HEADLIGHTS
Headlights : Overview
There are two main headlamp configurations on the 600 Fazer - the pre-2002 setup, and
the post-2002.
Pre-02 Setup
The Pre-02 Fazer possesses one of the more bizarre lighting arrangements that I've
come across on a motorcycle.
On the surface, it looks like a twin-headlamp motorcycle, so the lights should be good.
Unfortunately not.
The left-hand (as you sit on the bike) lamp is nominally dip beam, courtesy of an H1
(single filament) bulb. I say 'nominally', because this light is on regardless of the
dip/main beam switch position, so could equally be described as a 'close-range'
headlamp.
Main beam is provided by the right-hand lamp, when the switch is in the main beam
position. This comes courtesy of the main beam filament of an H4 bulb.
In the standard setup on these bikes, that's it. In spite of the H4 being a dual
filament bulb, and therefore having a perfectly good dip beam filament inside, Yamaha
in their wisdom decided not to make use of it, meaning that both lights are only on
when you’re on main beam, giving the bike a ‘wonderfully’ lop-sided look (it is the
unused switched dip beam circuit which one of the popular headlamp mods uses to
provide a more useable dip beam on this model, but more on that elsewhere).
Post-02 Setup
At some time during 2001, somebody at Yamaha must have been forced to ride a Fazer at
night, because by the time the 2002 version came along, they'd realised the lights
needed to be better. This model comes with an altogether more balanced and useful
setup, with H4 bulbs each side, in which both filaments get used as the designers of
the bulbs intended. On dip, the H4 dips are illuminated; on main beam, the H4 main
beams are illuminated. Nothing clever, just lights that enable you to see where you
are going.
Fazer 400 (Grey Import)
There is a third version - although I've never seen it.
This is fitted to the Fazer 400 - some grey imports of which found their way into the
UK. It features a fairing of the same design as the pre-02 600, but with headlamp
units using H4s each side, wired as common sense suggests - with both dip beams coming
on together when you’re on dip, and both mains on main. As one 400 rider puts it
"headlights that 600 owners can only dream about" (well, pre 02 600 owners, anyway).
Apparently these come from the Japanese market, where they also drive on the left, so
should be ok as a replacement for the UK, too - but check it out first if you’re
thinking of trying.
(Incidentally there’s no sidelight in there, as Japanese bikes have dipped headlights
on all the time anyway, but who uses sidelights anyway?)
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page
Headlights : Headlamp Adjustment
(NOTE: the following applies to the 600s. As I say, I’ve never seen a 400, so can’t
offer advice on them)
Adjusters
Both 600 models feature vertical and horizontal beam alignment screws. These take the
form of hexagon-headed screws with a cross-head inset in them, so they can be adjusted
with either the correct sized spanner/socket (8mm, I believe) or a cross-head
screwdriver.
From memory, on the pre-02 units, the vertical adjusters are towards the middle of the
fairing, while the horizontal adjusters are on the outer ends, although I’m not sure.
Probably best to consult a manual - although I also seem to recall the Haynes manual
having these the wrong way round. So trial and error it is, then.
On the post-02 units, the height adjusters are on the outer ends, conveniently hidden
under the outer bodywork of the fairing. While it is possible to adjust them without
removing the fairing inners, you'll probably find it a damned sight easier to just
take them off.
Adjustment
I have always found it easiest to park the bike about 20 or 30 feet behind a car, off
the centre stand, and adjust one beam at a time - pull the plug off the back of the
other so that its beam doesn't confuse things. If you make it your car, you’ll
probably avoid that "Oi - wot you doing with my car" moment when the owner realises
there’s a motorcyclist doing things behind his car (although thinking about it, if
you’re 20-30 feet back, he’s not got too much to complain about. That's a lot further
away than most cars sit behind me as a rule).
The most usual adjustment needed is vertical. Assuming a family saloon-type car, I
usually put the light on dip beam, and adjust it so that the horizontal cut-off is at
the right position up the back of the car - usually just below the bottom of the rear
window. This should mean I'm not dazzling the drivers I follow, and I usually find
that with the dip adjusted to that height, the main beam is spread over the right kind
of distance for me.
Although you, of course, may have other preferences.
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page
Headlights : Bulbs - Types, Recommendations and Suppliers
As mentioned in the headlamp overview, there are two different types of headlamp bulbs
used in Fazer 600s.
The H1, only used on the pre-02 models, is a 55W, single filament bulb.
The H4, used on the rhs of the pre-02 and both sides of the post-02, is a 60/55W
dual-filament bulb.
The recommended replacement for these - and by recommended, I mean do it now, don't
wait for them to need replacing - is the Phillips Visionplus bulb. These provide 50%
more light (and you need it) and are available in both H1 and H4 sizes.
There is a bit of a problem with this, in that these bulbs usually come in pairs.
However, FOC-U have an arrangement with Powerbulbs
who will provide one of each, so that you don't have to buy a pair of each bulb.
Their phone number is 0845 123 2855; tell them it's for a Fazer and they should know
what to do.
For the post-02s, it's a lot more simple. As their lights actually do the job they're
supposed to, you don't need to squeeze as much light as you possibly can out of the
bulbs, so you can use pretty much any bulbs you like. If you're greedy, then you can
use the Visionplus bulbs - I've tried them, but you do tend to find yourself dipping
to low beam at night on roads that are miles away from the nearest car simply because
of the amount of glare coming back from roadsigns.
