[Fraser]

Hey folks. I have a 2013 BMW F800GS which has a burned out headlamp. I picked up the correct replacement bulb (H7 55W) and when I tried to replace it I found that the previous owner had adapted the headlamp and I haven't a clue what to make of this weird rig. What kind of a bulb is this? How does one replace it? I'm due to go on a rally in a couple of days time and fear I won't be able to figure this thing out before then. Help!

 

[RogerC60]

It looks like the PO put in an LED bulb. Most of those are in two parts: the part you're holding in your hand (the bulb part) and a circular mounting ring that inserts into the hole in the headlight housing and is held in place with the spring wire clip. The stock H7 halogen bulb has metal contact blades sticking directly out of the back of the bulb. That LED bulb probably has some wires coming out the back, with those same contact blades at the end. The motorcycle's headlight plug is likely plugged onto that.

If what I've described matches what you see, then the fix is easy. Pull the headlight plug off the LED bulb's wires. Unhook the spring wire clip and pull out the mounting ring. Put your H7 bulb into the headlight housing, snap the spring wire clip in place. Plug the headlight plug onto the bulb. Done.

 

[Annihilator]

There should be a 6" long wiring harness on the bulb with a connector at one end. Trace it down 6" and disconnect the connector. Toss the bad light, and plug the connector from the bike into the back of your new halogen bulb and reinsert it into the housing.

LED doesn't install any differently than halogen, its just a much bigger bulb because it has a big heat sink or fan on the back combined with a 6" wire harness on it. Just more to it, but no different from the OE halogen in the way it connects/installs.

 

[RogerC60]

LED doesn't install any differently than halogen, its just a much bigger bulb because it has a big heat sink or fan on the back combined with a 6" wire harness on it. Just more to it, but no different from the OE halogen in the way it connects/installs.

Actually, there is usually a difference for LED bulbs that have the big heat sink on the back side. On my BMW, the halogen H7 bulb goes into the hole and then a spring wire clip fastens into small hooks on either side of the hole, and trap the flange of the halogen bulb and hold it in place. That clip will not fit around the large LED heat sink, so the bulb manufacturers make a collar that resembles the H7 flange, and the LED bulb goes through that and turns 1/8 turn or so to lock into the collar. Install the collar, put the spring clip in place to hold it, then put in the LED bulb and twist it to lock it into place.

If that collar is in the OP's headlight assembly he'll never be able to get the halogen H7 bulb to fit properly. That collar needs to come out.

 

[Fraser]

Thanks folks, problem solved. I took out the LED (it still works when powered up to a source) and inserted the new halogen. Upon starting the bike the system resets and the light works again. Don't know quite why the CANBus system shut down the LED (it's a Cyclops).

 

[RogerC60]

Glad you got it solved. Yeah, the Cyclops are supposed to be CANBus compatible.