I'm replacing the 6024 bulb with the headlight globe from a late model Dyna, and it has the H4 bulb in there. If I swap out the bulb with one of the higher wattage brighter bulbs, will the older electrical system/charging system have any issues with it? I'd like to go with HID, but I know I won't get around to it for a while.

 

I have a 120/100 in my 99. I'm going to put relays for the high/low up in the headlight bucket though to take the load off the switch. i run my driving lights off a relay too.

 

Be careful with the hi output bulbs ... I had a 90/100 in my 1992 FLHTCU and fried the plug at the headlight ... spent an hour on the side of the road "modifying" so I could see my way home!

 

I don't feel like screwing around with relays or I'd just do the HIDs. 90/100 had to be BRIGHT!

 

90/100 was BRIGHT and it sucked a LOT of juice ... hence the heat at the connector ... I came back to my senses and put in a 55/65 ( and quit riding at night :>) ))

 

If you want a brighter light, use one of the modern hi-tech bulbs. They give higher output with whiter light, but keep power down to sensible levels. Drawing twice as much power as they are designed to take, through old wires, is tempting fate! If you must use high power bulbs, use a relay. That way your current wiring switches the relay, not the headlight, and the relay and a new wire take the extra load.

 

On this note, I've got the original headlight in my '84 FXRT, and was thinking about one of the H4 styled LED replacement setups to give me a bit more bambi-detection ability coming home after dark.

Does anyone have any experience/suggestions that might help me avoid expensive mistakes in either the purchase or installation?

Thanks!

 

I replaced my stock headlight with an HID kit from forum sponsor Motorcycle Metal. Highly recommended. I can actually see when riding at night now, and it uses less juice than the stock unit.

 

Another upgrade option could be the LED headlight. A little expensive but I'd say they would be a nice upgrade to the old yellowish light that the stocker puts off. Or a light bar if you like those but I would add relays and wiring if you went that way. Def. wouldnt just stick a high wattage buld in with the old wiring. Asking for trouble there imo...

 

Ewwww.....light bar. Definitely not doing LED...$300 is a ton of coin.