Ducati Monster Forum

I found this headlight + bucket on e-bay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ducati-Monster-400-600-620-695-750-800-900-HEADLIGHT-/180656656381?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0ff9cffd&vxp=mtr). It seemed interesting since unlike the lens on my Monster 695, it's a clear type, not a Fresnel lens.

I was wondering if this would be a good starting point for an HID retrofit project like this one (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=47724.0). The project recommended forming a front lens out of lexan, but that's beyond my skill level, and like He Man posted, tends to accumulate scratches. Compared to the stock bucket, this one lacks metal inserts where it's attached to the headlight brackets - would this be a problem? I also figured that if I use one of these, even screw up the modifications, I still have the stock headlight to fall back on.

The stock headlight isn't a fresnel lens. It is cast in a way to focus the beam, not magnify it...

Yes it is?

If you're not too fussed about retaining the round style headlight my suggestion to you is to consider retrofitting a headlight assembly from a hyosung gt650 which has two projector fitting in it for separate hi and lo beams. You should be able to fit them out pretty easily with d2s lamps. If not you'll be able to fit morimoto mini d2 fittings.

The other option is do what I've done, fit a 7" bucket and fit in that the truck lite phase 7 led headlight..

kyle got pics of your setup yet? Did you just buy a generic 7" bucket?

Picking the bucket up today.
Anything off a vtr250 cb300 etc etc will do.

Pics over the weekend :)

Well I guess I called it a Fresnel lens since that's what He Man called it in his tutorial.

Kyle, I'm eagerly awaiting pics of your Phase 7. I'm curious how its light output compares to a 35W HID, I plan on doing this mod to let me ride safely at night on dark country roads (I commute to/from work, and it's in a rather remote location).

How come you picked the GT650 in particular? Also, I'm probably wrong, but it looks like the GT650 projectors are designed for halogens. Wouldn't fitting an HID in these still cause dispersion/glare issues? When researching the same thing for my car, which has halogens in a projector, I found several mentions of problems relating to the cutoff not being as well defined since the projectors were not designed for HIDs.

Didn't get the bucket today, will get it in the morning from the local wreckers..

I've taken it to work and done a back to back comparison with one 35w xenon fitting made by Nordic and with a driving beam pattern and I can safely day that the phase 7 is better, by a good bit. If you ran a pair of 35w's they would be in front.

Look at it this way, the led will be for life, the xenon will need replacing maybe every 2nd year.

I've not pulled the hyosung assy apart but I imagine it would be somewhat possible to fit in one of the choices of projectors that the retrofit source sell??

Picked up a 2nd hand bucket off a Honda something, has some slight damage to repair but that will be piece o piss... Pics soon!!!

Harder and shitter than I ever expected.. But i definitely chose the wrong bucket to start with this time around..


Trucklite LED headlight fitted (finally)..
(http://kylesharp.com.au/mystuff/pics/ducati/DSCN0990.JPG)
(http://kylesharp.com.au/mystuff/pics/ducati/DSCN0993.JPG)

Do not fooking like the final result at all..
Bucket is from a vt250 or something similar to that, Was an absolute &*^# to get the light to mount in.
Will be buying this bucket, making a mold/patten and vacuum infusing a carbon fibre bucket I think.. Only way to be sure of a great final result! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/360366021546?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_700wt_1163 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/360366021546?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_700wt_1163)

I might missed this but how come you didn't use the stock bucket?

Thanks for the post/pics kyle.....keep the info coming  [thumbsup]

Because the reflector and fresnel lens are both approx. 8" in diameter.
The trucklite fitting is 7".
It was designed to be a drop-in replacement for any 7" housing ie PAR56 buckets and the like. Very popular with the harley riders in the usa.

Once i've got a good, simple bucket to work with the rest will be easy. Will make a mold that extends around the front of the lens so that the lens does not protrude from the bucket like it does now.

It's not pretty currently, but it's progress :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRIUMPH-NORTON-BSA-HEADLIGHT-SHELL-7-BUCKET-WITH-RIM-CARBON-FIBRE-/251016283169?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a71bc8421&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRIUMPH-NORTON-BSA-HEADLIGHT-SHELL-7-BUCKET-WITH-RIM-CARBON-FIBRE-/251016283169?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a71bc8421&vxp=mtr)

Yeah...nah. Not a fan of CF vinyl.. :D

Best I could do without leaving the driveway on a cold winter night, and without my DSLR.. :)

Low beam
(http://kylesharp.com.au/mystuff/pics/ducati/loowbeam.JPG)

High beam (sorry to my neighbour!)
(http://kylesharp.com.au/mystuff/pics/ducati/hibeam.JPG)

High beam is quite direct, pencil beam you could say. Which I like.
I do quite a lot of riding at night, to/fro work, up and down the putty rd (twisty rd in the middle of nowhere) and have to contend with a LOT of kangaroos/wombats/other random animals, so in the future I think i'll also add a rigid industries 10" led strip light. not 100% on this yet though!

+1. Thanks for the pics. And damn that is hella bright compared to stock. BTW, when you tried to fit it in the original ducati bucket did it protrude out that far also? Maybe instead you can follow the harley riders and just buy one of those rings that goes on top that will make everything look flush.

Thanks, kyle for the pics and info, seems like LED technology has progressed faster than I thought! One thing to note though, if you're making your own bucket for the Truck Lites, the housing may be designed to be a heat-sink with the airflow providing cooling for the LEDs and the driver electronics. You may need to have some kind of cutouts to allow air to enter.

The dual 35W HIDs seem like a workable idea too, though imo they tend to give my bike a Street Triple look. I found quite a few aftermarket dual housings, but all are designed for halogens and have the refracting (as opposed to clear) lens in front.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Motorbike-7-Black-Headlight-Fits-Ducati-Monster-600-620-696-750-800-/180878904315?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2a1d390bfb (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Motorbike-7-Black-Headlight-Fits-Ducati-Monster-600-620-696-750-800-/180878904315?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2a1d390bfb)

This could be your ticket Kyle.