http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=17071&cat=0&page=1 Three days after mouting hella driving lights I found one of the lenses was cracked. I assume rock strike, but all 300 or so miles were on freeways. Anyway, got me thinking about a headlight guard. Seen the cee bailies, and it looks OK, but this above product is intriguing due to price and overall look. Worry is that you get what you pay for; I assume that the film cannot afford that much real protection. Any experiances with this product? Cheers
I have had it on my 1150 GS and my KTM 640 Adventure for a couple of years. Does it work? I don't know. I have never had a head light break with the stuff on it...But, I have never had a head light break on any of my other bikes over the years without it
I have used this on 2 KLRs (thru central america), one Transalp (large lens!)and on 1100GS....the material makes sense to me....I choose to stick with 3m...cuz it stuck with me.....the concept seems sound and we did not have problems and encountered enough gravel in our rides.....I looked around and found it for under $12 for a 12'x12"....but that was before i saw in in aerostich..... FYI....after many miles of sand and such, the softer vinyl material will develop a slight milky haze due to tiny scratches on it (imagine sandblasting soft plastic).....I had one nasty scar in it once and used a lighter to soften the bur and smoothe it out........look...it is inexpensive and gives peace of mind...it does offer protection and at a minimum, it will hold a cracked lens together....the adhesive is good and has not discolored at all in the last year.....I give it a thumbs up
On my '96 r1100GS, I had the plastic Touratech shield that bolts to the bike. It did develop some discoloration after a time, but not enough to motivate me to replace or remove it during the 50k+ miles I put on it. On my '02 r1150GS, after breaking a lense on my Hella 1000's the first time I used them on the bike, I put the clear 3M stuff on all my lights. After 49k+ miles with a lot of off-roading, all the lights are still intact. I've recently noticed that there's a small black burn mark about 3/8" in diameter. They haven't discolored too bad. I would recommend them. Even if they need replacing once in a while, it's still way cheaper than a new light. my $.02
It works on my Subarus, which seem prone to catching rocks with the headlights and windshield. One of the first things I did when my wife brought home a 2005 Forester earlier this month was to order a set for the headlights and foglights. Never tried it on a motorcycle though...
We sell the 3M material-type headlight covers for a few bikes.. not yours but it's some pretty durable stuff.. Had my K1200RS at a dealer recently getting some work done. Service guy parked my bike outside.. A woman pulls in at an angle.. get's off and tries to heave her bike onto the centerstand and drops it... her bike falls onto MINE catching it dead-on on the headlight which I have covered with this stuff... It didn't do a thing expect scuff it.. The dealer called me and told me what happened and was amazed that my headlight didn't smash.. he had no idea I had the stuff on the headlight as it's invisible when it's dry... You can get it at www.griotsgarage.com in small or large sheets Type in product code 10227 You'll need the spray positioner, too. Once it's on.. it's 100% invisible. Also have it not only on the headlight, but on some body work on my MV Agusta.. Cool stuff..
Thanks all. Good feedback. BTW, as for the hella ff50 driving lights, I went with their clear rock guards when I got the replacement lamp. 12 bucks a peice and they seem quite workable. They cast a bit of reflected light back, but I ride mostly daytime so no issue as yet. They are acrilic and simply snap on over the lense, so can be removed easily. I think I will go with this film for the headlamp for added peace of mind. Cheers
That 3M stuff (the thicker one that Aerostich sells) is really stout and has protected my K12LT headlight from some solid rock strikes at speed. Good stuff!
The stuff works! Try some silicone bathroom caulk on your cracked headlight. Worked for me on a r100gspd...
I have been using it for years on my motorcycles and cars. I know a lot of others who do off-roading and swear by it. Australian roads, particularly sealed roads) are often in poor condition with low quality maintenance leaving lots of loose gravel lying about, so you are often peppered with this stuff by passing vehicles. I have never had a broken headlight, but the 3M film (or equivalent) show lots of small nicks where rocks or gravel have hit it. Ditto the windshield or fairing. I can only conclude that it really works, dispersing the impact energy across its surface and reducing the vibration that causes glass to shatter (I read that somewhere but can't attest to its accuracy).
