Headlight Tale

[ezrydr]

Well, I've got a feeling this is going to be one of those questions that get different and even opposite answers from different people and in the end you have to decide which ones to listen to...but here goes:

My headlight lens has a hole in it.  Not a crack; there's just a tiny hole in the front surface of the lens and then back of that a kind of small divot taken out of the glass.  It's obvious what happened:  some small object, probably a rock, hit the lens at speed just hard enough to penetrate the surface and then the impact caused the back surface to spall.  (I have seen bullets do this hitting certain types of material.)

The hole itself is, as I say, tiny.  How tiny?  The toothpick from my Swiss Army knife will just barely fit through it.  That small. 

But as I say it gets bigger - maybe a quarter inch or so in diameter? the shape is too irregular to say for sure - as it exits the back surface of the lens.  So the glass around the entry hole is quite thin and I imagine it wouldn't take much to enlarge it somewhat. 

Clearly (sorry about that) something needs to be done about it.  For one thing it can't be good for the bulbs to be exposed to the entry of air and, sooner or later, water.

But my question is:  how serious is this likely to be?  If I just patch the hole with a dot of clear silicone (as I'm going to do anyway as a stopgap, whatever else I decide), is that going to do the job and let me forget it at least for the season?

Or, at the other extreme, is it that the lens is liable to shatter at any moment, and/or the bulb blow out, and/or the whole thing turn into a scaly monster that sneaks out at night and strangles the security guard, or whatever catastrophe? 

I was in Norman when I discovered it; I rode home (today - oh, the wind, don't get me started) and the headlights are still working just fine and the hole isn't any bigger.  So is somebody going to tell me I'm incredibly lucky beyond all statistical possibility that I even got home with a working light?  Or is somebody going to tell me I spent 200 miles worrying about nothing and I need to relax and get out more?  Or both?  Or what?

I really would appreciate some input on this.  In all the miles and years I've been riding bike, I've never seen anything like it, so I don't know what to think.

Obviously I ought to replace the lens, just on general principles; but keep in mind that I am retired and living on Social Security and, well, basically POOR.  So, related questions:

(1)  Can you get just the lens or do you have to buy the whole assembly or what?

(2)  Does anybody happen to know how much a replacement costs?

I would go on to ask if anybody just happens to have one lying around the place, but I don't know how practical it would be to try to send one through the mail....

Speak to me, my brothers.  And keep the words short; I am very tired.  Did I mention that wind?

[TLRam1]

If you take the lens off, cover the smaller hole with tape, lay the tape side down on a table than fill the hole with epoxy and let it dry. That will fill the hole, prevent water entry and keep vibrations down so it would have a less chance of cracking further, similar to what you would do on an auto windshield to prevent all the above.

Silicone will seal the hole but not hold all the pieces together as well as epoxy but probably would be fine.

The lens looks to be available by itself but expensive, 63.00. 

Part Number 33120-MK7-671

[John Luttrell]

A rock hit my lens about 5 years ago and cracked it.  I just never got around to replacing it and it's not caused any problems at all; even in the rain.  You don't really notice it unless you know it's there so it doesn't look too bad, so I've just lived with it.

[ezrydr]

Hey, thanks, guys, this is really valuable.  Sixty-three bucks?  Yes, I'd say it's very definitely worth trying a bit of epoxy.

It isn't cracked at all, by the way.  Really it's very strange - whatever hit it was sharp and hard and moving fast.  In fact if I didn't know better I'd say a stray birdshot pellet had hit it, or an airgun dart. 

By the way, TL, nice job on that water buffalo. 

[TLRam1]

By the way, TL, nice job on that water buffalo. 

Thanks Ez.

I might be replacing that photo one day when I can get the others up and ridable. The epoxy can be sanded if needed to keep it from protruding from the front.

Thanks for the "speed trap" advice in Oklahoma, I and about 4 more are heading through Broken Bow on Wednesday or Thursday for a trip in AR. 

[Magnatic]

How about one of those windshield repair kits. They run around $15.00 and the repair would
probably not even be noticable.

[dc112675]

What generation is your Magna, and is it a stock light?  dc

[ezrydr]

2000, and as far as I know it's stock.  Why, does this matter?

[dc112675]

Take a look at a post a few threads back.  It just so happens that I replaced my headlight a while back and still have all the left-overs from the stock set-up.  I really don't care to make a bunch of money.  You don't happen to be veteran do you?  Is it discriminatory if I offer a military discount? 

[ezrydr]

Oh.  Well, that's very decent of you, certainly.  (And yes, as it happens I am a veteran.  Regular Army '63-66.)  I may take you up on it.

But not right now.  Let me get back to you some time when I'm not so stressed.  Right now I've got a lot of different stuff I've got to deal with - developments in my wife's medical situation, government bureaucrats wanting mysterious forms filled out, insurance company vultures circling overhead - on top of which just now I'm sick as two dogs and a small cat.  Just not a good time to be making decisions.

And anyway I'm broke for the rest of the month.  So let me put that on indefinite hold, OK?

Meanwhile if you get a good offer on that stuff go ahead and sell it and don't worry about me, I won't hold it against you.

[dc112675]

Not a problem . . . It will do you more good than me.  I was thinking if you could cover the shipping we'd be ok.  I guess that might be around $10 give or take a few.  If you are at all interested let me know.  I'll hang on to it for you.  Hope all the paperwork gets cleared away, and don't let those headaches keep you from writing.  dc

[ezrydr]

Check your personal messages, please.

[dc112675]

Check your personal messages, please.

Check your e-mail messages, please.

[kwale86]

I am going to be rplacing my light with a VTX assembly in the near future.  If you can wait until MootMag I could get it to you then.  I could sell you just the lens or the whole thing if you want at a reasonable price.

Thanks,
Kale Tifft
Moot # 475