H4 modification to VFR750 headlight assembly

Honda VFR750 Headlight Modification Page (Updated 11/18/99)

After I began riding my 96 VFR750 on longer trips at night I ran into a common problem with this bike's headlight system... There just isn't enough light to suit me at night. The problem is that Honda, no doubt prompted by the DOT, decided to tailor the headlight assembly on the U.S. models equipped with twin-bulb headlights so they could only take the 45W/45W Honda headlight bulbs. If you've ever had a bulb burn out you know what a pain it can be trying to find one of the Honda bulbs at many dealerships. Currently, only the VFR, GoldWing Interstate, F6 Valkyrie Interstate and ST1100 use these bulbs (to my knowledge) and since (except for the GoldWing) these bikes don't sell terribly well in the U.S. most dealers I've visited don't seem to stock them with any regularity.

My solution is to modify the headlight assembly to accept standard H4 bulbs. Drilling, filing, and cutting the stock reflector are required so this job is not for the casual user. I suggest it be left to qualified individuals with the right tools and experience. If removing all your fairings doesn't scare you away and you've been looking for another use for that Dremel tool you got for Christmas, this job might be just what you need to take your mind off the snow-covered roads outside (well, there's snow on the roads outside MY window... grumble, grumble).

Here's an H4 and a Honda 45W/45W bulb for comparison. Note the H4 has its locating tabs closer together than the Honda bulb. Also note the tiny pins sticking up from the flattened bottom which engage a tab in the headlight assembly. Honda's are more widely spaced compared to the H4 bulb.

You can really see the difference looking at the rear of the two bulbs, the Honda bulb uses 3 evenly-spaced locating tabs while the H4 uses much closer spacing between the two lower tabs.
Honda special bulb
H4/9003 bulb

The Old Way:

There is a simple way you can install a standard H4 (9003) P43T base bulb in the stock headlight assembly using coat-hanger or a nail and bending/cutting the two side locating tabs to hold it in place. I've done this and found the base of the bulb does not sit at the correct depth in bottom of the reflector This raises the angle of the bulb in the reflector resulting in having to adjust your headlights upward so much to get a good low-beam that when using high-beam all you do is light up trees and airplanes.

Tools & equipment you'll need:
- 10mm socket and ratchet (for removing mirrors)
- #2 Phillips screwdriver for Dzus-fasteners, trim screws and body clip removal
- Electric drill and bits
- Dremel Moto-Tool or equivalent
- High-speed steel cutting bits (sanding plastic just melts it into a mess, buy some cutters for this job)
- 2 new H-4 headlight bulbs (60/55 Watt)

Modifications begin with removing the headlight assembly from the bike. You must remove the entire upper fairing, windshield, mirrors, etc. to gain access to the headlights. You should attempt this only if you are confident that you can do it without breaking anything in the process. Fairing parts are very expensive and easy to screw-up if you don't know what you're doing. Be warned, I have removed & replaced my fairings several times and still sometimes forget which wires, cable-clamps, screws etc. must be taken off before getting to the headlight. Here's a quick synopsis: (applies to 94-97 VFR only, refer to service manual for other models)

1. Remove left & right mid-fairings.
2. Remove mirrors and 4 screws from inner trim panels above dashboard.
3. Remove the windshield by lifting it off the mirror-mounting posts and wiggle it out of the fairing.
4. Remove 4 "push to release" clips from top of inner center fairing.
5. Unscrew and remove 2 body clips from center fairing and remove.
6. Remove 4 fairing bolts from upper fairing and slide forward slightly to gain access to wiring harness.
7. Release wiring harness from two clamps on gearshift side of upper fairing, unplug both headlights and turn signals.
8. Gently spread rear of fairing to get it past fork legs and place face-down on a soft cloth or blanket.
9. Unscrew 4 large Phillips-head shoulder bolts holding headlight into fairing.

After removing the headlight assembly, take the black rubber boots off and you'll see two bulbs in holders like this.

Unlatch the spring-clip and remove the Honda bulb. Next remove the two screws holding the spring-clip in place so you can place the new H4 bulb in place and mark the areas you'll need to cut. Note that you'll have to rotate the spring-clip clockwise to the next mounting boss to allow fitting the H4 bulb.

