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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
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Message started by jbrough7 on 10/12/05 at 02:52:01

Title: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jbrough7 on 10/12/05 at 02:52:01

I just saw the coolest fairing for sale - looks like the ones bmw r5's used to have and I would like it for my savage. Trouble is the headlight size is 5.75" on my bike, I think, but the fairing requires a 7" headlight. Has anyone every put a larger suzuki headlight on their savage?

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by PerrydaSavage on 10/12/05 at 03:07:05

Hi! The VZ800 Marauder headlight, which is bigger and much better looking the the stock LS eye, is a direct bolt-on for the Savage/S40 ... I think someone here at suzukisavage.com has done this mod to a black S40 ... saw a pic and it looks great!

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jbrough7 on 10/13/05 at 02:19:26

Thanks for the tip...I believe I'm going for an overall change from cruiser to cafe racer with my savage...I'm just too big for the frame the way it is so I think a long, flat seat about 4" higher will give me more space...just hope i don't ruin it.

JB

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by sluggo on 10/13/05 at 04:07:23

jbrough7 wrote:

.just hope i don't ruin it.

JB

now that's an odd thought. the only way to ruin it is to kill the engine, a very difficult thing to do by the way.

just unbolt the stuff you dont want, add what you do and viola, you got what you want. and can always go back.

and of course keep us posted with pictures

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Jim_R on 10/13/05 at 05:01:42

VIPER FAIRING CAFE BSA TRIUMPH NORTON BMW RD400 DUCATI (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VIPER-FAIRING-CAFE-BSA-TRIUMPH-NORTON-BMW-RD400-DUCATI_W0QQitemZ4581793556QQcategoryZ35583QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

cafe fairing
is this it?

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jim brough on 10/15/05 at 02:37:00

Yeah, that's the one. I've got an '88 with the flatter bars and I just twisted them down last night so I've started the cafe racer look already. Got the back rest off and the bike is already starting to look cooler...next the viper fairing; then maybe a seat from an 82 xs 1100...my savage is dark blue right now so we'll go to yellow or black this winter?!?

Any suggestions for mods?

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Jim_R on 10/15/05 at 08:07:08

I would change our the turn signal lights. I dont know if the harley bullet style would work but im sure it would look better than stock. I think the stock ones looks crap to being with :)

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jbrough7 on 10/15/05 at 08:38:16

funny you should mention the signal lights - I got the backrest off and now the lines are a lot cleaner except that chrome piece on the rear fender looks totally ugly! The rear signal lights are attached to it - not the fender..I'm wondering if i can take the chrome pieces off and just bolt the signal lights right to the fender (yeah - I'd go for something else other than stock because they look ugly as well!)

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Hammy211 on 10/17/05 at 03:27:46

You could do what you mentioned with the lights, but you would have to drill bigger holes in the fender and figure out how to secure the lights. The way they secure in the bracket is they slide in and then a screw in the brackey screws up to hold them. I just used a cheap set up blinkers that had bolts on the back of them. I like the look without the bracket, but it does leave three holes in your fender. As old as your bike is it might also be faded. I have no front blinkers right now. Eventually I plan on getting handlebar mounted blinkers.

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by mpescatori on 10/17/05 at 03:35:58

Looks like a nice fairing and with a little work (not too much) the Savage might almost look like Harley's own XLCR from the early '70s. Matt black engine and siamesed exhaust and all. 8) Only the XLCR had speedo and tacho mounted on handlebar plinths. So you'd have to reposition the speedo to say the least.

I do not believe a taller seat would actually benefit you any, unl;ess you move the footpegs a little to the rear. Look well and you'll see where the gear lever shaft is, tha's where you want to reposition the left footpeg. Right footpeg at the same level on other side.

At this point, you might wish to consider longer final drive ratio in order to cruise at more that 60mph - say a chain drive from a DR750/800 with final drive some 10% longer than current setup? ::)

Let us know

Maurizio

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jbrough7 on 10/18/05 at 03:08:19

The handlebars are dropped nicely and now I've taken the little back seat off and raised the saddle and moved it back so it basically sits on the rounded part of the fender. I know it sounds a long way back but being 6'4" it gets my knees out of my face.

Now I'm going to cut the rear seat down to fit in between my saddle and the rear light. Shouldn't be much of a problem. Big ugly now, though, is the space between the saddle and the tank. I'm thinking one of those tool kits thingies that are supposed to hang on the front bars might look okay?

Other idea is I could make a little pine box to go in there and have a lid on it...either stain and varnish that or cover it with the seat material?

I'm not sure how to fill that space in so would appreciate any ideas.

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Kropatchek on 10/18/05 at 07:03:07

jbrough7 wrote:

I'm not sure how to fill that space in so would appreciate any ideas.

How about 2 coffee cup holders side-by-side?
Can be used for other purposes aswell. ???

Greetz
Kropatchek ;D

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Savage_Rob on 10/18/05 at 07:14:55

How much space are we talking about here?

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jbrough7 on 10/18/05 at 15:07:37

It's a lot , really. Imagine your saddle moved back and up about 7" altogether. The saddle is still vertical so it's about five inches from the tank but then you have a lot of space going in underneath it as well under the front lip...

maybe the coffee cup holders isn't a bad idea.

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by babbalou on 10/18/05 at 15:36:17

jbrough7 wrote:

Sounds like we're thinking along the same lines. I moved my seat up 2" & cut the hump off & it feels way better. I'm thinking about going up another inch & wondering how it might look. I got a spring seat with 5" springs which would raise the seat way up but I haven't figured out how to make the hardware to mount it. It's been an adventure but 1/2 of that's been in the garage. :P

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Savage_Rob on 10/18/05 at 15:48:36

Well, one thing about the in-tank speedo is that it makes it harder to use a tank bag. It looks like you could mount a plate or something similar in the space you created and use that to slide a tank bag back a bit.

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by jbrough7 on 10/19/05 at 03:20:38

You know, I think that's the best idea I've ever heard. I think I'm going to make some kind of metal support for just in under the front seat and then put my tank bag down there. It'll fill up that visual space + I don't have to worry about how fast I'm going. thanks a lot, bud--now i have something to do tonight!

Title: Re: Anybody put in a bigger headlight?
Post by Savage_Rob on 10/19/05 at 05:23:46

Cool, post us a pic when you're done!