The Yellow Headlight

[Lost Rider]

A few weeks ago when I was in Nancy's car (I only ride and rarely drive) a bike came up on me while I was in heavy traffic splitting lanes with a yellow headlight.
It was around dusk so not quite dark out, but everyones headlights were on.
This bike had a deep yellow headlight and I immediately noticed and could distinguish him from the rest of the traffic, much better than other bikes that passed by.
That yellow headlight was a real attention grabber!

Well, why shouldn't I add that to my bike to be more conspicuous while I'm splitting lanes?
Doesn't hurt I think it looks super Euro cool and appropriate on the 12R too.

First round was a ebay el cheap set of yellow H11 lamps, broke one while installing, the other failed after a couple days. I should know better....
So, a trip to Amazon online and I bought a set of Nokya H11 Arctic Hyper Yellow Stage 2500K Halogen Headlights for $30 last week, a lamp with good reviews.

I'm very pleased with the color and performance so far. Was out riding today in the rain (or whatever you call that measly wet stuff falling from the sky a couple times a year here) today with Nancy and she confirmed how my bike really stands out on the highway in her mirrors where she could't see me before.
The output is slightly different, maybe less light far downrange with the color, but I ride in daytime much more than I ride at night so I'll take being more conspicuous. I've only been in town at night so far, so I'll check back in for country road night time performance soon.

I'll get some better photos sometime, maybe a side by side comparison if I get really bored.

[bicyclist]

Interesting. There's a guy on the Versys forum who is using a yellow light for precisely the same reason. The only difference is that his is an auxiliary light. I wonder whether you would be better served by using the yellow lamp in the low beam and a white one in the high beam for a little more range.

[SF_Hooligan]

One of my occasional riding buddies has Clearwater Kristas on his GSA with the amber lenses. He's pretty much always behind me and those things are crazy-high visibility. Super cool - kinda want to put a set on my bike for lighting up the twisties at night with white lenses and to be extra noticeable during the day with the amber lenses.

[mogu83]

Aren't yellow headlights required in France? Maybe someone fron across the big pond knows.

[Shakey]

As far as I know, Yellow headlamp bulbs in Europe are Soooo 1970s
I believe (and stand to be corrected) that we Brits were required to use yellow filters so as not to dazzle Euro people who tend to drive on the wrong side of the road These days a beam deflector is mandatory instead.

Have you seen the Philips Motovision bulb? It gives a very bright blue light but with a slight yellow Halo around it which is a real attention grabber.

[angellr]

This may be a simple question, however, what is the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 lights? High vs. Low? Different functionality? Thanks.

[Woland]

http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... .se%2Fglas

Swedish group that's actually developed yellow tinted glass to place in front of head light for increased visibility.

[Lost Rider]

This may be a simple question, however, what is the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 lights? High vs. Low? Different functionality? Thanks.

I have no idea, cold be a marketing thing too.... They look identical to the OEM Phillips lamps, but yellow glass. My beam pattern has not changed a bit.
maybe someone else knows.


Here's the link to the exact lamp I bought:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064F ... 00_details

As far as I know, Yellow headlamp bulbs in Europe are Soooo 1970s
I believe (and stand to be corrected) that we Brits were required to use yellow filters so as not to dazzle Euro people who tend to drive on the wrong side of the road These days a beam deflector is mandatory instead.

Have you seen the Philips Motovision bulb? It gives a very bright blue light but with a slight yellow Halo around it which is a real attention grabber.

I like to follow old trends and therefore set new ones in modern times, I don't remember the 70's much.


I've tried the Motovision lamp, didn't seem too different a look and broke after a couple months on my GS. Cold be me, or the lamp, don't know and didn't go back.


That colored lens is neat, allowing you to take it of at night. Interesting.

I wonder whether you would be better served by using the yellow lamp in the low beam and a white one in the high beam for a little more range.

I had only one in on the first round, but in the high beam...figuring that's the lamp aimed at drivers more so than the low beam.

