GEN II headlight access

[gazelle]

After five Gen 1's and about a half million miles I've got an '07. Need to install my old headlight modulator. Been reading a ton of posts but no mention of what "appears" to be a means of gaining access. Looking under the bike it appears that the black plastic piece under the fairing and attached by only 2 bolts would allow much easier access if removed. Any thoughts from anyone ? Advice ? Thanks much !

 

[mcatrophy]

Access is from above, you need to remove the panel that the headlamp adjusters go through. I have some pictures from the larger job of replacing panels, try here.

 

[MR05DODGE]

After five Gen 1's and about a half million miles I've got an '07. Need to install my old headlight modulator. Been reading a ton of posts but no mention of what "appears" to be a means of gaining access. Looking under the bike it appears that the black plastic piece under the fairing and attached by only 2 bolts would allow much easier access if removed. Any thoughts from anyone ? Advice ? Thanks much !

I took off the 4 upper, dash panels, to gain access to my headlights. To install a hid kit.
At least you are working from the top?.

 

[dcarver]

It will be a PITA... plan on cussing.

 

[RossKean]

Forget the headlight modulator. They just piss off other drivers, especially ones you are following. (Pet peeve of mine - not everyone agrees with me) I find a set of low power fork mounted LED lights do a great job of making you visible to other motorists.

I always seem to lose a bit of skin every time I have to change a bulb - thankfully not often. Big hands, mild arthritis that reduces manual dexterity and small spaces... Removing the dash panels makes access easier.

I have a set of replacement LED headlamps to install and I think I will remove the entire nose for better access. I want to properly tie in the "ballasts" and do some other electrical stuff while I have easy access. Clean and adjust windshield mechanism while I am in there. Not too difficult.

 

[RiderJoe]

I am 100% in agreement with @RossKean on his opinion about headlight modulators. My (new to me) '06 came with a one, and that is the very first farkle I removed as soon as I got the bike home after buying it. I get annoyed at seeing constant flashing high beams (at me) from motorcycles whether I am in my car or on my bike. What message does a flashing high beam mean to other drivers on the road anyway? Say that you want to change lanes on a highway, and glance in your mirrors for a couple of seconds to see if the lane is clear next to you, and if it is safe for you to make the lane change. You see a flash of the high beam from a bike in your mirror. What does that mean to you? Is it "all clear, I see your blinkers, come in to my lane" or "don't you dare come in to my lane, I am here!!!"? WTF? (As a common practice, if I flash my headlight at a truck that just passed me, it means to him "go ahead, it is safe for you to come back into the lane I am in." - is that the message you want to always send?). If you want to make yourself more visible, then a better option is to add auxiliary lights to your bike as RossKean suggested. For one, they are very effective in elevating your presence to other drivers. For two, they eliminate the ambiguity whether a car is coming with a burned out headlight, or a motorcycle is on the road heading your way.

 

[Oldjeep]

You don't need to remove any plastic to change the bulbs, just reach in. And I also removed a modulator when I bought my bike. Hate riding anywhere near people using them.

 

[gazelle]

Thanks...sure "looks" like that black panel restricts access from below. I can remove the panels...just hate to if there's a better way....

I am 100% in agreement with @RossKean on his opinion about headlight modulators. My (new to me) '06 came with a one, and that is the very first farkle I removed as soon as I got the bike home after buying it. I get annoyed at seeing constant flashing high beams (at me) from motorcycles whether I am in my car or on my bike. What message does a flashing high beam mean to other drivers on the road anyway? Say that you want to change lanes on a highway, and glance in your mirrors for a couple of seconds to see if the lane is clear next to you, and if it is safe for you to make the lane change. You see a flash of the high beam from a bike in your mirror. What does that mean to you? Is it "all clear, I see your blinkers, come in to my lane" or "don't you dare come in to my lane, I am here!!!"? WTF? (As a common practice, if I flash my headlight at a truck that just passed me, it means to him "go ahead, it is safe for you to come back into the lane I am in." - is that the message you want to always send?). If you want to make yourself more visible, then a better option is to add auxiliary lights to your bike as RossKean suggested. For one, they are very effective in elevating your presence to other drivers. For two, they eliminate the ambiguity whether a car is coming with a burned out headlight, or a motorcycle is on the road heading your way.

I've had a modulator for years, at least 300K miles, and ride extensively in East TN & Western NC as well as cross-country generally at least once a year. I can honestly say I've never had a bad, dangerous, threatening experience with another driver or rider.

