Headlight bulbs 09 R12RT

[beemergirl]

My headlight bulbs burn out about once a year (one or the other) and I now obviously have two different lights on either side. So rather than buying overpriced bulbs at the dealer I'm thinking an H7 bulb is maybe an H7 bulb. Can I just go to the auto parts store and pick up a couple H7 Sylvania Silverstars?

I notice that very few lights will tell you how many hours they are good for.

Thanks,

 

[galaxie]

headlight bulb change

I go to napa and get my bulbs, works for me, H7 bulb is a H7 bulb

 

[lkchris]

Sylvania Silverstars are about the shortest-lived bulbs you can find.

 

[beemergirl]

Kent,

Suggestions for a bright bulb that'll last longer would be appreciated.

 

[Dann]

Kent,

Suggestions for a bright bulb that'll last longer would be appreciated.

I was fed up with changing bulbs, (I changed 4 in the last 24000km, the last ones lasted 6500km )

I upgraded my low beams with DDM Tuning HID kits (35w-6000k)

HIDs are supposed last much longer than H7 bulbs. ( Time will tell. I only installed them 2 days ago...)

They are brighter, draw less power, and the color makes you more visible

YMMV

 

[lee]

Suggestions for a bright bulb that'll last longer would be appreciated.

I use the Sylvania Standard H7 bulb that comes in the blue package.

Not quite as bright as the Silverstar, but it lasts longer.
Seems like they cost around $12.00 at Walmart or slightly higher at a parts store.
I don't keep track, but I think they last one or two years with averaging 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year.

 

[waxrash]

I use the Sylvania Standard H7 bulb that comes in the blue package.

Not quite as bright as the Silverstar, but it lasts longer.
Seems like they cost around $12.00 at Walmart or slightly higher at a parts store.
I don't keep track, but I think they last one or two years with averaging 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year.

+1

 

[snooser]

brighter bulb @ candlepower.com

This is a very bright bulb and they last longer. They draw 10 more watts per bulb, but I have had no problems with any of these bulbs on various bikes I have. They are on my 2012 R1200RT.

The next step up would be HID bulbs, but I am guessing you just want to replace your H7's and be done with it. I have never had any luck with the SilverStars or the ones claiming to be better.

They are good to deal with too, I found their service very prompt.

http://store.candlepower.com/osraulhiouh7.html

Good luck!

 

[racer7]

The Osram H7 65W Rallye bulb is the brightest halogen you can fit- runs fine on stock wiring with same life or better than a stock bulb (always better in my hands)
40% more light tha stock but only 10W more power. 2100 lumens vs 1500 stock

Only way to do better is go HID - 3200 lumens per at about 43 W consumption for a 35W output power ballast.

Most LED designs are still in the margina to experimental category.

If you buy halogens know that the best are made in eastern Europe. Stay away from Asian and American cheapies most of which are actually made in China.

Your bike is hard on bulbs becasue it hits them with full rated voltage immediately when switched on- and the reslting current surge pops the fragile (too tightly wound) H-7 filament. The Osram bulb uses an H-9 filament design which is how it produces so much more output with decent life.

 

[deilenberger]

Kent,

Suggestions for a bright bulb that'll last longer would be appreciated.

This is an "can I eat my cake and have it too?" sort of thing.

A brighter bulb is brighter because the filament burns hotter. A hotter filament generally doesn't last as long as one that burns cooler. If you do a bit of searching around you can find numbers on the lifetime vs lumens (light output) for various bulbs. I believe Daniel Stern (google it - "Daniel Stern bulbs") may have that info on his website. There are some specific bulbs made for a longer lifetime - usually done by reducing the light output.

 

[Riverdawg]

H7 lamp specs

This link is to Sylvania's spec sheet for H7s. The standard lamp is the cheapest and has longest life, but that's just 270 hours, but still over twice as long as the silverstars and according to Sylvania same lumens levels, just different heat range (color).

270 hrs times 45 mph = 12150 miles. The lamps may actual last longer, but they will not be operating at original spec output.



https://www.sylvania.com/en-us/appl...tems/Pages/lrgproductspecs.aspx?partnumber=H7

 

[beemer01]

+1 on the HIDs

Seriously the best $40 improvement I've ever made to a bike. Easily 30% more light than the old Halogens, they consume far less power and seem to last forever. Installation takes several hours.

 

[Jankoman]

Sylvania H7 ST SilverStar High Performance Halogen Headlight Bulb, (Pack of 2)

2007 R1200RT

I just order a set of H7 from Amazon, $24. I got two years, approximately 20K miles on these same bulbs (one blew last week). Autozone wanted $22 for a single, and $40 for a pair, same bulb.

Sylvania H7 ST SilverStar High Performance Halogen Headlight Bulb, (Pack of 2)

 

[mjac]

The Osram H7 65W Rallye bulb is the brightest halogen you can fit

Are you aware of any issues with Phillips 80w Rally Max bulbs, (Phillips PX26d)? I am considering using one them as a high beam.

 

[cjack]

On the way from Minnesota I replaced a stock H7 with an Osram Silverstar H7 made in Germany. Someone somewhere said these are higher quality than the Silverstars made elsewhere. So I bought a few but never used them. I wasn't looking for more light output and less life, but carried it as a spare...so we will see if I am somewhere in a gas station again changing this one out soon...

 

[beemergirl]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. I guess a bulb lasting only a year is not unusual as I put on about 20K miles/year. I'll just put regular bulbs back....a matching set and be done till next summer.

I have auxillary HID lighting so I don't have a huge need to upgrade the headlights. I get flashed by oncoming traffic with just the stock headlights.

 

[deilenberger]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. I guess a bulb lasting only a year is not unusual as I put on about 20K miles/year. I'll just put regular bulbs back....a matching set and be done till next summer.

I have auxillary HID lighting so I don't have a huge need to upgrade the headlights. I get flashed by oncoming traffic with just the stock headlights.

It's rather sad that the hardest to change bulb (the RT) is the one that fails the most frequently. On the R1200R I'm still on the original bulbs at 82,000+ miles, and if I did have to change one it wouldn't take more than a few minutes (two torx screws and the headlight/reflector is in my hands.) The R1200R uses H11 bulbs, which apparently are much longer lasting than the H7 designs.

 

[Theo]

The Osram H7 65W Rallye bulb is the brightest halogen you can fit- runs fine on stock wiring with same life or better than a stock bulb.

+1 for the Osram Rallye! I've been running them for the last 1.5 years and their output is outstanding. Went 3+ years on the original H7s.

 

[patiodadio]

I use the Sylvania Standard H7 bulb that comes in the blue package.

Not quite as bright as the Silverstar, but it lasts longer.
Seems like they cost around $12.00 at Walmart or slightly higher at a parts store.
I don't keep track, but I think they last one or two years with averaging 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year.

Plus 1

 

[wyman.winn]

after about 24000 miles the right (hardest to replace) headlight bulbs burned out....while waiting for replacements (Philips H7 X-treme Power) i exchanged the high beam with the burnt out bulb with the help of a coworker (his eyes, my hands)....i have since replace all three bulbs with the Phillips and also ordered DDM HIDs for my RT.....figured i would need to pull most of the front plastics off to fit the ballasts and such....i do not have the COM system so i would suspect there will be plenty of room....

BTW, changing headlight bulbs on a 2013 RT may not be the easiest job in the world but with a helper's eyes it only took us about 15 min to change all three bulbs...

wyman