Headlight Aiming

[Mike Hart]

Headlight Adjustment
by Mike Hart

If your headlight is way off, this will give you a solid benchmark place to start from before you make further adjustments from night-riding experience.

What you'll need:

• A flat floor and vertical wall
• A helper
• Measuring tape
• Masking tape or such for mark on wall and floor
• Tools appropriate for your model

What to do:

• While sitting on the bike, have your helper measure the distance from the floor to the center of the headlight.
• Make a horizontal mark on the wall two inches lower than the height of the center of your headlight.
• Make a mark 17' from a wall on a level floor. see note below
• Place your bike with you on it perpendicular to the wall so the headlight lens is directly above that mark.
• Your top of your headlight beam should appear somewhat flat; adjust your beam so the flat portion is at the mark on the wall.
• Center the beam horizontally along the line of the bike.

Note that the distance from the wall may be other than 17' in your location. If you have government vehicle inspection, use the distance required by them.

Adjustment locations and directions:

This is from my XJ manual, Specials are similar:

a (upper) Horizontal adjusting screw b Vertical adjustment bolt

Horizontal adjustment: clockwise = right, counterclockwise = left
Vertical adjustment: Loosen screw b, move bucket, tighten.

From a Standard manual:

1. Horizontal adjusting screw 2. Fine vertical adjusting screw 3. Coarse vertical adjusting bolt

To shift the headlight beam to the left, screw in the horizontal adjust screw clockwise. To adjust the beam to the right, turn the screw counterclockwise.

Coarse vertical adjustment is done at the screw beneath the headlight shell. The vertical fine adjustment screw is on the headlight rim. Turn the screw clockwise to lower the beam or counterclockwise to raise it.

If someone would like to send info and graphics for bikes with fairings, email me and I will update.

I hope this has helped. Please Email me with any corrections, suggestions, or comments.