Right Headlight burned out

[Baldy_54]

On my 05 GW Trike changed the left one many years ago, forgot what I put in there and can't understand why I did not buy two while I was at it. What do I

need if I want to keep it like it was when I bought it no special lights? Are auto

bulbs usable and what do the Honda bulbs cost?

[Gold Rush]

On my 05 GW Trike changed the left one many years ago, forgot what I put in there and can't understand why I did not buy two while I was at it. What do I

need if I want to keep it like it was when I bought it no special lights? Are auto

bulbs usable and what do the Honda bulbs cost?

HONDA bulbs are expensive and I doubt they are any better then the auto counterparts. I go to Advanced Auto or Autozone and pick up a conventional H7 bulb. There are high intensity bulbs available but they create more heat. I recall someone actually destroying a light bucket by putting a real HOT bulb in.

OH, make sure you remove the adapter from your bad bulb and install it on the H7. Also, make sure you wipe the new bulb off with alcohol and don't touch the glass while installing it. Have fun!!!

[Baldy_54]

Thanks, Jerry,

I must have bought an Auto Bulb H7 because I looked at Honda Bulbs and said shucks that is why I only bought one bulb. Pretty sure I got it as Auto Zone or Advanced. As I remember I did not use any alcohol on the other one when I installed but was careful not to touch the glass. Alcohol removes any chance that the bulb was touched when packaged.

Update: Just picked up one from Advanced Auto Cost $15.89

Hate to get one from Honda

[mhgoldwing]

I am always amazed by people who say there is no difference between todays standard auto bulbs and Honda OEM bulbs. The OEM bulbs lasted years and many thousands of miles. How many auto bulbs do that in a motorcycle?

BTW, I read somewhere that the filaments in the OEM motorcycle bulbs is heavier to withstand the vibration inherent in motorcycles. Just saying..... I buy OEM bulbs.

[Gold Rush]

I am always amazed by people who say there is no difference between todays standard auto bulbs and Honda OEM bulbs. The OEM bulbs lasted years and many thousands of miles. How many auto bulbs do that in a motorcycle?

BTW, I read somewhere that the filaments in the OEM motorcycle bulbs is heavier to withstand the vibration inherent in motorcycles. Just saying..... I buy OEM bulbs.

I had nearly 120,000 miles on my '06 which I owned new as a two wheeler. Somewhere along the way before conversion at around 73K both low beam bulbs were replaced. The remaining miles were with the automobile style H7 installed. If a bulb can stand up to the harsh abuse that trike front gave out then I'll be using them whenever I see the need... JMHO

[FRR]

I am always amazed by people who say there is no difference between todays standard auto bulbs and Honda OEM bulbs. The OEM bulbs lasted years and many thousands of miles. How many auto bulbs do that in a motorcycle?

BTW, I read somewhere that the filaments in the OEM motorcycle bulbs is heavier to withstand the vibration inherent in motorcycles. Just saying..... I buy OEM bulbs.

Do you really believe that Honda manufactures their own bulbs? I wouldn't think so. I have always used the standard bulb purchased from auto store and they last as long as what came in the bike

[DWATC]

I'm with the others. I put 115k on my '09 two wheeler and never bought a Honda bulb. Have 63K on my '13 Hannigan and have replaced one set of bulbs. I am using Electrical Connections bulbs. Have no idea where they come from but cost $30 give or take for 10 bulbs. I get between 25 and 30K out of a bulb. Doesn't matter if they are weak or not but didn't get 40K out of the 4 OEM bulbs that came new on them. For $3 a bulb I'll change them without complaint.

[GoldWingrGreg]

I am always amazed by people who say there is no difference between todays standard auto bulbs and Honda OEM bulbs. The OEM bulbs lasted years and many thousands of miles. How many auto bulbs do that in a motorcycle?

JD Powers is very much responsible for the quality of Honda's OEM headlamps and other bulbs. Although, motorcycles are not compared to one-another like cars are, what car manufacture wants a poor score because they didn't have quality standards on their headlamp bulbs ... none that I know of. It could cost them the sale of hundred or thousands of units, and imagine, Mr Ford for example, trying to defend such a move in a stock brokers meeting ... LOL !!!

I only stock OEM bulbs. The quality on them is so high, on a 2-whl'd Wing, bulbs often burn out within seconds, minutes, or days of one another. In the aftermarket world, what looks like the same Sylvania bulb in a H7 package will burn out months, years, and even decades from one another ... the difference is called QC.

For my riding style, which also includes 14,000 trips out west and riding a solo Wing (not in a group) with my GF on back, and where sometimes there's no cell phone service for days (5), I replace mine as PM. My low beams get replaced about every 45k. When a turn signal bulb or tail light bulb goes bad on one side, I replace them in sets too.

Partzilla sells the OEM ones for $16.55. Part #10

No matter what brand, or how much I pay for the "brighter ones" or ones with a "different color beam," they always burn out noticeably quicker.

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/searc...GHT/parts.html

Hopefully the 6th generation Wing will have something better then what we currently have.

[mhgoldwing]

Do you really believe that Honda manufactures their own bulbs? I wouldn't think so. I have always used the standard bulb purchased from auto store and they last as long as what came in the bike

I know Honda doesn't manufacture their bulbs. However, like many OEM parts, they are made to Honda specs and Honda oversees the quality of the product. I believe that is often a higher standard than standard aftermarket parts.

That said, to each his own. I've know guys that put in aftermarket equivalent bulbs and had them burn out within a few thousand miles where the original bulbs lasted 50-60 kmiles. YMMV.

[Gold Rush]

I know Honda doesn't manufacture their bulbs. However, like many OEM parts, they are made to Honda specs and Honda oversees the quality of the product. I believe that is often a higher standard than standard aftermarket parts.

That said, to each his own. I've know guys that put in aftermarket equivalent bulbs and had them burn out within a few thousand miles where the original bulbs lasted 50-60 kmiles. YMMV.

As you say :"to each his own".... I've gotten HONDA parts bad out of the box. So it's sort of a wash isn't it???

[mhgoldwing]

As you say :"to each his own".... I've gotten HONDA parts bad out of the box. So it's sort of a wash isn't it???

Yep!