Evo headlight adjustment.

[crawsue]

My recent MOT inspection confirmed comments from riders that have ridden in front of me who say that it’s difficult to see me behind them as the headlight is “invisible” …my friendly MOT man attempted to adjust the vertical setting but I realise now that he was using the horizontal adjuster
So in the time honoured tradition of “when everything else fails read the instructions “ I decided to adjust the vertical this afternoon.The manual shows the screw/bolt adjuster which is helpfully completely obscured by the throttle cable…but the manual doesn’t say which way is up or down Has anyone performed this basic task and does the adjuster make any significant difference.
PS, I seldom/never ride in the dark, this is a safety feature only on my bike.
PPS a helpful “friend” suggested riding with main beam on …which admittedly did make me more noticeable to leading riders….any thoughts on this solution ?

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by crawsue

riding with main beam on …….any thoughts on this solution ?

You know in your heart that would be wrong and not a solution at all.
The low beam pattern has a vertical cut off which I usually gauge as being no higher than the bottom of a car's rear window and a cut off to the right which avoids dazzling oncoming traffic. The beam does however extend leftwards for some way to illuminate the the nearside verge for you and will often have some "up-scatter" on the left hand side to help illuminate road signs.
So that's designed for use with oncoming traffic, for following traffic and daytime use.

The high beam doesn't have any of those cut-outs, has a higher wattage and is designed for maximum spread and penetration, so using this in the daytime is just going to make you a ruddy nuisance, not to mention if you want to flash your lamp for whatever reason, or even (God forbid) if you want to use your bike in the dark, maybe you might get caught out one day? (night)

Try the adjuster and if it goes down it will the other way for up.

I usually put a mark on my closed garage doors at centre headlamp hieght and try and adjust the dip beam up to that, but I always take any tools needed for adjustment along to the MOT and take advantage of their machine to get it dead right.
I've never had a problem nipping in to borrow the machine if it's not MOT time, they are usually very helpful, so long as they are not crazy busy.

[crawsue]

That’s confirmed my true feelings re main beam use…thanks ! I’ve got a good relationship with my local MOT guy …so that’s the way forward.
Apropos nothing to do with this subject are the startling statistics broadcast on BBC Scotland News last evening….as of 25th August some areas of the W of S have had in excess of 200% of usual August rainfall…with 6 days to go and another yellow weather warning in Dumfries and Galloway all day today….. But fingers crossed, a heatwave is coming !