Best headlight upgrade?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 52,957
Likes: 44,478
From: SW OH.
Good call,I went with the silverstar H4ST bulb which was a nice improvement,later I installed a fatboy 7" headlight with the same bulb which gave a wider spread.If I decide to improve my night lighting even more I will add a set of driving lights.After all if you have the best,most expensive headlight available,and it fails,you are in the dark. Much better to have a secondary set of lights,think about it.Lots of places to mount a set of small,bright,halogen lamps.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,641
Likes: 5
From: West Branch, Michigan
I replaced my headlamp with Harley's 5 3/4 Bullett style and use the PIAA Xtreme White bulb. I'm well pleased with the brightness. PIAA also is vibration resistant where the Sylvania isn't. Hubby and Daughter both use the PIAA in all 3 of their headlamps on their FLSTC. Last year, I also had installed HD's engine guard mounted Halogen fog lamps. You can see me coming a mile away day or night.
Last edited by LWOS; Nov 13, 2009 at 02:29 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 52,957
Likes: 44,478
From: SW OH.
I replaced my headlamp with Harley's 5 3/4 Bullett style and use the PIAA Xtreme White bulb. I'm well pleased with the brightness. PIAA also is vibration resistant where the Sylvania isn't. Hubby and Daughter both use the PIAA in all 3 of their headlamps on their FLSTC. Last year, I also had installed HD's engine guard mounted Halogen fog lamps. You can see me coming a mile away day or night.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 332
Likes: 1
From: NH
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 52,957
Likes: 44,478
From: SW OH.
I simply bought a comeplete used fatboy headlight with wiring and mount and it was plug&play.There have been several good threads here in the dyna forum on this subject that you should be able to find with the search feature.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,641
Likes: 5
From: West Branch, Michigan
Rawhide07.......
Wow, only 3 months? You have to be very careful installing them. If you get ANY finger OILS on the bulb itself, they WILL FAIL EARLY. Any halogen type bulb will warn you about that. You cant install them like a normal bulb.
We installed a total of 7 PIAA bulbs in 3 bikes in the Spring of 2007. As of the Fall of 2009, NONE have failed. I have seen the Silverstar's and they're nice ones too. The only reason we went with the Piaa, was the claim they're vibration resistant......and you know how Dyna's vibrate.
Wow, only 3 months? You have to be very careful installing them. If you get ANY finger OILS on the bulb itself, they WILL FAIL EARLY. Any halogen type bulb will warn you about that. You cant install them like a normal bulb.
We installed a total of 7 PIAA bulbs in 3 bikes in the Spring of 2007. As of the Fall of 2009, NONE have failed. I have seen the Silverstar's and they're nice ones too. The only reason we went with the Piaa, was the claim they're vibration resistant......and you know how Dyna's vibrate.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,179
Likes: 0
From: Boca Raton, Florida
There is MORE to considering a "Light" than the just the candlepower output. WHAT you actually DO with the "light" you have is every bit as important.
I'm using 100/90 Quartz/Halogen in my car, that's just the light source. My reflector/lens combination is a high quality cut European Code. E-code reflector/lens combos are available for harleys (IIRC). The E-code puts out a flatter, wider beam (both high and low)than the standard US system, and gives an additional upsweep of light to the right. It puts more light where it's actually needed without blinding an oncoming driver. The car also has equally vicious fog and driving lights. The bike is an ongoing project, but will eventually sport the same (relatively speaking) degree of lighting.
You can also replace all the wiring involved in the lighting system to heavier wiring and better connections, as well as using relays in appropriate applications. Inadequate wiring can't get the amount of power to the bulb that it often requires!
Other than that I'm absolutely bamboozled by all the light emitting sources there are out today... My info on the relfector lens, however, is spot on!
Jim aka kiltiemon ("and there was LIGHT!!! And it was GOOD!!!)
I'm using 100/90 Quartz/Halogen in my car, that's just the light source. My reflector/lens combination is a high quality cut European Code. E-code reflector/lens combos are available for harleys (IIRC). The E-code puts out a flatter, wider beam (both high and low)than the standard US system, and gives an additional upsweep of light to the right. It puts more light where it's actually needed without blinding an oncoming driver. The car also has equally vicious fog and driving lights. The bike is an ongoing project, but will eventually sport the same (relatively speaking) degree of lighting.
You can also replace all the wiring involved in the lighting system to heavier wiring and better connections, as well as using relays in appropriate applications. Inadequate wiring can't get the amount of power to the bulb that it often requires!
Other than that I'm absolutely bamboozled by all the light emitting sources there are out today... My info on the relfector lens, however, is spot on!
Jim aka kiltiemon ("and there was LIGHT!!! And it was GOOD!!!)
