Anyone know if the 599's headlight assembly would fit the 919 with little or no modification? I think the stock 599 light is kind of cool looking, more visually interesting than the 919, while not being over the top.
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I'm thinking of doing the 599 headlight conversion. This will require a conversion harness from a single bulb to dual bulb set up.
In most of the 599's road tests, its headlight's fantastic illumination was always mentioned. It has a dual bulb set up in a unique reflector, not the single H4 dual filament of the 919. When on high beam, it can be wired so both bulbs are illuminated, unlike the 919's H4 which switches over to the higher wattage filament for a brighter illumination. From what I've read and seen on the internet, the 599 illumination is incomparable to the 919.
sbeau1960, can you confirm this by comparing your wife's 599 and your 919 headlights???
I'm thinking of doing the 599 headlight conversion. This will require a conversion harness from a single bulb to dual bulb set up.
In most of the 599's road tests, its headlight's fantastic illumination was always mentioned. It has a dual bulb set up in a unique reflector, not the single H4 dual filament of the 919. When on high beam, it can be wired so both bulbs are illuminated, unlike the 919's H4 which switches over to the higher wattage filament for a brighter illumination. From what I've read and seen on the internet, the 599 illumination is incomparable to the 919.
sbeau1960, can you confirm this by comparing your wife's 599 and your 919 headlights???
I'll take a closer look at the bikes tomorrow and see if it looks like the headlight bracket spacing is the same. I will say the 599 has a fantastic light, although I've always thought the 919 was good as well. Looks like you can buy a all the 599 headlight parts on BikeBandit for about $200.
Now I'm talking about an '04 light, the new style 599 light would take major modification I'm sure.
I'll take a closer look at the bikes tomorrow and see if it looks like the headlight bracket spacing is the same. I will say the 599 has a fantastic light, although I've always thought the 919 was good as well. Looks like you can buy a all the 599 headlight parts on BikeBandit for about $200.
Now I'm talking about an '04 light, the new style 599 light would take major modification I'm sure.
Yes, the '03-'04 599 dual bulb headlight.
After doing some research, simple wiring of low beam or high beam (not on at the same time) is easy.
BUT, to have both high and low beam bulbs to come on when switched to high beams like the 599, the 919 will need a conversion harness. The custom harness (less than $60) is more efficient which allows better drawn power to the bulbs that does not have to go through as many switches. Lighting will even be better than the 599 through efficiency.
Comparing the 919 and 599 side by side, I'd say that you couldn't just swap headlights without some attachment point modification. The headlight buckets are differently shaped so the side mounting brackets are also different and would have to be changed over as well. The two bolt holes where the brackets mount to the fork assembly also are not spaced the same, so you'd have to modify that mounting point.
So, I believe you'd need a complete 599 headlamp assembly, headlight mounting brackets, fork mounting bracket and of course the wiring mod. That being said, anything's possible.
Comparing the 919 and 599 side by side, I'd say that you couldn't just swap headlights without some attachment point modification. The headlight buckets are differently shaped so the side mounting brackets are also different and would have to be changed over as well. The two bolt holes where the brackets mount to the fork assembly also are not spaced the same, so you'd have to modify that mounting point.
Cool!! More challenges. . .and more $$$$.
Just like my retrofitting the CBR six-spoke wheels, I'll post photos if I can get the 599 headlight retrofitting to work.
Ok, I finally had a chance to check out the two headlights and take some measurements. The spacing between the brackets is wider on the 599 than the 919, 215mm vs 205mm. The large front mounting hole in the headlight brackets are equally spaced measured from the fork at 85mm each. The two small rear bracket holes are different though, 65mm between the holes on the 599, 45mm on the 919. It might be possible to spread the 919 brackets enough to mount the wider 599 light unit and avoid having to replace the brackets and modify the mounting points.
It worked. It was a tight fit within the 919 headlight brackets but the 599 dual bulb headlight fits. It works fantastic thanks to Jim at Eastern Beaver Company and his plug and play conversion harness. His harness allows the new headlight to work as on the 599, low beam H11 bulb only or both low/high beam H11 bulbs. Standard OEM 919 H4, it's either low beam or hi beam only.
