Question about aging headlamp bulbs and eyes.

[chibbert]

'04 R1150RS and I'm assuming I still have the original bulb/bulbs. I've noticed that the quality of light at night is getting pretty bad (or is it my eyes?) My question(s) are:

1) Do these motorcycle bulbs get dull and dim over the course of their life?

2) Can auxiliary lighting systems really brighten up the road?

3) Can anyone recommend a really good auxiliary lighting system?

4) Is there a preferred brand/line of replacement bulbs?

5) Is an HID custom replacement worth all the trouble and expense?

Many thanks!

[towerworker]

Light bulb output does diminish with age. As the tungsten filament lights a small amount of the tungsten basically burns off, eventually enough burns off to where the filament becomes so very thin it takes very little for it to break. As the filament burns off the light output also decreases. So I doubt it's your eyes. A new bulb I think is probably in order. I just recently installed an inexpensive set of LED auxiliary lights and I was very amazed with the difference. I bought this set from eBay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/111161172691?ss ... 1439.l2649

They make a huge difference in night riding. They are brighter and light up the highway more than my stock headlight.

I am thinking about adding a second set just for grins. I really don't need more light for night riding, I just wanted the daytime visibility. I currently have them wired up temporarily with a small switch. I have an autoswitch on order (currently on back order). The light output is incredible and the construction seems to be very good. Cast aluminum housing and stainless steel hardware. The power draw is very low (one of the many benefits of LED's). I am very satisfied! A good friend has a set of $600 Clearwater LED's on his GS and I see very little difference in construction and performance.

[chibbert]

Wayne - I like your tag line.
I'm riding one of Mike's old bikes.

And I'll look into those led lights.
Thanks

[gregor]

Try changing the headlight bulb as a cheap starting option. I use one of the Osram Nightbreakers bulbs , you know the sort of thing , 70% brighter, longer life, winner of consumer tests etc. I find them good and use them in the car and bike. Run it all the time in the bike and has not failed in 8 years and still is bright enough at night to see my way home.

[AZBMWRIDER]

I've been using PIAA Superwhite H4 headlight bulbs since the OEM bulb burned out .

Alot more more light over OEM .

LED's in the indicator internal lighting helps as well .

After getting into my first altercation with the 1150, opposite direction car making a left turn in front of me, I installed Wunderlich crash bar and PIAA 510 driving lights, with PIAA Superwhite H3 bulbs .

The extra light is a must for me, as about 60% of my riding is in night conditons .

I use the bike as a commuter for work and I leave for work between 0330 and 0510 and not unusual to get out of work at 2230 .

[CycleRob]

chibbert,
The 1st thing to check is the wire connector to the bulb. Look for discolored metal or a change in the normal wire color. If the plug pulls off the bulb easily and/or you see signs of overheating, it likely annealed and weakened the required springiness of the female terminals. When they have a looser grip connection it soon becomes a runaway meltdown, so remove the terminals one by one and squeeze them a little tighter.
Another thing to consider is that the Boxer headlights are NOT sealed beams. The water tight seal around the bulb is not that great. The reflector can get fogged up during rain riding or when in outdoor storage and end up loosing it's bright clean mirror reflectivity. Give it a look. That snap on rubber cap would seal better with a thin film of waterproof grease on its sealing surfaces with the housing and the wire plug.

Cleaning it would require a lot of patience, a non-alcoholic beverage, Windex and an articulating arm tool to maneuver paper toweling thru the bulb opening.

BTW, does the RS model have a glass or plastic headlight lens? A 100Watt bulb upgrade with TIGHT fitting terminals, your best option, would only be tolerated by a glass lens (like the R1150R has).

I too am going to get a pair of LED daytime "visibility" running lights to be better noticed in traffic. They draw such low power that they will have no detrimental affect on the F800's barely positive idling charge voltage. You could even put 2 pairs of them on your RS to greatly enhance the illumination and be really noticed in traffic.

[Dr. Strangelove]

'04 R1150RS and I'm assuming I still have the original bulb/bulbs. I've noticed that the quality of light at night is getting pretty bad (or is it my eyes?) My question(s) are:

1) Do these motorcycle bulbs get dull and dim over the course of their life?

2) Can auxiliary lighting systems really brighten up the road?

3) Can anyone recommend a really good auxiliary lighting system?

4) Is there a preferred brand/line of replacement bulbs?

5) Is an HID custom replacement worth all the trouble and expense?

Many thanks!

1-yes
2-yes--and makes you FAR more visible to oncoming traffic
3-I use motolights and they help a lot, but there are many brands out there and much depends on placement
4-not in my view

And your vision "yellows" with age.

I am really surprised that your bulb lasted so long and continues to burn. That is a LONG life.
I usually used silverstars on Stella! (who now lives in College Station Texas) and over 100k+ miles went through 3-4 bulbs.

I always had a frustrating time getting the whole shebang back together, esp seating the bulb holder in the reflector. On the 12 it is much easier. But you are on an RS so getting to the bulb will be different tahn the rr

John

[SteveJJ]

On HIDs, I've had mixed success. I put them in my Honda Civic Hybrid, and it helped some. The color temperature was too cool blue, so it lost some in that. Look for 5000-6000K I believe, or less. Whatever they say is whiter color temperature. They had a shield that moved back and forth magnetically to switch from low to hight.

I liked it well enough I got one for my KLR650, getting the whiter light. WOW! It made a HUGE difference! I was looking to go with twin beams somehow, but after the HID kit I didn't need to. I could see deer and raccoon eyes a quarter mile or more at night, what I'd hoped for. But it didn't last. I first had a poor ground (rather the prior owner did), then after that it would not ignite reliably until it wouldn't ignite at all.

I'm strongly thinking of doing this in my R, but will keep a spare halogen and be prepared to swap it in should the HID fail.

I did get a car with stock HID because I see so much better, and in winter I drive to and home again in the dark, living on the 45th parallel and working 10 hour shifts. It makes a difference, I'd do it again.

I am 60, and the eye doc says I've got cataracts started, but not so much they bother me, yet.

So for my $.02, try HID (cheap fail as fast as expensive it seems from all reports I've read) but be prepared to change back quickly, on the road.

[Rider Rick]

I started another thread relating to this, wherein while trying to see if a Trucklite 7" headlight would work (I did not know how the R headlight was built) I dropped the lens and it broke , so now I am trying to figure out whether to just replace the lens and get a stouter bulb or if I have options for a stronger setup. It was a funny feeling when I realized the bucket was basically hollow and the lens was a separate piece...as it headed for the floor, lol.

Doh...not sure how I missed it but just found Airman's article about his experience with this same led headlight.Dang, must have searched poorly, lol.

[Ol' Jeffers]

I can only speak for what I use in the UK.
Osram Nightbreakers which are 90% brighter yet use the same current as standard.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Osram-Night-Bre ... B003Y7FKTC

One thing I wouldn't do. Put in higher wattage bulbs....the stock wiring may not be up for the
extra load and even if you uprate the fuse you may be overloading the wiring.

HIDs...Tried these on another bike and there was a slight delay switching between main and dip beam.
Not acceptable to me.

On eyesight; As you may have read I have just had a cataract removed from my right eye and a lens implant
inserted. The vision in my right eye is now a lot more 'blue' than my left which is a little yellowish in comparison.
I might get the other eye done on the strength of this result!.