I have to question that statement (in red), and the one about the ground not making sense. Softails (at least the one I rode) do NOT vibrate even half as much as an RK, especially the police bikes. (I'm talkin Twin Cam B with counter balances on the 'newer' softails here). Loose ground could indeed be a problem, with the voltage spiking each time the connection is completed. (That's why the old points ignition systems had to incorporate a condensor, to absorb the excess). Not dissin, just sayin...

Cap, I would not only check the voltage, but the amps as well. Maybe after a short ride you could pull the headlight out (while it's still runnin), and check the wires by feeling them, to see if they are hot. (Also, look at the wire jackets, to see if any indication of melting is there).That may indicate too many amps maybe. If you could hook up an inline volt and amp meter where you can check it while riding, it may help you diagnose any intermitant spike? Look at the bulb, (wear shades or cutting goggles!), and see if possibly both elements are burning at either high or low beam setting too. Of course, a volt meter could help avoid burnin yer eye sockets out!

When I bought my RK, the headlight was smoked, and only the low beam was working. I was worried about to much voltage/amperage also. Swapped it out for a sealed beam for a couple of months, then bought a cheap H4 lamp. Hasn't blown since, but I did have to clean the inside of the headlight, where it had really smoked the lens. I guess those halo lamps get pretty hot when they blow.

 

I think my headlight modulator is allowing my headlight to last and last and last. As it "blinks" it allows the bulb to cool a little. LOL

 

+++ 1 what Crok said. Been there seen that.

 

my 07 went through a few bulbs as well. after it ate the oem, i tried the silverstar, for $25 i was definitely unhappy with its lifespan. went with the stock generic philips from autozone for some ridiculous amount like $12 or something and ran with that for a while until i got conned into paying $40 for the piaa. other than the cheapie phillips, the piaa lasted longer than anything else, but it just lost the highbeam (put the whole headlight bucket on the wife's bike when i traded mine in) so will be putting the cheapie phillips back in.

 

Make sure it is installed correctly,clean the glass with an alcohol pad(fingerprints kill the bulb) clean the contacts in the plug,especially the ground side.

 

Bought a ridged mounted light and havnt replaced a bulb yet.

 

You could be right about the softails vibration. I was just thinking about the motor not being rubber mounted as a touring.
If your wires are getting hot after running the headlight, you got some problems. The breaker should trip before the wires get hot regardless of what the lamp is pulling.

The condensor on the points ignition is basically a capacitor that helps supply the current needed to create an arc at the plugs. It is not to absorb excess voltage. Excess voltage is not a big problem for spark plugs.

I still say there is no way this is a grounding issue.

 

Uh, not to be argumentative, but the condensor doesn't act as a capacitor in this application...

A condensor is(was) nothing more than a coil of metal foil in a can, between the points and ground (although connected on the power side). And is indeed only there to provide a greater area of material to absorb the excess each time the points lose contact.

No, it won't bother the plugs, they are on a different 'circuit' from the coil. A coil is essentially 'a coil within a coil', producing higher voltage to the plugs just the same as a 'step up' transformer. The points supply intermittent voltage through one coil, which in turn creates a higher voltage through the other coil that creates the spark at the plug gap. (This is where an arc is essential, to jump the gap between contacts at the end of the plug. The 'miniature lightning bolt' is necessary to ignite the fuel/air mixture.)

You sound familiar enough with the old system to have seen the transferrence of material from one side of the points to the other, when the condensor goes bad... that is because without the condensor's ability to absorb that excess, the resulting arc burns the points and material builds up on one side. The voltage is still there without the condensor. And since the non-functioning condensor cannot absorb the excess it creats an arc across the open points, each time they break contact, atomizing material from one side and depositing it onto the other side. An arc at the points is destructive, (think miniature lightning bolt again). And the condensor's purpose, in this application, is to prevent any arcing across the points...

But, we have electronic ignition now so it's not terribly important to anyone but an old man sitting behind a pc! (We don't need to cunfuse things by saying that electronic ignition does the same thing utilizing solid state components on a circuit board!)


LAST EDIT!: Just wanted to come back and say that I had no intention of diverting from the topic. My apologies CatpItch! The relavence of arcing across contacts, is the same with any switch. An initial surge when contact is made, and the possibility of an arc being created when the circuit is again broken, can be much the same with a loose bulb/wire. Opening, and closing the circuit continuously...

 

I was wondering the same thing. I have an 09 RK Police with about 7,500 miles on it, and the stock bulbs are still good.

Seeing that anything electrical/wire-like always seems to baffle my stupid self no matter how much I try - I'm better with simple mechanics - the question still stands ...

Does running the high beam all the time have that much of an effect?

Thanks in advance,
Dummy

 

I haven't seen anything in all of the responses which isn't relative...

That is why a mechanic also needs to be a good 'diagnostition'. (Otherwise, he/she is just a parts changer!)