 

[RiderJoe]

I am glad that you had safe rides so far, and I sincerely hope that that will continue for as long as you travel in the future. However, are you sure that everyone else on the road appreciates and understands your flashing high beams for what they were intended for? - Just asking. If I flash my high beams at some one during the day, it is because I want their attention, convey something to the driver ahead of me like “you are traveling at 45 MPH in a 65 MPH zone in the fast lane with no one ahead of you for 1/4 mile - get off your phone and pay attention to your driving - or let me pass”. Or, on a two lane road I would flash my high beam at another rider to get their attention to my hand signal to turn around because the road is blocked, and the traffic is stand still ahead. Otherwise, my bike is not an emergency vehicle and I don’t want to bring undue attention to it with unclear messaging. Again, this is only my opinion, you are entitled to yours.

 

[Oldjeep]

Thanks...sure "looks" like that black panel restricts access from below. I can remove the panels...just hate to if there's a better way....

I've had a modulator for years, at least 300K miles, and ride extensively in East TN & Western NC as well as cross-country generally at least once a year. I can honestly say I've never had a bad, dangerous, threatening experience with another driver or rider.

I put them in from the top

 

[graytaz]

Modulators may get you a ticket in Ontario. Don't know about other provinces. They're considered a modification to the headlight system and aren't legal. There are better alternatives. I also think they're more likely to cause confusion or piss off other motorists. JMHO.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

My modulator for my ‘14 was plug and play. If the same company made one for the ‘18, I’d have one installed right now.

This has been an informative thread. I’ve never thought much about headlight access, given mine are LED.

 

[gazelle]

RE: Modulators...."My view" is that the benefits outweigh the downside of possibly ticking off/annoying another motorist and I try to keep that in mind. After several hundred thousand miles of not once being "notified" by another driver of their displeasure I'll continue to use it.

 

[worney]

Modulators may get you a ticket in Ontario. Don't know about other provinces. They're considered a modification to the headlight system and aren't legal. There are better alternatives. I also think they're more likely to cause confusion or piss off other motorists. JMHO.

See https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/migrated/108_tsd_rev_5r.pdf#page20

S5.5.10(c) and S7.9.4
Transport Canada trumps provincial legislation. Print it out and carry it with you. They probably don’t know it’s legal. If they try to give you a ticket ask for a supervisor.

 

[RossKean]

Modulators may get you a ticket in Ontario. Don't know about other provinces. They're considered a modification to the headlight system and aren't legal. There are better alternatives. I also think they're more likely to cause confusion or piss off other motorists. JMHO.

I agree with your sentiment but it doesn't seem especially clear if provinces can overrule federal statutes when it comes to traffic stuff. Lots of discussion on it in various forums. Irrespective of what's legal, I still don't like them and think the perceived "safety" is in the same class as loud pipes. If the annoyance factor is what gets you noticed, that isn't ideal. (Road rage, anyone?)

Ever wonder why auto and bike manufacturers never sell vehicles with a headlight modulation system built in (AFIK)? Would be easy and inexpensive to accomplish. Perhaps they figure it isn't a very good idea...

I had a look and saw that there are LED options for headlight modulators. Too bad - I was hoping there would be a technical issue to prevent it since LED lighting will soon surpass incandescent systems on the road.

To each his own - just don't follow me with your f'ing modulator running.

 

[gazelle]

I admit I also very much dislike a modulator in my rear view while riding. I shut it off if I am following someone on a bike. Although I will admit to using it if I am behind a particularly slow rider on a twisty two lane road. They either speed up or wave me by when safe to do so. "Most" slower riders in my experience do this as a matter of courtesy regardless of whether modulator is on. I've nothing against Harley riders but in a group they are seemingly the least likely to wave ANYBODY by. I've seen groups averaging 35-40 MPH on the Blue Ridge Pkwy with half a dozen or more cars behind them who will not pull over at one off the many observation areas.

 

[SSHANK42]

Bulbs can be changed from the top without removing anything. I'm a big guy (6'5" 300lb 2xl gloves) with big hands and can do it.

 

[dcarver]

Your are hired!

 

[gazelle]

Bulbs can be changed from the top without removing anything. I'm a big guy (6'5" 300lb 2xl gloves) with big hands and can do it.

On a GEN II ? I've not tried it yet for fear of getting plugs off but unable to get them back on and lack of time to remove panels.

 

[rbentnail]

I've found on the Gen2 it's fairly simple. Having long straight and curved hemostats helps immensely with the rubber boot and spring latch. I use these a lot more than I ever expected I would.

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-1-2-half-inch-jumbo-curved-clamp-65711.html and https://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-locking-clamp-94952.html