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Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:13 am
by dergav
About to put Forza in for its MOT in UK...and I cannot remember!!....do both headlights on the Forza300 work on dipped...or is it just one of them. don't want to fail on a stupid matter like a bad bulb. I don't think on my bike both lights have ever worked on dipped but have starting to doubt myself...suppose its an age thing!
thanks for any advice/answer.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:41 am
by fish
I owned a Forza for 2 yrs....and both lights are on , dipped or no.
But now you've got me wondering.....pretty certain that 2 headlights-on thing was something I always liked about the Forza.
It never looked one-eyed.
Fish

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:52 am
by gn2
Forza 300 has two 35/35w bulbs, both are on for dip and both are on for full beam.

Halfords stock the bulbs you need.
http://www.halfords.com/motoring/motorc ... 12v-35-35w

Getting the connectors off and the bulbs out in one piece is a challenge, the connectors on mine were seized on with corrosion.

MoT inspector might pass it if he doesn't know both should be on ;)

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:31 am
by 87112
1st gen Forza has awesome looking headlights. A lot of riders wave at me thinking its a sportbike.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:04 am
by dergav
Thanks all for replies and advices.
I don't think my Forza has ever had both dipped lights working...so I had sort of assumed only one was on on dip!!… I am sure it passed the MOT last year as you suggest Gn with only one working... MOT in UK has got much harder this year hence my question before going for MOT.

Got one of the bulbs changed where the full beam had broken after asking MR Google and finding a u-tube from a guy showing how to do that on the Forza....wonderful is Google at times...so will now change the other one.
so thanks again to all

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:32 am
by davenowherejones
87112 wrote:1st gen Forza has awesome looking headlights. A lot of riders wave at me thinking its a sportbike.
The RCMP also thought I was a sport bike and gave me my one and only speeding ticket in 43 years of driving. I was going a little fast on the country road outside my house but I had a huge 60 km tailwind.

The RCMP gave me a break. He turned on his red & blue lights and then waited for me slow down from 110 kph to 95 kph. 110 kph in a 60 kph zone is possible jail time, bike impounded, huge fine. 95 kph in a 60 zone is a $171 ticket. I got pulled over at my driveway. The bastard!!!

I do not think my headlights are solidly in place, they seem to flicker. I tried to adjust the bulbs up or down and the adjuster does nothing.

My headlights kept burning out probably because they bounce so I replaced them with LED equivalents. We have no regular inspections in British Columbia, Canada so I can probably get away with them but the RCMP could always give me a ticket for some reason. I bet the LED light pattern is not legal and even the bulbs would get you in trouble in the UK.

I like the whiter colour and they seem to reflect a lot more off of the highway signs. I have the type with wire braid hanging out the back for heat sinks. They do not work perfectly with the Forza reflectors though. Halogens are so like last century devices.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:48 pm
by dergav
gn2...I took my old bulb into Halfords to get a replacement and as you say it is a 12V 35/35 bulb...However the guy in Halfords today gave me a 12V 60/55W and when I questioned it not being the same he said it didn't matter...they didn't have the exact replacement bulb and the only effect of the ones he was giving me would be a brighter light...so I have fitted those and they work...Should I have any concern re this?...MOT and effects on power supply/fuses etc?
Incidentally when I clicked on the Halfords contact page you provided and then put in my post code it advised me that they did stock the 35/35 bulb?!...if you think there is or could be a problem I will hot foot it back down to Halfords tomorrow and point out the section in their web page...

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:23 pm
by GeorgeSK
I'm no electrical engineer, but increasing the power draw by nearly 60% might put a stress on the wiring?

I'll bet the nice man is right about the "brighter light" though.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:33 pm
by gn2
Bulb melting the plastic lens or wiring not up to the extra load or not enough oomph from the alternator would be the only potential things I can think of.
Think someone on here used an H4 bulb in one side without any problem, not sure though.
When going to Halfords, order online for instore pickup.
Saves any problems at the till.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 2:31 pm
by Cube
Assuming I remember all my power and wire gauge calcs correctly, you're going from ~3A to 5A draw. Looks like max wire length for 18ga at 5A is about 8.5 feet. If Honda cheaped out and did 20ga then you only have 5.3 feet before you start having problems. All of that is for just one bulb on the wiring.

I'd say go get your inspection done and then return them for the right bulbs just to be safe.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 4:53 pm
by davenowherejones
I had 60/55W bulbs in for a while. They did not melt the lens but they also did not last very long and that is why I played with the LED's. I would go 35/35 for UK inspection and then if you dare try some LED's. Sorry I can't visit you in jail though.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 6:41 pm
by Mel46
Honda has never cheaper out on any of their products. That is why they last so long. My guess is that the system will handle the added load. However, I would Be aware of the potential to melt the plastic lenses.

If the 2015 model has the same headlights as yours then the part number should be 34901-KZL-841
Put that number in Google and someone should have them.

I have a PCX but I switched to HS5 bulbs and they work quite well. That must say something about the quality of the wiring.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:16 pm
by fish
87112 wrote:1st gen Forza has awesome looking headlights. A lot of riders wave at me thinking its a sportbike.
Yep, same thing happened freq. to me! Also got some of that on the Burgman 400 -- but not as much as when riding the Honda. The Forza has a fooler sport bike look from the front!
My son's R6 has the goofy "hey, you got a light out!" face on it....so he rides with the brights on in the day time.
Fish

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:04 pm
by davenowherejones
I parked beside a Hayabusa one day and from a distance they looked the same.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:27 pm
by GeorgeSK
Seems to me that if two bikes are coming at each other at 40 MPH then the closing speed is 80 MPH. I can tell if the oncoming motorcycle is a huge cruiser, but anything else could BE anything else - sportbike, scooter, adventure, naked, classic, whatever. Maybe if I'm paying particular attention I can get something from the rider's posture, but if I'm looking that hard at the oncoming bike, I'm not paying enough attention to staying alive.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:37 pm
by gn2
davenowherejones wrote:I parked beside a Hayabusa one day and from a distance they looked the same.
Is the Hayabusa the one you can't see in the picture because its parked behind the Honda VFR800?

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 9:34 pm
by davenowherejones
gn2 wrote:
davenowherejones wrote:I parked beside a Hayabusa one day and from a distance they looked the same.
Is the Hayabusa the one you can't see in the picture because its parked behind the Honda VFR800?
I don't know they all look the same. Must have been a different day.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 8:07 am
by dergav
The conclusion:
Returned to Halfords and by chance got the manager who expressed surprise at the bulbs I had been sold...saying that what I had been given was too powerful and in time would stain the lens yellow and could affect wiring...so he was concerned at what had happened.
Got the correct bulbs and now fitted.
So again thanks to all who assisted/advised...and the lesson is ... use the correct bulbs.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 9:03 am
by GeorgeSK
Wow. A thread that actually concludes. Comparatively awesome.


Glad it is sorted, though. Because of this thread, I looked at my lights. Both lamps respond to the high beam switch the same.

Re: Forza NSS300 dipped headlights

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 11:57 am
by gn2
Did you get the connectors off the bulbs easy enough?
Mine were a right bastard.