So I have questions on upgrading my headlight. What have some folks done? Right now when I have my regular lamp on, it is absolutely ridiculous. I ride around with my highbeam on to make it seem normal, and no one even flashes me. I love this bike and ready to go the distance. . . Do I need to upgrade the charging system at the same time? I think I want to do that anyway. . . . Is there a bulb change? or a entire assembly? Thanks for whatever info that can be shared!! - Moto
Max, what bulb is in there now? There are some upgrades available, depending on what style bulb the socket is designed for. Dave
The following article could probably use some love, but might be a useful place to start - http://5united.org/articles/headlights/ hope this helps, --e
Convert to H4 halogen, 55/65 watts. No easy "adapter", replace the lens-refector-bulb assy. From Hucky, http://bmwhucky.com/007563.html , the econo kit and deee-lux kit: 07 63 R kit 012 headlight H4 conversion kit 12V / 5 $ 115.00 63 12 1 356 693 BMW - H4 kit / 5 $ 480.00 Easy as pie. --Bill
This is something I've wanted to do as well. Following a few links and doing some searches led me to this: http://www.powersportsuperstore.com/Eiko-Heavy-Duty-Halogen-Headlight-Bulb-H4-P45T-p/4129343.htm Seems like this should fit right into the /5 headlamp, as it is a P45T bulb (same base as original). Halogen should be brighter, and at 60/55W it gives more light but is not high enough to require rewiring, new relays, etc. Snowbum (on this page: http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/lamps.htm) mentions an Osram bulb (the 64198) that supposedly is a straight replacement for the stock /5 bulb. Here is the manufacturer's spec page for it: http://www.osram.com/osram_com/prod...-original-line/index.jsp?productId=ZMP_102851 Looks like the same shape, etc. as the Eiko bulb on the first link listed here. If this is right, then an upgrade can be had for less than $10. Does this seem right or am I missing something?
The powersports.com bulb appears to have an H4 base which won't fit a /5 original headlamp. The Osram I couldn't tell from the linked information, but it did appear to be a different base--no mention of it being halogen that I could find.
I thought P45T was the designation for the base. At least from this article: http://www.volvosolutions.com/Misc_P45T.html I just found and ordered this one from Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/osram-64198-H4-60-55W-P45t-12V-halogen-R2-Off-Road-lamp-BILUX-/221341575138 I'll do some testing when it arrives and post my results. Seemed worth the money to find out.
Let us know what you find out. The photo at the powersportsuperstore website shows a std H4 base: Here is the bulb with the "P45" base: More info when googling "p45t base". I remember this coming up before but don't recall what happened... --Bill
I had a dim low beam issue recently, and it turned out that I had switched the ground and low beam terminals in the headlight connector when I reattached the headlight to the bike. It's simple enough to check, so you could always start there.
Just replacing the bulb with an H4 will give you more light but will be a problem for traffic coming towards you (unless your reflector has a deflector in it). Like what Samm said, check that your headlight bulb is wired properly and that it is in fact working properly. The /5 headlight bulb should light the road just fine (45/55 if I'm remembering right). If you have an old headlight ring, you could try something we used to do in the 70s. A 7" halogen headlight unit (we used Bosch and Corello units back then) can be pushed into the back of the headlight ring (with some fiddling) but won't enter the opening for the lens. I used to trim out the lens hole until the 7" lens could enter then push the unit in to place (retaining with the lens clips as usual). I don't know about now but back then the headlight ring was made of chrome plated brass and wasn't all that hard to alter. If you do go this route, the new headlight may have some metal tabs that will have to be broken or ground off on the back of the edge of the reflector or it won't go into the headlight bucket. Just an aside, Cibie used to make a unit that went straight in, rim an all. The lens was concave. I haven't seen any of those for quite a few years.
Unless already upgraded, your bike doesn't have a headlight relay. You can try adding one first (the matchbox one is easy/simple/good price). If you pick up a volt or 2 it's a big step up in lumens. You should add one anyway to take the load off your switch gear.
I traced the wiring and sure enough, it was not correct. 31 was in 56b. Swapped them out and it is much better. Sammm thanks man. Thanks for the advice tho. I still think an upgrade in my charging system will be on the horizon - Max
So when I pulled out the headlamp I am missing the little bulb at the bottom of the regular lamp. What does that one do?
The small light is referred to as a parking light. In Europe it is required to have a park light so if you stop or temporarily park at the roadside you leave the park light on so other traffic can see you. On a /5 the key on the headlight can be turned either way, one way is for the headlight, the other way is for the park light. On a /5 and /2 as well, the key can be removed while in the light or park light position and the ignition will shut down the motor but the lights will stay on. In the park light position, the little bulb in the headlight (a 4 watt if I'm remembering right) stays lit as well as the tail light. On later BMWs that have a "real" ignition there is a "park" position as well. Just remember to NEVER slam your key in backwards, the tab on the back of the key for switching the lights on and off will break the plastic ignition slide.
And it is powered by a gray/black wire coming off one of the (two) fuses, so you may have that wire loose in the ratsnest. The other side of that bulb socket will, of course, have a brown ground wire... --Bill
He's got an early one, in '70 and '71 they didn't fuse that circuit, it will be just a gray wire. There were no fuses on a '70 and '71, we used to put in a fuse by the battery just so there would be something.
