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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Number one, I have smaller hands than most folks, so I have a slight advantage. Right before I left for Cali, my right headlight went so I just changed that and brought the spare from the two pack. Well, while here in Barstow and riding the ultra smooth desert roads I blew out the left one, the most difficult one to change. I just got finish changing the left headlight out, start to finish in 45 minutes, woo hoo!
So what makes it slightly easier than just having smaller hands? Remove the air filter, we all know that one, right? and then adjust the headlight thingy all the way to the upper limit. That provides slightly more wiggle room, however, it is harder for me to get the left boot back on because of the wiring harness around the back and because I have limited use of my left hand.
I feel rather accomlished right now. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | For my taste it is just poor engineering. Personally, I would rather see the phillips heads of 4 screw on the front of the bike that would allow the whole assembly to come off. I'm for a tad less glamor on the bike and more skin on my hand. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | I've said this before......but I'll say it again.....
Setting the bike on the tipovers makes this task much easier. Right side for the left bulb and left tipover for the right bulb.
And also remove the filter. But I'm not sure about the whole adjusting the headlamp up.....haven't tried it yet.
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Cruiser
Posts: 69
AZ | glighto11 - 2010-07-08 9:38 AM
For my taste it is just poor engineering. Personally, I would rather see the phillips heads of 4 screw on the front of the bike that would allow the whole assembly to come off. I'm for a tad less glamor on the bike and more skin on my hand.
I agree.
After attempting to just reach up and change the bulbs with my hands (and I did remove the air filter), 90 minutes later and bleeding from the back of each of my hands, I downloaded the front end disassembly instructions from another forum member. Then the next day (when my hands stopped bleeding) spent the 2 1/2 hours it took me to change out my bulbs.
Air filters, oil filters, changing oil, and replacing bulbs should be user friendly with minimum parts removal and measured in minutes instead of hours.
regards
Edited by RCS 2010-07-08 1:44 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 432
Gettysburg, 2008 Tour Premium | I am considering going with HID for long life and less heat inside the headlamp assey. I haenot looked at the manuels and bike to determine the challenge. I loved the HID online kit I installed on my BMW k1200LT, but it was expensive. It had all the good stuff as far as ballasts and igniters, kinda like Mercedes stuff. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 26
North East Oregon | I think the genius engineer that designed the headlight assembly should get the bill for the service to change the bulbs.... see how he feels about his friggen design then..... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| I put my money on the engineer had the lights fairly easy to change but then someone changed something and the engineer was not notified in time. It happens all the time. Yes, there are some engineers that should be driving trains instead but don't feel this is the case. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Okay, I'm becoming too much of an expert in changing headlight bulbs. A little recount, I changed both a few months ago, and the right one went out right before I left to Cali. So I just changed that one, and keep the other bulb for later, they are Sylvania's but not the Silvers. So while on the road in Barstow, the left one goes out, so I change it out. On the way home, the right one blows also, and now I need to get another bub. I go to wal-mart to start over again and what do I find now? GE Recreational Headlight bubs H4 type. So, I'm going to try those out and see what happens. ($7.88 ea, $7.10 for me w/employee discount) |
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Headlight