New headlights on 2014 RTL - alignment procedure

[teninospyder]

Question on adjustment nob. One turns very hard. The left is almost impossible to turn, even with pliers. Yes, I backed off the locking nut first. Any comments/inputs?

[trikermutha]

The nut only hold the knob in place. And the knob is on a cable.. Sounds a bit sticky??

Clockwise raises the headlight adjustment

[PMK]

There should be an Allen style means to install an Allen wrench into the knob itself. The nut should remain tight to secure the cable. On our RTS, one turns easily, the other turns with the Allen wrench.

The owners manual explains how to aim the lights against a wall. Following their specs, the lights are aimed pretty low and have poor reach into the darkness.

All the best with it.

[teninospyder]

There should be an Allen style means to install an Allen wrench into the knob itself. The nut should remain tight to secure the cable. On our RTS, one turns easily, the other turns with the Allen wrench.

The owners manual explains how to aim the lights against a wall. Following their specs, the lights are aimed pretty low and have poor reach into the darkness.

All the best with it.

Thanks.
Yes. I am following the instructions in the "manual", and it also says to take all air out of the airbag first. This automatically lowers the headlight position when you add air back in, and as you say, the headlight "reach" is then drastically shortened. With air back in, they show at the BOTTOM of my garage door ! Which, as they tell you to set from, is only 33' away. Doesn't seem right to me, how bout you?

Also, do you know what size allen wrench? I've tried a few of mine and none go into that fitting.


GOT IT !! it's a 3/16" Allen Wrench! Now waiting for a darker sky by my garage door !

Incidently…...I found some past posts on this procedure and some referred to doing the alignment with "passenger/passengers on board. Nowhere in the 2014 RTL manual does it mention that as part of the process, and I assumed (yes, bad on me) that this process was a benchmark measurement for any riding situation and would be OK for any riding combo. Also noted that some thought having "0" in the airbag would give you the "highest elevation" setting. (IMHO) I don't believe this is true. When you then add air to the bag, it raises the back and consequently LOWERS the light aim (and firms up the ride too), and you will have a very short sight distance again. Seems to me (now), that what you set them at is a very personal elevation based on your comfort after dark. So...……………………………...Guess I'll need to "play" with it after dark up and down the driveway.

[cptjam]

Ray, I air the bag, put riders on board, measure to the bulb. Put bike 25 feet from a wall on flat ground. Subtract 2” from the bulb height. Put a piece of tape on wall, and adjust brightness to center on tape.

[PMK]

Thanks.
Yes. I am following the instructions in the "manual", and it also says to take all air out of the airbag first. This automatically lowers the headlight position when you add air back in, and as you say, the headlight "reach" is then drastically shortened. With air back in, they show at the BOTTOM of my garage door ! Which, as they tell you to set from, is only 33' away. Doesn't seem right to me, how bout you?

Also, do you know what size allen wrench? I've tried a few of mine and none go into that fitting.


GOT IT !! it's a 3/16" Allen Wrench! Now waiting for a darker sky by my garage door !

Incidently…...I found some past posts on this procedure and some referred to doing the alignment with "passenger/passengers on board. Nowhere in the 2014 RTL manual does it mention that as part of the process, and I assumed (yes, bad on me) that this process was a benchmark measurement for any riding situation and would be OK for any riding combo. Also noted that some thought having "0" in the airbag would give you the "highest elevation" setting. (IMHO) I don't believe this is true. When you then add air to the bag, it raises the back and consequently LOWERS the light aim (and firms up the ride too), and you will have a very short sight distance again. Seems to me (now), that what you set them at is a very personal elevation based on your comfort after dark. So...……………………………...Guess I'll need to "play" with it after dark up and down the driveway.

I set up the marks of tape as shown onto the wall, and measured back the distance. The Spyder you have and ours has the ride height control switch. Do not deflate the air. Leave the air set where you normally ride and adjust the low beam “cut line” to the upper tape line.

If possible, do not remove the tape yet.

Go ride and see if the lights have enough reach. You need to also see if others in oncoming cars flash their lights thinking you are running high beams and hindering them. If no one flashes you, either go with it or readjust upward slightly.

I got a bunch of crap here from the know it alls for not abiding by the book set up method. Try as I suggest. You should not need a person seated on the Spyder since the air ride will establish the same height regardless. Actually pretty easy to do, just takes a few minutes.

[teninospyder]

I set up the marks of tape as shown onto the wall, and measured back the distance. The Spyder you have and ours has the ride height control switch. Do not deflate the air. Leave the air set where you normally ride and adjust the low beam “cut line” to the upper tape line.

If possible, do not remove the tape yet.

Go ride and see if the lights have enough reach. You need to also see if others in oncoming cars flash their lights thinking you are running high beams and hindering them. If no one flashes you, either go with it or readjust upward slightly.

I got a bunch of crap here from the know it alls for not abiding by the book set up method. Try as I suggest. You should not need a person seated on the Spyder since the air ride will establish the same height regardless. Actually pretty easy to do, just takes a few minutes.

Thanks for your input. Because of 2 compressor failures to date, I now fill the bag "manually" and use 70 PSI (always - OK 99% of time - ride 2 up). At that pressure we get very little change in overall initial height when we get on, so I'm going to start there for adjustment with no one on. Given daylight savings time out here right now, I actually need to wait until about 10PM if I want to use "actual darkness" for my visual check

As for you "not abiding by the book"....you can see that, IMHO, the book is NOT very helpful at all and (at least my 2014 manual) doesn't mention the process details some people mention. Maybe it is suppose to be self intuitive, I don't know, but when it clearly says to let all the air out first,...…. and says nothing about people getting on...….…..
Anyway, I appreciate your inputs and will work thru it.

One final thing......it's frustrating to me now days (and it's getting worse IMHO) how many cars and trucks are running with their high beams on all the time and even when/if you flash them back, THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS


Probably said too much already Ride Safe