Blown Headlight Bulbs

[andy and the r man]

I went to ride home last night from my gym and I realized I had no headlights, high or low beam. I went to the store this afternoon and bought exact replacement bulbs H7 and 9005, and installed them properly, started the bike to go meet a training client, and presto, no lights again. Before I started the bike, the new bulbs worked fine. The fuses didn't blow, no other lights are affected, and everything else is in order. What's going on?

[Zoinks!]

Did you touch the glass on the bulbs?

[jch364]

??? could there be a stripped wire or something. thats really odd. for both to blow it has to be something besides the bulbs. maybe in the wireing.

[busa-saga]

check the socket too, it might have melted.

[mestona]

Sounds to me like the power/ground off the relay is pinched somewhere causing a short, have you had the body work off lately????

[GIXERHP]

Check your voltage at the battery, you may have a bad voltage regulator!

[aussiekeeper]

Yea, sounds like a voltage spike is popping the bulbs...............

[andy and the r man]

What's a good place to look for that, the voltage regulator or the alternator?

[BlueHaya]

Check your voltage at the battery, you may have a bad voltage regulator!

When I got my 05LE both headlights were blown. They had started it without the rectifier and I wonder if that caused it. Both bulbs were blown. Replaced them both and put on my 06 rectifier and good to go.

[aussiekeeper]

What's a good place to look for that, the voltage regulator or the alternator?

Attach a volt meter to the battery and start it. Watch the meter, as soon as it is started. Now slowly bring up the revs, watch the meter...........what does it read?

[Zoinks!]

Check your voltage at the battery, you may have a bad voltage regulator!

When I got my 05LE both headlights were blown. They had started it without the rectifier and I wonder if that caused it. Both bulbs were blown. Replaced them both and put on my 06 rectifier and good to go.

Probably gonna be one of these 2 things.

[andy and the r man]

Attach a volt meter to the battery and start it. Watch the meter, as soon as it is started. Now slowly bring up the revs, watch the meter...........what does it read?

How will I know if it's a regulator or rectifier?

[andy and the r man]

Was just informed they are the same part... I'm a little slow...

[andy and the r man]

I put the voltmeter to it and it went up to 14 and a little change when tached up to @ 5k
.
Funny thing is, both headlights work again. I assumed they were blown, but I guess not.

A short, a nick, a wet connection, etc in the headlight wiring perhaps?

[BlueHaya]

check the front harness