I noticed the other day that only one of my headlight bulbs lis lighting up on dipped beam - full beam both come on.

Is this normal or have I blown one ?

cheers

 

Think youve blown one mate

 

Don't worry harry , that's normal.

On dipped beam the left-hand bulb shines (left -hand side of the bike that is), looked at from a distance it can appear that both portions of the headlight are illuminated but if you get up close you can tell it's only one side.

Pop the full beam on and the right-hand side lights up as well so both sides are shining. You'll know when you've blown a bulb 'cos everything goes dark

 

Well, you've been on this board since Aug 07, so I assume that you've had your bike at least that long, and you're just noticing this now? My US bike currently has ony one bulb working on low (dipped) beam, but that's definately because the low beam is blown out on that bulb. So my guess is that you (and probably also hawkwind) have blown one lowbeam, unless the UK bikes are wired differently that US bikes, but sawnee's response makes me think otherwise. One way to check is to swap the two bulbs in your headlight and see if the same side remains out. If it doesn't, your low beam is blown. I know this is a pain in the ***, because to do this generally means removing your fairing uppers. I think Shadow or someone has claimed you can do it without removing the uppers, but getting the bulb retainer clips off with the uppers still on is, to me, almost impossible.

 

Just nipped out to the bike to check mine, cos to be honest i couldnt remember lol, anyways 92 f-n both light on dip and both on main, i seem to remember that u can get to the bulbs from underneath by removing the small cover and its a UK model btw, hope this helps

 

*EMBARASSED FACE*

er..... yep lol

 

All the bikes with the twin headlights that were sold in Sweden had only one side low beam, double high beam. This was due to a traffic law stating that motorcycles could only have one lightsource on low beam. This has been lightened up (hehe) in tha last years, so I have done a conversion on mine so both lamps shine on low beam.

 

I've done it by removing the fairing panels over the radiator and fuse box, but it's infinitely easier to remove the instrument panel to replace the bulbs. It is and was a design flaw corrected in the Blackbird, which can have both bulbs in and out in 10 mins.
Fit blue tungsten halogen globes while you're at it, and remember the tabs on Honda bulbs aren't the same as normal "car" bulbs.

Yup, you've blown one Harry - second is sure to follow so remove the panel and replace both.

 

Harry - Your bike is like my old one - you have a pair of H4 bulbs for headlights.

Both work on dip - and both work on main.

It's on of the main things i miss now i have the blackbird - double bulb dip beam.

I went to HID on the blackbird to try and compensate for the single bulb dip.