When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi all, I'm new here so here I go. (hopefully this makes sense)
Intro:
I bought a 2001 softail standard a couple weeks ago and immediately decided I need more light. I ride a lot while the sun is down and need something more than what the current headlight is putting out. After some research here (and elsewhere on line) I decided to go with the JW Speaker (non-adaptive).
Problem:
My problem is that I don't think I have a stock headlight housing/bucket (I'll post pictures as soon as I can) and I don't think the JW Speaker headlight will fit. I happen to have a couple extra headlights: stock harley headlight and a cheap sunpie "daymaker" knockoff, neither of which fit the existing housing/bucket that's already on the bike. This leads me to believe the JW Speaker will also not fit. Obviously the easiest solution is to get a stock housing/bucket, however, I don't really want to go with that because I like the look of the one on there now. I am trying to resolve this problem before dropping >300 bucks on the JW Speaker.
Note:
When I say that the HD and Sunpie headlights don't fit the existing housing/bucket...the diameter is good, but the seating surface is to thick. When I screw on the retaining ring to hold the headlight there is about 3/16 of an inch gap. I guess I could dremel some material off the JW Speaker, but who wants to cut up a new $300 headlight?
Questons:
Is the existing housing/bucket stock? (pics to come)
Is there a good looking housing/bucket that will fit with the JW Speaker headlight?
Just go another direction? Like a 6-inch LED bar under the existing headlight or something like that.
The first photo shows the headlights I have. Existing, harley, sunpie (left to right). Take a look at the width of the "seating surface" for the headlight and you will see the harley and sunpie are nearly a 1/4 inch thicker.
The second photo is the existing housing/bucket on the bike. I dig the looks and would like to find something like it that fits an OEM style (width) headlight. I suspect the JW Speaker has the same width "seating surface" as the harley and sunpie, and therefore would not fit this housing/bucket.
Last edited by Sub Vet; Apr 17, 2018 at 07:18 PM.
Reason: adding explanation of photos
If the bulb lip is to thick for the bucket you need a new bucket. Do NOT dremel the lip, you'll break the seal and get water in the bulb. Maybe shorting the transformer or whatever is in there.
There are SO many options out there for headlight housings/buckets, but most look like they are poor quality or won't fit the OEM lip...
...anyone have any tips on finding a good looking non-stock bucket that would work for a JW Speaker?
can you find a brand or part number on the housing? I had a sealed bulb on an old bike an I replaced it with a housing that used a removable halogen bulb....that made a big difference on it.
I went to the stealer and got a Springer Bucket. There's 3 spring wires type tension that hold the bulb in the ring as opposed to the back part. Plus with the built in visor it hides the lip the sticks out with the stock ring.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
New to me softail...headlight troubles?
