Headlight bulbs, which are best?

[nzspokes]

My little CBXs 8" head light is ok but not great. Me mates light on his Hornet looks to have an aftermarket bulb thats brighter. When he was following me last night his light drowned mine out.

So which bulbs work best?

Looks to be a standard car type fitting.

[nzspokes]

My little CBXs 8" head light is ok but not great. Me mates light on his Hornet looks to have an aftermarket bulb thats brighter. When he was following me last night his light drowned mine out.

So which bulbs work best?

Looks to be a standard car type fitting.

My bulb went pop this mornig so have to replace it now. If i fit a 90/100 over the 55/65 (i think) will my wiring cope?

[Gremlin]

My bulb went pop this mornig so have to replace it now. If i fit a 90/100 over the 55/65 (i think) will my wiring cope?
Usually you'll fry something or melt the headlight... keep the stock wattages.

You can get uprated bulbs, such as Hella, +50% or +90%, that have the same draw, but more light output. They last less as you go up the range obviously...

[bogan]

My bulb went pop this mornig so have to replace it now. If i fit a 90/100 over the 55/65 (i think) will my wiring cope?

I'd be surprised if the bucket copes, let alone the wiring :sunny:

Often the dimness is causes by average wiring or shitty switch contacts dropping half a volt or so. You might find that running a relay with wires straight from the battery offers a significant improvement. The light output is very sensitvie to voltage drop, iirc 1 volt dropped off drops something like 50% or 25% of your light output.

[Owl]

By all means price up bulbs here, but worth checking out this place as they have free worldwide shipping.

http://www.powerbulbs.com/

[nzspokes]

Would one of those Xenon bulbs be better?

[ynot slow]

By all means price up bulbs here, but worth checking out this place as they have free worldwide shipping.

http://www.powerbulbs.com/

Ditto and about 5 days delivery.

[caspernz]

Yes, familiar problem....need more light. I solved it, somewhat illegally I'll admit, by fitting HID's with awesome results. Just needed to adjust beam angle down a bit and the intensity in the rain is now better than in the dry with incandescents....

[banditrider]

By all means price up bulbs here, but worth checking out this place as they have free worldwide shipping.

http://www.powerbulbs.com/

Just put some of the new +100's in...

[Owl]

Just put some of the new +100's in...

Dear as all hell aren't they? I thought the Osram Night Breaker Plus would be the cost efficient option?

[boman]

Yes, familiar problem....need more light. I solved it, somewhat illegally I'll admit, by fitting HID's with awesome results. Just needed to adjust beam angle down a bit and the intensity in the rain is now better than in the dry with incandescents....

And where did you purchase the HIDs from? Just out of interest.

[orangeback]

XD1260/55UP
H4 Halogen Ultra Plus Bulb - 12 Volt 90 % brighter than standard bulbs
no need to shop over seas , find your local TWL (Transport wholesale ltd ) branch and purchase from them
http://www.hella.co.nz/3-321-1100/product/H4-Halogen-Bulb---12-Volt-Standard
they can get most the hid bulbs for you as well
http://www.hella.co.nz/3-165/product/automotive-bulbs

your 90/100 will smoke your wiring and melt your light over long periods of use & 100/120 will be worse
be aware the bigger the out put of the light (higher performance light ) will only last about 1/2 as long a a standard bulb ,so you may be changing it every couple years

[banditrider]

Saw some Narva +100's in at Supercheap the other day - about $100 for 2. Still cheaper to get in from Powerbulbs...

My Phillip's +100's were superb in the GC on the weekend!

[otter]

Saw some Narva +100's in at Supercheap the other day - about $100 for 2. Still cheaper to get in from Powerbulbs...

My Phillip's +100's were superb in the GC on the weekend!

Yeah, my bulb just died yesterday so I came looking for this thread. I think I'm going to have to with powerbulbs. Everything at supercheap, wasn't that cheap.

[otter]

Anyone know which is better out of
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-xtreme-vision-h4-car-headlight-bulbs
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-nightbreaker-night-breaker-h4-two-bulbs

From experience or second hand?

[banditrider]

Anyone know which is better out of
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-xtreme-vision-h4-car-headlight-bulbs
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-nightbreaker-night-breaker-h4-two-bulbs

From experience or second hand?

Much of a muchness probably. I'm running the +100's and my mate has the +90's in his Bandit. His light certainly looks pretty bright (a lot better than standard) and he likes it. Can't really compare between our two bike though as I have twin headlights (much better spread) whereas he gets away (no choice though eh) with just one.

