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2012 headlights

6K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  DaveO430 
#1 ·
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If any of you have met a 2012 on the road or been in front of it looking in your mirrors you may have noticed something odd, I did. If you are not directly in line with the headlights they are almost not visible. Riding in front of my friend who has one I first thought he was flashing his lights as we went up and down small hills then noticed when going around curves the lights just disappear while older models behind him were clearly visible. The way the new ones are made with black surrounds instead of chrome there is no reflection to the sides at all, like shining a light through a tube. No way oncoming traffic or vehicles pulling out from side roads can see them. He says they are plenty bright at night but they do not light the sides of the road. Any members who have 2012 models please have someone observe this and even walk out a distance from the bike with the lights on and move side to side so you will know what I mean and contact Honda customer service. There should definitely be a recall on this IMHO.
 
#2 ·
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While what you state has some merit to it, the usable/legal part of the reflector surface has not been altered. I know this is not your point.
The lamps are still legal and the loss of stray side light is present. That's why the feds passed the sidemarker lamp requirements years ago.
The real point of this response is to tell that on the gl1800riders forum there are several posters whom have stated they would gladly trade their "shiny" headlamps for anyone's w/the 2012's that wanted the older lamps!
 
#5 ·
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Is this on high beams or low?
 
#6 ·
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Is this on high beams or low?
 
#8 ·
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Shouldn't be an issue after installing all the Christmas lights on the bike :ROFL: Honestly I haven't seen a 2012 but I sure will be on the lookout for this.
 
#10 ·
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Rudy wrote:
Guess they were trying to hide that ugly look.
:lash::lash::lash::ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:

Dave0430. Thanks! I will definately have a look see at this! :bow:
 
#12 ·
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Hi I have just read this with interest as I have recently posted about new lighting regs in the UK for HID lights and LED lights. They are for cars at the moment but Bikes will follow soon I have no doubt.



In the UK HID and LED headlights now have to have self leveling beams and also beams that turn with thecar. They also have to have lens washers.



Is it at all possible that Mother simply fitted this to the new Goldie in preperation for these changes. I have to assume that they are at least HID on the new model. The affect you describe could well be the self leveling system working.
 
#13 ·
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No they are not HIDs, LEDs or anything different from the earlier model as far as the bulbs and reflector go. They just changed the chrome bezel to flat black so there is no side lighting. It is like shining a light through a tube. Also they have changed the headlight adjuster so that the bike has to be stopped, in neutral to adjust the level.
I went for a ride today with my friends with a 2012 and at one point I lost sight of them so I stopped to wait, they were right behind me and I could not see the headlights.
 
#15 ·
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Rudy wrote:
Guess they were trying to hide that ugly look.
DOH ! That was just wrong !!! :D
 
#16 ·
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I will definitely watch for this on the road to see what you mean.
 
#17 ·
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DaveO430 wrote:
I went for a ride today with my friends with a 2012 and at one point I lost sight of them so I stopped to wait, they were right behind me and I could not see the headlights.
I've experienced this too, just before I packed the Wing away for Winter. A few of us all on 1800s went for a ride and I took point because I knew the way. One of the guys behind had a 2012 and his headlight was hardest to see at a distance.
 
#18 ·
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I am considering a new GL1800, but the headlight thing bothers me. Black headlights look cool but I don't want to get killed because of it.
Also, some of the styling changes make the 2012 look very disjointed, like they assembled a jigsaw with pieces from different jigsaws. I may wait until the 2013 model is announced and see if they at least fixed the headlight issue.
What were the designers on when they came up with that design? The kid here that makes the forum smilies and the graphics could probably have done better.
 
#19 ·
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Now that we have a second 2012 GL-1800 in the Rhino group. (boilermaker) I have beendoing some testing. We rode together in a group of Rhinos yesterday consisting of five bikes with the 2012 leading and bringing up the rear. I am still testing but with the headlights angled down, yes....they are hard to see. I didn't have a problem seeing them when they are angled up. I am not done by all means and we will continue to look at this but I can tell you because of riding in a group with the 2012 leading and also in the rear, the 2012 does not have enough tail lights compared to the 2001 - 2010.:lash:

I will be adding LED lights and brake flashers to the rear of my machine. :thumbsdown:
 
#20 ·
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I am a firm believer in brake flashers, I have them on mine, sure helps to warn others behind you
 
#21 ·
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Hopefully bikes in the U.S. will never have HID lights. Halogen lights put out more than enough light to see by and be seen. Many cars here have them, and there appears to be no restrictions at all on them. I have been blinded many times by them. And unlike bright halogens, your vision does not return to normal for several seconds longer. Looking at HID headlights is basically the same as looking at at someone arc welding. They work the same. There is a reason why you have to wear a dark hood while welding. Continued exposure to HID lights will cause eye damage. You can wear a dark tinted shield or dark glasses in the daytime, but that is not possible at night.
 
#22 ·
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JerryH wrote:
Hopefully bikes in the U.S. will never have HID lights. Halogen lights put out more than enough light to see by and be seen." No they do not, as good as 1800 headlights are I still could not see well enough at night until I installed HIDS and I have a lot less instances of drivers not seeing me in the daylight.

"Many cars here have them, and there appears to be no restrictions at all on them. I have been blinded many times by them."

Do not look at them, I know your eyes are drawn to them like a fly to a bug zapper but look at the fog line on the right when you meet a vehicle on the road.
 
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