Can I get brighter???

[Baz]

Hi guys, are there any replacement bulbs that make the headlights brighter?
I have seen the ones on eBay that claim to be be 40 - 50% brighter but I tried those on my R6 when I had it but thought it was worse!
I ride to work at 7am in the dark and home again at 6pm in the dark on country lanes and my headlights are crap.
High beam is ok but on low with traffic coming towards me I may as well shut my eyes!

[CMSMJ1]

YOu will have to fit a relay if you run higher wattage lamps.

I do hear that the "Nightbreaker" ones are good...but to be fair, keep your lenses clean and your visor too and get Hi Vis'd to the max.


Where you riding anyways? You in Sheff'o rough?

[Baz]

I clean my visor every night when I get in and my headlights most mornings before setting off (when I remember).
I sometimes go via the main roads but being in traffic I get much dirtier and car drivers annoy me so its usually dark country lanes. I am in Rotherham and it's only about an 8 mile trip to work so I might just have to put up with it till summer.

[CMSMJ1]

I hear you.. I rode to Wakey today and got absolutely filthy..the roads are minging and by the time I got home my visor and specs were all manky and the bike needed a proper wesh..

Summer is coming...starts to get lighter in a week..woohoo

[Davez29]

I use philips extreme upto 100% brighter (than standard bulbs), they are brighter than the standard bulbs as fit on the nc29, well recomended on those dark roads. You might also need some H4 adapters if you have the same type h4r bulbs as the 29. Find em all on ebay. As mentioned above the lo beam mod may have to done as well.

Well worth it..

[speedy231278]

One of the wiring gurus here suggested that there are gains to be had simply by replacing the the stock wiring on the low beam circuit (never mind the relay mod and using H4 instead of H4R) as the standard stuff is as light in section as can be got away with, and over time can become potentially restrictive due to extra resistance in comparison to heavier section stuff.

[Baz]

I think I will get some better bulbs and do the mod. Not sure when I'll get time. I've still got a set of Rick O fork springs that I've had for 3 weeks and every weekend since I got the bike I've said I'm going to do the valve clearances! Maybe I'll get chance over Christmas. The missus already moans that I spend too much time with "her".

[speedy231278]

I used to run bastardised H4 lamps before I learned the hard way that not using high beam didn't stop the switch blowing up. I swear that the H4Rs are actually brighter on low beam than the H4s were. Guess that the beam pattern was screwed up somehow...

[Davez29]

I used to run bastardised H4 lamps before I I swear that the H4Rs are actually brighter on low beam than the H4s were. Guess that the beam pattern was screwed up somehow...

I can only go by my own findings and find that the philips bulbs are a lot brighter and if i put one standard and one extreme the extreme totally overpowers the standard to the point i can blank off the weaker with my hand and there is no difference in the ground pattern. I admit I find no fault with standard high beam.

[magg]

Options for better low beam are:

1. add a relay that will increase the voltage at the bulbs when on low beam

2. use H4 halogen bulbs and a relay.

IMHO option 2 needs further research into the optics of H4 vs H4R bulbs. Simple substitution will get a brighter light but I wonder about the pattern produced. Are the filament positions the same.

As a possible better option 2, have found a source of H4R 35/60, 45/45 and 55/60W halogen motorcycle bulbs and hoping to get details regarding beam pattern performance.