Headlight upgrade

A while back I rode my buddies P200 with the upgraded halogen headlight at night time. I could see so well. I wanted it on my Bajaj. It costs me $11 at Autozone. I also applied some bulb grease to the conductors to expand its life. I was careful not to touch the bulb at all as oils from our skin will also shorten the life of the bulb. What a difference this bulb makes in terms of our safety.

It should be noted that this bulb pulls more from your battery than the stock bulb. So make sure you ride frequently or use a float charger to protect your battery.

The bulb you want is H-4 60/55 watt halogen. While I at Autozone I also replaced a blinker light and the tail light again applying the light bulb grease.

For a list of parts or any help you need with your Bajaj visit Retro Bajaj. These guys are knowledgeable and friendly - it's a wonderful community that has been around for a while.

Faulty headlight socket

Update from Paul S.:
"I have checked out your headlight situation, and it appears that your headlight socket is faulty. It is grounding out somehow. I'm not really sure how it is possible, but it is doing it. The light works when I just put the wires to the bulb, but everything grounds when I put the bulb in the socket. I guess you need a new socket. I'm hoping to tear into the clutch this weekend."

I have emailed ScooterWorks to see if they will honor a warranty on that part. Waiting to hear back from them.

HeadLight Assembly & Headset Internals

As my readers may remember there were two items that needed my attention with the headset, but I went ahead and put it together before we moved to make sure nothing got lost in transit.Pictured above the headlight bezel screw that broke when installing the headlight bezel.  This headlight assembly fits a VSD (the Rally 180/200).  Remember that the later year VSCs in the USA were required to have a round headset.  The screw pictured here is part S15544 at ScooterWorks, where I bought the assembly.
To remove the bezel I heated it so the metal would expand with a heat gun.  It took about one to two minutes.
When ever banging on the Vespa I look for the softest thing I can find, such as a wooden paint stirrer.  The bezel was too snug, due to paint.  So I gently tapped the rubber mallet against the wood paint stirrer and it worked great.
Above note: the broken bezel screw and a chip from the paint.  This is okay, because the headset is aluminum and will not rust.  Plus the bezel will hide it and no one will ever see it.
Another close up of the broken bezel screw.
I need to replace both that screw and the bezel hardware for 1970s headlight assemblies, part number #15221 at ScooterWorks.
The headset assembly was supposed to arrive with a light bulb.  It did not.  I need one.  I used a Sharpie to label what wires plugged into what terminals.
The final items I need for the headset is the terminal for the speedo light bulb as well as the bulb itself.

I have more done on the Vespa and will post more soon.  I also have been working more on my Bajaj Chetak.  You'll never guess what I found during the oil change.  Click here to find out.

Headset reassembly

I enjoyed reassembling the headset. As you know I own a 1967 Vespa SS180 released in the USA. That means I have the round headset and my headset shares a lot of commonalities with the VSD (Rally 180). In the very early days of my restore ScooterWorks sold the headlight assembly for $25, which was 50% off. I bought it because the scoot didn't come with a headlight or I would have first tried to restore that.

Before I could reassemble my headset, I needed to get my head around the differences in 6V wiring a VSC and a VSD. As you can see from the links the pilot light is wired differently. My stock pilot light had a "gray" wire attached to it, as it should for a VSD. You'll note in the slideshow that I attached the blue, which is more similar to the VSC. That is the ONLY change I made.

Click on Hiro's detailed schematics for wiring.

Here's how I reassembled my headset:

1) I pulled my wires through the headset on the "switch" side.

2) With painter's tape I flagged each and every wire coming through my headset so I knew where everything was supposed to go.

3) I pulled the switch wires through the headset and pulled the through some excess tubing from the new wire harness was removes so I could get the wire harness to fit up through the frame and headset. Then I ran the wires through the back of the switch box.

4) Follow the switch schematics from Hiro on this blog for wiring your switch. Use a tiny flat head screw driver to loosen each terminal and then run the wire into the corresponding terminal and tighten it back down.

5) Polish your switch cover with Mothers or alike.

6) Now install the indicator light. I purchased a Clauss Studios reproduction indicator before I found my original. I chose to keep my original on the bike. Polish it.

7) The pilot bulb (which looks like a fuse) is held in place by the indicator light. My housing for the pilot bulb is missing a terminal/end point for the bulb; therefore I attached the black wire to the housing with a screw for the short run.

8) Hand screw in the pilot bulb and indicator light. Then use a wrench to "snug" it.

9) Next is the speedo. I have already replaced the speedo glass and bezel and sealed it shut so I gently twisted the white speedo bulb terminal, which holds the blue wire in place, until the white plastic unit popped free. I put the brand new blue wire in it and put the bulb back in and twisted it until it locked.