But it can be good fun when someone decides to flash you cos he thinks you're on main
beam (if you're the kind of person who enjoys such things, of course)
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page
Headlights : Curing rattling 'bit' in LH (H1) light - pre-02 models
The left-hand (H1) light in the pre-02 features a metal 'cowl' which sits just in front
of the bulb. This metal cowl is fixed to the plastic body of the headlamp unit by two
metal projections (legs) which poke through the hole the bulb goes into. I'm not sure
what the purpose of this is (possibly beam forming), but being metal, and just in front
of a 55W bulb, it gets hot. This heat makes its way down the legs, and can - over a
period of time - melt away just enough of the plastic casing that the cowl can now
vibrate with the engine. This then further accelerates the wear - which will eventually
result in complete failure - but also generates a nice 'buzzing' noise that will
probably drive you nuts long before then.
There's two fixes here.
The first is to get some two-part cement which is fairly heat tolerant (Araldite, or
similar), and blob it around the base of these legs as soon as the buzzing becomes
apparent. This helps to hold things in place, and being heat tolerant, shouldn't be too
prone to further failure. I did this repair on my '98 model, and it was still going
strong when I traded the bike in some 18 months later.
The second is to simply remove the cowl altogether. I've no experience of it, and don't know what it does to the beam
pattern. But a couple of FOC-ers (Alan Sherman and fzsdude) say they have done it and reckon it's ok. Apparently Alan's
bike passed the MOT like it. Like I say, I've no idea what it does, but if you want details, look here.
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page
Headlights : Removing the cowl over the L/H bulb (98-00 models)
This cowl cuts down the light output, apparently. The following was posted by FOC-U member fzsdude
(Spen) in November 2003:
Headlight Instructions - update
This mod improves the light output from the l/h headlight:-
Alan has done this already and took for an MOT it passed!!!, and I have completed the
mod today. All it involves is removing the metal shield/shroud that covers the bulb (H1)
Once you have the headlight off the bike and have both bulbs out take a close look at the
l/h hand reflector.... you should be able to see where the metal shield/shroud locates on
2x protrusions - carefully pry the metal of the protrusions (I used a small flat bladed
screw driver) be careful however not to lever against the protrusions as they snap very
easily (as I found out today). Rather use a twisting action and insert the blade of the
screwdriver in between the metal and the protrusion and make a gap big enough to grab with
a pair of long nosed pliers.
The shield/cowling will drop down and then all you do is tilt the headlight to the side so
the shield/cowling falls into the r/h side, then invert the headlight and the shield/cowling
will fall out :-)
As you are all aware the material the reflectors are made out of is crap and erodes away
with vibration around the bulb mounting. To stop this in its tracks apply a thin coating
of araldite, this leaves a hard coating for the bulb holder to rest against and wont wear
away.
And last but not least, if your worried about the heat effecting the reflector fear not.
The reflector will be exposed to same amount of heat as with the shield cowling on! I have
no idea if this will prevent the coating pealing, as happens on all pre-02/03 fazers...
Spen
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page
Headlights : Headlight mod (98-01 model)
This is the one you need.
It makes use of the unused dip beam filament of the right-hand (H4) bulb to provide a
more useful dip beam. Two popular methods of doing this have emerged.
The first is to simply run a wire from the left-hand bulb to the dip terminal of the
right-hand bulb. This is quick, and easy, but be aware that the dip beam will be
permanently on (along with the left-hand dip) - even when the light is switched to
full beam. This means that wehn you're on full beam, you are running two 55W bulbs and
a 60W bulb - a total of 170W against the designed maximum of 115W. If you're using this
method, then use a battery top-up charger, or be ready for a flat battery during the
winter. In addition, you’re giving the switchgear and wiring an extra 55W to cope
with - which may (although I don’t know) lead to switches burning out, or wiring making
a horrid smell.
The second method is to make use of the unused switched dip beam feed from the dip/main
beam handlebar switch. Personally, I recommend this mod, in conjunction with the Philips
Visionplus bulbs for the pre-02 model. The lights won't be brilliant, but with these
two changes in place, they'll just about do.
In a plastic box under the tank is a whole load of connectors; one of these carries the
return from the aforementioned dip/main switch. The mod consists of taking the feed
from the connector block (where it stops) to the back of the H4 connector.
For full details of this mod, see this thread
on the FOC-U website.
(Note - Some people have been advised you need to fit a relay if doing this; I can’t see
why as the wiring and switch are already dealing with 5A when the 60W main beam is
selected; all you’re doing is giving them a similar current (slightly less, actually)
instead of zero to deal with when dip is selected, by running the unused dip feed to
the dip beam on the bulb. The load on that bit of the circuit will never exceed that
which it gets on main beam if you do the mod this way)
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page
Headlights : Reflector Coating Lifting
This is a problem experienced by some owners of pre-02 Fazer 600s. It seems that it is
quite common for a small portion of the reflector coating on the left-hand (H1) headlamp
to lift/burn off. This always seems to occur on one segment of the reflector,
immediately above the bulb. It appears to be some kind of a manufacturing fault, and a
number of owners have been successful in getting the lamp units repaired under warranty.
If your warranty's run out, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. It had happened on
my '98 model, and I never felt that it particularly adversely affected the lights.
They were more than capable of doing that all on their own.
<<-Back to Hot Poop Front Page