BMW F800GS / F700GS LED Headlight Upgrade

In the world of motorcycle modifications, the allure of aftermarket upgrades can be both thrilling and uncertain. If the price is too good to be true, can you trust the product? That was the dilemma I faced when I chose to buy a no-name LED headlight for my BMW F700GS, affectionately named Duckling.

Duckling got her name from her original owner, based on the story of the ugly duckling, who was mocked for her plain looks, until she eventually became a beautiful swan. As her current owner, I found myself torn between skepticism and optimism. Let’s see how this mod did, and whether or not the LED headlight upgrade gave an ugly Duckling a brighter future.

Why I chose to trust a no-name LED headlight from parts unknown

This wasn’t my first time trying a no-name LED headlight from strangers on the internet. Last year I installed a similar LED headlight on my BMW G650GS. I’ve ridden with that headlight for roughly 5,000 km so far. Part of that mileage was riding across all of Italy while parts of the country were flooding. It rained far more days than it didn’t over my 25 day trip, and the no-name LED headlight worked flawlessly and didn’t let any moisture in.

Based on the experience with my G650GS, I was ready to put some blind faith into this F700GS and F800GS LED LED headlight. I mention both the F700GS and the F800GS because the two use the same headlight, so the parts are interchangeable. This upgrade will work with either of those motorcycles.

Installation

I placed the order on Amazon and the next day my LED headlight arrived. The part uses the same mounting points and even the same mounting hardware as the original BMW headlight. To ensure the perfect angle and alignment of the light, I decided to install the headlight at nightfall. With darkness as my backdrop, I carefully adjusted the beam, striving for optimal visibility. Of course, before you do all this you may want to first bench test the headlight to make sure it works.

First, you’ll need to remove the original headlight. To do this you’ll need T45 torx key or T45 torx bit to loosen off the OEM bolts. Then slide out the headlight and pinch and slide the connector to disconnect the plug. Now you’re ready to install the new LED headlight into your F800GS or F700GS.

The new LED headlight unit comes with two washers with an adhesive backing to hold them in place, however the adhesive it comes with is very poor. I recommend using either glue or some tape to hold the parts in place. Then you’ll simply use the original hardward to mount the new headlight unit in place.

I suggest first installing the headlight and checking out the angle of the light and where it points, and then adjusting until you reach the optimal angle. From there you should probably take the screws out, apply some blue loctite to stop the bolts from coming loose over time, and reinstall the bolts.

Lastly, just plug the connector coming out of the headlight into the motorcycle’s headlight connector.

Testing and comparison versus OEM

The new LED headlight was much brighter than the OEM headlight. I took pictures and video footage for comparison, you can see the difference it makes in the video at the start of this article. The OEM BMW F800GS/F700GS isn’t bad, but the new one is much better.

Below are some pictures of both the original headlight, and the LED headlight, with their low beam and running lights only, and the high beam off.

Note that I had not yet adjusted the angle of the light yet on the new LED headlight, so it was pointed much too high. I corrected this later.

Aesthetics and conclusions

This upgrade makes night time visibility much better. It helps me both see and be seen when riding on dark roads.

There’s another advantage as well. The upgrade really modernizes the look of my BMW. It no longer looks like something designed in the early 2000s, and now looks very modern and sharp. Looks are subjective, but in my opinion, this has greatly transformed and improved the motorcycle’s aesthetics and brought it into the 2020s.

Overall, I’m very happy with how this modification has improved my F700GS, both in terms of form and function. The installation was easy, the headlight performs well, and it makes my bike look great. Paired with my MIVV exhaust, I’m starting to really love my F700GS more than ever.

If you’re interested in upgrading your BMW F700GS or BMW F800GS, this is the LED headlight that I bought. I paid about $160, and I’m very happy with it so far.