New GS500 owner

[Queball]

Just bought a 1999 GS500e today. It didn't come with a manual so I've been searching the internet for info on it, and found this place and I'm so glad that I did. I started to ride it tonight and noticed that the headlight was lighting up the trees. I knew it was askew when I bought it, but thought I could straighten it out. It has one phillips screw that isn't doing anything when I turn it. I was just wondering if I'm missing something, or if I will need a new headlight.

BTW, I absolutely love the bike. Not crazy about yellow, but I can deal with it.

[sprint_9]

Adjust it from the two bolts on the side, loosen then adjust, check, and then adjust agian if needed.  Check the bulb too, make sure its in there good, should be but you never know.  The retards I bought my car from had the bulbs just sitting in the sockets, it made a heck of difference once they were in there nice and tight.

[Queball]

Thanks.

Looks like on closer examination that something is not quite right. I'll have to look at it in the daytime when I can get better light.

[mp183]

I think it's the two bolts on the side plus another one somewhere more toward the bottom on one of the sides.  
Don't quite remember where it is.  
I did mine about a year ago.

[jiggersplat]

if you look at the headlight head-on, on the left hand side, sorta behind and below the ear, you will see a bolt in a slotted bracket.  loosen the bolt, then tilt the headlight to where you want it and tighten that bolt back up.  the two bolts you are spinning don't do anything.

parts 9-14 in this diagram

[Kerry]

Some other folks had problems with this but were able to solve them in the Headlight adjustment thread.

Good luck!

[mp183]

Hey Kerry I see you're back.  You caused a panic here a little while ago.
Any chance of getting a copy of your valve adjustment video?
The bootlegers of Canal street have not gotten their hands on it yet
otherwise I would just buy it there.  :lol:  :lol:

[Queball]

Thanks for the replies. Last night when I was loosening one of the bolts, it sounded like a nut full off inside. That's when I decided to wait until today to work on it. It looks like at some point one of the turn signals was roughed up, so I'm going to have to see if everything is straight. Going to read the other thread and then go have another look.

[Queball]

When I test drove the bike, I saw that the headlight was pointed toward oncoming traffic. I mentioned this, and the guy selling it said that he put it that way on purpose. I doubted it, but because the rest of the bike was in such good shape, and I knew another one would't come around in my area for awhile, I went ahead and bought it. Around here good bikes last about a day before they sell.

After taking the headlight out, I think the nut that is used for the horizontal adjustment, is not the right one. He just stuck one on there and put the headlight back in. As for the light shining too high, looks like the wiring harness is in the way, I don't think it's where it's supposed to be. Anyway, I think it's all fixable.

At least I did get a good idea reading the headlight threads last night. I'm going to get one of those Silvania headlights.

[denman]

hey does any one rember in the 70's when you could replace your headlight with a car headlight.  see ya.