Subject: Re: light brackets revisited
Author: Greg Field
Date: Feb 1, 2004, 9:44 AM
Post ID: 1715918264
From memory, the stock Guzzi spotlight brackets are a longish flat
strap that mounts to the vertical side of the windshield mountss and a
shorter, horizontal strap that forms the perch on which the spotlight
mounts.
These put the spots above the horizontal centerline of the headlight.
They typically came from Guzzi with 6-inch Dietz spotlights.
Function-wise, they are excellent. If aimed properly, they really light
up the road.
Some like that look, and others prefer the smaller 4.5-inch Harley-type
spots that are on centerline with the headlight. This could be affected
in at least two ways with the standard Harley FL-type spotlamps (these
mount to the brackets via a large stud affixed to the spotlight shell):
1) With Harley J-shaped spotlight brackets for 1960-1984 FL Harleys
(they mount right to the Guzzi windshield brackets), or 2) by drilling
and rethreading the holes in the headlight shell for the thread used on
the spotlight studs (the spotlight studs then replace the headlight
bolts).
Both these set-ups look great, work really well, and you can find any
number of these type of spotlights in the Harley aftermarket, ranging
from cheap "mostly for looks" lights to real, more-expensive spotlights
that actually light up the road. Mark E. sets up a lot of his bikes
with approach 2, and they look fabulous. I prefer not to molest stock
parts (because I think our overlooked Loops will be really valuable in
10-20 years), so I favor option 1, but really, it's such a minor
alteration that I don't see any real harm in option 2.
The on-centerline look can also be affected by use of the special Guzzi
studs that replace the headlight bolts and have a mount for spots that
have a different type of mount from the affixed studd of the standard
Harley spots. The right spots have a U-shaped bracket affixed to the
spotlight shell, and a mounting stud affixed to the U-shaped bracket by
a bolt. Just remove the mounting stud, and then affix the light to the
pad on the Guzzi headlight stud. I think this is the cleanest set-up,
but GOOD spotlights with this type of mount are difficult to find (or
so I have found; others may know of a good source). The special Guzzi
studs can still be found. MI had several dozen last time I asked.
Parts books SUGGEST (I haven't seen every parts book, so I don't know
for sure) that the above-centerline mount and Dietz 6-inch spots
entered service with the Eldorado, probably about the time of the 4LS
cop bikes (that's just my best GUESS, though). On Ambo cop bikes, Guzzi
supplied its own stud-and-U-bracket set-ups or left the police
departments to add the Harley-type lights out of the department's own
stock (remember, they were all running Harleys before or concurrently
with the Guzzis).
If I wanted to configure a bike with what was most likely the stock
configuration, I'd use the above-centerline for all 4LS and disc cop
bikes, or one of the on-centerline configurations for earlier bikes.
That said, if a department wanted to use Harley lights from stock on
their 1974 disc Eldos, they would order them that way. Thus, the
on-centerline lights are also appropriate for the later bikes.
If you don't care about what was stock, use whatever you want.
I do care about what was stock because when Loops get valuable, "stock"
will be the arbiter of which are most valuable, same as with Harley
Knuckleheads and Panheads today. Nevertheless, I ride my main Eldo
everyday and often at night, so I want really functional lights. I also
run the stock Guzzi police fairing, which precludes use of the
stock-type spots and mounts. I'm using modern PIAAs on centerline with
the headlight, along with the Guzzi cop fairing. (I didn't have to cut
any stock parts to do this, however.)
Prior to acquiring the Guzzi fairing, I ran it with a Harley windshield
and spots on the J-brackets. Lighting was pretty good, and the bike
looked really good. I'm gonna configure my 4LS Eldo this way, unless I
can find some good spotlights to use with the Guzzi stud-type mounts I
have.
Hope that helps.
GF
Still others preferspots
On Saturday, January 31, 2004, at 10:07 AM, guzz-@comcast.net wrote:
| Hello Greg, Are these brackets just a flat peice of metal with a slot cut on one end and a approx.30 degree angle on the other? Thanks, Ron B
|