How long are headlight bulbs lasting

[rideaway]

My first low beam bulb just burnt out at 16,000 KM's that's less than 10,000 miles. How long are others getting out of there bulbs?

[Semper_Fi]

My clutch side blew out a couple of weeks ago 12K, replaced both.

 

 

[Dave_in_TX]

Mine have been lasting 18-20K miles

[bgf50]

I just replaced my first one at 25,000 miles. Actually my wife replaced it. Her hands are smaller!

 

Bill

07 R1200 RT

[1200Bob]

 

left side went out at 12000 miles. Right side went this week at 15000 miles.

 

 

 

[rickmoen]

Right side blew at 16,000 miles. Since my hands are bigger than a third grader's, I took the tupperware off to replace the bulb. The cost was only about $8.00, though. I bought a spare to be ready for the other side.

 

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

Get used to it. Take the tupperware off as shown in the CD it's less frustrating.

[JohnBeaven]

 

My last one lasted ~25000km.

 

According to the BC I average ~75km/hr. That means the globe lasted 330hours.

 

Given the how often my wife use the headlights on her car the globes would last ~100000km if they were to last 330hours. For this reason I can't see the big deal about replacing globes at 25000km.

 

As for changing them out. It takes ten minutes without removing any of the bodywork.

[Semper_Fi]

My first low beam bulb just burnt out at 16,000 KM's that's less than 10,000 miles. How long are others getting out of there bulbs?

 

Sidecar - there was a similar post of this subject a couple of weeks ago.

 

I created a poll to hopefully capture the response and see how things look distributed over a milage base.

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=410184#Post410184

 

 

[EddyQ]

Lost my first bulb yesterday. 7.2K on the odo.

The left headlamp. The bike is about 15 months old.

Kinda surprized me. . .

[Sailorlite]

If you have to replace one of them, should you replace both of them while you're at it? (From the above posts, it doesn't seem that this old-fashioned prudence is still deemed wise).

[Mister Tee]

If you have to replace one of them, should you replace both of them while you're at it? (From the above posts, it doesn't seem that this old-fashioned prudence is still deemed wise).

 

Definitely buy both of them at the same time, but there is no economy to replacing both at the same time. The total amount of work is equal either way.

[Semper_Fi]

I am from the old school of replacing both bulbs for cars or bikes.

 

My philosophy (right or wrong) is that the non-blown bulb has seen the same duty cycle and road shock/vibration as the one that just went.

 

Also from looking at the poll it has steadily been a 2:1 ratio for just replacing one bulb.

 

For me it's a comfort factor - this is a definate YMMV situation.

 

 

[malcolmblalock]

Preparing for a ride to Alaska this summer, I replaced all 3 original factory bulbs with 28,000 miles just before leaving town. All burned, but were more "yellow". New bulbs were the Osram bulbs from GB, an upgrade (or so I thought).

 

Rode 12,500 miles to and from Alaska. A few days after getting home, the left bulb went out. A few days later, the right bulb went out. I replaced all 3 so I'd have some light to ride with!

 

Original bulbs good for 28k miles. "Better" bulbs for 12.5k. So the second set of replacement were "cheap" bulbs that now have about 5k miles. We'll see how these do.....

[Exploreinman]

Left side went at 23,000 miles. Right side went at 26,000.

[marcopolo]

New bulbs were the Osram bulbs from GB, an upgrade (or so I thought). Rode 12,500 miles to and from Alaska. A few days after getting home, the left bulb went out. A few days later, the right bulb went out. I replaced all 3 so I'd have some light to ride with! Original bulbs good for 28k miles. "Better" bulbs for 12.5k. So the second set of replacement were "cheap" bulbs that now have about 5k miles. We'll see how these do.....

 

I replaced my stock bulbs with those Osrams from the UK this summer. Both blew simultaneously at startup about five weeks after I installed them. While that may have been a freak occurrence, I didn't trust putting the remaining set of Osrams in there just before my ride to the UnRally, so I put in GE bulbs from the local auto parts store. They've been fine.

[Zweiradfreak]

I was very surprised to find out that my low beam went out at 9300 miles on my 08 R1200GS as the guy driving in front of me asked me if I have the option to turn off the head light!

[Zweiradfreak]

08 R1200GS

01 R1150GS

86 K100RS

75 Ducati 900SS

[Semper_Fi]

I was very surprised to find out that my low beam went out at 9300 miles on my 08 R1200GS as the guy driving in front of me asked me if I have the option to turn off the head light!

 

Welcome aboard Zweiradfreak - suprised on your comment, on the RT is you have a light issue the Intrument Panel displays a light bulb icon with an arrow point up for front or back for rear - is this information not displayed on the GS?

 

Anyway great stuff here for all sorts of things both bike and non-bike related.