Advice needed re headlight problems (TS250)

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MikeH1A
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Advice needed re headlight problems (TS250)

Post by MikeH1A »

Hi Guys,

My wee trail bike just had an annoying electrical meltdown. Lost the horn, indicators and the headlight. The light is my concern as it is a sealed unit, so needs to be replaced as a single piece obviously. Who designed this??? :x

Any thoughts on where I can get a replacement that doesn't mean I have to sell my house, first born and all my other toys just to pay for it?

Failing that, are there any other (cheaper) options that might do the trick to get me back on the road?

Ta, Mike
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jabcb
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Re: Advice needed re headlight problems (TS250)

Post by jabcb »

You should consider adding a modern voltage regulator if your bikes doesn’t already have it.

The flat-bottomed headlight was unique to Suzuki. From time to time one is listed on eBay, sometimes for silly money & sometimes at a reasonable price.

A complete aftermarket 5-3/4” headlight + bucket is a good option.

If you have the shallow headlight bucket, then you can use a standard 5-3/4” headlight. Wrap the edge with duct tape to hold the headlight in place. My T250 was like this when I bought it. Its an easy a cheap solution but it ugly.

If you have the deep headlight bucket, then you can use Suzuki GS-series headlight parts to make an adapter to fit a standard 5-3/4” headlight. I did this on my GT380 cafe build.
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dorT500
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Re: Advice needed re headlight problems (TS250)

Post by dorT500 »

MikeH1A wrote:..... The light is my concern as it is a sealed unit, so needs to be replaced as a single piece obviously. Who designed this??? :x ............... are there any other (cheaper) options that might do the trick to get me back on the road?
While your looking over the options already mentioned and any other replies from others and since the sealed beam unit is toast anyway, you may want to play around with this idea....about $2.00 for the grommet and a few dollars for an inexpensive standard filament headlight bulb.

I've modified a few sealed beam units a few different ways to install new bulbs for use and to have at least one spare on hand over the years. Some modifications neatly made....some not so tidy....but they came in handy in a pinch.

Making the headlight hole in the your existing headlight reflector just big enough to allow for a new bulbous type headlight bulb (or not so big....see below) and then just using a rubber grommet to hold the bulb was an idea that popped in my head awhile back. I did not need another spare at the time but a fellow on another forum liked the idea and that is what he did with the flat bottom rare sealed unit on a bike he was working on. I had suggested that he might try and gently persuade the flange around the bulb base to slip off and he could put the grommet closer in, slip the flange back on, scuff it and just solder his ground wire to it. If I recall correctly he just left it where it was and I never saw any pictures of the final soldering job but he did post that it worked great before he turned the bike back over to his friend but I do remember being able to nudge the flange off of a bulb base but in fairness it was a cheap Eiko bulb. BTW, if possible I suggest you use Stanley brand bulbs...they seem to last a very long time. I recently bought a couple of vintage Stanley headlight bulbs on ebay.


I think the new hole in the reflector was 1 1/8"....go by the outside diameter of the grommet groove of course.....as I said earlier, just big enough for the bulb to slip in and I believe the inside diameter of the rubber grommet was 5/8" (15-16 mm)

Then again, here is another, slimmer type bulb you might want to see what you could with. http://www.jcrsupplies.co.uk/products/B ... _3625.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

All in all, this info just another option for you......if nothing else, you would have your original as a spare headlight that only cost a few dollars and a little of your time to make and might come in handy if you needed one in a pinch.........Good Luck on whatever you decide.






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MikeH1A
Yeah Man, the Interstate
Posts: 529
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:27 am
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Re: Advice needed re headlight problems (TS250)

Post by MikeH1A »

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I am keen to see if I can keep my original lens and use a replaceable bulb with it, if at all possible.

I checked ebay for a lens and found a used one for a couple of hundred US and then another 100 for postage :shock: :cry: The only picture posted was from the rear - which makes me a bit spooked about the state of the lens itself. The other issue is about spending that sort of money for a second hand option that may blow at some unpredictable point or getting a stone through it and then I'm back to this same situation. If they were dirt cheap, I'd just buy several to have on the shelf waiting :D
Burt Munro + John Britten + Kim Newcombe + Ivan Mauger = Kiwi Street Cred

72 GT750J
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