Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Speedo lights

[moto748]

Do I need to remove the instrument assembly (is this difficult?) to replace the (top) speedo bulb, or is removing the top fairing sufficient?

Anyone know what size it is?

5W capless?

TIA.

[antonye]

5w capless - available from any motor store like Halfrauds.

You *may* be able to get away with replacing the top one with the instruments in place, but it's not a difficult job to do if you do have to take the instruments off.

Take off the top fairing then take out the headlight (remove the adjustment bolt, retrieve spring and slide it out, disconnect the loom connector) then undo the three bolts that hold the instruments in place.

Once you've done that the pod lifts straight off.

[moto748]

Thanks, antonye.

[moto748]

<Later that same night...>


Looks like most of the bulbholders are accessible without removing the instruments, certainly the one I want to change is.


But... are those rubber bulbholders a pig to extract, or what?
Maybe it's partly the legacy of my left-outside-in-all-weathers bike, but I tugged and I pulled and I hooked small screwdrivers, allen keys, fingernails, all sorts in there to shift it. Would it budge?

'Course I was leery of being too brutal and breaking the wires.

Eventually after what seemed like hours of struggling, I managed to pry it out with the rounded tip of a table knife. Changed bulb out and coated the bulbholder in Vaseline before replacing..

I notice the Haynes manual uses the weasel words "Ease the relevant bulbholder out of position..."

"Ease" be fooked!"

Still, if they only fail every 36000 miles...

[antonye]

Lol! Yeah, I think you're supposed to be able to pull them out by the little nipple on the rubber part, but all they do is snap off as the rubber perishes over the years.