Ive read recently somewhere that a spare bulb kit isn't compulsory on a motorbike? It is in a car. Im off to Spain and France in a couple weeks so would be interested if Ive got it wrong?
I've just checked the electrical system in the rear of the owners manual and you are correct, everything else is LED. Have ordered up the bulbs you suggested. One other question though, how/ where do you place any deflector required on the multi headlamp for travel in France. There are no markers on the lens
You don't need a headlight deflector. The dip has a flat cut-off so is legal for both the UK and Europe.
Thanks for that, you're a star. Any advice on mounting a gps or which is the best bracket to use? The flat clamp on the yoke stops the use of a conventional bar clamp and I'd rather have it central ?
It's best if you can mount it central above the dash using a Navihalter or similar. Alternatively a RAM ball on one of the handlebar clamp bolts can be used to mount it. Centrally below the dash is too low for my liking. I don't like to move my head to see the satnav.
Not strictly true as the number plate illumination bulb is not LED on the 2010 - 2014 models, it is on the 2015+ (DVT) models. It's a Festooon type bulb (C5W 12V 5W) and it's worth changing for an LED replacement. Chances are that the original bulb is already blown and you've not noticed it yet I brought a Philips Vision LED C5W Festoon 4000K bulb but there are much cheaper bulbs around nowadays. It's a real pain to change the bulb, almost easier to drop the rear mudguard assembly as I found out when fitting replacement LED rear indicators (see thread).
Yes, I realised that afterwards. I too have an LED in mine. There is an easier way to change the number plate bulb. Wrap a length of plastic tape of the sort used to secure parcels around it and pinch the ends between your fingers, then using the tape to hold it, maneuver the bulb into place. Once the bulb is fitted between the contacts release the tape then pull one end to extract it from the bulb holder. If the plastic cover has broken and disappeared as mine did. I cut a replacement from a piece of plastic wrapping. The kind that consists of 2 sheets welded together round the edges and you have to cut it to get into the encapsulated contents. I simply glued the sheet to the surface of the bulb holder to protect the LED inside. If the LED ever fails I can easily remove the plastic to get into it.
I live in France and believe it or not, many places sell bulbs here in the same way as they used to when I lived in the UK. Why would you need a bulb kit? Perhaps bulbs are more prone to blowing when they travel south.
In some countries it is a legal requirement to carry spare bulbs. Probably universally ignored by the locals.
Since nowadays many vehicles have all LEDs, and no bulbs, that legal requirement no longer makes any sense. Sometimes laws take a while to catch up with technology.
