After my first ride on the bike (XTR 09) in the dark, I decided I needed brighter bulbs.
The owner's manual just says remove the bolts on the cowling A. It is impossible to get to these without removing other parts (fork cover?)
Has anyone done done this before? What should I do?

I have an XTX but I think the headlight mounting is the same.

You only have to remove the bolt, and the metal collar that the bolt goes through, that is directly under the front indicator on each side.

The whole headlight unit then needs to be lifted about 2cm to lift it off the bottom retaining pins. Then you can tilt it forward and rest it on the front mud guard. Be careful as only the wiring connections are holding it in place by now.

Disconnect the headlight plug and then you have to rotate the retaining collar and remove that. Replace the bulb with a brighter one and reverse.

It should be a 5min job.

__________________
Black 06 XTX
Mods: Renthal Bars�Venom Handguards�BikeVis Bullets�mgmoto bobbins�iridium spark plug�Oxford hotgrips�Givi Engine Bars�DNA Stage 1 & 2�Kevmod�Centre Stand
Wishlist:HID Xenon headlight : A Big Don't Hit Me Flag

The prob I have is getting to those bolts. There just isn't enough clearance to get a spanner on the it.
The ones I am talking about are hex around 12mm
are these the ones you are thinking of?

They are not bolts for a spanner on my 2006 R - they are hex key bolts - immediately below the winkers. They go through spacers which need pulling out and then lift a little as above. It's pitch black here (in Spain) but if you haven't found them I'll post some photos tomorrow.

__________________
My Mods | TLC | A good spannering | Kev's brilliant Mods & advice via XTSupporters - Best �10 ever spent.Lucid Puppy && SeaMonkey - Wubi - - Boinc - electric sheep

XT Modifications - XT Supporter's scheme

I'm not sure what you're looking at, but the headlight mounting bolts are not 12mm hex head. It's a smallish round head 4 or 5mm allen head bolt. You have to remove the bolt and the metal spacer it goes through. They are directly under the front indicators.



Once you have them out the headlight lifts up with a little wiggling as the headlight cowling goes under the top of the front fork guards.

Hope that helps.

__________________
Black 06 XTX
Mods: Renthal Bars�Venom Handguards�BikeVis Bullets�mgmoto bobbins�iridium spark plug�Oxford hotgrips�Givi Engine Bars�DNA Stage 1 & 2�Kevmod�Centre Stand
Wishlist:HID Xenon headlight : A Big Don't Hit Me Flag

Spot on, ive done it a few times before just watch out not to pull too much on the cables when you've got the bolts off as there isnt too much play in the cables to the speedo unit.

__________________
Plough on

I undid 2 hex bolts in the area you show on your picture but all I got was to loosen the dashboard assembly while the headlight as'y stayed rock solid
I'll have another go later today now that I have some feedback & it has stopped pis'g down with rain.

I noticed you list HID mod on your bike. How do you find it?

What's an headloght?

Hello Bonjo

Once you have those bolts AND the metal spacers removed, the spacers have to come out as well, the whole headlight unit should lift up with a little wriggling. The only thing that might be in your way is the top of the fork protector overlaps the frame of the headlight unit. If you bend it away from the frame slightly the headlight unit should just lift away. Be careful of pulling the wires.



The HID xenon upgrade is on my wishlist. The guys at HID50 have a reputation of providing the brightest (50W) HID Xenon upgrades and now do H4 kits suitable for the XTX/R. Pricey but reliable and at about 400% brighter than a halogen bulb those who have them think that they are worth it.
http://www.hid50.com/

__________________
Black 06 XTX
Mods: Renthal Bars�Venom Handguards�BikeVis Bullets�mgmoto bobbins�iridium spark plug�Oxford hotgrips�Givi Engine Bars�DNA Stage 1 & 2�Kevmod�Centre Stand
Wishlist:HID Xenon headlight : A Big Don't Hit Me Flag

headloght= headlight + big cold fingers

Managed to do it once I got your feedbacks & realised I was barking up the wrong tree
I put in a high intensity H4 (+60%). I think it is much brighter but the test has yet to come: riding in the dark on a wet greasy country road.

great feedback