FRONTLIGHT REPLACEMENT on a DL650 2017

[bako]

Glad I bought the DL1000, 4 push pins, 2 allen screws 
Easiest one to change has to be the old Africa Twin, the back of the headlight is clearly visable and easy access.

[mr_diver]

The Varadero is the same 

[oslin]

It could be worse, a mate of mine has a Citroen C8 and blew a headlamp bulb in France, he bought a new bulb and fitted it but it did not work, he had to take the car to a dealer and get the new bulb logged in on the cars computer before it would work ??  :-(

[Nickb65]

 

Well with the help of the post from "Jeff from Wales" I was able to change the bulb in 20 minutes... in a dry garage with plenty of light and space to layout bits...... ROAD SIDE... pah not a chance.   

HUGE thanks to Jeff in Wales for the pictures and words as this helped a million.

Now to fit engine bars and may be some side lights. 

[Rusty Nuts]

   Nice one. Big, bright  spotlamps to get you back to the garage when the headlamps blow again one dark and stormy night.

[Gassoon]

Ride home on high beam (or to a garage)? It's not great, but get a fekkin grip lads , modern bulbs don't blow that often (this of course cues mine blowing next time out! )

[UK_Vstrom650]

I've replaced my bulbs four times in six and a half years of ownership... usually after one of them fails, and they don't provide any warning, you just notice one of them is out when you check the bike. If these bikes had dual headlights, having to remove half the front of the bike to replace a bulb wouldn't be so much of an issue, but when there's only one bulb it's a stupid design and could catch people out.

[Nickb65]

Ride home on high beam (or to a garage)? It's not great, but get a fekkin grip lads , modern bulbs don't blow that often (this of course cues mine blowing next time out! )

Very true Gassoon but then you get PC Plob stopping you asking why you are on full beam... not an issue as they are normally very understanding but a pain in the arse..... esp when it is three times on one journey home fromLondon to Cambridge :-)   You'd think they would have better things to do....

[mr_diver]

I had one fail on the Varadero last ride out and it was dark. Oh well just have to manage with one hedlight then 

3rd bulb in four years.
Plus one on the TTR and 4 on the Wee in 5 years.

They don't go that often, just glad I always buy pairs. That means there is always a spare somewhere in the garage.
(All my bikes are H4 fitment too  )

[Gassoon]

Crikey! It's just I haven't had a headlight blow in years. But it is a stupid, Irksome bit of design. Wouldn't stop me having the bike, especially with it's gorgeous beak.

[sjrainsford]

You'd think they'd be fitting LED lighting now, which mostly cancels out all of the above.  I'm sure most people wouldn't mind paying 50 quid extra on the purchase price for the convenience.

[Paz324]

Most LED headlight designs for motorcycles are completely useless, I've tried a few out and they are just glorified day time running lights that are extremely dangerous at night on roads without any kind of street lighting..

Personally I find bulbs are better at their intended job, easier to maintain even with stupid designs surrounded by plastics and far cheaper to fix when something eventually goes wrong.

Some of those LED ballasts are stupid money to replace and they aren't exactly guaranteed to last the lifetime of the bike.

[UK_Vstrom650]

I thought bikes with LEDs designed as OEM were supposed to be good, unlike fitting LED "upgrade" downgrade bulbs as aftermarket items  I thought the likes of KTM's were highly rated? I know our car with OEM LEDs has fantastic lighting at night although I do dread the day when one of them fails... 

[Paz324]

The problem is LED headlights are great under perfect conditions but they have major issues resulting in designs that are not fit for purpose because they are dangerous and even life threatening, the ones I've tried tend to dazzle not just other drivers but yourself too when riding past large reflective signs and fail to keep the road in sight when presented with oncoming traffic.

The "whiter" colour temperature of the lighting is nice but in my opinion that was a non-issue that never needed fixing, I felt that LED light travels further but it struggles to return without a reflective surface to help the process.

For example bulb based headlight units tend to focus their light down towards the ground a bit more allowing you to actually see the road immediately in front of you when oncoming traffic appears, well imagine not being able to see the road at all and having to slow right down because you may as well be riding blind, even if the road has lighting and it happens to be raining it becomes fairly difficult to see anything because any water on your visor will refract the light making it extremely difficult to see anything else..

I imagine cars are very different but as far as bikes go I'll never buy one with LED headlights again.

[Calimero]

My experience with led lights is is clearly different from yours.
I am very satisfied with the leds I use. I do not experience any of the problems described by you.

I use this lighting for more than two years in which I have driven 60,000 km. Not only on smooth highways, but also on washboard roads.
Both led lights (H4 L2 Bi-LED kit CAN-bus 5700K, Hilox Evolution) are still working well.

The LEDs were not cheap, but the quality certainly does not disappoint me. This kit contains separate connections for engines with a canbus system, so that I can also use them later on a motor that is equipped with canbus.

unfortunately I only have the web address of the Dutch website.
https://hilox.eu/automotive/led/dim-groot-mistlicht/l2/motor-duo-2-lampen

[Savak]

My dipped bulb went this morning so a trip to Halfords was in order.
Whilst looking at the range of bulbs on show the assisant said the motorcycle bulbs were in a differnet aisle.
Anyone know if there is is a difference? If so what.
Got to the till with said bulb in hand (120% brighter but can't remember the model number), the assistant scanned the barcode with me ready to tap the Visa card for the £14 indicated on the display tab only to be prompted 'that's £1 sir'. So I didn't argue.

Regards
Graeme

[UK_Vstrom650]

Result 

The blurb is motorcycle bulbs are designed to withstand more vibrations than a car bulb.

[Barbel Mick]

Should have gone back and got a few more!!!!

[pichulec]

Remove the dash to replace the bulb??? O_o What idi....... designed this?