years. I hope the pics can be used to compare to what you have to remove any uncertainty about what will fit your light if you want to upgrade or yours becomes cracked.
Cheers.
Mine cracked and not sure if I took a rock or if the plastic lens just cracked due to higher heat of 80/100W Wagner H4 bulb I run + Eastern Beaver wiring harness which pushes more current to the bulb.
See my Eastern Beaver harness installation in the Project Zone if interested in improving your lighting.
Many talk to Daniel Stern and drink his koolaid…he knows lighting but there are other more cost effective sources for equivalent stuff he sells. Further, the Cibie headlight he recommends which is a good reflector to be sure…costs about $80 which is a lot to spend for a reflector and even for a good one. But…the Cibie which bolts fine to earlier Hinkley bikes is reported to be a problem beginning with EFI bikes….Cibie tabs requiring surgery with it never fitting quite right as some report.
Below is a picture of the receptacle retainer of the EFI bonnie. Perhaps some know if it looks different than earlier Hinkley bikes:
So, I didn’t want the Cibie because it required surgery to make fit as many report and therefore I looked for something else. Hella is a well known company in lighting and they make a model 7” glass and reflector I wanted to try. Hella sells two similar units and I prefer the ECE or European versus DOT spec reflector because it clips the top of the beam to prevent blinding drivers. This is particularly good when running a high wattage bulb which I do and what many Europeans do as well and hence the ECE spec. DOT mandates lower wattage because the light pattern is more diffuse with ambient light blinding on coming drivers even if the light is correctly aimed if running higher wattage.
So the reflector/glass assembly I chose is: Hella ECE 7” HL79562 which is just over ½ the price of the Cibie unit. My bet is its as good or close enough to the Cibie. There is no comparison between the Hella reflector and the factory one…in materials, construction as well as light emission. I prefer a glass to plastic lens. There is one downside if this matters to you. There is no parking light hole in the Hella. This doesn’t matter to me but maybe a legal matter in Europe…not sure. I have never used the parking light feature on my bike.
Comparing the geometry of the clips that orient the light anglularly in the frame:
Stock receptacle clips:
Hella receptacle clips:
Notice the clips are similarly shaped but appear perhaps a bit taller on the Hella. This perceived difference does not affect its fit into the retainer. Unlike other receptacles, no surgery is required to make the Hella glass fit just like the factory unit to the EFI headlight. Better to be lucky than good.
Fit of glass to mating ring: It sandwiches line-to-line as shown same as factory glass:
Lastly, pics of the light installed in the external headlight front ring. Also notice the standoff behind the glass that refracts the light. Also included is a pic in back. The bulb retainer is a better construction than the stock unit as well:
Since many have commented about the problem of fitting an upgraded glass to the EFI bikes in particular and who wants to pay $250 for an inferior reflector replacement...ridiculous...I thought I would show this installation to help others. Please note that it is possible my headlight is similar to earlier Bonnies. I believe this is unlikely but possible as inventory many times is exhausted on a running basis through model years. I hope the pics can be used to compare to what you have to remove any uncertainty about what will fit your light if you want to upgrade or yours becomes cracked.
Cheers.
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