Hella Extreme light bulbs

[Ram Solutions]

Just a wee bit of market research, hoping the Mods won't mind...... we are looking at offering NZ motorcylists a range of ultra bright/ long range headlight bulbs on our online store. Choosing a well known and respectable brand, Hella, we hope to stock only their brightest Plus 90 series or brightest available. We aim to have these listed on our website at prices significantly below what car accessory retailers charge.

Now, not being familiar with what bulb goes with which motorcycle, I'm seeking the wisdom of the crowd in telling me your preferences of what to stock. I'd appreciate your comments stating the brand, model of bike and what type of headlight bulb it takes.

Perhaps I'll start the ball rolling ......... Honda CBR600RR, H7 ; Suzuki Vstrom DL650, H4:yes:

[Gremlin]

- Honda CB900 (and older CB600) - H4 - it's also a very common bulb in dual filament applications.
- Honda CBR1100XX (Blackbird) - H7
- 2004-2005 Kawasaki ZX10R - H7
- BMW R1200GSA - H7, driving spots are H11
- 2010+ Multistrada 1200 - H11
- 2008+ KTM 990 Supermoto - H4

FWIW, I've been using the +90% Hella bulbs for a few years now, and seemed to average about 20k to the bulb. +50% yielded long life (lost count of km) while still an increase in light. I used the +90 as I wanted as much light as possible, and didn't care about life (except 2 out of about 4 bulbs blew in the middle of the night :blink:)

However, I use HID in my BMW and Hella +90 and already have a supply of whatever bulb I want (trade at Autostop)

[YellowDog]

Do you do HID kits?

[ajturbo]

Do you do HID kits?

+1..........................

and.. the 90%+ ones... what about the heat?

[Spearfish]

at least 10 characters.

[ac3_snow]

Honda cbr250rr - H4R

[_STAIN_]

reliability is as problem as pointed out by Gremlin, old skool bulbs would just go off, bit yellow dull. The + type fail early without warning, last +50 = 5,000km

[davebullet]

Speed Triple 1050 (08+ - might suit earlier) are H4.

I'm running Philips Xtreme vision (+100) so will see how many kms they last.

You'll need to beat powerbulbs.com on pricing to be competitive. Their shipping is quite reasonable.

[banditrider]

I run Phillips X-treme vision +80's. Get around 20k out of them too. I have a set of +100's to play with next (low beam just went in my left eye last Friday night).

Concours 14 takes H4's too.

Will be interested to see your prices. This is where I get mine: http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=43. Free worldwide shipping...

[Ram Solutions]

Do you do HID kits?

No, not considering it. I'm pretty sure that HID conversion kits aren't legal.

[Ram Solutions]

[FWIW, I've been using the +90% Hella bulbs for a few years now, and seemed to average about 20k to the bulb. +50% yielded long life (lost count of km) while still an increase in light. I used the +90 as I wanted as much light as possible, and didn't care about life (except 2 out of about 4 bulbs blew in the middle of the night :blink:)

However, I use HID in my BMW and Hella +90 and already have a supply of whatever bulb I want (trade at Autostop)[/QUOTE]



Sorry in advance that I'm not quite savvy enough to answer these replies in bulk....... just have to bare with me answering one by one...

I've used +90 bulbs in all manner of vehicles in the past as well. So far I haven't had any fail on me and it's always been the next buyer of my vehicle (cars and bikes) that inherited whatever were fitted at the time. None the less, I'm not a penny pincher pacing out value of these things. All I want is more light on the road...

[Ram Solutions]

I run Phillips X-treme vision +80's. Get around 20k out of them too. I have a set of +100's to play with next (low beam just went in my left eye last Friday night).

Concours 14 takes H4's too.

Will be interested to see your prices. This is where I get mine: http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=43. Free worldwide shipping...


Thanks for the link Banditrider.......... I think we'll be pretty competitive price wise. Certainly we ain't going to get rich from this exercise and that's not the aim, but we see it as a good compliment to our existing product mix and it's only due to requests by chappies such as yourself that we're even considering this move. However, if the masses say they don't want light bulbs we're prepared to listen. Our stock will be sourced from official NZ channels and the investment for us won't be huge....!

[cheshirecat]

I'm on my second set of plus 90's on my VFR. They see to fail together ish after some 8000k. Very good but will be tryign some slternatives.

Do you do any with yellow tints a la French. Cars seem to see you better.

[CookMySock]

Do you do any with yellow tints a la French. Cars seem to see you better.I think this is an accurate assessment - anything that looks a little different really gets people noticing you.

I've done a few HID conversions and I'm tempted to offer them to paying customers.

Aftermarket HID conversions are NOT legal, and while neither is an aftermarket loud exhaust or a tinted visor at night, people seem a whole lot more polarised about HIDs, one way or the other.

[Ram Solutions]

Thanks for all your comments, guys. Just to stay on topic I think we have an idea now of what bulb types to keep. We're hoping to hold these as service items and probably cheaper to your doorstep than going out to the local auto electrician. I don't think we will be getting into coloured bulbs because it will mean multiplying stock SKU's for limited demand. We are also exploring stocking an LED daylight runner light complete with motorcycle friendly mounting brackets, rather than coloured bulbs. We'll announce the launch under the merchants section of KB as soon as ready.:woohoo: Cheers, Ivan

[slofox]

K8 Gixxer 600 uses H11(low beam) and HB3 (high beam). What're the equivalents in Hella extreme?

