12v Headlight

[MWL]

I am interested in mounting a 12v sealed beam headlight in the stock Hodaka housing and trim ring. I looked at a 5 3/4" H5006 standard automotive sealed beam at the parts store. I believe it will fit if the brackets are trimmed from the trim ring. I would need to come up with another method of mounting however. I believe this subject was covered on the old forum but I don't remember the details. Has anybody done this?
Mike

[michael_perrett]

I have install the H5006 headlight on two Hodakas. I did use the Yamaha XT headlight shell from the 80's. They will fit with no modifications and are held in by springs. I believe the headlight shells are wider than the Hodaka fork brackets, so some mods will have to be done. Mine were installed on Kawasaki KLR forks assemblies I installed on the 175 and 250 Hodakas I own and used the KLR brackets.
Mike

[dirtsquirt80]

I believe the post said something about using moped head light springs to hold it in the hodaka head light ring. Scott

[MWL]

I believe the post said something about using moped head light springs to hold it in the hodaka head light ring. Scott

Yep, thats the one I was thinking of. It was a pretty detailed description of how to do it. I wish I had saved a copy of it. The trim ring I have is new so I'm reluctant to start experimenting with it.
The Yamaha headlight is a good idea and there are plenty of those available.
Mike

[dirtsquirt80]

back in the day when I worked at the motorcycle shop I know the clips looked like the ones Gerelli mopeds used if that helps. Scott

[MWL]

Here is what I did to make a 5 3/4" headlight work in the stock housing. I bought a 5 3/4" "tractor light" from NAPA auto parts for $13.00 (#4419). It is 12v 35watt, also know as a "PAR 46" type bulb. I carefully trimmed the brackets out of the headlight ring with a dremel as I saw no way to make it fit otherwise. The light fit into the ring but the raised portion of the lense was to too large to fit through the ring and center itself. I found that a piece of 3/16" id vacuum hose laid in the ring makes a nice spacer and centers the light perfectly in the ring. When the light, ring and housing are assembled, the threaded tabs on the housing press on the headlight and hold it firmly in place. I haven't road tested this yet but it looks like it will work. I will probably use a few dabs of silicone seal between the light and ring just to make sure it is mounted securely.

Mike

[MWL]

Headlight ring with brackets removed.

[MWL]

Ring with vacuum hose spacer.

[MWL]

Ring with light.

[Bill2001]

Good ideas here. I'm looking at fitting LED headlights one of the bikes, and even getting the LEDs to work with the older 6v system. Should be able to get good output per watt.

--Bill

[MTRob]

Have you converted your bike to 12 volt or is the rest of the system 6 volt ? If the rest of your system is 6 volt putting in a 12 volt headlight won't work..........
MTROb

[bobwhitman]

Mike-
Nice, sanitary installation. Ed Chesnut uses a similar tractor light on his "endure" bike, and it works well. He & I both use a 12v (Moose ) current limiter to adapt the Hodie to 12 v. Works great. We had a major piece on adapting various headlights to Hodakas several issues ago in the Resonator; you might look back (I can't recall which issue).
Bob

[MWL]

Bob
That is what I had planned. A simple system with a 12v regulator. Unfortunately, I sold that bike before I completed the headlight project.