Headlight Bulb Replacement

[Guest ratchethack]

I'd appreciate input here, if someone who's been inside the headlight nacelle ('00 Sport) can respond. (I haven't yet). From the shop manual, it appears that removing the bezel is accomplished by taking out the single phillips-head screw at the bottom of the chrome-plated bezel. The screw on mine just spins without coming out. It feels like it's rotating whatever it's screwed into inside the nacelle. There's a tiny rectangular hole in the nacelle near the screw. Poking through this hole with a small flat-blade screwdriver, I can feel something rotating when I turn the screw.

 

Am I missing something? What does this screw seat itself into, one of those cheapo stamped fasteners? Anyone else run into this??

 

Thanks!

[twhitaker]

Sounds like the same system I have on my California. That screw goes into a retainer clamp. Once the screw is loosened (yours is) the bottom of the bezel can be pried out. You might need to do a little persuading with the back end of a screwdriver.

[Guest ratchethack]

Thanks, twhitaker. A little prying and it came out. FYI - the square nut had frozen on the screw. Not the strongest fastening method to have put in there... I got it unstuck, put a drop of oil on it and re-bent the sheet metal that "holds" the nut so it has a better chance of working properly now.

[Guest bshpilot]

is anyone running a hotter bulb...like a 90/130 ? the 55/60w headlight

bulbs are OK but id like to have some more light.

 

also any one upgraded the tail bulb(s) to halogen 15/50 watt ?

 

ive done these upgrades on all my other bikes (cept the bmw...which

uses cheap plastic and showd signs of melting w/ the halogen

stop/brake bulb)

[twhitaker]

I think your tail light socket is plastic too.

 

Have you made a decision about the VA rally?

[Guest bshpilot]

Have you made a decision about the VA rally?

 

id like to go but i dont wanna pay the full amount just to ride

down, visit, & come home in the same day...

[docc]

I've run hotter bulbs on varius machines and onserved damage from the heat and current draw.

 

Search for a thread on the Sylvania Silver Star bulb. It has a destinctively more white color and is rated only a bit higher ( seems like it is 66/77 or something like that).

 

Notably , I'm using a dedicated hot and separate relays for hi and lo beams.