odd headlight issue

[650mark]

my bike is an '80 special, all stock and original. I installed a new headlight assy from mikesxs, the one with the h4 bulb, and now when the low beam is selected it barely comes on and the reserve lighting unit is lighting up the warning light on the dash. high beam works great and the r.l.u. dash light goes out. so what gives?

fwiw, the original oem headlight was working normally before I removed it but I wanted a brighter headlight and one that is replaceable out on the road.

 

[retiredgentleman]

my bike is an '80 special, all stock and original. I installed a new headlight assy from mikesxs, the one with the h4 bulb, and now when the low beam is selected it barely comes on and the reserve lighting unit is lighting up the warning light on the dash. high beam works great and the r.l.u. dash light goes out. so what gives?

fwiw, the original oem headlight was working normally before I removed it but I wanted a brighter headlight and one that is replaceable out on the road.

Check the connections and bulb socket. It could be as simple as the new bulb is defective. "New" from Mikesxs does not mean very much. In case you're not aware, they sell a lot of really poor quality equipment.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Check the connections and bulb socket...

Ditto. If the hi-beam and ground connections are reversed, hi-beam will still work fine.
But, lo-beam current would have to pass thru both filaments to get to ground, and appear dim...

 

[650mark]

thanks, twomany. spot on diagnosis. found a loose bullet connector on the ground wire of the new 3-prong headlight connector that came with the new headlight. works like normal now. especially at night and yeah,some of mikesxs stuff is low quality but this is the 3rd headlight I've gotten from them and the first one with a problem.