Bulbs burning out

**Bravodeuce** · 11-08-2005 10:57 PM

'05 C50LE
4 months old, 4000 miles.
Burned out a front parking light, and this morning a light on the light bar. Is it common to burn bulbs this quick, or do I have a problem?

Seeing as I have to get the light bar bulb at the shop (30 miles from home), (not a simple autoparts store bulb) I'm not looking forward to frequent trips for bulbs.

Anyone else going through bulbs?

**Motorcycle Forum** · 11-08-2005 10:57 PM

**rappidrabbit** · 11-08-2005 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by Bravodeuce

'05 C50LE
4 months old, 4000 miles.
Burned out a front parking light, and this morning a light on the light bar. Is it common to burn bulbs this quick, or do I have a problem?

Seeing as I have to get the light bar bulb at the shop (30 miles from home), (not a simple autoparts store bulb) I'm not looking forward to frequent trips for bulbs.

Anyone else going through bulbs?

replace light bar bulbs with 4411 sealed beams.....no more expensive bulbs to buy......

**Danr** · 11-09-2005 05:53 AM

I have heard that this is/was a common problem with the light bar, I carry a spare bulb (about 9 bucks) but have not had to use it yet. My dealer ran a extra ground wire to the light bar on both sides inside the pods and this is suppose to slove the problem, since June Ive had no problems.

**smoothride** · 11-09-2005 07:38 AM

parking light also. left side. may be bad bulds

**Bravodeuce** · 11-09-2005 05:50 PM

Talked to the service dept. at the shop. They said I'm the first person to need a new light bar bulb, and they didn't have any in stock.

@7.50 per bulb, I asked the service manager about putting the 4411's in, he said if there were any problems with the lights after I did that, the warranty would be void.

I'm scheduled for next wednesday to have it looked at, to see if it's wired goofy or something. Hopefully they'll get it fixed before the ride to San Diego that weekend.

If they can't find anything, I may be "forced" to put the 4411's in.

**fjm3rd** · 11-09-2005 06:46 PM

I installed the 4411's just last nite after I found out I burned out another bulb, the 3rd one since April this year. One thing I noticed that I never noticed before is that there seems to be a black wire that is connected to the inside of the light housing but the other end isn't connected to anything it's just laying in the housing.

**Danr** · 11-09-2005 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by fjm3rd

I installed the 4411's just last nite after I found out I burned out another bulb, the 3rd one since April this year. One thing I noticed that I never noticed before is that there seems to be a black wire that is connected to the inside of the light housing but the other end isn't connected to anything it's just laying in the housing.

Ground it at a good frame ground and it might solve your problem

**c50tiger** · 11-09-2005 09:50 PM

One of my light bar lights went out within a couple of months... the rest are still going after more than a year. Sometimes you just get a bad bulb.

**v0lusia** · 11-10-2005 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by Bravodeuce

Talked to the service dept. at the shop. They said I'm the first person to need a new light bar bulb, and they didn't have any in stock.

@7.50 per bulb, I asked the service manager about putting the 4411's in, he said if there were any problems with the lights after I did that, the warranty would be void.

I'm scheduled for next wednesday to have it looked at, to see if it's wired goofy or something. Hopefully they'll get it fixed before the ride to San Diego that weekend.

If they can't find anything, I may be "forced" to put the 4411's in.

I know of dozens of Volusia/c50 owners that have had problems blowing bulbs in the OEM bar (go over to VolusiaRiders.com and search on "4411" you'll see what I mean. Most (including me) have replaced them with 4411 sealed beams. By the way they are tractor bulbs so not all auto parts stores carry them (NAPA does about $7). You do need to cut the old socket off and wire in the 4411s. I have 18,000 miles on my bike since installing the 4411s and haven't blown one yet.

Others have used Honda brand bulbs which plug right in and seem to last longer. Bring the old bulb in to a Honda dealer to match it up.

**rappidrabbit** · 11-10-2005 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Bravodeuce

Talked to the service dept. at the shop. They said I'm the first person to need a new light bar bulb, and they didn't have any in stock.

@7.50 per bulb, I asked the service manager about putting the 4411's in, he said if there were any problems with the lights after I did that, the warranty would be void.

I'm scheduled for next wednesday to have it looked at, to see if it's wired goofy or something. Hopefully they'll get it fixed before the ride to San Diego that weekend.

If they can't find anything, I may be "forced" to put the 4411's in.

your service manager is jerking your chain.....the lightbar is extra equip... how can that void your warranty???????... my dealer said its prob the best fix he has heard about......the black wires are for ground only ...tape the ends up and fold them back... or ground if you want......the 4411 are bi-polar and the hook up can be to either post.....

**rappidrabbit** · 11-10-2005 11:59 AM

PS: we did try grounding ...bulbs kept blowing out.... .....that is not the fix,,,,

**Danr** · 11-10-2005 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by rappidrabbit

your service manager is jerking your chain.....the lightbar is extra equip... how can that void your warranty???????... my dealer said its prob the best fix he has heard about......the black wires are for ground only ...tape the ends up and fold them back... or ground if you want......the 4411 are bi-polar and the hook up can be to either post.....

In fact your service ? manager is actually insulting your intelligence. Tell him face to face that you dont appeciate being treated like you dont know jack S*** and maybe he will be straight up with you.

sorry, I dont have a pateince with people who try to talk down to me.

**zukirob** · 11-10-2005 01:19 PM

FYI - My C50T blew both light bar bulbs at the same time after 4 months. Asked the dealer about it and got a hearty shrug. I replaced the bulbs and we'll see what happens now.

**Bravodeuce** · 04-20-2006 02:25 PM

Just a follow up...

Another 4000 miles, another bulb. Burned the other side out last night on the way home, so I just replaced both of them with 4411's. We'll see how long these last.

**blackie1491** · 04-20-2006 03:03 PM

For your info, I was looking at the OEM lightbar and talked to my service manager about it and he pulled out a Suzuki service instruction about OEM
needing to be fixed under warrenty. It was the grounding at fault and stated this was not a problem with the new ones.

Your service manager is an ***.

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