Hello folks, Is the R65 headlight lens reflector unit considered 7" , has anyone tried to fit one into a 7" aftermarket bucket ? thanks, Guy
No, the R65 headlight is not a 7" headlight.
A little history on headlights; in 1940, the Americans in their wisdom decreed that all vehicles would use 7" sealed beam headlights. Over time they widened the range of sizes permitted to include two pairs of 5-3/4" headlights, as well as two similar size rectangular sizes. Eventually in 1983 they allowed other headlight technologies (eg: halogen) and shapes, and American vehicles immediately abandoned sealed beams just as the rest of the world had already done.
The R65 has a very unusual headlight which is about 6-1/4" diameter.
The Honda CB250T, CB400T, CB250N and CB400N (Australian model designations) and the CB400 Automatic model also use the same headlight size and when I owned one in 1981 I bought a Cibie halogen insert to fit.
The Cibie product appears to have long vanished from the market, but Honda still makes a 250cc 2 cylinder road bike with a 6-1/4" halogen headlight which is probably your best bet for an affordable replacement. In Australia, dealers can supply an aftermarket replacement 6-1/4" headlight intended for the Honda.
Alternatively you could make up an adapter to fit a standard 5-3/4" headlight into the 6-1/4" rim.
Remember if you're buying headlights on eBay from across the drive-left/drive-right divide that most headlights, including the Bosch headlight for the R65, are handed. The low beam cutoff is higher on the kerb side to illuminate signs etc, and flat on the oncoming traffic side. Fitting the wrong type is like driving around with your light on high beam.
Many Japanese headlights are not handed, but instead have a completely flat low beam cutoff.
