Replace headlight assembly?
 

How much of a PIA is replacing the headlight assembly?

I upgraded to a Cyclops 7000 Lumen H4 LED Headlight Bulb today and when changing the bulb found that the PO must have broken the assembly. There was a screw put in place to hold the back of the spring clip on where it looks like a pocket use to hold the back hinge.

If I can find a deal on a new headlight bucket how much bad language will be involved to replace it?

The thing works OK but it will drive me crazy knowing that it has been rigged.

10 minute job to drop the fairing to gain decent access to headlight...

Not sure how LED repalcement bumb will work as they don't usually work with the headlight's reflector causing dispersed beam that mainly inconveniences oncoming traffic rather than enhances visibility.

I upgraded mine with Eager Beaver relay kit, ceramic bulb holder and a decent conventional bulb.

Thanks! I'll evaluate it for a few weeks. If it doesn't work out well I'll toss it in another bike and go your route.

Can you give me some info on the ceramic bulb holder you choose?

EDIT
BTW I'm a gigantic dork. I have been looking at pics of the housing on eBay and it looks like the screw is not a "fix" it was stock that way. I'll still ride the LED for a while and see if a non LED is in the future. Thanks again for the info.

Apparently some Headlights were produced using a Pan head screw holding the spring clip and some with a small rectangular, formed clip. I've had both with my multiple headlight modifications. Both worked just fine. The pan head screw one made it easier to install LED bulbs with fans. Most of the modified bulb systems are easier to install with the fairing removed. It's pretty easy, (4- 10mm acorn nuts under the mirrors, 2 button head allen screws on each side of the fairing, 2 removable plastic rivets under the bottom edge below the radiators. Unplug the signals, headlight and third eye.) You can then lift the entire assembly off (a helper will make this a lot easier, especially when replacing. This will give you room to work.

A ceramic H4 bulb holder with side wires (rather than rear wires) fits as space is at a premium. And I carefuly soldered it in to replace the stocky nylon one that can get frazzled.

Bung a towel on the front mudguard when taking the fairing on & off to to rest it on to protect it from scratches. Makes it easier to connect / disconnect the riding light wiring connector etc.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sup...7a1ea547ae.jpg

almost 2 years now running an LED drop in, 1st the 3800 Cyclops and now the brighter one... NO issues at all with pattern or blinding oncoming drivers.

Ive run H4s from 55/60 watt at full voltage (vice what most get when they use the OEM wiring system) to 80/130 watt Hella and PIAA bulbs, then later HID projector which was great, as long as you never turn the bike in a corner, and now LED..

I'll not be going back to a halogen bulb anytime soon.. Perhaps dual HID projectors if I can get them to fit in a stock sized headlight ..but never an H4 again.

As everyone is saying, fairly easy to drop the fairing and get the headlight housing out.
Relatively easy to open the assembly too, although it does need to be heated, if you want to go HID and need to install the projector. Personally I VERY much like my Retrofit source HID setup. I've had it in for 6 or more years so I cannot compare to the LED/projector setups that are on the market. I never noticed an issue with the width of the beam as Erik points out, but I seldom ride after dark. For those who do, projector beam width might be a consideration.

Not sure what Retrofit source HID setup.you used, the one I used was a HID projector ..
It was not the beam width, it is how the projector uses a shield to create low beam cut off.
The bulb itself does not more or change intensity, a cut off shield moves into place and cuts off projected light far and to the left...
It create a flat cut off on the beam across the top (creating "low beam") going straight down road and its not an issue, you get a nice crisp low beam light pattern that fills the road near well.
However, as the bike leans over for a corner, that flat light beam cut off angles over as well. on a left hand turn , you loose light on the left hand side and get more distant light on the right side.. Just the opposite on a right hand turn.