*** Replacing the headlight bulb in your V65 Sabre Hondaline Fairing ***


Posted 05 Dec 2001, authored by Mike Walt with additional comments by Phil Ross.

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TOOLS

Small flat-bladed screwdriver

#1 phillips bit

10mm wrench

17mm deep well socket

Small hammer

The patience of a saint


PROCEDURE

First, enter a zen-like state of mental peace, constantly repeating the
mantra: "Nothing I break can be replaced". Use the flat-bladed screwdriver
to *carefully* pry out the plexi headlight cover; Sort of like taking a tire
off the rim with tire irons. Going to the place on the fairing in back of
the hermetically sealed headlight find the up-down headlight adjuster.
Remove the small set screw on the knob with a #1 phillips screw driver bit
in a 1/4" drive ratchet or an offset screwdriver.

{Phil's note: turn the handlebars so you have the best access to this, and
turn the adjuster knob so the screw is at the 12 o'clock position.  Once
it's loose, turn the knob and cup your hand under it, and tap the knob until
the screw drops drops out. If you don't catch it, it will drop into the fan
between the radiator and the fan shroud. You do *not* want this to happen.
When you put it back in, again make sure the knob is at 12 o'clock to drop
it back in. You don't need any more torque on this little screw than you can
furnish with your thumb and finger and the #1 bit.}

 The knob will then slide off the shaft. (huh, huh, he said...) What's left
looks sort of like a pre Japanese invasion American car radio tuning shaft.
Take the deep well 17mm socket and dissemble. Next to the adjustment knob is
a black 10mm acorn nut. Remove this. Take a small hammer or something and
tap *lightly* on the stud that the acorn nut was on to unseat the headlight
mechanism. Pull the head light assembly out from the front and disconnect
the three-prong plug. Pull off the rubber "boot" to reveal a wire circlip
that holds the bulb in. Avoid touching the glass part of the replacement
bulb unless you want to do this procedure again in a couple of days. To
reassemble, reverse this procedure. (my favorite line from Clymers next to
"Step one: remove engine.") I really feel for someone who has to do this on
the side of the road at midnight in a driving rainstorm.

{Additional note: the hammer is probably not necessary; you can pull the
assy out from the front rather than tapping it from the rear. Goop up the
headlight gasket with protectant while the lexan is out, and clean out the
bug accumulation.}