GTM California 1400 driving light kit

[Gavin]

Morning to you all…a set of GTM driving light super bright thingies turned up last week and I set about fitting them…here’s how it went.

I live on an Island in the Thames Estuary about 28 miles east, down the road from London if you head towards the coast…..
Nice enough place….people say hello and walk by…..most know I have bikes and most don’t really care…they just go about their business.
Which suits me fine….I’m Glaswegian and we’re known for or dry humour and curt approach.
When I started my business in 1992 my old colleagues got me T shirt with ‘Do I look like a Fooking People Person‘ printed on it…so you get my drift

So …..I unwrap the Airmail package from GTM….no instruction but no problem as this is really a simple bulb and fitting change.
Lets say it should take 1 hour…tops…2 hours …max..if I clean the bike and move cars off the drive and drink a Coke whilst doing the work.

This is my first big mistake…..it took 3 and a half hours.
Gentle Jesus and his mother called Mary…….just as I unscrewed the 2 lense ring screws to release the left hand light unit…it went downhill.

‘Thats a nice bike‘ chirps up the first of 5 repeat FIVE….folk to stop and check out the bike and comment on the it’s beauty
The last was a female neighbour who said “that’s a beaut!’…by this time I was fed up andI responded ‘thanks but what about the bike!’

Do not fit anything in the open view of others….the simplest task takes twice as long …..at least
I have Bimota, Ducati and Cagivas as well as some rare Italian prototypes…..none..I mean none have people stopping and chatting like the California 1400


As for tho GTM light kit….great…no issues…just fit it in the confines of your garage…otherwise you’ll miss lunch!

thanks

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer.

 

[Gavin]

The GTM driving light is a direct replacement but needs a wee bit of thought on how it all assembles.

The GTM LED assembly is taller and has more 12 volt lead…not to mention a ballast box which all has to go into the limited space….but it all fits if you’re careful and think about it And approach it gently
It’s not unlike dating a Glaswegian girl…there’s lot of sharp edges and sometimes you ask if it’s all worthwhile…..by the way…it is…the lights are great.

Firstly, use some tape to mark the current position of the driving light rim and glass lense in relation to the light bowl.
Unscrew the 2 cross heads holding the bowl to the rim and lense assembly….these are on the rear of the ring and bowl.

Prise off using your hands only…no instruments or screw drivers…yet…but as the rim and lense turn you have to get a lip unclipped from the rim in relationship with the housing…..as it loosens use a credit card or similar to assist the separation.
It will loosen from the position of the screw first of all then get ready to tackle the lip.

Now go to the OEM 12volt lead entering the light bowl from the bottom and make some free play by pushing the lead into the bowl.

Next prise off and the rim and lense will dangle on the now free lead and hang like an abandoned toy ….before you unplug at the QD electrical connector in the bowl……don’t worry the lead is only long enough to let it all drop a couple of inches

Your task is now half completed….the job is NOT nearly over….just don’t lose anything!
Take the old bulb out and wearing gloves ……like a snooker referee….insert the new LED bulb after you have taken off the orange or yellow O ring…..situated about the new bulb fitting

Gently fit the bulb into the lense…it now all fits without out the O ring…..so now you know hot it assembles and locates…..place the o ring in hor water and have a drink or a break….after 2/3 minutes rub the O ring until it is mis shapened and soft……push the O ring back over the bulb fitting and push into the lense and .twist turn to lock into position…..the bulb fitting will compress the O ring making a seal on the lense.

Next pull the OEM 12 volt lead back out of the spotlight bowl by a similar amount as you pushed in…and line up the taped section of the bowl, lense and rim.

The new ballast box and new lead will fit onto the OEM QD electrical connector as before BUT the light will now be about 6-8 inches out of the bowl rather than the original couple of inches.

Take all the spare or extra length of lead from the new LED bulb assembly and arrange in a clockwise or counterclockwise pattern or position in the area where the rear of the ring meets the back of the lense…….position the ring and lense and twist whilst pushing onto the bowl after engaging the lip

If in doubt …do this reassembly without the GTM LED bulb fitted…just to get the hang of fitting and the locations the actual assembly…then repeat with the GTM unit fitted

NOTE……twist the lense and ring in the same direction as you wrapped the spare cable from the LED ….ie either clockwise or anti clockwise….if you don’t ….the cable and ballast box will un wind and fowl the space in the light bowl. As a simple example…..imagine that you are basically coiling a snake before putting it in the basket and trying to get the lid on without being bitten

It’s tricky but achievable ……no real skill needed…just patience……if anything the lead and ballast box assembly are maybe an inch too long but this is not an issue……never let the cable or lead fowl the fan on the LED bulb…..always wrap the cable and wire towards the outside edge of the lense.

Once the lense, ring and bowl are all in place refit the 2 cross head screws and clean all your hand marks off the chrome.

I sincerely hope that this is of assistance

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer