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Thanks for the update. I just bought a Cyclops kit for my 2020 RT. Plan to install over the Christmas break.
Review of Cyclops LED Headlights for Wetheads
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162 Posts
Many thanks to all the contributors.
My H7 just popped in my '18 RT right at 15k miles as per BMW design.... I have a set of Cyclops in the mail and will be taking the front end of the bike apart for a good cleaning and install.
I put in a good set of H7's LED from Amazon in my CamHead RT a couple years ago, they worked great and never had an issue with drivers flashing or flippin' me off. The new owner of that bike loves 'em, thought about going that way again but decided to see what everyone is ravin about with the Cyclops bulbs.
My H7 just popped in my '18 RT right at 15k miles as per BMW design.... I have a set of Cyclops in the mail and will be taking the front end of the bike apart for a good cleaning and install.
I put in a good set of H7's LED from Amazon in my CamHead RT a couple years ago, they worked great and never had an issue with drivers flashing or flippin' me off. The new owner of that bike loves 'em, thought about going that way again but decided to see what everyone is ravin about with the Cyclops bulbs.
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2 Posts
Rainman! Happy New Year and thank you for the detailed breakdown of the installation of a Cyclops LED for your '16 RTLC. I have the same ride here but in San Marino Blus with only 11 K miles on her. She is a sweet ride! Just got my Cyclops bulb. Reading back, 'I must really want this LED bulb!" Perhaps I do....Can you assist with the front end breakdown and what is the REPROM instructions you used in 2019? It's late here on Long Island and I will peel thru the pages of this 2 plus year old thread but just thought I'd put it out there first and maybe the group will chime in.
Thanks again and you always have safe haven here in New York if you make it here from WA. Thanks again!
Thanks again and you always have safe haven here in New York if you make it here from WA. Thanks again!
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288 Posts
Thank you EyeBike, and Welcome.
May I assume you are new to BMW motorcycles? In the past, BMW provided Repair Manuals in the form of DVDs that you could buy directly from dealers, thus "REPROM" is some form of "Repair Read Only Manual" in lingo (I think). Unfortunately, BMW recently decided to stop production of repair manuals and I'm sure you will run into threads that discuss "Right to Repair" as a consumer rights movement to make manufacturers produce manuals for those who are DIY enthusiasts. I would assume there are used REPROMS for sale on Ebay or other sites like it by customers that have upgraded to other bikes. Mine is on-line upgradeable and titled: Repair Manuals R Models K5X, K50, K51, K52 with a BMW part number of: 01 59 8 555 666. Original cost: ~ $120.
Unfortunately, the layout of this repair manual system isn't intuitive and is a collection of individual steps for any procedure that that step is used in and they are then linked together for larger projects by sequencing the steps. Thus, some steps can be repeated for a huge number of projects. Think about all the times taking off a set of fairings might be used: like replacing the battery, changing the oil, removing the headlight, etc. Not easy to cut and paste a number of these steps for somebody who simply asks "can you send me the instructions".
I hate to take credit that isn't due to my own efforts, but I have attached a PDF that somebody else put together in the past. Apologies to whoever that was. I can find the thread.
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Hi Rainman48, thank you for keeping this thread alive. I've had a few BMWs now, and neither my 2010 RT nor my 2016 RT LC came with a repair manual, so I've enjoyed learning along the way.
As for light wrenching, I've taken the tupperware down from the speakers, added a two-tone Bosch Air Horn, and taken off the sides to run some electrical accessories off a Fuse Panel and added some farkles like PIAA lights and Darla Brackets. But I've never gone past a windshield repair, nor have I taken off the center top section of fairing, but I'm certainly willing to learn! The Cyclops LED light accessory has been recommended to me by Brad [The Boxflyer] from R.I. and so I am dying to give it a try. Thanks for the PDF of the headlight removal, I certainly appreciate it!
As soon as the temps outside warm up from 11 degrees over here in the Eastern Atlantic, I can't wait to get into my garage again and start my winter wrenching so that come March/April I'll be ready to hit the road again.
Thanks again and stay tuned.
2004 R1150RT
2010 R1200RT
2016 R1200RTLC
IBA 1000/24,1500/36,2000/48.