[Ram Solutions]

K8 Gixxer 600 uses H11(low beam) and HB3 (high beam). What're the equivalents in Hella extreme?

The information I have with the Hella products is that the H11 comes as +30 and HB3 as +50

[Gremlin]

K8 Gixxer 600 uses H11(low beam) and HB3 (high beam). What're the equivalents in Hella extreme?
You'd be after this: http://hella.co.nz/3-281/product/Halogen-Bulbs

Remember to only look at 12v options.

[The Stranger]

and while neither is an aftermarket loud exhaust or a tinted visor at night

Really? Obviously any exhaust that doesn't comply with the DB ratings is non compliant, but a tinted visor at night is not legal?

[slofox]

The information I have with the Hella products is that the H11 comes as +30 and HB3 as +50


You'd be after this: http://hella.co.nz/3-281/product/Halogen-Bulbs

Remember to only look at 12v options.

Thanks Guys...

[CookMySock]

a tinted visor at night is not legal?That is my understanding of it. I don't recall where I got that info from tho. Readers will assign relevance / attribute truth for themselves as ya do.

Regardless of the law, I'd say the fuzz would stop a rider and conduct an attitude check (which I'd fail) if someone was stuck with riding well after dark with a tinted visor.

My main point was - HIDs evoke a lot more strong feelings one way or another than other borderline (or not) legal mods, which is a shame considering the safety margin they contribute to.

[Pixie]

reliability is as problem as pointed out by Gremlin, old skool bulbs would just go off, bit yellow dull. The + type fail early without warning, last +50 = 5,000km

"A candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burned very brightly..."

[slofox]

...if someone was stuck with riding well after dark with a tinted visor.


I did that from d'Auckland to The Tron one night is a raging storm. Only because I had no option - some idiot forgot it would be dark on the way home, eh.. I tried with the visor open but my specs got so wet in the pissing rain that I had less vision than with the visor closed.

In fact my eyes adapted quite quickly an I stopped noticing it after about five minutes.

Fairly slow ride but...

[Hitcher]

The GSX1250FA runs H7s.

[banditrider]

The GSX1250FA runs H7s.

A mate is running these (http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=112)in his Bandit. I'd say he's probably done nearly 10,000km on them without a failure. A big improvement over his standard ones.

[Hitcher]

A mate is running these (http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=112)in his Bandit. I'd say he's probably done nearly 10,000km on them without a failure. A big improvement over his standard ones.

I've upgraded my low beam. It's still only 8.5 out of 10. I suspect the deficit lies with the shape of the GSX-R's headlight unit. High beam, despite being a bit rifle-like, is just great.

[davebullet]

I've upgraded my low beam. It's still only 8.5 out of 10. I suspect the deficit lies with the shape of the GSX-R's headlight unit. High beam, despite being a bit rifle-like, is just great.

The other reason is voltage drop. Speed triples suffer from this a bit (like most other bikes). There are mods where guys (no other changes other than more beefy / direct wiring from the battery via a relay) attain noticeably better brightness. That combined with +50 (or better) luminage bulbs, would yield the best you are going to get from stock.

[The Stranger]

That is my understanding of it. I don't recall where I got that info from tho. Readers will assign relevance / attribute truth for themselves as ya do.

Regardless of the law, I'd say the fuzz would stop a rider and conduct an attitude check (which I'd fail) if someone was stuck with riding well after dark with a tinted visor.

My main point was - HIDs evoke a lot more strong feelings one way or another than other borderline (or not) legal mods, which is a shame considering the safety margin they contribute to.

You made a statement of fact.
The fact that you can't back it up calls into question any other statements of "fact" in your post. But hey, why change now right?


It's not the legality that is at issue. Sometimes the law is an arse, sometimes it seems only to serve to punish for victim less crimes and sometimes (most) there is good reason. When people point out the issue with the law in regards to illegal HID conversions (as opposed to legal ones) they are using the latter context.

The same logic is being applied to your illegal conversions as to wire rope barriers. Safety of one group should not be at the expense of another. Temporarily blinding your opponents is not enhancing road safety. The powers that be rightly recognise this.
There is no comparison between HID and loud pipes or "illegal" dark visors.

[imdying]

but a tinted visor at night is not legal?Careless misue of a motor vehicle mate... that'll be $600 and a roadside disqualification of 28 days, plus a judge will decide just how long you'll lose it for in total. Nice one eh. Best of all, the judge might decide it wasn't a fair pull (i.e. YOU'RE INNOCENT), but you'll still have done the time. Lovely.

[CookMySock]

You made a statement of fact. [.....]
There is no comparison between HID and loud pipes or "illegal" dark visors.You don't actually declare what my "statement of fact" actually was, but if you look at your words above you will see one of yours.

In the end, I won't argue with people like yourself, but as has been stated in writing here a large number of times I get no complaints about my lights - a fact ignored by yourself and others here. And while your tools are ranting and screaming instead of calm concise sound logic - every time you will like like the prize screaming child that you are.

Yawn... I will do as I choose - just as you do. If you don't like it then scream and have a tantrum on this forum or go cry to your mommy - It doesn't affect me, much as you would like it to. Sorry. :sunny:

[The Stranger]

In the end, I won't argue with people like yourself

Of course not, that would require rational thought.

Still - you do realise that you are arguing with me don't you steve?