No Low Beam

[BlueSky]

I took the 07 RSV Bluebird out for a short ride today.  The weather was a bit cooler and it was a nice ride. However, I need to change out my headlight bulb.  Low beam ain't working.  I looked in my manuals and they don't even say what bulb it takes??  Just say 55 watts.  Is it a 9003 or 9004?   I've read some of the threads on replacing it and it doesn't sound like too much fun.  

[RDawson]

Here’s what I use, shows out of stock though    
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/motorcycle-high-beam-and-low-beam-headlight-bulb/motorcycle-h4-led-fanless-headlight-conversion-kit-with-compact-heat-sink-2000-lumens/3930/8566/?make=105&model=3743&scc_id=1940&year=2009

 

[saddlebum]

Basically it should be an H4 or equivalent. you can also use 9003

Edited September 2, 2021 by saddlebum

[saddlebum]

Here @BlueSkyis my preference. https://www.piaa.com/store/p/159-H4-XTreme-White-Plus-Single-Halogen-Bulb.aspx

The silver-star ultra is a good second choice and easier to find.

I have tried a couple LED Lights but found that though they are brighter the projection and contrast is poor. I want to see objects in time to stop not just right in front of me as I am about to hit it. Some have found LEDS that do seem to focus but my advice is if you want to go LED replace the whole headlight with a quality LED sealed beam.

[BlueSky]

I bought a sylvania ultra today from wally world.  Hopefully will install it tomorrow.  I don't usualy ride at night so brightness is not much of a concern.  Reducing the elec draw is appealing though.  

[RDawson]

2 hours ago, saddlebum said:

Here @BlueSkyis my preference. https://www.piaa.com/store/p/159-H4-XTreme-White-Plus-Single-Halogen-Bulb.aspx

The silver-star ultra is a good second choice and easier to find.

I have tried a couple LED Lights but found that though they are brighter the projection and contrast is poor. I want to see objects in time to stop not just right in front of me as I am about to hit it. Some have found LEDS that do seem to focus but my advice is if you want to go LED replace the whole headlight with a quality LED sealed beam.

The 1st gen vs 2nd gen is a different animal, the LED I posted gives me twice the projection and visibility as the OEM bulbs. The wife even commented the first ride and she never notices anything. 

[BlueSky]

How bright is still legal in lumens?   It appears that LEDs are available in many variations as far as brightness.  

[saddlebum]

Here is a link to the canadian standard as you can see it is not actually clear cut as aiming angle appears to be part of the factor. Check out pages 83 and 84 for the charts re Motorcycles. I imagine the US standard is much similar.

Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment - 108_tsd_rev_5r.pdf

Edited September 5, 2021 by saddlebum

[BlueSky]

Well, I got around to changing out the bulb.  I made an attempt at removing/replacing it from the back but since I wasn't sure how to do it and seeing what I was doing was hard and it was such a pain in the ------ hand that I removed the front of the fairing.  the fairing removal/replacement was easy.  I just had to remove a dozen or so metric screws.  Now, that I know exactly what to do, I might could replace it from the rear but I'm not sure I could.  

[Squidley]

2 hours ago, BlueSky said:

Now, that I know exactly what to do, I might could replace it from the rear but I'm not sure I could.  

There's a little origami that needs to happen if you try to change it without all that removal. Thinner forearms and small thin fingers are very helpful, neither of which I have 😕

[saddlebum]

Just found some additional interesting info on lighting https://brightsource.ca/Compliant Lighting Info CANADA 062918.pdf

An interesting point in the document was this one {{ It is unlawful to use LED or HID bulbs in a headlamp that originally came with Halogen bulbs }} check out pages 3,4 & 5.

and this HEAD LIGHT BRIGHTNESS REG.pdf

[BlueSky]

According to what I just searched and found, in the USA,

Headlight brightness is primarily governed by federal law. The Code of Federal Regulations indicates that the luminous intensity of headlights must be between 500 and 3,000 candelas.

A candela is equal to one lumen.  So, LEDs up to 3,000 lumens should be legal.  Use at your risk!  Ha!

[BlueSky]

Well folks,  I backed the RSV out today to go for a ride and I noticed the low beam wasn't working.  I switched to high beam and it flashed and went off.  So, it appears that my new Sylvania ultra bulb only lasted a few minutes.  I haven't looked into it yet.  Maybe it's something stupid like the connection fell off.  Don't think so.  Fuse?  I'll find out later.  

[BlueSky]

Today I checked the headlight fuse- good.  I checked the charging voltage to make sure it wasn't super high-good. I tried removing the bulb from the back and got the wiring disconnected, the rubber boot off, but had trouble getting the spring flipped so the bulb will come out.  I'll probably split the fairing again to make sure I don't break something.  I went to Walmart and bought the cheapest H4 bulb this time that is supposed to last 1100 hours for 10 bucks.  I checked the ultra package and it said it was guranteed for 12 months and most people averaged 100 hours of use per year.  Anyway, I had thrown away my receipt and package for the ultra so I just lost that $25 plus tax.  So, my advice is that if you buy the Sylvania Ultra bulb, save your receipt.  

[BlueSky]

I just finished installing the new basic H4 headlight bulb and I now have a headlight again on my RSV.  The Sylvania Ultra bulb's both filaments were burned out.  I don't think I even rode the bike after installing the Ultra. When I tried to ride it later, the bulb burned out.  It couldn't have lasted more than a very few minutes.  Don't buy an Ultra!!

[saddlebum]

Though I am a fan of the PIAA bulbs I have used the Sylvania Ultra with no issue as have many on this site. Touching the glass with your fingers during install can cause any halogen bulb to burn out (not sure why) but if for some reason the glass was touched it should be well cleaned with alcohol. A faulty charging system that is spiking the voltage can also cause a filament to burn out or if it was dropped before install. Then again you may just have picked up a defective bulb.  

Edited October 9, 2021 by saddlebum

[Marcarl]

On 10/5/2021 at 7:14 PM, BlueSky said:

I just finished installing the new basic H4 headlight bulb and I now have a headlight again on my RSV.  The Sylvania Ultra bulb's both filaments were burned out.  I don't think I even rode the bike after installing the Ultra. When I tried to ride it later, the bulb burned out.  It couldn't have lasted more than a very few minutes.  Don't buy an Ultra!!

Could be somebody dropped them on the floor before you laid hands on them. Never know.

[BlueSky]

2 hours ago, saddlebum said:

Though I am a fan of the PIAA bulbs I have used the Sylvania Ultra with no issue as have many on this site. Touching the glass with your fingers during install can cause any halogen bulb to burn out (not sure why) but if for some reason the glass was touched it should be well cleaned with alcohol. A faulty charging system that is spiking the voltage can also cause a filament to burn out or if it was dropped before install. Then again you may just have picked up a defective bulb.  

The Ultra bulb only lasted a few minutes or seconds maybe so I don't think touching it could make it fail that quickly because it didn't have enough time to heat up.  

I put my volt meter on the battery connections and it was normal voltage at 14.2 volts and stable idling and revved up so I don't think that was the issue.  Maybe it had been dropped as Marcarl said.  Don't know.  If I start riding at night, I'll probably get an LED like RDawson uses.  Sylvania expects the Ultra to last 100 hours and the standard bulb 1100 hours so that's a big difference.