Replaced the headlight lens.

So after buying a whole new headlight assembly a couple of months ago due to one light having the usual lens internal cracking, I decided not to give up with the old headlight, but to buy a new lens from AliExpress and replace the faulty one. I must admit, I did take it over to my old biker buddy of the last 53 years Nick, as he has his own small specialist Porsche repair rebuild business. He stated he had replaced many a car headlight lens, including Aston Martin ones. Firstly we took a heat gun to the outside, to help melt the glue holding the lens in.


Then with a steel curved pick, the sort you pick oil seals out with, gently picked most of the glue out, at the same time, breaking the outer plastic edge of the lens levering it out. That glue is certainly some tough stuff to get out. Wear safety glasses, as the lens splinters away in shards away from the metal. You don't want them in your eye.







90 Minutes later after gentle levering and coffee, out came the lens. Then cleaned out most of the last of the glue, but left the neat line of glue in the inner edge of the metal part. This creates a soft edge the new lens will push onto. The new lens is just going to be glued on the outside of the lens to the metal anyway. Make sure you also cover the LED light inside with some tape, as you don't want any bits of old glue to be getting into and around the actual LED light while you are digging the odd bits of glue out. 

 

The new lens arrived within 3 weeks from AliExpress. Trying it onto the metal headlight, it was a perfect fit.



Then it was just a case of using some tought waterproof glue and carefully apply glue to the outer edge of the lens and firmly push it into place and tighten the 2 small screws down, job done. I now have a spare set of headlights in case I need them in the future. 





Maybe replacing a cracked lens, where a new lens only costs around £85, is the way to go. Rather than spending from Yamaha, around £850 on a whole new twin set, as you can't just buy the one headlight. What a con!!