(for a good time click below)
As for light wrenching, I've taken the tupperware down from the speakers, added a two-tone Bosch Air Horn, and taken off the sides to run some electrical accessories off a Fuse Panel and added some farkles like PIAA lights and Darla Brackets. But I've never gone past a windshield repair, nor have I taken off the center top section of fairing, but I'm certainly willing to learn! The Cyclops LED light accessory has been recommended to me by Brad [The Boxflyer] from R.I. and so I am dying to give it a try. Thanks for the PDF of the headlight removal, I certainly appreciate it!
As soon as the temps outside warm up from 11 degrees over here in the Eastern Atlantic, I can't wait to get into my garage again and start my winter wrenching so that come March/April I'll be ready to hit the road again.
Thanks again and stay tuned.
2004 R1150RT
2010 R1200RT
2016 R1200RTLC
IBA 1000/24,1500/36,2000/48.
(for a good time click below)
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162 Posts
Following up on my Cyclops CIL-RT LED Bulb Set install post.
Unfortunately they are not going to work in my 2018 as I get an intermittent Bulb Out warning on the High Beam lights. The folks at Cyclops was very helpful trying to work through this but were not able to resolve the issue. I removed the headlight assembly to install the LED bulbs on my work bench so I am sure all connections were 100% tight and correct. I exchanged all the Cyclops LED bulbs and resistors with a second new kit and still get an intermittent Bulb Out warning. I confirmed that there is no actual bulb out by running the bike in the garage with shop fans blowing on the engine, there is no rhyme, reason or pattern to the warning. When I tried removing the LED's I discovered the center H7 resistor has wedged itself into a tight spot so I will have to remove the headlight assembly in order to remove them so I don't take a chance on damaging the $1300 headlight housing.
Needless to say, this has been a major PITA having spent countless hours on the install, troubleshooting and now needing to remove the assembly to remove the kit...
Has anyone else ran into a Bulb Out issue while running the Cyclops system on high beams or am I just the lucky one?
I'll most likely go back to my stock bulbs unless someone has a bonified legit LED suggestion....
I have these in both of my RT's. The wife's bike was throwing intermittent "key missing" light when I first installed hers. They sent a new driver module. Everything was good after that. On mine, it has worked flawless.
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288 Posts
As I highlighted, you said "the center H7 resistor". I don't know what instructions or advice you got from Cyclops, but the resistor I got for my '16 RT was specifically for the RIGHT-side H1 not the center H7. Maybe things have changed, but that makes sense to me since the bulb-out warning relies on switching to that right side high beam when the center H7 burns out.
Since my 2016-2018 kit should be similar, and you are going to disassemble the headlight assembly again anyway, why don't you move it and see if that solves your problem?
Good luck and sorry for your troubles.
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162 Posts
@Rainman48, there is a resistor on the Right H1 as well as the Center H7. I even tried a third resistor on the left H1 as per Cyclops tech in effort to stop the intermittent bulb out, but to no avail..
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288 Posts
Sorry to hear that. I've had no issues since my installation.
Lol, if it's any consolation, I've been looking to upgrade my H7/H1's for about six months, and I've researched the heck out of the issue. The Cyclops bulbs kind of put me off, because they are more expensive than 99% of similar bulbs available. There was a company called Advmonster that folks swore by, but they've developed a bad reputation, and when I checked out their web site, I couldn't even place an order. I went "ebay", Amazon, AliExpress, to the more "brand name" companies like Cyclops. I also researched the technology, i.e. heat sinks, fans, etc..
My conclusion: Most of these are all built at the same Chinese (or maybe Taiwanese or Japanese) company, under different branding, slightly different colors, different heat sink technology, and so forth. I think it's just the luck of the draw, for the most part. Even the companies with impeccable reputations can get a bad bulb. What counts, is their customer service. That's where Cyclops has others beat, and where companies like Advmonster should be avoided like the plague. Now, an alternative that I'm considering is just to buy cheap, cheap, cheap! Like using AliExpress. If the bulb fails, throw it away, buy another. The problem, of course, is our esteemed BMW engineers have made it a nightmare to simply change a lightbulb on one of these (RT) machines. If someone could promise me 5 years of reliable service, OR THEY'D REPLACE IT AND CHANGE IT FOR ME, then, yeah, I'd pay extra for that. No one can, except maybe a dealership, but I can't afford $1000 for an H1 or H7 lightbulb. 🙄😂
As with every thing you read here, YMMV.
Got mine installed. Had them on for awhile while I aimed them in the garage and switched between high and low beams several times. No errors or bulb out warnings. I'll post up some more pictures and review once it's back together and I get it out on the street. I did have to adjust the aim down. Highly recommend marking the cutoffs or hot spots at a fixed distance and then adjusting after install. Almost impossible to get a half decent picture but here's a couple of the low and high beams:
![Tire Wheel Automotive lighting Automotive tire Motor vehicle]()
![Motorcycle Hood Vehicle Automotive tire Automotive lighting]()
Attachments
Here's my advice for anyone who wants to do a timely install with no unexpected down time:
1) The "body-bound rivets" holding on the left and right front-fairing panels were stuck on my bike. I had to destroy them to remove them. I'd recommend having some spares. Read this thread I created for more details on this.
www.bmwlt.com
2) Have some extra 3m dual lock for the side fairings. On my left side the adhesive wore off and the dual lock came off of the fairing. I replaced it with a piece of velcro while I order replacements from BMW. See this picture for part numbers (number 9):
![Aircraft Vehicle Airplane Naval architecture Aviation]()
3) If you're curious like I was, the torque for the M6x1.0 bolts holding the mirrors on (2 on each side) is 8Nm.
4) 100%, do not skip this step, mark the cutoffs on a wall or garage door before removing the halogens. I had to lower the aim of the new LEDs as they had a higher cutoff than the halogens. Don't be the dickhead blinding everyone contributing to the stereotypes. The procedure is in the owners manual and it's super simple. There's a lever on the bottom of the light that gives you three options. I had to go to the lowest of the 3. There's another up/down adjuster on the lights that I didn't use and isn't mentioned in the owners manual. I'm assuming this would be for a fine adjustment. You'll see it when you have the light off.
5) Definitely remove the headlight assembly. The spring clips are hard enough to operate with the headlight on a table in front of you. You'll also be doing everything blind, hoping your connections are good, stuffing wires blindly into the housing, and may drop something in the light and have to remove them anyways. Don't waste your time.
6) Clearly label all the hardware for reassembly. I was able to get every piece back where it came from. I used ziplock bags marked with sharpie.
7) Print out the PDF for the headlight removal from the service manual. See here:
www.bmwlt.com
No issues with any errors or lights on the dash. Flipped back and forth many times will aiming. Went out for a 75km ride after with no issues. Huge improvement in aesthetics of the bike. Looks how it should have from the factory.
My total time was about 8 hours. I wasted a good 90 minutes on the stuck/broken rivets. Would have been 6.5 hours otherwise. It was my first time removing most of these components. If you're familiar with the bike you should be faster.
The low and high beams are way brighter than the OEM lights. The low beam does have a slightly narrower output than the stock halogens which had a very wide cutoff. The increased intensity and brightness outweigh this negative for me. The highbeam also has a slightly funny cutoff, but again the positives outweigh the negatives for me. Here's some more pictures:
![Automotive tire Automotive design Asphalt Flooring Floor]()
![Automotive tire Automotive design Grey Floor Flooring]()
![Window Flooring Floor Wood Hall]()
![Window Flooring Floor Automotive exterior Wood]()
1) The "body-bound rivets" holding on the left and right front-fairing panels were stuck on my bike. I had to destroy them to remove them. I'd recommend having some spares. Read this thread I created for more details on this.
Front Fairing Removal Problem (LED headlight install)
Hey guys, I'm in the process of removing my headlight assembly to install the Cyclops LEDs. I was flying through the process and had the windshield, side fairings, and speakers out in no time. Then I got to the front fairing... I got all three screws out no problem. The only thing holding it...
www.bmwlt.com
2) Have some extra 3m dual lock for the side fairings. On my left side the adhesive wore off and the dual lock came off of the fairing. I replaced it with a piece of velcro while I order replacements from BMW. See this picture for part numbers (number 9):
3) If you're curious like I was, the torque for the M6x1.0 bolts holding the mirrors on (2 on each side) is 8Nm.
