Originally Posted by VTRDarren

I'm not sure if you ever answered the bulb source question. The problem, and maybe the solution could be there. You may find a bulb listed as 'heavy duty' and might be more robust if you have a vibration issue causing the problem. Otherwise I'd suggest switching to LED.

Originally Posted by E.Marquez

If he were buying Ebay off shore 160watt specials, Id consider the filament breakage issue could be that. But he is using name bread "quality" bulbs. And not even high wattage ones, like a Hella 130 watt which is known to have a short life.
Ive tried the Sylvania h4 originally.blew out 3.
then i tried phillips crystal vision
I suppose his roads could be so pot holed as to be damaging the bulb in short order...but its still not something we read about from others in areas with known really bad roads.
The roads arnt really bad here at all.. I live in Miami so it is hot but i avoid all potholes[the few which are there]
There are only three common things that cause a H4 halogen glass envelope bulb to burn out or otherwise have the filament fail quickly.
Excess vibration or shock. Only thing ive noticed is the plug that goes into my headlight doesnt have a clip. Securing it on. Idk if its only my bike.but every time i check it its all the way in amd not loose or wiggly.
Too many volts
Having touched the glass envelope and not cleaning it off..causing the bulb to overheat.
Ive been riding with a mulitimeter strapped up to bike on all rides.never ever ever rises above 14.4
If not an issue of voltage (confirm don't guess) and your not jumping curbs all day at speed....i wounder if the bulb is getting contaminated as its going in (not fingers, but rubbing across something that has oil/ grease on it)

Originally Posted by Mvanriel60

and ive made sure everything is out of the way every time.. Usong gloves and not touching the bulb at all against myself or anything else.
another note last night when i thought i blew my headlight. I went home removed rr to check wires. Noticed the ground(goodcontact and not frayed or discolored) was sitting a little behind the rectifier so i swung the eyelet up and out the way. Unplugged and plugged the headlight plug back in and this morning headlight was on and stayed on the whole ride? I think.... It was daytime so hard to tell

Originally Posted by Wicky

What's the condition of the H4 bulb holder? Any signs of it getting excessively hot?

I had to replace mine with a ceramic replacement after it melted/burnt . Not sure if it was directly related to the charging system, but along with mosfet R/R and an eager beaver relay kit I haven't had any problems

Originally Posted by Mvanriel60

and ive made sure everything is out of the way every time.. Usong gloves and not touching the bulb at all against myself or anything else.
another note last night when i thought i blew my headlight. I went home removed rr to check wires. Noticed the ground(goodcontact and not frayed or discolored) was sitting a little behind the rectifier so i swung the eyelet up and out the way. Unplugged and plugged the headlight plug back in and this morning headlight was on and stayed on the whole ride? I think.... It was daytime so hard to tell

Originally Posted by E.Marquez

So up front, NO OFFENSE INTENDED... I think your missing something, something you see and don't realize or something your mind is assuming and not checking..You may have worked on this so long your just not seeing the issue. And trust me I've been there..it happens.. My son (also a Tech) do it to each all the time.... walk in the shop ask whats up, tell a story and that we are stumped......and the other asks "What about the xyz" and it usually goes like."No I chec...........crap....no I did not check that"
We work on so much stuff repeatedly, we can "remember" doing a diag step.... but from a different repair.
Yes i understand what you mean. Sometimes its best to come back another day with a fresh mind and start over... For the recird im No experienced mechanic.just a guy who loves his bike and likes to get his hands dirty and do my research and do things the right way so i know exactly what was done. My dad is a car mechanic for the past 20 years plus. So hes helped alot but neither of our strong suit would be electrics. Its something we just strated doing
If you have someone local and reasonable experienced to come over, have them run though the likely Diag steps... they may just see the "thing" your missing.

Its also possible it is a really uncommon issue that we are not thinking to ask you to check..something an experienced eye might see, or consider if they were standing over the bike.... tail tale wire insulation discoloration, random other fleeting issue, that leads to checking something. The back of my tailwire is a ******* mess. Everything works. Running light tag light brake light blinkers . but theres alot of wires just hanging empty connectors that im guessing was oem. On the bright side i havnt had a headlight problem since moving the ground arpund a bit. Maybe that was my simple fix. I know i need to fix the tail wires issue. Just need a good trustworty mechanic in miami lol

Electrics are one of the easiest and hardest to diag, easy if its "broke" now, hardest if its interment .
Headlight bulbs are a mature tech, they are failing for a reason.. And I'll admit, from this end of a computer Im stumped. We have gone over the usual suspects.

Another thought....start fresh..... in that I mean.. go out to the bike like you have never seen it before.... head light bulb not working..
Start the diag from step one and check everything, even if just checked yesterday.

Another option, install an LED "bulb"
Honestly, I think them the best option of all lighting options we have with this bike short of fabricating a twin beam
ive been meaninv to upgrade my headlight.. Maybe its time to dump a few extra dollars into a nice setup. Oll check out your link. Thanks for everything

I use in my own bikes and install in others the Cyclops 7000 lumen H4 LED bulb. It flat out works.
housing. https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.c...ulb_p_169.html

Originally Posted by Mvanriel60

? On the install of that headlight. I notice the wire looks a little longer since it has the fan attached.. Does that just hang or u tie strap the slack from it or is it a well fit piece

Originally Posted by E.Marquez

You can zip tie the LED driver (the black box looking thing) and the connector to one of several things behind the headlight. I used the faring stay.

NOT REQUIRED, at all......PLUS voids LED bulb warranty, may cause blindness and unwanted pregnancy... I also removed the unsealed OEM connector on the wiring harness side and the bulb side then added a sealed type connector on my bike, just because I can.
I have installed a bunch of Cyclops bulbs, their older 3800 lumen one that installed the same way and the current 7000 lumen one by just plugging in and zip tying the driver and excess wiring out of the way. They are all still working far as I know, thats about 5 years worth now...on bikes like mine that would go though a bulb a year due to vibrations and full RR voltage (brighter light) going to the bulb.