Electronics » H7 halogen bulb life

I looked for a listing about this and didn't see it. I've had my 2018 for almost 4 years and 18,400 miles and I just had the second low beam go out. Yes, I've read all the posting about LEDs and some, probably most, are pleased with the results. I should probably go that route but the light went out on the way to work, early in the week, with the forecast of glorious fall weather for the week. I couldn't wait for an LED to arrive in the mail. For those who've stayed with standard H7, halogen bulbs, about how long do they last? Is two years about average? I bought a pair of Sylvania, Silverstar Ultra blubs. Boy are they proud of those! They're a little brighter and a little whiter but certainly nothing like the LED array that was on my 2014 Honda interceptor. But, Walmart had them last night and I was safely back on the road.

I have 36K on my 2016 and replaced one low beam bulb.

There are many factors here. My OEM bulb went out after 3 years, but under 10K…I think. Some bulbs are made better than others and hold up to vibration/shock better. Also, the “brighter” bulbs are rated for shorter lifespans. It’s part of why I go LED or HID for brighter bulbs. Standard halogens just can’t burn brighter without sacrificing longevity.

I never kept track how long they lasted.
We don't ride at night so we always used the Sylvania Basic because they're cheap and have the longest life.
Seems like they're around $10 at Walmart.
I always carried a extra on trips on our past bikes.
At least they are easy to change.

I do a lot of night riding. When I bought the bike, I had the dealer install the BMW auxiliary spots. Those help a lot. I agree, they are very easy to change out. I was able to replace the high and low bulbs in less than a half hour. I certainly wasn't pushing. I could probably do it quicker. Compared to changing the bulbs on my 2007 and 1994 Hondas, these are a breeze to change.

Zitat von Lee im Beitrag #4

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At least they are easy to change.

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Motorcycle halogen bulbs should be designated to a higher vibration and shock resistance to car fitments.

They are the same size but need a thicker element or filament to cope with the fun we have on two wheels.

Yes a car item will fit but I doubt it will outlast the correct item specified

Always carry a spare....
Mine last about 17,000 to 18,000 miles.
For what it's worth, for the cost, I replaced my last one while doing routine maintenance before a 7000 mile trip, knowing I had ~17,000 miles on the current bulb.

Zitat von Dave H im Beitrag #7

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Motorcycle halogen bulbs should be designated to a higher vibration and shock resistance to car fitments.

They are the same size but need a thicker element or filament to cope with the fun we have on two wheels.

Yes a car item will fit but I doubt it will outlast the correct item specified

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They should sell these at a motorcycle dealership,,,, maybe!!

https://knowmotorcycles.com/are-car-and-...bulbs-are-same/

Conclusion:

Car and motorcycle bulbs may look the same, but they are not interchangeable. Car Bulbs have longer filaments which require a higher wattage to produce the same level of brightness as a motorcycle bulb. Motorcycle bulbs have a shorter filament and typically require a lower wattage to achieve the desired output for their headlights or taillights. It is not recommended to use car bulbs on motorcycles because it can overload electrical systems in bikes.

I think I used Osram back in the 80s. https://www.osram.com/am/light-for/light...kt=/motorcycle/

That's been too many years to remember if they were any better than the bulbs you buy at a parts store, gas station or discount store.

I've never heard of an H7 bulb specifically for a motorcycle. Maybe the UK has them but in the US they don't. At least not that I've ever seen. I'd be happy to be corrected and pointed to them.

Just as an aside, I carry a spare, those small panels on the side just below the pillion seat are fixed with 3 torx screws and have sufficient space behind them for a spare bulb or two. Maybe everyone is aware of that….or perhaps not.

Zitat von Dave H im Beitrag #10

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https://knowmotorcycles.com/are-car-and-motorcycle-bulbs-are-same/

Conclusion:

Car and motorcycle bulbs may look the same, but they are not interchangeable.

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Zitat von Davidnapo im Beitrag #13

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I've never heard of an H7 bulb specifically for a motorcycle. Maybe the UK has them but in the US they don't. At least not that I've ever seen. I'd be happy to be corrected and pointed to them.

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Zitat

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Most motorcycle headlights use a 6-volt bulb. Car headlights usually use a 12-volt bulb. It is not recommended to use a car bulb on a motorcycle because the wattage is too high.

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Every motorcycle I’ve seen of late runs 12v, not 6v.

Zitat

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Car bulbs have longer filaments and require a higher wattage to produce the same level of brightness as a motorcycle bulb. Motorcycle bulbs have a shorter filament and typically require a lower wattage to produce the same level of brightness. It is not recommended to use a car bulb on a motorcycle because the wattage is too high and can overload the electrical system.

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Might be true, but this runs to bulb design.

Back when headlights were all-enclosed units (the whole lamp was one piece), maybe this was universally true, but now most all vehicles used headlights where the “light” is a housing/reflector/projector unit and the actual bulb is inserted on the back side. The bulb type is based on application. I’ve never seen a bulb type used for automobiles used on motorcycles and vice versa. So, in the USA at least, I don’t know of any “motorcycle specific” versions of headlight bulbs. At best, they may make a “heavy duty” version for extreme applications, but then you might as well go with LED or HID which are usually made much more sturdy than OEM halogen bulbs.