Headlight improvement recommendations for 06 Low Rider
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Joined: Apr 2015
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Headlight improvement recommendations for 06 Low Rider
The stock little 7" bucket with h4 lamp is pitiful....I went with Silverlight Ultra replacement bulb....helped a little. I kept an old JOD Carello headlight, that's around 9" that houses seperate high and low quartz beams. i really haven't tested them (they're over 30 years old) but I remember that unit lit up the night like the sun was shining! I loved it! I don't even know if I can get replacement lamps. The thing is probably DOT illeagal today, but I am thinking of trying it since low beam had a flat cut off on the top.
So, I'm thinking of going one of two ways:
1) find a decent chrome bucket (haven't found one on web) to fit the Carello and hope it doesn't melt the plug/ harness
or
2) Improve with something in the 7" bucket.
If I go with 2) I'd like to stay away from "circular" LED packages that go for $400 bucks. Some one mentioned 90/85 watt offroad bulbs from NAPA, but my tech friend says they burn up the plug. Not certain what Xenon does , other than they may work (supposedly more wattage/no increase in heat)
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS/EXPERIENCE is appreciated
So, I'm thinking of going one of two ways:
1) find a decent chrome bucket (haven't found one on web) to fit the Carello and hope it doesn't melt the plug/ harness
or
2) Improve with something in the 7" bucket.
If I go with 2) I'd like to stay away from "circular" LED packages that go for $400 bucks. Some one mentioned 90/85 watt offroad bulbs from NAPA, but my tech friend says they burn up the plug. Not certain what Xenon does , other than they may work (supposedly more wattage/no increase in heat)
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS/EXPERIENCE is appreciated
"Some one mentioned 90/85 watt offroad bulbs from NAPA, but my tech friend says they burn up the plug."
increasing the bulb wattage will improve things, but it will (i) make the existing setup hotter, maybe enough to mely the plastic plug and (ii) possibly overwhelm the existing skinny little wires and melt them.
To avoid the plug melting, search for "ceramic H4 connector" or similar on eBay and you'll find some short extension cables with ceramic H4 connectors for 8 or 10 bucks...
For the skinny wiring, a 90/85 could be ok with the existing wiring, but probably better/safer to have an auto electrician run heavier-gauge wires and a relay (s/he'll know what this means).
For my solution, I ditched the ridiculous 5 3/5 inch thing my bike came with and put a Narva Plus 120 bulb in a 7" bucket, and added an 18W LED lightbar under the triple clamp, wired across the high beam circuit. The low beam is now as good as a BMW, and the high beam (ie bulb plus LED bar) is bright enough to see safely down the road on a moonless night at 70mph (though I wouldn't recomend anything like that sort of speed that on any road here in Australia, because the kangaroos are active at night and move really bloody quicky...).
increasing the bulb wattage will improve things, but it will (i) make the existing setup hotter, maybe enough to mely the plastic plug and (ii) possibly overwhelm the existing skinny little wires and melt them.
To avoid the plug melting, search for "ceramic H4 connector" or similar on eBay and you'll find some short extension cables with ceramic H4 connectors for 8 or 10 bucks...
For the skinny wiring, a 90/85 could be ok with the existing wiring, but probably better/safer to have an auto electrician run heavier-gauge wires and a relay (s/he'll know what this means).
For my solution, I ditched the ridiculous 5 3/5 inch thing my bike came with and put a Narva Plus 120 bulb in a 7" bucket, and added an 18W LED lightbar under the triple clamp, wired across the high beam circuit. The low beam is now as good as a BMW, and the high beam (ie bulb plus LED bar) is bright enough to see safely down the road on a moonless night at 70mph (though I wouldn't recomend anything like that sort of speed that on any road here in Australia, because the kangaroos are active at night and move really bloody quicky...).
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
Likes: 90
From: Detroit
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251363092420...84.m1438.l2649
I used mine without the plug for a while, and it was fine, but I'd already ordered one so I ended up putting it in anyway. Simple, just plugs right in at each end. Five bucks or so.
I'm also using the same LED light bar that he is. It's quite an improvement for daytime visibility to other drivers too. I'm running both the 100/80 watt headlamp bulb, and the 18W lightbar off the the stock headlamp circuit without any problems. There's a slight voltage drop at the headlamp with the stock wiring, but the wire doesn't get warm and it doesn't blow fuses or anything.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 205
Likes: 2
From: Fort Collins
For the record, Stock headlight on an 06 lowrider is 5 3/4", not sure if you have changed yours out to a fat boy 7 " style but you said stock and was just trying to make sure you buy the right stuff when you upgrade
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