IMPORTANT - Have you the correct Headlight?

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IMPORTANT - Have you the correct Headlight?

#1 Post by D-Rider » Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:24 pm

EDITED with easier method of checking headlight version

Background:

A number of people have reported that they have found that the headlight fitted to their Falco is not the correct one for the UK market. We have at least one case of MOT failure caused by this problem.
The background is discussed in THIS THREAD

From investigation it seems that bikes should not be registered in UK without the appropriate headlight being fitted – the responsibility for this laying with whoever registered the bike – and unless you imported a bike
that had previously been registered elsewhere, that responsibility will lay with the dealer that sold it as new.

With the possibility that dealers may not accept their responsibility and fob us off when requesting the bikes be corrected (we know this has happened) we are trying to gain some evidence as to the scale of the problem so that we may act together if necessary.

I would like as many members as possible to check their headlights and let me know what they find. I’ll collate the data and let everyone know the outcome. My feeling is that this problem is more prevalent on the newer Falcos – maybe only on these bikes – but that’s just an assumption and needs to be confirmed.

This post contains:
  • Information as to what is required to register a new bike and our rights as consumers (to the best of my understanding recognising that I am not an expert in this area and give no guarantees…)

    A list of the information I would like you to supply

    A description, with pictures, explaining how to check your headlight (2 methods)
Requirements for registering a new bike:

Here are the Rules of the Vehicle Certification Agency

In summary the relevant details are that to register an imported vehicle from the EU (that has not already been registered elsewhere) it must have:
1) The European Certificate of Conformity.
AND
2) A written statement from the applicant confirming that the following items are fitted to the vehicle:
* That the headlamps have been permanently adjusted to be suitable for use on the left hand side of road, namely that the beam is adjusted to dip left. Please note that stickers, beam-deflectors and other non-permanent changes are not acceptable.
* ......
Our rights as consumers (to the best of my understanding)
Our rights would be protected under the sale of goods act as the goods would clearly not be "fit for purpose".

Therefore, our local Trading Standards Offices should help us to sort this out.


The information I would like you to supply:
As some of this may be confidential, please PM this to me – I will post up the stats but not release individual data unless we need to do so to progress this with, say Aprilia and then only if I have your permission to do so. I’m asking for this info now so that it’s gathered together and ready if we need it.
Of course, if there is anything you don’t feel comfortable in telling me, just omit that piece of info.
  • 1) Your bike’s year of manufacture (from label under seat)

    2) The market for which your bike was produced (from label under seat)

    3) Did you buy the bike new?

    4) Name of original dealer (if known)?

    5) Is/was dealer an Official Aprilia dealer (at time of purchase)? (current list HERE)

    6) Are you certain that the headlight has never been changed since the bike was purchased new?

    7) The headlight part number (from label on headlight)

    8) Your name

    9) Your frame number (from frame or from V5)

    10) Has your bike been MOT’d yet?

    11) If you have the incorrect headlight, and have had an MOT test, did you have trouble in passing the MOT (due to the headlight)?

    12) The colour of bike

How to find the year and market of your Falco:

Remove the Rider’s seat and find label on subframe rail:
Image

Note the Year of Manufacture (sorry poor phone-camera picture)
Image

Note the Market for which it was made(sorry poor phone-camera picture)
Image



How to discover which headlight you have fitted

The headlight part label is on the base of the headlight, This is hidden by the bottom of the upper part of the fairing.

Image

To read the label there is no alternative but to remove the upper fairing and remove the headlight. If you really want to check the part number to remove any doubt, that is described towards the end of this post.
However there is an easier method - viewing the reflector pattern.


Easy way to check Headlamp:

The diagram below shows the headlamp dip-beam reflector pattern when viewed from in front of the bike (Note: the dip beam is the central/lower reflector of the 3 reflectors within the cluster)
The top pattern is the one you should have for the UK (Part No 8124744)
The lower one is the incorrect EU headlamp (Part No 8124393)
If it doesn't look like either of these, then maybe you have a US market lens (which, I guess, has a symmetrical pattern)

Image

Image




How to remove your headlamp to check part number (Checking things the hard way!) - if you want to be absolutely 100% certain

Firstly remove the 8 screws that hold the screen to the upper fairing. (Note which ones go where – there are different lengths).

Remove the screen and the plastic cover that goes over the dash.

Next remove your bellypan (if fitted) or the thing that Aprilia fits that covers the oil cooler.

Then remove the two fairing sidepanels.
(see orange arrows for fixing locations)
Image

Remove the screws shown from the upper fairing – again noting which go where.(see orange arrows for fixing locations)
Image
Image

Unscrew the fixing bolts either side of the mirrors.

Slide the upper fairing forward slightly, then reach inside and disconnect the wires to the 3 headlight bulbs and the sidelight bulb.

Remove the upper fairing.

Remove the 4 cross head screws that hold the light unit in place and withdraw the light unit.

Find the part label on the base of the light unit and note down the part number.

Image
Image
Image

The Parts Manual shows the following options for the Falco:
UK Part No: 8124744
EU (and elsewhere): 8124393
USA Part No: 8124884


Image


Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly …. Best of luck!


