Harley Freewheeler - European model with no central headlamp lens - replacement?

[lingone]

Harley Davidson FLRT Freewheeler Central Headlamp

The European Freewheeler does not have a central headlamp, unlike the American models featured in their accessory catalogues, but has two “passing lamp” type lamps either side of the central headlamp which, in the European version, is replaced with a circular chromium blanking dome, a bit like a hub cap,

I do not like this much, and would prefer to replace the “hub cap” with a glass sealed beam unit (not wired in to the lighting circuit) for purely aesthetic reasons.

In the owner’s manual referring to the central headlamp configuration it says that a single screw holds the outer bezel, and that after removing that, an anti-clockwise turn of the bezel will remove the bezel, revealing the sealed beam unit and the retaining ring.

My question is, does the European Freewheeler with the “hub cap” in place of the sealed beam unit have a removable bezel, or is the bezel part of the “hub cap” blanking plate? If the bezel is removable, is there a retaining ring behind it that I could fix a sealed beam unit to? If there is no retaining ring behind the blanking plate, is there an HD part number that I could order and fit to allow fitting of a sealed beam unit (albeit non-functioning)?

[rhino 2]

Harley Davidson FLRT Freewheeler Central Headlamp

The European Freewheeler does not have a central headlamp, unlike the American models featured in their accessory catalogues, but has two “passing lamp” type lamps either side of the central headlamp which, in the European version, is replaced with a circular chromium blanking dome, a bit like a hub cap,

I do not like this much, and would prefer to replace the “hub cap” with a glass sealed beam unit (not wired in to the lighting circuit) for purely aesthetic reasons.

In the owner’s manual referring to the central headlamp configuration it says that a single screw holds the outer bezel, and that after removing that, an anti-clockwise turn of the bezel will remove the bezel, revealing the sealed beam unit and the retaining ring.

My question is, does the European Freewheeler with the “hub cap” in place of the sealed beam unit have a removable bezel, or is the bezel part of the “hub cap” blanking plate? If the bezel is removable, is there a retaining ring behind it that I could fix a sealed beam unit to? If there is no retaining ring behind the blanking plate, is there an HD part number that I could order and fit to allow fitting of a sealed beam unit (albeit non-functioning)?

Colin….Welcome to Trike Talk….👍👍..

[Old Road Dog]

"Why soitanly" Colin. Those euro passing lamps are cool and I sourced them out and total cost was about $1000.00!! so I went with an police electra glide light bar instead. Your lamp bucket 67700310 is already there. The cover is 61300599 can be removed and a headlamp of your choice installed. Heck hook it up if legal. If a rubber bung isnt in the back of the bucket just drill a hole and add a grommet and run your wires through. But ipen it up- the harness may already be there.

[JTJersey]

Harley Davidson FLRT Freewheeler Central Headlamp

The European Freewheeler does not have a central headlamp, unlike the American models featured in their accessory catalogues, but has two “passing lamp” type lamps either side of the central headlamp which, in the European version, is replaced with a circular chromium blanking dome, a bit like a hub cap,

I've seen that and always wondered why they're done that way. Any insight to the government thinking on this mandate?

[lingone]

I've seen that and always wondered why they're done that way. Any insight to the government thinking on this mandate?

I am quoting "American V" magazine (a UK publication) which thought it was German legislation, then adopted by the rest of the European Union (EU). Apparently, if you only have a central headlamp on a trike, you have to have sidelamps on the rear wheel mudguards.

[lingone]

"Why soitanly" Colin. Those euro passing lamps are cool and I sourced them out and total cost was about $1000.00!! so I went with an police electra glide light bar instead. Your lamp bucket 67700310 is already there. The cover is 61300599 can be removed and a headlamp of your choice installed. Heck hook it up if legal. If a rubber bung isnt in the back of the bucket just drill a hole and add a grommet and run your wires through. But ipen it up- the harness may already be there.

Many thanks for your helpful reply.

[lingone]

Colin….Welcome to Trike Talk….👍👍..

Thank you! I hope to contribute in the future.

I am English, but moved permanently to France (Burgundy) in 2014.

[Old Road Dog]

Colin's model is listed as HDI England as opposed is to FLRTDom( domestic U.S.) there is also FLRTAus (Australia) and FLRTJapan. Curiously the Aussie model uses a 4 place headlamp connector while all others use a 3 place. Colin could tap a standard connector into blue/white ,blue/yellow ,and black with a new center head lamp.This would give low/ high beam functions.Imagine that coming at you.