You'll have to drill a new hole for the spring-clip hold-down screw. Caution, the plastic of the reflector assembly is very brittle. Use a 9/64 inch drill marking the depth with tape slightly deeper than the length of the hold-down screw. (It's a good idea to start the hole with a smaller bit to make it easier to keep the drill-bit from walking)

The areas you'll be cutting are shown here in red. Take care to keep the cut-out areas level with the original cut-outs so the bulb will sit at the proper angle in the reflector. (Bulb Mounting Discussion) The small areas of the center tab can be filed to allow the front tabs of the H4 to fit over the plastic tab on the bottom of the reflector.

Here you can see the high-speed cutter at work removing plastic in the marked areas. Special note here... The plastic used in the reflector is very brittle. You really must use a high-speed motorized cutter like the Dremel to avoid cracking the plastic. Also, plastic shavings get all over everything and inside the headlight assembly. I should have thought of a way to close up the opening but didn't think of it till it was too late. I suppose a small rubber ball would work. I had to rinse out the plastic shavings with Windex & water then dry with a hair-dryer before carefully wiping the reflector with a soft cloth stuck in through the lamp holes. Be very careful as the reflector is easily scratched.

When complete, mount the spring-clip using the new hole you drilled and install the spring-holder in the reverse position from the original so you can clip the spring under the lower edge of it as shown. You will now be able to use regular H4/9003 bulbs which are easy to find in any auto-parts or Wal-Mart store. The standard relays & wiring will safely handle the 60/55 Watt H4 bulbs giving you a noticable increase in lighting capacity. I've heard from some other VFR listers saying not to use over 80 Watts per bulb to avoid frying electrical components (Thanks Dave).

Contact Bob Peloquin by emailing "bpeloquin" at "hansondata.com" for more information. Due to Spam activity, you'll have to decode the email address yourself. You're all brilliant enough, I expect, to take the first part, an "@" sign, the second part and put them together to form an email address, aren't you?

After removing the headlight assembly, take the black rubber boots off and you'll see two bulbs in holders like this.
Unlatch the spring-clip and remove the Honda bulb. Next remove the two screws holding the spring-clip in place so you can place the new H4 bulb in place and mark the areas you'll need to cut. Note that you'll have to rotate the spring-clip clockwise to the next mounting boss to allow fitting the H4 bulb.
You'll have to drill a new hole for the spring-clip hold-down screw. Caution, the plastic of the reflector assembly is very brittle. Use a 9/64 inch drill marking the depth with tape slightly deeper than the length of the hold-down screw. (It's a good idea to start the hole with a smaller bit to make it easier to keep the drill-bit from walking) The areas you'll be cutting are shown here in red. Take care to keep the cut-out areas level with the original cut-outs so the bulb will sit at the proper angle in the reflector. (Bulb Mounting Discussion) The small areas of the center tab can be filed to allow the front tabs of the H4 to fit over the plastic tab on the bottom of the reflector.
Here you can see the high-speed cutter at work removing plastic in the marked areas. Special note here... The plastic used in the reflector is very brittle. You really must use a high-speed motorized cutter like the Dremel to avoid cracking the plastic. Also, plastic shavings get all over everything and inside the headlight assembly. I should have thought of a way to close up the opening but didn't think of it till it was too late. I suppose a small rubber ball would work. I had to rinse out the plastic shavings with Windex & water then dry with a hair-dryer before carefully wiping the reflector with a soft cloth stuck in through the lamp holes. Be very careful as the reflector is easily scratched.
When complete, mount the spring-clip using the new hole you drilled and install the spring-holder in the reverse position from the original so you can clip the spring under the lower edge of it as shown. You will now be able to use regular H4/9003 bulbs which are easy to find in any auto-parts or Wal-Mart store. The standard relays & wiring will safely handle the 60/55 Watt H4 bulbs giving you a noticable increase in lighting capacity. I've heard from some other VFR listers saying not to use over 80 Watts per bulb to avoid frying electrical components (Thanks Dave).