Yesterday coming home from work I noticed the warning light came on for the defective bulb ... again. Now mind you last time(s) I changed the low beam bulb I used Sylvania Silverstar Ultra H7 which gives a decently white light and nice illumination. Problem is, it has a shorter-than-I-would-like lifespan.

This time I got the slightly less expensive non-Ultra Silverstar bulb and decided to install it this morning. What a PITA. I have installed many bulbs in many vehicles - including this bike - so this is not new to me, but today it seemed intent on fighting me every step of the way. First was the damned wire clip. then it did not seem to want to seat properly in the hole causing me to question orientation (tab on the flange is up), and I even managed to drop the bulb on the concrete floor.

On inspection the bulb did not look worse for wear but I am sure that this one will blow soon as a result. I plodded on with the installation and finally got it clipped in and connected and decided to try it to see whether the fall would cause an immediate failure. No - it lit up. Probably waiting for a nice dark opportunity soon to fail when needed the most. Thank goodness I have the Denali D2s!

Oh, and I also managed to drop the LED headlamp that I strap to my head ... ironically that stopped working. So the naked H7 didn't immediately fail, but this nice robust looking light no longer works. Needless to say some choice words were flowing in the garage ... good thing I am home alone.

I think that this is the biggest PITA job on this bike. Do y'all agree?

So no video in our future?

I've replaced 4 low beam bulbs in my bike and each time it will still be a pain in the behind but it will get easier. You found as I did it is frustrating as you really cannot see what you are doing so have to do by feel. When your low beam goes out your high beam should have come on to provide you with light. Sounds like a good tech session at a Ride-In. As you found I also bought one of those expensive white bulbs finding it lasted 50 hours so went back to the regular bulb knowing at between 12,000 and 15,000 miles I'll have to replace again. I'm probably due again pretty soon.

(11-29-2018, 12:09 PM)darrell Wrote: I've replaced 4 low beam bulbs in my bike and each time it will still be a pain in the behind but it will get easier. You found as I did it is frustrating as you really cannot see what you are doing so have to do by feel. When your low beam goes out your high beam should have come on to provide you with light. Sounds like a good tech session at a Ride-In. As you found I also bought one of those expensive white bulbs finding it lasted 50 hours so went back to the regular bulb knowing at between 12,000 and 15,000 miles I'll have to replace again. I'm probably due again pretty soon.

So far I have only changed one bulb between the two bikes.
If I remember right I removed the small black fairing trim piece so I could see what I was doing.

The hardest bike I had for changing bulbs was the K1200RS. The easiest was the K1300S.

(11-29-2018, 12:04 PM)Mark Wrote: So no video in our future?

Hahaha ... too much bleeping would make it R-rated ...

(11-29-2018, 02:25 PM)Lee Wrote: So far I have only changed one bulb between the two bikes.

You replaced with the stock yellow-light bulb, right? Those base bulbs last the longest. I am trying to see what bulb will give me the whitest light and long life. At a reasonable price. (I am pretty sure such a beast does not exist and the answer is a change over to HID or LED for which the reflector is wrong).

(11-29-2018, 03:25 PM)Grumpy Goat Wrote:

(11-29-2018, 02:25 PM)Lee Wrote: So far I have only changed one bulb between the two bikes.

You replaced with the stock yellow-light bulb, right? Those base bulbs last the longest. I am trying to see what bulb will give me the whitest light and long life. At a reasonable price. (I am pretty sure such a beast does not exist and the answer is a change over to HID or LED for which the reflector is wrong).

Or trade bikes and that challenge of finding the perfect bulb is resolved

(11-29-2018, 03:25 PM)Grumpy Goat Wrote: You replaced with the stock yellow-light bulb, right?

I have always used the Basic Sylvania bulb.
The brighter the H7 bulb, the shorter the life.

(11-29-2018, 05:29 PM)Lee Wrote: I have always used the Basic Sylvania bulb.
The brighter the H7 bulb, the shorter the life.

Yep. Dramatically so too ...

(11-29-2018, 03:43 PM)darrell Wrote:

(11-29-2018, 03:25 PM)Grumpy Goat Wrote:

(11-29-2018, 02:25 PM)Lee Wrote: So far I have only changed one bulb between the two bikes.

You replaced with the stock yellow-light bulb, right? Those base bulbs last the longest. I am trying to see what bulb will give me the whitest light and long life. At a reasonable price. (I am pretty sure such a beast does not exist and the answer is a change over to HID or LED for which the reflector is wrong).

Or trade bikes and that challenge of finding the perfect bulb is resolved

I think Darrell has the right idea