Are both headlights supposed to be on at the same time? (5th Gen)

[Corey]

Are both headlights supposed to be on at the same time on my 5th Gen? From my recollection they are both supposed to be on at the same time, but today, while waiting at a stoplight behind a car, I noticed that only one light (the left one from the rider's position) was on. When I clicked my high beams both lights would come on, although a few times the switch didn't turn them on, I had to flip it a couple times to get the second light to turn on. This was a random experience as it did not happen every time.

Is this normal. Is it possible that the low beam on the right headlight is out? What is possibly going on?

[Terry]

According to the wiring diagram both headlights should work as a pair. If one bulb is out on low beam then most likely the low beam filament has burnt out. 

If high beam is not coming on consistently you may need to clean the handlebar switch.

 

[Cogswell]

It's usually recommended to replace both at the same time.   They have the same number of hours so the other low beam probably doesn't have long to go.   A bit of contact cleaner sprayed in to the high beam switch should clear up the intermittent operation.   

[Corey]

Thanks for the info. I bought a couple of these awhile back just in case the headlights decided to go. I will let you know how they do.

[JZH]

Euro-spec VFRs often had only one side illuminated on low beam, but I think that stopped being done with the 4th gen.

Ciao,

[Dutchy]

The 4th gen did come with one low beam wired; easy to address and have both low beams on.

[MaxSwell]

One of the best safety upgrades I've done on my fifth is to install LED headlight bulbs. They illuminate the road better than oem and the white light seems to attract more attention in traffic and other situations both day and night when conspicuousness is highly desired. 

http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/h4-cree-led-bulbs-headlight-bulbs-super-bright.html

 

[lanesmatb]

MaxSwell, have you posted anything on this mod in the past?  I'd be curious on what needed to be modded on the headlight shell, etc.. and pros/cons on low and high beam function.

Thanks,

Scott L.

[MaxSwell]

8 hours ago, lanesmatb said:

MaxSwell, have you posted anything on this mod in the past?  I'd be curious on what needed to be modded on the headlight shell, etc.. and pros/cons on low and high beam function.

Thanks,

Scott L.

Hey Scott, it really is quite simple on fifth gens. The LED bulb goes where the oem one goes, although it's necessary to remove the lower two locating tabs. The remaining tab and the spring still hold the bulb still. The large circular rubber covers need to be trimmed a little for the screw-on heat sinks at the back of the bulb for air flow. Sticky-back Velcro patches about the size of a deck of cards will attach the transformers(?) (which are a little smaller than a deck of cards) to the external side of the headlight housing. Plug them to the existing harness and Steve's your buddy. No alteration for the housing is necessary. I don't get flashed at by approaching traffic; I've done no headlight aiming since I acquired the bike.

At the same time I put these in last year, I was installing a VFRness and Joshua (WireMyBike) said that since the bulbs use much less electricity there'd be more load on the r/r to dissipate the extra heat so I put in a "modern" r/r. Mine happened to be a Rick's but there may be better ones. Switchblade knows the name. Search this forum for r/r issues. You may want to do the same. 

To answer your question, I took a couple pics but someone else had an install thread that I followed. If it's been deleted I'll try to fine them. I expect to help MotorMike install his this month; perhaps a thread will come out of that.

I've found absolutely no cons with these. High beams are quite bright enough that I have to dim them for all approaching traffic; nothing different there.

I cannot imagine that you'd be disappointed doing this. Good luck.

P.S. You can check them out at T-Mac if you are smart enough to attend that fabulous gathering of the VFRD family. You are in the neighborhood; much closer than I.    

[lanesmatb]

Thanks Max, that's helpful.  I was planning on going last year but family commitments derailed it.

Thanks again.

Scott L.

[sadrik]

North American gen5 VFR800 do light up both headlights on both low and high beam.  I'd say you lost a low-beam filament and need to replace a bulb.

 

As for the "high beams didn't come on at all", that has happened to me too on my old VFR, to the point where I've been afraid to hit my high beams in moments of sudden need, like entering a ramp that has miserable lighting in the middle of the night (I hate suddenly being dropped into darkness while approaching a curve), etc.  I think that's a case of the headlight relay starting to wear out, but it might also be the switch contacts.  Got rid of that bike before I sorted that problem out.

[iThinkergoiMac]

On my VFR, the headlight contacts had gotten dirty and the lights wouldn't consistently come on. A little contact cleaner fixed that up and now they work great.

[Lorne]

Hopefully the bulbs on your 5th gen are easier than my 6th gen. Even Donald Trump's tiny hands would find it difficult in such a tiny, awkward space.

[sadrik]

Just now, Lorne said:

Hopefully the bulbs on your 5th gen are easier than my 6th gen. Even Donald Trump's tiny hands would find it difficult in such a tiny, awkward space.

 

If the gen5 bulbs are easier to replace than the gen6, well, I'll be stunned.  Freakin' hellish on the gen5.

[checksix]

It helps if a) you have small hands and b) you know how the bulbs are clipped in, because you have to work blind.

This video helps with the latter:

 

 

[VFR4Lee]

Nice video. It's always easier if the thing is sitting on a bench.

 

Small hands would help, but my medium hands have been able to do it with the lights on the bike.

Some garage words may or may not help, but will be hard to avoid saying.

[Gerkin1961]

Just changed the bulb on my UK bike both bulbs lit on low beam,blimey it was fiddly