Burnt out headlight

[camscott1]

I've got a 2005 Katana 600 with just under 200 miles on it. The left headlight is already burnt out (works in high beam only). The manual refers to taking the rubber cover off to get to the bulb. I must be missing something here because that rubber cover seems pretty "permanent". I can reach through a small hole in the cover and touch the bulb/socket but can't seem to get the bulb out.

Any suggestions from somebody a lot more technically capable that I?

Thanks in advance

[SweetLou]

The rubber comes out, and there is a small metal wire frame thingy that holds the light in that pivots open. May be easiest if you take the fairing off, and may want to replace both at the same time.

[tzortn]

Check out the online micro fiche at Ron Ayers it may help out. BTW did you take off your fairing? When I changed my bulb I took the bulb out with out removing the fairing. I ended up taking the fairing off to get the clip back in place. Remember not to touch the bulb with your bare hand. It will reduce the life of the bulb.

[The CyberPoet]

Rubber cover: there is a tab on the rubber cover -- depending on how it was installed at the factory, the tab may be at the top or at the bottom. Unplug the bulb, locate the tab and yank.

Next: wire spring retainer. On a new bike, this spring retainer is held in place with a phillips-head screw that is screwed down tight. Locate the screw, loosen by unscrewing 1 full rotation or so. No need to unscrew it all the way, just enough to release it's death-grip on the wire spring retainer. Push the wire spring sideways and it should pop open (the other end is held in metal that forms a pivot).

Now you can take the bulb out with a little twisting (believe it's counter-clockwise 25 degrees or so) and then draw it straight back.

As Tzortn pointed out, never touch an H4 (HB2/9003) bulb by the glass, which has a high quartz content. The quartz sucks up body oils and later those oils & salt in it will become a hot-spot which will cause the bulb glass to fail (shatter normally). If you do touch it by accident, paper towels and rubbing alcohol will take it off again.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[skasner]

+1 on what Cyber says... and you definately do NOT need to take off your fairings.


It took me all of 10 minutes to change both bulbs...

-5min to figure out how to get the rubber covers off (finally found tab on top)

-5min to do everything else.

[stb000013]

Sylvania Silverstars are a nice upgrade if you haven't already purchased bulbs.

[redblack90kat]

pricy though, right

[The CyberPoet]

pricy though, right

$18 - $20 per bulb. Not that pricey for the brightest bulb you can legally run in your H4 set-up with full DOT complaince and no fire hazard, IMHO.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[stb000013]

pricy though, right

Like Cyber said, about $20 each. Well worth it in my opinion.