[Owl]

Anyone know which is better out of
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-xtreme-vision-h4-car-headlight-bulbs
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-nightbreaker-night-breaker-h4-two-bulbs

From experience or second hand?

It's my understanding that the Phillips is superior with light and the Nightbreaker Plus lasts longer?

All hearsay and no actual experience with either though! I'm using the Phillips X-treme Power, which are +80's and outdated now, but were considered the best.

[ynot slow]

I had the Osram H7 plus 80 in bandit,was good light pattern,lasted quite a while the dip bulb blew first,so put the original back in,bought new bulbs but traded the bike,so need to put in the gixxer except one is H9 not H7 for both bugger it,the high beam is H7.

[banditrider]

I initially tried the Navra +50's but they were pretty fragile and didn't last. With Phillips +80's i reckon I got around 20k out of them. Current +100's have only got around 2,800km on them so far.

[Gremlin]

The Hella +50% have been very reliable, longer than I could count, so not sure, possibly over a year a piece. The Hella +90% didn't last as long, going for about 6 months, or 20,000km.

If you have a dual filament single lamp setup and purchase the outer end of the range of bulbs I would strongly advise carrying a spare. My +90%'s failed at the worst times, 2009 GC at 11.30pm at night in the middle of the country, and then 2010, a "quick trip" to Cape Reinga, I lost both filaments within 100km (low first), and was left to ride about 100km in the dark, no headlight... lesson learnt :rolleyes:

[eldog]

Just wondering about a future lamp replacement, want to use on long night rides with good light reliability, but dont want too much eye strain by looking between light and dark, current headlights are fixed to frame and dont offer much in the way of side spread, thinking about NZ corners and dips

maybe I should look at auxiliary lights, so far see Clearwater ones but they dont seem to be protected, any other suggestions for this as well

[nzspokes]

Ive been looking at LED bulbs which seem to be quite good.

[bogan]

Just wondering about a future lamp replacement, want to use on long night rides with good light reliability, but dont want too much eye strain by looking between light and dark, current headlights are fixed to frame and dont offer much in the way of side spread, thinking about NZ corners and dips

maybe I should look at auxiliary lights, so far see Clearwater ones but they dont seem to be protected, any other suggestions for this as well

Headlight issues are generally one of three things, electrical power, bulb power, or reflector design. Basically if you have decent brightness but poor spread (as it sounds like you do), there is no easy fix. Upping the bulb power just puts more light in the same poorly spread areas, which as you say, causes eye strain. Going to a different type of bulb is more likely to make the spread worse (and be illegal). Complete swaps is probably the best fix, bit pricey and tricky though. Also you can put some spots to highlight the areas your main light misses (and possibly up the main lights power a bit too), but those spots have to be compliant as well, and might require just as much work as a min light replacement anyway.

[eldog]

Headlight issues are generally one of three things, electrical power, bulb power, or reflector design. Basically if you have decent brightness but poor spread (as it sounds like you do), there is no easy fix. Upping the bulb power just puts more light in the same poorly spread areas, which as you say, causes eye strain. Going to a different type of bulb is more likely to make the spread worse (and be illegal). Complete swaps is probably the best fix, bit pricey and tricky though. Also you can put some spots to highlight the areas your main light misses (and possibly up the main lights power a bit too), but those spots have to be compliant as well, and might require just as much work as a min light replacement anyway.

Bogan, totally agree with you.

and NZ Spokes re LED

Want to light to left and right of road on slow tight corners GSX's seem to lose light to the left and right from the ones I have been following, especially when no oncoming traffic.

I obviously need to look into spots/auxilary lighting AND compliance and avoid eye strain etc for the rider

[Tazz]

Compliance? Go led and just pull em off if you fail a wof. Just don't be a dick and run them on straights into people's eyes. I doubt you'd fail a wof with them anyway. You can have 2 driving and 2 Daytime running lights plus your one or two mains. Just watch your wattage and stator output.

[bogan]

Bogan, totally agree with you.

and NZ Spokes re LED

Want to light to left and right of road on slow tight corners GSX's seem to lose light to the left and right from the ones I have been following, especially when no oncoming traffic.

