1980 gs550e - headlight replacement (UK)

[ukjules]

I have a 1980 gs550e and have the sealed unit headlight.
i.e the main bulb is in the headlight sealed with a sidelight small bulb
that again fits to the outside of the sealed light via a clear circular window.

I have a feeling having had this for years if it blows I am screwed.

What replacements are there for this ?
Is there one available that is not sealed , hence you can simply change the bulb if it breaks ?

I checked "wemoto" and they have nothing.

 

[tom203]

After 1981, this model (and others )came with the replaceable H4 bulb.... Have a look around , you should be able to adapt a later housing to your bike

 

[ukjules]

Surely there must be a better designed replacement available ?
A sealed unit is a design mistake - surely there must be somewhere in uk that sells a replaceable bulb headlight ?

I wont stop until one has been found as ll our bikes will soon need them !!!!

Ill measure my headlight and start the search and post if i find one.
We will all need one soon !

 

[Guest]

I'm surprised you have a sealed-beam, as they weren't standard here. Have a look round Ebay etc, there are loads of GS headlamps that will fit.

 

[ukjules]

I have looked but all seem to be sealed beam.
There simply must be a firm that makes headlamps
that will fit.
I will keep looking on eBay but we all need a one shop
stop for a new headlight (that has removable bulbs ).


7' diameter
4' depth
I have found these guys and have asked a question as i cant see the fittings or rear of lamp/
https://www.bikermart.co.uk/7"-Inner-Reflector-and-Glass-Unit-Replacement-Motorcycle-Headlight


j

 

[Guest]

I've just looked at E-bay, and found a dozen without really trying. Are you sure you don't have an H4 bulb. Some models had a cover over the back of the bulb that just flips off.

 

[ukjules]

link me to em....

I see only sealed beam ones ! But I must search for 7' motorcycle headlights I guess
not gs550e headlights ....
mine is sealed beam .... the bulb is internal
and the side light clips on the outside.

no h4 bulb possible to fit on sealed one.

 

[Guest]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-G...976195?hash=item4d9167bb03:g:-e8AAOSwrBxapRg2

I searched on 'suzuki GS headlights' and 'suzuki gs headlamps'.

I'd be interested to see a photo of yours. Do you think it is OEM or aftermarket?

 

[ukjules]

I tell you that looks ideal !

bear with me I'll take some pics of mine.
it came with the wreck when I bought prior to my care.

that looks like a both main and side light bulbs are removable too.
ideal.

I'll post pics

 

[Guest]

Jules, I did notice that, on that particular one, someone had messed with the terminals. It looks like a couple of cheap spade terminals at the back of the bulb. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but a quick search might turn up something better.

 

[ukjules]

Yes I see !! All i want (and indeed we all will soon) is an original looking headlight that is not sealed.
I think the link i sent is the one but i get no response from them - not good.

Search continues .... but i will post when i have a firm option.
- yes that one ebay "might do" . might do is not good enough. Mine works currently so i have time
to search for the perfect replacement and pass info on.
I did assume this was simple !

I attach pic of the headlight that was on my bike when i bought it years ago.
You will see the sealed bulb connectors (3 of) and the small circular window for
when sidelights (is that what it is called) is on only.
I have always assumed this is the original headlight ?

 

[Guest]

Interesting - my 550ET is quite different to that. https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs550e...model13479/partslist/FIG-23.html#.XN7sx6RRfIU

Looking through fiches for other countries, I noticed many used sealed beam units. I recall yours is a UK bike?

 

[ukjules]

Thanks, and that one is so what I'd like to have!

Bit expensive for me at present so still need another option.

I am in contact with that place (url I posted)
and they are looking to see if it can fit a GS.

7' and 4' depth. using a h4 bulb and side light
bulb fitting.

bit you are right I need the one you state.
my bike is a UK bike ! 1980.

but this research is useful for me and when
other poor people like me need another ....

 

[Steve]

You mentioned in post #7 that it is a 7" bulb? Just making sure that it is the BULB that is 7" diameter, not the housing. Suzuki did use 7" bulbs in most of the bikes, but some of the smaller ones, along with the "L" bikes" got one that was about 6", which would fit in a 7" housing.

If you do have a 7" bulb, why not consider an upgrade to an LED light? You will likely faint when you see the price tag, but once you have it installed and ride at night, you will wonder why you waited so long. The main difficulty you will have is to ensure that you have a British pattern for your left-side drive, so shop carefully.

.

 

[hampshirehog]

I'd take a guess on your headlight originally belonging to a GT. They dallied with sealed beams on the UK models for a while - I think 380, 550 and 750 circa k,l and m models. I can't recall ever seeing one in a GS.

 

[Grimly]

Pity that most cars no longer use 7" H4 reflectors, because you could easily go down to your nearest car breakers and find a decent one and try it for fit.
Annoyingly, even though they are the same nominal size, many motorcycle 7" reflectors don't have the same retaining clips inside the shell (and even if they do, they're not in the same position) as the car ones - Honda are particularly guilty of this.
All is not lost if you can molish something - hell, even a gob of silicone or urethane foam holds it in place, for after all the reflector isn't coming back out, just the bulb.

 

[ukjules]

7" refers to the lense !!!!!!
let's just be clear......

yep I am sure something can be cobbled together
but I will keep on with these guys as the lenses....
looks ideal and for less that 15-20? ! new.

I will update when I find the perfect replacement for all !

 

[Grimly]

7" refers to the lense !!!!!!
let's just be clear......

yep I am sure something can be cobbled together
but I will keep on with these guys as the lenses....
looks ideal and for less that 15-20? ! new.

I will update when I find the perfect replacement for all !

But it won't be. It will be crap.
Why not fit the best light you can?

 

[ukjules]

I look for soming cost effective!
I can't see how it can be crap ? visually
it is exactly what I need.

the best light I can get is from cmsl.
too expensive for I .....

The light I have now is crap but I happily
went round Europe with it...

I just want to know where k can get a replacement
which looks exactly the same and uses
stock easy to get bulbs.

so its cmsl or possibly my new place .
Will inform

do note my sealed one does work !
But it's crap ! stupid design ..

 

[Grimly]

It's almost a given that standard lighting was crap on the bikes we know. Not just because of the often laughably low-powered bulb (or sealed beam) but bad lens and reflector design. Why replace crap with more crap?

If it were me, I'd look at a Hella H4 7" reflector/lens (all one unit) and see if it will hook into the standard Suzuki 7" shell. You never know your luck.
If you can't get Hella (cheaply available for excellent design) or Cibie (the best but can be expensive as a lot of classic nuts drool for them) for your shell, then Lucas are quite good (and better than standard), and there's a seller on ebay who was punting out some Indian-made headlights a year or two back, which were direct copies of Cibies, iirc. They were quite highly rated by those who tried them - something like Light Pal. I'm having a look to see if I can find them.
If they're as good as they reckon, it was a very economical route to go down.
Luckily for me, I found other sources. I got a pair of brand-new-in-box Hella H4 lighting units and fitted them to a set of spotlight shells. They complement the Cibie headlight on the fairing quite nicely - the Cibie light was a total windfall. If I'd gone looking for one I'd not have paid what is being asked for them nowadays.

Another source of really good H4 7" units is the Mitsubishi Pajero of the late '80s/ early 90s. It was fitted with Koito units which were computer designed and as good as Cibies for a fraction of the price. They're totally under the radar of the classic guys, so go for next to nothing. I snapped up a pair of them a few years ago and fitted one to the Vetter with an LED bulb. Holy bejasus, it was the best bike light up to that point I've ever used.