Besides the the extra candle power and modern retro-look (oxymoron??), the 599 headlight's slightly aero slanted profile matches the angled profile of my carbon fiber Buell M2 fly screen. So cool!!
I'll post pics as soon as I figure out why my camera decided not to download pics onto my computer.
It worked. It was a tight fit within the 919 headlight brackets but the 599 dual bulb headlight fits. It works fantastic thanks to Jim at Eastern Beaver Company and his plug and play conversion harness. His harness allows the new headlight to work as on the 599, low beam H11 bulb only or both low/high beam H11 bulbs. Standard OEM 919 H4, it's either low beam or hi beam only.
Besides the the extra candle power, the 599 headlight's slightly aero slanted profile matches the angled profile of my carbon fiber Buell M2 fly screen. So cool!!
I'll post pics as soon as I figure out why my camera decided not to download pics onto my computer.
Excellent! Can't wait to see the pics, you might have started a whole new trend. So where did you buy the 599 headlight parts, and might you post a list of necessary part #'s? No other mods necessary to make it work, just plug in the coversion harness and you're all set? Total price?
Questions, questions, question, so many questions!
Excellent! Can't wait to see the pics, you might have started a whole new trend. So where did you buy the 599 headlight parts, and might you post a list of necessary part #'s? No other mods necessary to make it work, just plug in the coversion harness and you're all set? Total price?
Questions, questions, question, so many questions!
The quick answer is. . .
As shown in the 599 headlight parts diagram you posted earlier, the parts ordered are (as quoted from discounthondaparts.com):
#2 in diagram
Product Number: 33100-MBZ-A11
Description: HEADLIGHT ASSY. for 2004 Honda CB600F
Unit Price: $145.61
#14 in diagram
Product Number: 61301-MBZ-K00
Description: CASE, HEADLIGHT for 2004 Honda CB600F
Order Quantity: 1
Unit Price: $15.75
#22 in diagram
Product Number: 90114-KFK-000
Description: SCREW (5X12) for 2004 Honda CB600F
Order Quantity: 2
Unit Price: $0.78
Total Cost: $1.56
And from the Eastern Beaver Company:
Custom plug and play "Dual Bulb Harness" for Honda 919
$58.45 shipped (from Japan, less than a week)
919 with 599 Headlight Conversion Photos - FINALLY
With Buell M2 Fly Screen
Fly screen and 599 headlight have the same profile for a very nice match:
Harness from Eastern Beaver Company
New fuse for headlight next to the battery
Relays stuck inside frame beneath the tank
Harnesses leading into the 599 headlight access hole
OEM 919 headlight connector connected to new harness
Inside the headlight bucket
PLEASE NOTE: If you plan on doing this conversion, the fit of the 599 headlight is very tight in the 919's brackets and the headlight's bracket holder. You will not be able to pivot the headlight up or down. The only aiming adjustment available is the reflector adjustment screw. By luck, the new headlight's aim on my 919 is pretty darn close to where it should be.
Well, I got my parts in today (still waiting on the harness) and have tried to mock up the 599 can in the 919 brackets. I was thinking "why spread the brackets, just put washers behind them and use longer bolts." Well that would have worked but the brake line is in the way as well as the ignition wiring. I'm stuck trying to figure out if I want to make an adapter bracket for the 919 brackets, or if I'm going to order 599 brackets and make an adapter for it. After the first round of partial assembly I think the brackets I have now may be bent Arrggh!
Well, I got my parts in today (still waiting on the harness) and have tried to mock up the 599 can in the 919 brackets. I was thinking "why spread the brackets, just put washers behind them and use longer bolts." Well that would have worked but the brake line is in the way as well as the ignition wiring. I'm stuck trying to figure out if I want to make an adapter bracket for the 919 brackets, or if I'm going to order 599 brackets and make an adapter for it. After the first round of partial assembly I think the brackets I have now may be bent Arrggh!