[lingone]

Having checked the Ministry of Transport (MOT) regulations for the UK (which pre-Brexit would be identical to EU (European Union) regulations), any trike over 1300 cm (one metre thirty centimetres) has to have two separate headlamps capable of dip and full beam. As the Freewheeler is 1400 cm wide, it has to have two headlamps. The regulations explain the maximum and minimum distance between them, as well as height above the road.

[JTJersey]

Having checked the Ministry of Transport (MOT) regulations for the UK (which pre-Brexit would be identical to EU (European Union) regulations), any trike over 1300 cm (one metre thirty centimetres) has to have two separate headlamps capable of dip and full beam. As the Freewheeler is 1400 cm wide, it has to have two headlamps. The regulations explain the maximum and minimum distance between them, as well as height above the road.

Sounds like an arbitrary classification rule by a bureaucrat.

[lingone]

Sounds like an arbitrary classification rule by a bureaucrat.

I now have a definitive reply from the French Gendarmerie (national police force).

Here is the answer to your request N° DM_638634 of 06/06/22 16:24 made on the site of the gendarmerie:

As long as you have the mandatory equipment (the two headlights on each side) and the central headlight is inoperative and does not cause any discomfort, confusion or dazzling of other users, there is nothing to prevent such an installation.

There aren't really any legal texts at this level and you simply have to conclude that "what is not expressly prohibited is authorized".

General texts on motor vehicle lighting can be found here: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes...A000006177087/

So it is clear that I can remove the blanking plate from the headlamp nacelle and replace it with a (non-functioning) HD glass sealed beam unit.

[Old Road Dog]

In other words- its left up to the traffic officer that pulled you over. If he suspects your one of the biker types that jingled his unfaithful wife then your in for a bad time. Better to carry a flask of cognac and offer him a belt. Legionnaires operating in our A.O. were issued daily cognac rations. And had Parisien prostitutes flown out to thire T.O.C. .It was strictly off limits to us.On the spot Article 15 if we so much as stepped into thire perimeter. The U.S. Army takes the fun out of everything.

[stratmarshall]

"The European Freewheeler does not have a central headlamp, unlike the American models featured in their accessory catalogues, but has two “passing lamp” type lamps either side of the central headlamp which, in the European version, is replaced with a circular chromium blanking dome, a bit like a hub cap"

I must be dense because I can not find any picture of this setup and am not able to picture it in my feeble mind.

I looked on Harley France and the freewheeler looks the same as the US model. Do you have any pictures of this setup?

[Evets]

"The European Freewheeler does not have a central headlamp, unlike the American models featured in their accessory catalogues, but has two “passing lamp” type lamps either side of the central headlamp which, in the European version, is replaced with a circular chromium blanking dome, a bit like a hub cap"

I must be dense because I can not find any picture of this setup and am not able to picture it in my feeble mind.

I looked on Harley France and the freewheeler looks the same as the US model. Do you have any pictures of this setup?

Picture of Euro Freewheeler.

US Freewheeler does not have the lightbar with the two driving lights.

[lingone]

Picture of Euro Freewheeler.

US Freewheeler does not have the lightbar with the two driving lights.

Here is what the European Freewheeler headlamp setup looks like, with a blanked off central headlamp.

[Kneesinbreeze]

Looks weird. They kinda stuck them out there a ways didn't they? I wonder what it would look like in front of a shield or fairing?

[lingone]

I have ordered the US model central headlamp (68345-05A), retaining ring (68050-93A) and bezel (68051-08) so I can have a (non-functioning) central headlamp.

I can confirm that my European Freewheeler has no wiring at all in the headlamp shell, but as I was not going to wire it in this is not an issue.

I will let you know how I get on when the parts arrive in France, and also post a picture.

[lingone]

Here are the photographs of my successful conversion from the European blanking plate ("hub cap" or dustbin lid") to the American version headlamp.

The conversion used the parts I listed above.

The blanking plate photograph is not my trike, the headlamp version is my bike.

[JTJersey]

Is this fake headlight in the center just a Trike thing or do two wheelers have to do it too?

[lingone]

Is this fake headlight in the center just a Trike thing or do two wheelers have to do it too?

Just a trike thing in the European Union (EU). Any vehicle over 130cm (1 metre 30 centimeters) wide has to display two headlamps (or one central headlamp and white lights facing forward on each rear wheel arch in the case of trikes). I think Germany is very tough on this rule.

HD clearly thought adapting two passing lamps to be headlamps and blanking off the central headlamp was the way forward.