4) 100%, do not skip this step, mark the cutoffs on a wall or garage door before removing the halogens. I had to lower the aim of the new LEDs as they had a higher cutoff than the halogens. Don't be the dickhead blinding everyone contributing to the stereotypes. The procedure is in the owners manual and it's super simple. There's a lever on the bottom of the light that gives you three options. I had to go to the lowest of the 3. There's another up/down adjuster on the lights that I didn't use and isn't mentioned in the owners manual. I'm assuming this would be for a fine adjustment. You'll see it when you have the light off.
5) Definitely remove the headlight assembly. The spring clips are hard enough to operate with the headlight on a table in front of you. You'll also be doing everything blind, hoping your connections are good, stuffing wires blindly into the housing, and may drop something in the light and have to remove them anyways. Don't waste your time.
6) Clearly label all the hardware for reassembly. I was able to get every piece back where it came from. I used ziplock bags marked with sharpie.
7) Print out the PDF for the headlight removal from the service manual. See here:
RT LC headlight assembly removal
After researching various threads about installing LED lamps, I'm ready to take the plunge. I have an '18 RT LC. Having replaced more than my share of hexhead RT lamps on my and riding buddy's bikes, I'd like to remove the headlight assemble and preserve the skin on my fingertips and forearms...
www.bmwlt.com
No issues with any errors or lights on the dash. Flipped back and forth many times will aiming. Went out for a 75km ride after with no issues. Huge improvement in aesthetics of the bike. Looks how it should have from the factory.
My total time was about 8 hours. I wasted a good 90 minutes on the stuck/broken rivets. Would have been 6.5 hours otherwise. It was my first time removing most of these components. If you're familiar with the bike you should be faster.
The low and high beams are way brighter than the OEM lights. The low beam does have a slightly narrower output than the stock halogens which had a very wide cutoff. The increased intensity and brightness outweigh this negative for me. The highbeam also has a slightly funny cutoff, but again the positives outweigh the negatives for me. Here's some more pictures:
Attachments
I believe that lever (if that's what you're talking about) is for adjusting for pillion passenger weight, as I saw in one video on the subject.
Now THAT is extra funny. The mounting tabs for those side fairing pieces on Wetheads have a reputation for breaking off easily, and in fact, one company makes a replacement kit for them. On my (2018) wethead, those upper tabs came "pre-broken", and it never left a BMW shop (i.e. it was a demonstrator/loaner bike for the dealership). They had Velcro mounted at the top of them to maintain the attachment, which I had assumed was a shop fix. So, either (a) that's an OEM piece of Velcro on the Wetheads also, or (b) BMW gave up with the Shiftcams, and just made that tape ("duallock"??) standard for the entire class. Since I haven't had a new Wethead side by side with my own to see how the tupperware is properly mounted from the factory, I have no idea which is the case.
However, it's just kinda funny, in any case.
Yep, that's what the manual states it's for. I don't ride with a passenger though so it works well for my purpose
Mine has two tabs, one spot of 3m dual lock, 2 lugs/grommets, and 2 screws.
Rode at night for the first time with the new bulbs tonight. Serious game changer, so much more light. When I used to turn my fog lights on it was a night and day difference in visibility. Now when I turn my fog lights on, I can hardly notice them over the output of the Cyclops headlights.
Well, CANBUS does nothing other than monitor voltage to designated circuits. With some level of voltage drop, it figures that you've got a light out, hence the warning.
That should be a "pass/fail" test beginning when the lights activate. If you're getting that warning after riding with high beams a while (with no CANBUS bulb alert), my guess is that the LED's are involved with some sort of voltage fluctuation. A couple of possible reasons (among others): a) The quality of the installed LED's is inadequate, b) the LED's are actually close to failing, c) undissipated heat build up is causing either LED failure or degraded performance.** It IS both science and art. The CANBUS bulb error definitely tells you that something's up with your circuit and/or bulb, and the "art" is BMW engineering, as in, trying to figure out how they engineered the CANBUS controller module to operate when detecting defective bulbs. (Figuring out BMW engineering, is definitely an art! 🤣)
This fine fellow nails the details better than I can.
** I intend to take some measures to guarantee airflow around the LED heatsink and fan, maybe cut the dust covers, not sure, when I install mine next week, to mitigate potential heat related problems.
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