The white and yellow washed out each other and made the yellow.... not yellow enough for the super 70's Euro look I was aiming for.





Going to go for a ride in the mountains above LA now, will try to get more photos


-Finn

[dewi sant]

Aren't yellow headlights required in France? Maybe someone fron across the big pond knows.

No longer a requirement, just beam deflector. Very rare to see a French car with yellow lights these days. Even the beam reflector is being made redundant as more bikes come equiped with "flat" dipping lights - i.e they dip neither to left or right, just downwards.

Dewi

[mogu83]

Aren't yellow headlights required in France? Maybe someone fron across the big pond knows.

No longer a requirement,
Dewi

Guess I'm showing my age --- again.

[ammolab]

USA DOT rules require a white headlight on motor vehicles and many states have laws prohibiting any headlight color and or Lens other than white/clear.

Google "yellow headlight". A blue or yellow headlight may get you noticed by the kind of 'other driver' you want to slip right by.

I do like the idea of the attention getting headlight!

[Lost Rider]

I figured as much, luckily those kinds of rules don't apply to me.

I'll keep you all posted if my status changes.

[angellr]

Thought I would pass this along regarding yellow headlights as follows:

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/es ... 0178-W.pdf

Here seems we have all of the gory details from the gubmint http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulati ... eg=571.108

Not sure about the color being NON-DOT approved. After doing a fair amount of Internet research, I have yet to see where yellow or blue bulbs are contraindicated by law.

[Lost Rider]

Thanks Bob, very interesting.

I would have thought some do-gooder would have passed a law against it by now, after one isolated accident involving a yellow headlight. Think of the children!
Still could be a local or state ordinance... I'm really not concerned at all.
My GS has a 8" HID Baja Race light in place of the OEM headlight, it's an Ion Cannon and far from DOT approved.... It has a pretty tight beam so I can keep it dipped down at night when around other drivers because it would really blind them, but daytime I blast away, it's bright enough that I can see it reflecting in broad daylight on roads signs. Never a problem here in Socal or in my travels so far, and it also really gets cagers attention when splitting lanes.







I understand my experience might be different in different places in the country, CHP seems to be pretty laid back about that sort of stuff. (and riding with traffic @ 80 mph on the freeways, I get passed all the time when cruising 80 in the car pool lane by CHP cars and motorbikes.)
I know with cops outside of city of Chicago in IL, WI, IN, etc, my headlight would't fly and eventually they's give me crap, but midwest LEO and people in general are very much more up-tight about petty rules in general I think. (like when slitting lanes to filter to the front at a stoplight and drivers loose their mind - YOU'RE NOT GETTING IN FRONT OF ME! mentality.

By all means use at your own risk, I didn't ever say it was legal, but it seems like it might not be with that info Bob, at least Federally.

[nylife]

Just curious is this it?
http://www.amazon.com/Nokya-H11-Yellow- ... 808&sr=8-2

[angellr]

I have ordered a pair and will be installing sometime this next week. I would rather have to go back and install the "right" ones after some LEO points out that they are an issue, than have a cager hit me in an intersection while they are turning left. In this case, I would rather ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

[Rrider]

Thanks for the info on the yellow bulbs Chitown. I just ordered a set on Amazon. To start with, I may install just one of them to see if there's enough yellow for me. Boulder police favor bicycles over motorcycles, so I'd be worried about potential tickets using both bulbs.

[nylife]

I have ordered a pair and will be installing sometime this next week. I would rather have to go back and install the "right" ones after some LEO points out that they are an issue, than have a cager hit me in an intersection while they are turning left. In this case, I would rather ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

Can you confirm the link if thats the right part i would like to order a pair as well

thanks

[Lost Rider]

Just curious is this it?
http://www.amazon.com/Nokya-H11-Yellow- ... 808&sr=8-2

Sorry I missed that post....


Looks the same, but different packaging than mine.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064F ... 00_details


It's weird because I bought mine Amazon Prime, but now the one you show is listed.

[nylife]

i wonder what is the difference between the 2