50 Special headlight fun!

[motovespa]

The 6v headlight on my 50 special is dangerously crap so I picked up one of those yellow (street legal?!) headlights from SIP which has a slightly bigger glass and a reflecter in it so it will actually reflect the light forward! I was thinking of using this and then getting a 6v Halogen bulb to at least light up a bit of the road so I can see where I'm going at night.

The new headlight lens has a completely different fitting for the wires etc... My original one has a kind of wiring junction on it with lot's of spade connectors similar to a Lambretta but this new one just has a couple of connectors on it.

Basically has anyone had experience of changing the lights over and does anyone know what I'm banging on about?

Cheers,
Rog

[hank]

I don't think yellow headlight glass is street legal in the UK, but I'm not 100% sure.

would have thought that halogen is the way to go unless you convert to 12v.

[adspeed]

Yeh I came up with a solution.....

Snap the dodgy brass off the back of your new light and then wrap a 12" tie wrap round the dodgy bracket of the headlight and your original lampholder.......not exactly perfect but has done me ok ;D

[MiNiKiN]

If I remember rightly the german 50 Special has a 1 filament bulb (low Beam) only. Does yours look like this:


If your are clever get yourself an Austrian (might be similar to UK) Bilux unit. Sometimes available at Ebay.at .

[motovespa]

Thanks for the reply,

Yeah, that's like the new one I have.

So the Austrian "Bilux" one should fit fine with a UK bulb holder?

Cheers,
Rog

[MiNiKiN]

I guess yes, as in the UK the 50cc did have high and low beam lights, as they had in A.
In former days the germans were so deadslow they did not need a high beam ;D

[motovespa]

It's annoying out of all the thousands of 50 specials sold you'd think you'd be able to easily pick up a proper replacement headlight!

I have a Primavera headset in the shed, maybe I'll just swap the headsets over if the wiring isn't going to be too much of a pain.

Rog

[noggin66]

Try norfolkscooters.com I think they've got what you're looking for. I just bought one and it's good quality and glass so should take a halogen.

[swallow]

I am working on putting together a different solution to crappy 6v headlights - its not the 6 volts that is the problem, more the inefficiency of an incandescent bulb.
I made some lights for my mountainbike a few months back using some new super powerful led's that are now available. These pump out an amazing 240 lumens each when driven at 3v x 1amp.

see this link www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=166203

I am thinking 2 for low beam and a further two for high, coupled with the same for the rear but driven at a much lower amp.
As my bike is in bits at the mo, i am wondering if anyone has the figures for the available current running through the lighting circuits front and rear on a 6v setup smallframe? I know the figures will vary according to rpm, but just a maximum and minimum is what I am after. I posted this question seperately but to no reply!!

[hank]

thought vespa's churned out about 80w? not sure if thats different for 6v.

novel 50 special headlight solution

[motovespa]

That looks awesome,

Fair play swallow, a good headlight is a must for nowadays, I get scared when people can't see me on my 50 special, sorry I can't help with an answer though.

[hank]

motovespa said:

Fair play swallow, a good headlight is a must for nowadays, I get scared when people can't see me on my 50 special, sorry I can't help with an answer though.

well my "motovespa 50 special" frame had a 12v loom in it and as a pk engines going into it, it will still be 12v, so the headlight should be ok . one way which i would have thought possible to increase the headlight would be to use a led bulb in the rear light so you can fit either a halogen bulb (does it have to be 12v for halogen?) or higher watted bulb in the front?