Right Low beam H7 bulb replacement nightmare 2009 R 1200 RT

Took me approximately 50 minutes to change the left side low beam bulb and THEN I have been trying to change the right bulb. It is absolutely ridiculous trying to get in there. I have seen the videos which show the left bulb being changed to include Max's video with the entire headlight assembly removed, (ergo no help). Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated

Regards,

Bill

will3hawks said:

Took me approximately 50 minutes to change the left side low beam bulb and THEN I have been trying to change the right bulb. It is absolutely ridiculous trying to get in there. I have seen the videos which show the left bulb being changed to include Max's video with the entire headlight assembly removed, (ergo no help). Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated

Regards,

Bill

Click to expand...

i removed the entire headlight assy (30min to R&R) on my 13RT to change bulbs numerous
times before installing Cyclops LEDs....that was 18 months ago....

will3hawks said:

Took me approximately 50 minutes to change the left side low beam bulb and THEN I have been trying to change the right bulb. It is absolutely ridiculous trying to get in there. I have seen the videos which show the left bulb being changed to include Max's video with the entire headlight assembly removed, (ergo no help). Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated

Regards,

Bill

Click to expand...

Hi Bill- just changed all three of mine right, middle, left and replace standard OEM yellow 3800K with bright white 5000 K bulbs after an IBA2000/48 on 9/11.
Just remember the tang is always up, the spring loads should always be pushed most superior when positioning the bulb, then, lower down into place once the bulb cylinder is centered along the cylindrical head - inside the lamp housing, and when the tangs are flush.
I found a very useful tool that I want to share with you. It’s an aluminum solid rod about 1/2 inch diameter and almost 2 feet long. The end of this ride is slightly concaved i.e. cupped inwards. I used it almost like an extension of my finger. A substitute would be an “arrow” from someone’s bow and quiver, use the notched end and strip the feathers. So, Once the bulb is in place, use this rod to press in the first holding spring, almost like pointing a pool stick! Then, inspect your work with one spring latched, and use the rod again to center it if need be. Then, use the rod again to close the second spring and you are set!
Here is a pic of the back of what you are trying to seat, and don’t worry, the first one took me 20’, the middle and left ones took me 3’ each. (Hopefully I can load this pic w my iPhone). First pic right side bulb w yellow wires, second pic left side w short OEM wires. Third pic are with 2 bulbs changed and lit before capping, Last pic, poor alignment of bulb before re-seating it properly.


Good Luck
Jim on Long Island



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not to curse German Engineers, BUT to curse German Engineers

I have to weigh in on this one as I have just spent about an hour changing the left low beam bulb. I spent another hour TRYING to change the right bulb. Still, no success. There seems to be some sort of unwritten rule that "Thou shalt never call out a German Engineer for a stupid design" and in fact, the design of the access for the bulbs IS A STUPID DESIGN, AS RELATES TO ACTUALLY CHANGING THEM . In over 50 years of riding, I have changed more than my share of bulbs and I have NEVER experienced a design as stupid as this. Changing a headlight bulb should not require a ZEN Technician with 50 years experience and a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. The Elephant in the room is that from the standpoint of being able to service what you ride, this is a poor design. Let the flaming begin.

It only takes 30 minutes to remove the entire headlight assembly which is what I choose to do to avoid the aggravation. Gives you an opportunity for a yearly clean up in some of the areas it uncovers as well. I replace all 3 while I am at it.

Good instructions in this post:
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthrea...elle-(fairing)-Removal-and-Accessory-Wire-Run

Stop at page 11

I found that popping off the respective mirror of the side that you're going to change helps - it allows me to see what I'm actually doing.

I solved my problem years ago by replacing the Halogen lamps with HIDs
Never had to change a lamp since...
Also, no issue with the connectors falling apart since they are not in direct contact with the heat produced by the bulb.

YMMV

will3hawks said:

I have to weigh in on this one as I have just spent about an hour changing the left low beam bulb. I spent another hour TRYING to change the right bulb. Still, no success. There seems to be some sort of unwritten rule that "Thou shalt never call out a German Engineer for a stupid design" and in fact, the design of the access for the bulbs IS A STUPID DESIGN, AS RELATES TO ACTUALLY CHANGING THEM . In over 50 years of riding, I have changed more than my share of bulbs and I have NEVER experienced a design as stupid as this. Changing a headlight bulb should not require a ZEN Technician with 50 years experience and a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. The Elephant in the room is that from the standpoint of being able to service what you ride, this is a poor design. Let the flaming begin.

Click to expand...

I hear you, what a crappy headlight design for otherwise such a nice bike. I broke the connector on my right one last time, what a PITA to get a new one in there, I used splices and it seems to be fine .... the next time I have to change a bulb, I think I will take the whole assembly out. Maybe a winter project and do all 3 while I have it apart.

