Seems I've been riding around with only the two parking lamps on - no low beam - on the 2006. No nighttime riding of late so who knew?

A week or two ago I plugged in the GS-911 and it showed a fault code: "Shorted low beam lamp" and asked me if I wanted to clear it. I did, thinking the "short" was due to some distant tip-over and filament rattle that also took out the Motolights. Turns out the light I saw from from the headlamp wasn't the low beam, it was from the two parking lights). Low beam was gone.

I got another low beam lamp (H7 12voltx55watt) for $18 at the dealer (BMW branded), installed it. It was easier to do it by reaching through the top and pulling the cover out the bottom along with the lamp. Had the GS-911 on it too speaking to the laptop.

The GS-911 still threw up a "Shorted lamp code." Didn't light up either.

Cleared the fault again, still no light. Cycled ignition on and off. No light. No fault code though. Turns out I had to remove the GS-911. Recycle ignition, and the light finally came on. It had asked if I wanted to kill headlamp on initial activation of the GS-911 and I feared the ECU was permanently disabling it from lighting. Once I unplugged it and cycled the ignition, it was "Let there be light" time. Whew on that one! Too bad the GS-911 didn't report the lamp as being an "Open circuit detected" as it certainly wasn't "Shorted" which could have been something in the past and I know when I cleared it it should have reported "Open." An "Open" would have been an immediate flag the bulb is still out. Oh, well.

I also ordered one of those $89 CA HID lighting kits for motorcycles while looking for web answers and was wondering how many hours it would take to do the conversion for a first timer? Knowing it took me 4 hours to change and balance a front tire, is this something that will be a weekend long job the first time?

Tia.


Mack

Hey Mack, didn't the instrument cluster show your bulb as blown? Or wasn't that an 06 thing? Every time mine blew it showed up with an arrow pointing towards the front letting me know.

Any how, the CA Xenon install is super easy. I stopped by Grifs place the last time I was down in Tejas and with his help (thanks again dude!), he's done a few before, it took maybe an hour. Nothing fancy but you do need to remove the tupperware, windshield and such. If I would have had to do it on my own for the first time it probably would have taken me twice as long. Still not bad considering. Well worth a couple of hours of time. I love the Xenon.

Robert,

Mine never showed anything odd on the dash with regards to the blown lamp. Must be some '06 thing since it's the only one with power brakes? Maybe when the ECU sets a code: a "shorted bulb" won't set a dash displayed code (although the GS-911 reads it) whereas an "open lamp" will? It's a very odd thing.

I might plan on spending a day to tackle it. Sometimes I get too finicky about minutiae stuff and need a few beer breaks to sort it all out. I can spend an hour watching the wheel spin for just adding the final tire weights and then spraying them to match the rim.


Mack

Grif's instructions in HoW does a great job of HID installation.
Figure about 2 hours, as long as you have it naked, add a real horn.

Rumor has it Grif can now do an HID blind folded (if he can find the Copenhagen can)

And when Meese gets here May the 6th, we'll have pix and a how to on checking the valves..... if I can find a Copenhagen can.

I ride an '06 and I had a symbol on my dash which at the time I didn't know meant the low beam was out. It took some guy pulling out right in front of me to realize I had no headlight. I checked the manual later and saw the symbol.

FWIW,
I hope the pic showed up. I installed an HID in my 07KS in less than an hour. You can see where I put the ballast on the side of the bike. It's the silver rectangular box hanging on the side of the bike just above the 3/10 inspection sticker. I ran the wires up past the snorkle and then drilled a 1" hole in the back of the light cover.
Much more light.
And, no, there is no need to rip apart the bike as the pic shows. I had a Power Commander installed and this is part of that process.

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