I don't know why you're have too much trouble. If you bent the headlight bracket support frame, you can easily rebend it. I was able to retrofit the set up in my custom triples. . .I even bent the support frame to make sure that the turnsignal mounts didn't hit/rub against the expensive RC51 fork tubes:
If I use long bolts on the bracket side (to make room for the light) I can't get the bucket back far enough to mount it. I'm about a 1/2" away from being able to get the buckets bolts in. I have a feeling that the brackets being tweaked are whats giving me fits. The reason I am calling the brackets tweaked (besides the fact that the light was trashed after I wrecked) is because I mounted the gauges and then put the brackets in place, the left bracket (while sitting on the bike) seems to be pushed up towards the gauges, and back towards the bike. I've been trying to come up with a way to measure the tweak on the bracket, but I'm not having any luck. It probably wouldn't be worth my time to measure it anyway. It's a complex enough setup that I don't see me gracefully bending it back into the correct place. Even if I did manage to get it to bend, it wouldn't be shaped right in the end.
*SIGH* I errored. I had the gauge wires running down the middle (against the ignition) instead of out the side. I'm kicking myself in the ass for messing with it so long yesterday, then immediately noticing the problem today. Looks like all I need now is the harness, and a tank!
Finally got around to putting the 599 headlight on my 04 9er. I worked under the assumption that the lower bulb would be the low beam, but during testing it seems I may be wrong. Can someone verify which bulb acts as low beam?
Finally got around to putting the 599 headlight on my 04 9er. I worked under the assumption that the lower bulb would be the low beam, but during testing it seems I may be wrong. Can someone verify which bulb acts as low beam?
We're out of town this weekend, but when we get home I can check Gin's 599 and let you know.
Thanks Woody (and sbeau1960 for being willing) I'm hoping the posi-locks are long enough that I can switch them around at that point, rather than trying to get that damn headlight back in the bucket.
On a side note, I've found that a little bit of grinding on the bracket the blinkers mounts to, and replacing the cap nuts with regular nuts on the gauges, allows for ample adjustment...though it seems to be mainly in the upward direction (not sure thats helping anything though)
In other news, my harness is only firing one bulb at a time when I was hoping to get both. I've found out where to put a diode, but I have no idea what type of diode I would need. Hopefully that beaver dude is willing to divulge the answer (though I'm willing to bet someone here knows)
If I'm not making any sense, I'm going on 30hrs without sleep. I'm being 'forced' back to daylight hours for training...then I'll be back to graveyards about the time I'm used to it. Argh!
you are making sense, i emailed the beaver dude twice to ask him which beam comes on and when. i think he be in japan to long no forget to how understand enlish.
on the 599 high beam may fire both, but on our 919s this would take a little more work, if you just taped tou switch to run them i think you will burn the switch or wires out, if you bought beavers harness you will have to take power from high beam relay and put it to the low beam one as well, i have installed the head light but not the harness yet, wont be untill april or so before i can build a harness.
i'm looking for overkill, a dual filament low beam bulb
and a single filament for high beam
is that what you get with the beaver harness,
like woody said?
It's dual H11's, using the 599 setup and the beaver harness. It can be modified to fire both H11s when on high beam, but I think the beaver dude says to use the high-current kit when you do that. I'm gonna hop on the 9er in a few and take a spin around to see what I think of the current setup. It'll be a PITA to undo what I've done (heatshrunk it all together) if I want to go with both bulbs on for high, but it may be worth it in the end.
hey beef, how did you wire up the light bults specifically? i ask because from the parts diagram they wont come with the plugs to plug into the lights, so what did you do?
i am going to building my harness tonight i hope i will take lots of pictures, i rather do my own with soider/heat shrink than his posi connectors, not that they are not good but i can do it smaller. plus my own harness will be custom for my bike.
Have fun squeezing it all in the bucket! I had such a hard time, I left the connectors for the headlight outside the bucket. It's heatshrunk with a dark grey so it almost blends with the frame
If you bent the headlight bracket support frame, you can easily rebend it. I was able to retrofit the set up in my custom triples. . .I even bent the support frame to make sure that the turnsignal mounts didn't hit/rub against the expensive RC51 fork tubes:
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