The bulb tends to fall out, before you can attach the clip. I have found using a tiny piece of tape on the top mounting ear holds the bulb in place until you can latch the spring. Then you can pull off the tape.
The spring, can jump for freedom if you are not careful. It is a very fun thing to find on a dark asphalt parking lot. They are NOT sold separately. I attach a little bread wrapper tie to it to hold it out of the way. Side benefit, if it jumps for freedom, it is easier to see.
I HOPE the Cyclops LED I just installed lasts forever. Much better than the bulb burning out on a moonless night during deer migration.
You will have to remove the headlight, there really is no other way. My 2009 GS is really easy, HINT, there is a pin on the bottom of the housing that fits in a rubber grommet. Make sure the grommet is in good condition, and the pin is in there, because it will fit either way. The wrong way is a handy feature if you want to scan for squirrels in trees or flocks of geese, useless otherwise. Good thing is second removal is much faster.

Rod

will3hawks said:

I have to weigh in on this one as I have just spent about an hour changing the left low beam bulb. I spent another hour TRYING to change the right bulb. Still, no success. There seems to be some sort of unwritten rule that "Thou shalt never call out a German Engineer for a stupid design" and in fact, the design of the access for the bulbs IS A STUPID DESIGN, AS RELATES TO ACTUALLY CHANGING THEM .

Click to expand...

In 1973 I installed some Hella Halogen headlight replacements on my '72 Opel Manta ... the bulb mounting system then was the same clip system used today.

It's the rear access that makes the difference, and this motorcycle isn't the first vehicle where it was difficult and where perhaps other components needed to be removed or moved first. It's a pain on my Mercedes for sure and on my Porsche, I remove the entire headlight assembly.

It was an E39 BMW car iirc that featured a plug in quarter turn mount for the same H7 bulbs, but that's the only ever German vehicle I've seen that didn't use the clips.

As for "shouldn'ts" ... just understand that NO German vehicle is designed with DIY maintenance as a high priority, rather the expectation is that you've done it before and have benefitted from learning all the tricks ... meaning you're a trained technician. Germany doesn't have a "fix it with baling wire Model T" cultural history.

I take of the mirrors and the dash panel. Quick and easy and provides a lot more space to access the bulbs and the clips.

2009 R1200 bulb replacement

Had to replace both low beam bulbs while on a road trip. My hands had many small cuts my langue remembered words I, thought I had forgotten not to mention 2 hrs of time.
Now I have a2013 R 1200 replaced all bulbs with brighter bulbs impossible without removing the panels.
Built in profit for Dealers. Think that's bad My wife's Audi A5 needed a battery 160.00 for the battery 300.00 for labor and computer reset. Love The BMW wife loves the Audi.
Time for another ride

TEDZEMLICKA said:

I take of the mirrors and the dash panel. Quick and easy and provides a lot more space to access the bulbs and the clips.

Click to expand...

How do you take off the dash panel ? Is this the same as the link provided in an earlier post ? thank you

Bulb

will3hawks said:

Took me approximately 50 minutes to change the left side low beam bulb and THEN I have been trying to change the right bulb. It is absolutely ridiculous trying to get in there. I have seen the videos which show the left bulb being changed to include Max's video with the entire headlight assembly removed, (ergo no help). Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated

Regards,

Bill

Click to expand...

It can be done have to use left hand bar turned to left. After trying for 30 or so minutes I, walked away BS with a fried for a while went back it dropped in in 2 minutes.Lucky

A two minute job that takes an hour...

It helps if you can find someone with small hands. No, I'm not joking. And I use a mirror to see what I am doing. You can also see if the bulb is in correctly by looking at the front of the bike. If the bulb isn't straight in keep going until it is. And you can make one of these handy bulb holders from an old section of window screen frame. I also made a second tool which is a small flathead screwdriver with a notched blade to push the spring holders off and on. A stiff thin metal tube also works for this.

And those incredibly cheap and flimsy brittle OEM plastic sockets both cracked on me so I replaced them with spliced on higher quality (made in China) ceramic sockets which are durable, cheap and readily available.

BTW, if one low beam burns out you can expect that the other isn't far behind, so may as well do both.

Many thanks to all for suggestions RE: Headlight bulb replacement

All told, it probably took 5 hours total to change the bulbs due to an incredibly stupid design. BMW's engineering department is in dire need of a "Department of Common Sense" so that when someone designs something like this, they bring the responsible party in and play "Stick Quiz" wherein they say "Now Hans, is this really a good design?" If Hans says yes, they hit him with the stick and say "Wrong answer Hans, now try again".

I must now enter Re-education Purgatory for having the audacity to question German engineering.

Final Rant, RE changing headlight bulbs.

If you need to take half of your bike apart to change headlight bulbs..................This is a dumb ass design and the German Engineer who designed this should spend the rest of his life designing new variants of rubber dog **** for the Spencer Gift Stores.

Try changing bulbs in some cars.

86 Monte Carlo SS the factory service manual stated remove rubber nose 110 fasteners. I made a special tool.

Many cars require removing the head lamp assembly.

Rod

I Too Take off the Instrument Panel Bezel

gimme789 said:

How do you take off the dash panel ? Is this the same as the link provided in an earlier post ? thank you

Click to expand...

It's pretty easy. Take off both mirrors. Then there are about eight or nine screws to take off (three on top I believe, two on each side that were exposed when you took off the mirrors, and two on the bottom of the bezel). Takes 5 minutes or so to take off the bezel. It gives you much more room to maneuver your hands and the bulb you are removing/replacing.

The earlier link does show the location of all the fasteners needed to remove it.