I obviously need to look into spots/auxilary lighting AND compliance and avoid eye strain etc for the rider

Depending on circumstance, upgrade the lot to a proper HID setup and solve all your issues. I pretty stoked with how mine turned out, got it from these guys http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/motorcycle-stage-3-kit-single-headlight.html#.U3f920NPW3Q who also do the Cree LED ones that are for off-road use only, but holy fuck your truck could see for miles with 20k lumens http://www.theretrofitsource.com/off-road-lighting/morimoto-x-bar-40.html#.U3f-L0NPW3Q

[nzspokes]

Depending on circumstance, upgrade the lot to a proper HID setup and solve all your issues. I pretty stoked with how mine turned out, got it from these guys http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/motorcycle-stage-3-kit-single-headlight.html#.U3f920NPW3Q who also do the Cree LED ones that are for off-road use only, but holy fuck your truck could see for miles with 20k lumens http://www.theretrofitsource.com/off-road-lighting/morimoto-x-bar-40.html#.U3f-L0NPW3Q

Even though HIDs are not legal.

[bogan]

Even though HIDs are not legal.

HIDs are legal as long as they have the proper optics and beam pattern (remember the diff between RHD and LHD patterns too), as the ones I linked to do, and many thousands of cars use em as standard. HID half-assery is not legal, ie, putting HID bulbs in a reflector designed for filament bulbs because the chances of it throwing the correct beam pattern are greatly reduced; and even if the correct pattern is thrown, you're unlikely to see the full benefits of HID anyway since it is the optics that give the brilliant spread.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Depending on circumstance, upgrade the lot to a proper HID setup and solve all your issues. I pretty stoked with how mine turned out, got it from these guys http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/motorcycle-stage-3-kit-single-headlight.html#.U3f920NPW3Q who also do the Cree LED ones that are for off-road use only, but holy fuck your truck could see for miles with 20k lumens http://www.theretrofitsource.com/off-road-lighting/morimoto-x-bar-40.html#.U3f-L0NPW3Q

Imagine, if you will, a Street Triple R, 2009 model with very average lighting, in spite of the two rather large round headlamps it possesses.

If one wanted to fit new gubbinses into the existing shells, to retain a stock look, but increase the function, (because the headlights are very average) where might one begin?

[bogan]

Imagine, if you will, a Street Triple R, 2009 model with very average lighting, in spite of the two rather large round headlamps it possesses.

If one wanted to fit new gubbinses into the existing shells, to retain a stock look, but increase the function, (because the headlights are very average) where might one begin?

Start here

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/motorcycle-stage-iii-kit-dual-headlight.html#.U3gMfENPW3Q

Check out the dimensions of your buckets, with a bit of luck they might fit in there.

Technical
Application:
Universal (cars)
Orientation:
LHD (North American Standard)
Depth (mm):
136
Width (mm):
87
Height (mm):
70
Mounting Shaft Diameter (mm):
20
Housing Depth Required (mm):
107
Lens Diameter:
2.5"
Lens Shape:
Round
Size:
Smallest
Functionality:
Low & High Beam (Bi-xenon)

[Tazz]

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/motorcycle-stage-3-kit-single-headlight.html#.U3f920NPW3Q

Quoted for awesomeness. That website is brilliant.

[bogan]

Quoted for awesomeness. That website is brilliant.

Good service too, I did find the mechanical bits to be a kinda average in the molded parts, but no biggie since it all needs to be covered up anyway.

[FastBikeGear]

Anyone know which is better out of
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-xtreme-vision-h4-car-headlight-bulbs
http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-nightbreaker-night-breaker-h4-two-bulbs

From experience or second hand?

RiDE Magazine did some pretty comprehensive tests on both those bulbs some time back and found the Philips to be significantly better. I bought some of the Philips X-treme Vision bulbs and found them MUCH brighter than any other halogen light I have tried.

The better bulbs are supposedly getting more light where you want it on the road from the same wattage bulbs, due to a shorter length filament that places more of the light source precisely where the reflector designers assumed it would be. This means that the filaments on these uprated halogen bulbs are shorter than the filaments on other bulbs of the same wattage and they also have a shorter life. I discovered this first hand with the Philips X-treme bulbs - they only lasted about six months.

Philips brought out an updated version of the X-treme Vision bulbs (about 18 months ago) that they claimed had a longer life than the first ones, and I put one of these in my bikes and it worked perfectly until....

...I uprated the entire electrical system on my bike (regulator, wiring loom, relays and some other stuff) and my system now supplies a higher volatage to the headlights than these bulbs can handle so I have had to go back to using the more rugged longer filament bulbs.