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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | Had a high beam go out on the stock bulbs so I had to change them.
Here is my best advice:
Step 1: Set fire to your bike.
Step 2: Claim the insurance.
Guess what I did for 4.5 hours yesterday?
The PIAAs look good, but man. . .that is some ridiculous crap right there.
5 minutes my @$$. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 721
| Or there is always method number 3; Have your headlight housing fog up with condensation and have the housing replaced under warranty, getting the headlight bulbs replaced in the process, my Vision gets dropped off at Randy's Monday morning for this service and I am replacing the stock halogen h4 bulbs with PIAA H4 Intense White ones. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Just curious as to what makes these bulbs blow on some of the bikes. I guess it is a small percentage but seems like a lot from all the post concerning blown headlights. What are your riding conditions? Trail riding, wash board gravel roads? I've got 44K on the original bulbs and belt and all looks cool. I've surveyed the situation numerous times and having smaller hands may get away with a few scratches and stitches when I have to change mine, if they ever blow. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 721
| I haven't blown a headlight yet in 13K miles but figured since they were going to have the headlight assembly out while being changed over I would do the upgrade to the PIAA bulbs. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | My two step process for changing headlamp.
1. Drop bike at Victory dealer and socialize for an hour with them having fun.
2. Write them a check and leave happy, stress free and able to see at night.
My Victory tech tells me that there is a fast trick for changing the headlamp he can do it in under 45 minutes, but he wont share it with anyone. Honestly, I dont blame him he's done his training and deserves any quick process he can find. Another reason i love my dealership Matter of fact, they are coming over for dinner Saturday night.
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Cruiser
Posts: 71
Opelika, AL | Having removed the 10 bolts... yes.. 10 bolts holding the headlight in not once... not twice... but 3 times to change bulbs (nothing more annoying than paying the big $$ for the PIAA bulbs and have one of them blow.. been there.. done that...) I can do the job in under an hour... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 193
Buford, GA United States | I just want to be like VaParadox when I grow up...my dealer is incredible (Victory of Cumming Ga) and his service tech is great but I still don't get all the free stuff the the VaPox gets...I just want to get on the list telling me what he is getting... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| no bulb issues here either, knock on wood. Sorry about the bad luck |
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Tourer
Posts: 354
20 miles west of Chicago. | I blew a PIAA left high beam a few weeks ago. Took the belly pan, grill halves, left leg fairing ( was contemplating a new horn) and turn signal off to change the bulb. Got it back together and when looking at the headlight for one last function check, found that the reflective cone on the HID bulb had fallen off. Dealer replaced the headlight a couple of days later under extended warranty, so I did all that work for nothing (except the experience.) I had found that it's actually easier to remove and replace the grill halves and the leg fairings as a unit. The dealer's wrench also did it that way, removing the grill and leg fairings, both turn signals, mirrors, and all the tank covers and dash pieces before removing the headlight. It sure made getting at those two 4mm screws that go in from behind the headlight easier to get at. After having done it once, though it's a lot of work to change a bulb, I think pulling everything is the way to go, a lot less cussing for sure, and less blood. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | The Victory summer kit was kinda cool. Not sure why someone would really want a Victory beach towel, and a couple of those beer bottle cozy things with a Victory logo, but it was a nice gesture. They really wanted to see my chrome hand grips and how we did them. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 849
, FL United States | I'm now on my 4th set of headlight bulbs. Yes, I said 4TH SET! My buddy who is a certified Victory tech & I can do the R&R in about 3 hours now. We upgraded to H4 Bright White w/ 65/110 watt & added a headlight modulator to the right side light. I like it as it makes me even more visible around town.
BTW The designer of the Vision fairing who decided it was a GOOD idea to put a 10mm bolt in the center of the mirror housing that you can't get your fingers in should have to fly to wherever you are and change the damn headlight bulbs himself IMHO. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 71
Opelika, AL | All you really have to remove is the grille and belly pan... everything else can stay in place... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 669
Peachtree City, GA | autiger2 - 2009-06-12 7:32 AM
All you really have to remove is the grille and belly pan... everything else can stay in place...
Is this the voice of experience? |
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Tourer
Posts: 562
SC, Bluffton | Holly cow this ain't right. )o: This could be one of the first bikes sold because a light went out. 
CoolHandLuke - 2009-06-12 6:18 AM
BTW The designer of the Vision fairing who decided it was a GOOD idea to put a 10mm bolt in the center of the mirror housing that you can't get your fingers in should have to fly to wherever you are and change the damn headlight bulbs himself IMHO.
When I was installing the Muth mirrors, I alrady knew that bolt would be difficult from the posts here. I put a little peice of double side foam tape in the socket wrench head, and it would hold the bolt in there. Without the socket head on the wrench, I lowered the socket & bolt into the general area and pushed & twisted. Once the bolt started threading itself, I attached the wrench to the socket. It went okay using that foam tape method. I have 3XL hands, and I haven't really studied exaclty how the bulbs get changed, but it sounds like I'll be a cussing sailor.
Herb |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | Varyder - We have about 12,000 on the bike (2up), and 60% of our riding is on smaller, two-lane roads with lots of patches, potholes, and sinks. (For those in Washington, we sit at the bottom of Chinook Pass, so we ride the Chinook -White Pass loop a lot.) The bike does take more than it's share of bumps.
After doing this once, next time will be quicker. Autiger2 is right. . . that's all you really need to remove.
The owner's manual has a simple procedure. I started with that. I could get my hand inside the air box and pry the rubber boot loose from the housing, flip the retaining clip, but for the life of me I didn't have enough room to back the bulb out of the housing nor remove the boot completely free from the light itself. We won't even go into getting the electrical connection loose.
CoolHandLuke - I went with the H4 Bright White w/ 65/110 watt bulbs as well. They put out a lot of light, much more than the stock.
This is the first thing I've ran into on the Vision that's been a pain. Every bike has something that's a PITA, and should be much easier than it is. I had a bike one time that I took the saddlebags off. Very easy. Four long bolts through the rear fender. Then I went to put them back on.
6 hours later I took the bags and bolts to the dealer in defeat. Turns out I wasn't the only one. The forum that I was on then had pages of stories about those four bolts. The best advice was "never take the saddlebags off". But you can't do that with a headlight. With all of the other great design features on the bike, you would think something that is going to be replaced from time to time. . .well, it should just be a little easier.
The only cure for my aggravation was going for a ride. You know, after an hour I wasn't even thinking about the lights anymore. 
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | My HID still works. I have reached up there an felt the connector for the standard light. If the HID bulb is too expensive, I will opt for the standard bulb. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | 6000 miles later and I blew the high beam on the PIAAs.
ARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH! |
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Simple two step process for changing headlights