How to Fix Headlight?

[Vision]

I can't keep a new bulb working for more than a ride or two, regular or led; been through a half dozen bulbs. Most times one will last for the duration of a ride, be working when I turn the bike off, and then be dead at the next start. For background no other lights have burned out and a year ago the cgi went bad and was replaced with a "high performance" cgi. That seems to be when the problems started.

Am wondering if too much energy is being sent to the headlight only and when the bulb cools down it breaks.

[CROSSBOLT]

What is a cgi?

Karl

[Vision]

Sorry, meant to say CDI.

[CROSSBOLT]

Now that is cleared up, the CDI will have no effect on the lights. The "high performance" cdi probably means there is no rev limit. What sounds to me is your voltage is going way too high. Probably as a result of no rev limit.

Karl

[Vision]

What can I do to get a working headlight?

[CROSSBOLT]

Fix what appears to be an overvoltage problem!

Karl

[Vision]

And how do I do that?

Also the headlight seems to be the only issue, blinkers and brake light have been fine for over a year.

[CROSSBOLT]

You start by finding out what voltage your system is putting out. Some of these bikes work directly off the AC output of the stator which I suspect is your case. So I also suspect you torch a headlight everytime you wind your bike up past 9000 rpm since you no longer have a rev limiter. Ya need to find out how your bike works.

Karl

[Vision]

You measure that on the prongs that touch the bulb?

[CROSSBOLT]

That would be an excellent place to start!

Karl

[DakLak]

If you are only interested in the headlight problem, assuming there are no other electrical challenges, one fix would be to install a high wattage zener diode with a suitable voltage limit across the feed to the headlight(s).