Replacing low beam lamps/bulbs on 2009 RT

[Luma46]

I have done the high beam and left hand low beam lamp replacement in the past, but it did not prepare me for the right hand side low beam lamp replacement. I spent about two hours fiddling by touch with the darn thing, hurting my left hand (now scratched and swollen). In the process the connector broke apart, but I eventually "mickey moused" it back somehow.

Is there a better way/access then just from top through this small opening between forks and body panels? Maybe, I should have taken out the front side panel?

[lkraus]

I found I could better maneuver my hand/wrist/elbow for that lamp from the front of the bike, facing the headlamp. Crouch or kneel on the throttle side of the front wheel and reach over the fender and up behind the oil cooler with your right hand. It's a "by feel" job regardless of how you do it. Or convert to HID lamps and be done with it.

[mitchntx]

Removing the 4 or 5 screws holding the fairing in place didn't help with access, but it certainly help me see what was going on.

[Dann]

I found I could better maneuver my hand/wrist/elbow for that lamp from the front of the bike, facing the headlamp. Crouch or kneel on the throttle side of the front wheel and reach over the fender and up behind the oil cooler with your right hand. It's a "by feel" job regardless of how you do it. Or convert to HID lamps and be done with it.

 

+1

 

Changing the bulbs on my 07 was a major pain.

I went through 4 bulbs in 11,000 mi

That's the main reason I upgraded my low beams to HIDs

Haven't needed to change one since. (20,000 mi so far)

[BOOCH]

On my 2005,I found it easier to just pull the front cowl off........I learned that AFTER one of the little wire retainers fell off into the HL assy.

Steve

[John Bentall]

I upgraded OSRAM Rally bulbs in the hope that rough-service items would not fail so frequently.

They were indeed more reliable. YMMV

[pmurphy]

Two words: Spring Tool

[GordonB]

I bought a piece of plastic tubing sized to hold the bulb by the prongs when pushed into the tubing. About 8". tubing holds bulb in place while you fiddle with the spring clips with your free hand.

[Luma46]

So it looks like there is no easy way to tackle this task. Next time I will try the suggestion by Ikarus to reach and manipulate the bulb from the front of motorcycle and from below. Maybe, I will practice for that in my free time...

[dirtrider]

So it looks like there is no easy way to tackle this task. Next time I will try the suggestion by Ikarus to reach and manipulate the bulb from the front of motorcycle and from below. Maybe, I will practice for that in my free time...

 

Afternoon Luma46

 

That is the way I do the R/H side, I usually do the L/H from the rear but have done that from the front also.

 

One thing about doing it from the front is that you can look in through the headlight front glass & actually see that the bulb is seated correctly in the housing before snapping the spring clip in place.

 

I just talked a friend through it (he was on a trip) so I had him remove & re-install the old bulb a couple of times to practice so he could do the new one without getting his slimy finger prints all over the new bulb.

 

 

 

[archie]

i always take the side fairing off first, it only takes a moment and gives a little more viewing, when i usally block most of the light out with my big hands trying to get it in, its usally followed by a some mutterings, but is always fun!!.

 

archie

[Pat_Da_Geeeze_Donahue]

I never gave this any thought but maybe someone knows. If you wear a latex glove does that protect the bulb if you touch it? I've heard it's skin oils that create hot spots on the bulb.

[dirtrider]

I never gave this any thought but maybe someone knows. If you wear a latex glove does that protect the bulb if you touch it? I've heard it's skin oils that create hot spots on the bulb.

 

Afternoon Pat

 

Some halogen bulbs you can touch & others you can't (depends on the glass type). So a good rule of thumb is to not touch the glass part on any of them. In fact I usually remove the bulb from the box or packaging & clean it off with alachaol before installing as you just never know if someone pulled the bulb out of the box at the store to look at it.

 

Supposedly it is the oils from your fingers that cause hot spots on the glass (quartz) & can cause cracking or shorten bulb life due to the hot spots. I haven't ever seen one crack from a finger touch (& I have seen a LOT of halogen bulbs installed in a lot of automobiles) but the shortened life would be difficult to prove/disprove.

 

Definitely something like latex gloves should help (my local BMW dealer tecs use that approach) or just not touching the glass part (that is the approach that I personally use)

 

 

[Luma46]

One thing that I learned on RT and other bikes before, is to buy the least bright (= least expensive) bulb, because these have the longest life. Of course, that is a no go for those that want as much brightness as possible, but those most probably already opted for the HID lights...