Jumpy Headlight

This might belong in the Chassis Forum:
Since the days are shorter, I'm doing more riding in the dark. My headlight beam is very jumpy at normal speeds. The bolts that tighten the bucket are tight, and the headlight doesn't feel loose when I grab it. But at 65mph, the beam dances all over the road. Must look like a strobe light to oncoming traffic.

Can the headlight bucket be stabilized to prevent the bouncing?

Don't know if it's like mine or not, but mine has two mounts, one on each side, and then a mount on the bottom behind the light that should adjust for up and down. Mine doesn't have a bolt in the bottom mount right now as I just discovered it and haven't put one in there yet. My light bounces like crazy no matter how tight the other side bolts are... Hope this helps!

I don't think my bike came with a bottom mount for the headlight bucket. I'll check tonight. If my bucket is like yours, maybe I can rig an attaching bolt to reduce the jumping.

Thanks,

Tim

Even without the bottom bolt, the headlight beam should not jump. The 650 has no bottom mount and none of mine jump. I guess you can tell by holding your headlight as you are driving and see if the whole headlight is actually moving. If the headlight is not moving, but the beam is still jumping around, you may just have a bad headlight bulb, or something loose on how it is mounted to the shell.

Hmmm... my SR definitely has a bottom mount. Two thick rubber bushings, one on each side, and a bracket on the bottom to adjust beam height.

I can't find the bracket on buykawasaki.com, but if you look at the headlight diagram you can see the nut used to anchor the bolt on the adjuster plate. The picture looks exactly the same for the 1976 KZ900-B1, so I'd imagine that you should also have a bracket there.

The 650B doesn't have them, I can adjust my headlight for just the right beam as I ride. Great feature
GargantuChet wrote:

Hmmm... my SR definitely has a bottom mount. Two thick rubber bushings, one on each side, and a bracket on the bottom to adjust beam height.

I can't find the bracket on buykawasaki.com, but if you look at the headlight diagram you can see the nut used to anchor the bolt on the adjuster plate. The picture looks exactly the same for the 1976 KZ900-B1, so I'd imagine that you should also have a bracket there.

ltdrider - Your bike originally was fitted with a bracket that attached to one side of the brake splitter and the other side to a bolt on the bottom of the headlight shell. It is now missing as are most of them. Get a coat hanger and fashion a bracket and put a loop in one end and attach with a bolt to the bottom and bend the coat hanger piece and attach to one of the bolts that hold the splitter. The OEM piece had rubber mounts but the coat hanger piece should work.

Thanks everyone for the input. Looks like I may be missing a bracket.
WG: I get your meaning, but I'd prefer not to jury-rig the bracket. I can't find it on buykawasaki.com, but if I knew what it looked like, I may be able to fabricate it out of aluminum stock. Anyone got a picture of this bracket?

Thanks.

If there are no replies, I might be able to get a picture of it when I get home to the digital camera. Hit me upside the head with a PM if nothing's been posted by 5:00 -- sometimes my willingness and intentions far outweigh my memory.

I still highly doubt adding the bracket is going to help your problem. Is the headlight *that* loose the way it's currently mounted? If so something also wrong the way it's attached to the headlight mounting ears. The 2 rubber mounts are more than enough to mount the headlight solidly enough that it does not move on its own.

OK, looks like I'm getting two suggestions:
1. The bike came with a bottom mounting bracket, and the light may jump without it, even if the side mounting bolts are tight.

2. The side mounting bolts alone should be sufficient to keep the light steady, if properly tightened.

If the bike came with a bracket, then I want one. If for no other reason than it's on the original equipment list.

So who has a '76 900 with the bottom headlight bracket still on their bike? Anyone?

GargantuChet: Thanks for the offer of the photo. I'd appreciate seeing a picture, if it's not a hassle for you.

There are several brackets out there and they are different but essentially, the bracket is made out of a 1/2" piece of steel that was bent/painted. The bracket will have a slot in one end that is used to adjust the headlight some that the large bolt that goes into the shell fits through... I have a bracket but it is for the wrong bike. I think mine is for a later LTD model... like a 79 I think. I "MIGHT" work on your bike since the splitter may be similar to the 79 splitter since both bikes used dual calipers in the front. I haven't a clue where that little bracket is...
I have seen them on eBay from time to time. Jeff S may have one... give him a call.