2011 R1200RT Headlight Changing Question

I took the cover off the headlight backing to replace the bulbs and found this extra material. It almost looks like fiberglass.

It is on both sides.

It does not appear in any of the guides I have seen for replacement.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RAa9pd4v5Vah8JED9

Any thoughts?

Tom

Someone installed ADVMonster (or similar) aftermarket LED headlights. What you are seeing is a metal fabric that acts as a heat radiator. Can you post a picture from the front looking at the other side directly at the bulb (with it off)?

Wow, LED is a surprise. Aren't they supposed to last a long time? The bike only has 14,500 miles on it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KENczfN43UPp9EyB8

I did put 4,100 miles on it, during a hot trip through TX and much of the South. Could long hot days have been the problem?

Can I just pull the material out?

Thanks for your help.

Yeah. Those are some kind of LED. Might be some cheap knock-offs (like I should talk, I have a cheap set of Chinese LEDs on mine but they were recommended and so far have been great).

Yes, the "fabric" is attached to the bulb itself so you can just pull them out but there is a driver box stuffed in there for each one as well so be careful. Check your high beam bulb. Likely that one is LED as well and if it hasn't failed, it likely will. I've installed quite a few LEDs (experimenting with different ones, not due to failures) and my advice to you is to remove the headlight housing. It is a bee-otch to get the right one in.

Also, I would strongly recommend the ones I linked above. There are many fellas out there that have them and report great longevity. They don't have those bulky control boxes or heat radiators either.

Thanks, I will take a look at your link and get a new high beam as well.

Amazing what you can learn here.

Tom

babbitt said:

Thanks, I will take a look at your link and get a new high beam as well.

Amazing what you can learn here.

Tom

Click to expand...

Yeah. I'm old enough to remember when the World Book Encyclopedia and a library were only way to find stuff out.

Led bulbs

Thanks good to know

pappy35 said:

Yeah. I'm old enough to remember when the World Book Encyclopedia and a library were only way to find stuff out.

Click to expand...

That makes most of us ancient, eh? I remember those days at the public library and encyclopedia salesmen knocking on the door trying to sell my poor parents those books. What really astounds me though was the fact that around 1984, which seems like just yesterday, the Apple 2c computer was state of the art, but all I could play with it was space invaders. Had to upgrade to a Macintosh if you. Wanted anything better than a monochrome screen.
Now we think nothing of programming our motorcycles with a 911, and a blue tooth connection to the PC or cell phone. What changes we have seen!

Every time I plug in my 911 I think of that scene in the 2nd Star Wars movie (1980) where Threepio asks if Han is going to shut him down too. Han responded, "No! I need you to talk to the Falcon to figure out what's wrong with the hyper-drive."