10) Then I tightened down the speedo by using a small flat head screw driver to hold it in place with the long screw, which you can reach from the base of your headset.

11) Finally the headset . . . I did not need the extension wire that came along with the brand new headlight, because I had a lot of spare, but I did need to cut off the terminal connectors and replace them with ones that would match the light. Easy to do, cheap, and I sealed with shrink tubing.

12) I assembled the light.

13) Then I used the screw mount set to lock the light housing into place. The mount set has a square-ish nut, a large hallow screw, and a tiny screw that goes into the hallow screw. Slide the nut in behind the housing and then lock the housing in place with the hallow nut.

14) The headlight bezel now needs to be slid into place. Take your time so as not to mar the paint. Once in place use the small nut to screw into the hallow nut. Be careful! Everything must be aligned perfectly. The small screws are not tough.

As always if you want to see a picture from the slide show at high res and full screen so you can see the detail, please just ask. This blog is here for you not me. I already did it and have pictures and documentation. This is for all the people who are hestitant to take on a restore or rebuild -- don't be. I am terribly far from an expert or experienced restorer, but I have learned a lot of credible information and I will be happy to give it all to any who ask./span>

Finishing up the headset & steering column

While waiting on the grommets to arrive we can finish up the steering column/headset assembly.

Here's what needs to happen:

1. Brake & clutch levers need to be sanded smooth (nicks and chips and scratches) with super SUPER super fine (wet) sandpaper and finished off with a steel wool pad. And then polished. I need to buy a polish. * The same needs to happen for the kick start lever.

2. Using a tap & dye set . . . the threads for the clutch lever housing need to be cleaned up. Blue Locktite on the lever screw threads may be required when the lever is installed. We can reuse the original washers and the new clutch lever screw. **** Remember the advice I got from BBS is that the clutch lever housing was NOT threaded and it was recommended that I tap the lever screw out. It WAS THREADED! When seeking advice ALWAYS check with at least 2-3 sources before acting. I will not make that mistake again! Also, there are a few on BBS that know actually know what they are talking about. Meet them and keep in contact with them and eventually you will learn who you can trust.

3. The brake lever housing threads in the headset need the paint cleaned off for the hardware to fit. Maybe use tap and dye set.

4. I ordered a new speedo lens. Very carefully the speedo bezel needs to be removed and then the entire speedo needs to be hand cleaned as does the bezel. I have a new lens and seals coming along with a new speedo cable. Then the speedo needs to be greased and installed.

5. Hand grips can be installed. And the clutch and throttle rods can be installed into the headset and cable ends attached.

6. The headset is brand new and came with hardware. Ted and I need to determine if any wiring is required. Does the bulb Ted bought fit?

7. Did Ted buy a speedo bulb?

8. I still need to purchase the high beam indicator light and then the headset and steering column will be 100% complete.

Round headlight models

I have a round headlight on my SS and have been having problems with the scoot shops finding the lens that goes in the hole above the speedo.

Tom G. told me that an "eye" / "lens" is what goes there, but the shops didn't know what I meant and did not have the part number I provided them.

I emailed Palmog, who then email Collin (who Palmog labeled as the one with "the most knowledge about an SS in the USA" -- a hell of a nice compliment about Collin").

Here's what Collin told me:

Hi Jeremy,

Hiro in Japan forwarded an email you sent to him regarding US spec later SS headset parts. A round light 1967 SS180 headset is going to be identical parts-wise to a non-battery US style Rally 180 headset. The "eye" part you are looking for is a colored gem that the high beam supposedly shines through (though it hardly works anyways). Greg Clauss from Clauss studios remakes them, they are super cheap. www.claussstudios.com

Cheers,

-Collin

Ps...the gems come in Red and Orange. I've seen red on all Rally 180's and late Super Sports.

Safety first -- headlight

12V 35/35W H4 -- Halogen bulb. Fits Vespa PX 2001 and newer, Bajaj Chetak 4T, most Kymcos, and more.

This summer while visiting home (S.F.)I rode my buddy's, Eric's fully restored and mildly mod'd, P200. Fast bike. He had a halogen bulb in the headlight. Evening approached and it quickly got dark. The halogen bulb was amazing! It made such a difference compared to the stock bulb. We switched bikes and I rode his Vespa Sprint. When riding towards one another I could see how easy it is for cars to see a scooter with a halogen bulb compared to a stock bulb. Eric said that this small upgrade was a "no brainer" for him and he feels safer riding at night with a halogen bulb.

The bulb will cost you less than $10 depending on where you buy it. I know that KTM-parts.com (KTM = motorcycle) sells it for $8.95. I expect that an auto parts store may sell these for even less. Your local scoot shop could be as high as $20.00.