(sorry Pierre – no call for the lump hammer in this one).
Last edited by D-Rider on Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:41 pm, edited 5 times in total.

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#2 Post by paddyz1 » Sun Sep 30, 2007 8:21 am

Nice one Andy I will pm you all the info later.

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#3 Post by FlyingKiwi » Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:51 am

Hi D-Rider.
Nice post but can't help wondering if there's an easier way.

My bike is labled GB. That bits easy.
Looking at the main beam from the front my headlight reflector looks like this
Image

Also i've had my Motorcycle mechanic mate here and he pointed out that on the black plastic to the left of the main bean is some letters and numbers including an Arrow pointing to the kerb. Surely an indication of a Uk headlight. Perhaps someone with a failed Euro light can check for the arrow.
FK

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#4 Post by D-Rider » Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:19 pm

Thanks Kiwi - this will save a lot of work!

I've just checked mine (which I know to be EU spec) and it's different to yours.

I'll edit the first post to show this easier method!

BTW the arrow must be a red-herring - mine also points to the kerb.
The easy way to check is looking at the reflector pattern - the harder way to strip it down and read the part number!

Cheers!

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#5 Post by FlyingKiwi » Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:38 pm

Damn, I thought the arrow must indicate beam direction :smt012

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#6 Post by crosstowntraffic » Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:31 am

Thanks D-Rider,

There I was lurking as usual complacement in the knowledge that I had brought my bike new from an official Uk Aprilia dealer so would obviously have the correct headlight........how wrong can one man be! I will PM the details. I'm guessing that the horizontal beam adjustment doesn't help?
1st MOT due 26th Oct, I'll let you know.

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#7 Post by fastasfcuk » Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:38 pm

going by that then mine's the bottom one and wrong. :smt010

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#8 Post by Syltiz » Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:52 pm

Mines definately wrong.

D-R... im will send my pm to you tonight.

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#9 Post by back_marker » Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:54 pm

Another easy way to check is to point the bike at a wall (with the light on obviously) when it's dark or in the garage and you'll be able to see the beam shape. It will be horizontal on one half and moving diagonally upwards on the other.

A UK light will be flat on the right hand side and kick up towards the left and a Euro one will kick up to the right. If you cab't remember that just remember that the light should always kick up towards the side of the road.

I believe if it's a flat beam that should be OK to pass an MOT. It will also pass an MOT with beam deflectors fitted (something I only found out after I had shelled out for a UK light for my last bike)
Racing is life - anything before or after is just waiting.
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#10 Post by D-Rider » Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:15 pm

back_marker wrote:Another easy way to check is to point the bike at a wall (with the light on obviously) when it's dark or in the garage and you'll be able to see the beam shape. It will be horizontal on one half and moving diagonally upwards on the other.

A UK light will be flat on the right hand side and kick up towards the left and a Euro one will kick up to the right. If you cab't remember that just remember that the light should always kick up towards the side of the road.

I believe if it's a flat beam that should be OK to pass an MOT. It will also pass an MOT with beam deflectors fitted (something I only found out after I had shelled out for a UK light for my last bike)
Didn't find it that easy to tell by that method - think it was because I was looking at the brightest region which was fairly flat. Shining onto a bigger wall from a bit further back and looking at the whole pattern is what needs to be done .... but easier to loog at the reflector (obviously with the lights turned OFF - my HID would fry my eyes)

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#11 Post by D-Rider » Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:25 pm

General update - mentioned this to a Solicitor friend of mine at the weekend. Based on what I was able to tell him he believes we are entitled to replacements or the cost of the replacement (inc. fitting). Our claim is on the dealer who sold it to us. This is the case whether the bike was sold as a UK bike or a parallel.
The only exception is that if it were sold to us in the clear knowledge that it had the wrong headlight (who was it that had this on their documentation from DK? .... bad news for you - sorry). The dealer may not have done things correctly by the registration authorities but they have been up front with you .... and therefore you don't have an issue with them is how I think it goes.

He advised me to get on and take this up with my dealer before there are a flood of claims as the dealer will probably settle with less hassle for a single claim. Once I've done this, a precedent has been set which then may make things even easier for others.

Anyway I'll get on with this and I'll let you know what happens.
If others want to try then that's OK (particularly at other dealers) - mine was bought from OnYerBike.

Hope this helps.

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#12 Post by back_marker » Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:26 pm

Horses for courses I guess. Just another quick and easy check you can do if you have any doubts.
Racing is life - anything before or after is just waiting.
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#13 Post by D-Rider » Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:38 pm

back_marker wrote:Horses for courses I guess. Just another quick and easy check you can do if you have any doubts.
Sure - wasn't trying to suggest that it wasn't a good way to check.

:smt023

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#14 Post by Falcopops » Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:34 pm

Mines UK spec :smt016

just as well as it's the same part No. for Oz and I'm sure they would have picked it up when importing it.

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#15 Post by Firestarter » Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:36 pm

Just checked mine - not UK spec. Very annoyed, as I bought from Motorcycle Centre at Orrell rather than an importer up the road, to try and make sure that it was UK spec. I even asked specifically if it was UK spec, and they told me it was.

Might have to take a ride up there and get it sorted. :smt013

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