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Glad I saw your reply tar snake. I've been trying to get a straight answer (or at least an honest opinion from someone who's done it) on this very topic. The bike shops just send me to there display shelf to look at those $350.00 + products that replace the whole light assembly. I would just instal an 80-100 bulb like in my pickup if my bike's system could manage it. I totally agree with your comments on plastic lenses, I didn't even realize they wouldn't use glass for these expensive replacements. There's no way plastic can endure all of the elements and passage of time like good old glass can. As for the choice of an improved bulb, I've been toiling with what to use. I searched many affordable LED bulbs available online from Riceville but just not sure of fitment or if they'd require any additional components in order to work properly. I've even considered running heavier gauge wire to my headlight with a relay in order to use one of the old school bruits (80-100 watt). I don't mind spending the $ to get quality and results but to drop this kind of cash to get minimal satisfaction that could be short lived would really chap me (and I'm not making reference to my riding chaps) Thanks again for your input
I hope my 'fog' description is what people are understanding what I'm talking about. Look at the cars nowadays with the messed up looking headlights that look like they've been sandblasted, where if the bulb is on you wonder how any light is getting past the nasty looking plastic lens enough to light the road to drive. It's a plastic lens, you know it's going to happen and 5000 miles a year isn't what will do it, but using the bike far more. I know it would happen quickly with me for instance, because the bike is the only transportation I own, so I put 10k - 20k miles/year on it...that plastic lens would wear out quickly enough.
It's true too, that those plastic lens full headlights can be had now for $70 and would be easy enough to replace every couple of years if the lens got messed up, but since I live on a fixed income I can't plan on 'replacement' just because I think I can. I have to make my decisions to own something based on it working well for me and for a long time. I just always think pragmatically is all and offered my pragmatic opinion. To me though, throwing away a whole lens headlight every time just the clear lens part of it gets worn out, is just wasteful.
Another reason I just remembered about the bulb only, not the full lens light - it uses a LOT less power, and that means using my heated gear in the winter time won't suffer any (glove liners and jacket liner is all I need to ride in 18 degrees F). With *all* the bulbs in my bike except the gas gauge bulb replaced with LED bulbs, my charging system is barely working hard at all and I know it's all going to keeping the most important thing charged...the battery.
So I guess it all boils down to one having the money for the fancy whole lens headlights and the ability to replace them when necessary, or not. It's not a big deal I suppose, it just is to *me*, because of my situation, that's all.
First, don't spend the money on the whole bulb (the enclosed thing that sits in the headlight bucket). *ALL* of tham that I have read up on so far are *plastic*. That won't last long with bugs, sand, rain, etc before the light will have a hard time peeking through it to light the road, not to mention plastic lens lights *ALL* do that nasty-looking fog-like thing, but it's not really foggy, it's like the lens *became* fog and it's permanent. Even a light that's only $25 dollars will be a waste of money.
Instead, keep the glass lens of your current bike and spend the same amount of money on an H4 LED bulb that fits inside the glass lens. It's *extrmely* easy to put in/replace, does just as good at lighting the road as those 'whole lens' lights, but you won't have the trouble of the plastic turning to snot-cloudy after 5 months.
I've had an LED H4 bulb in my '09 until '16 when the motor blew up on me and I sold the bike and kept the bulb and put it in the lens of my '98. It's lasted 6 years so far and is a nice white light and lets me see the road like it's supposed to be seen at night - lit up well! Yeah, this particular bulb, as old as it is, has a noisy fan when I turn the key on, but I don't hear it once the bike is started so I don't care. I worry about what works, not little noises I know are harmless. You couldn't pay me to buy one of those whole-lens LED lights now. I'll keep my H4 bulb and stock glass lens and be happy with that as it's just as easy to replace and just as cheap/expensive, plus, it's a lot easier to carry a spare bulb than it is to carry a whole lens light on a trip, heh.
This is of course just my humble opinion, but it works for me quite well and has done so since *before* H-D started to offer their high dollar LED lights.
Thanks for the advice. You really given me a lot to think about..
First, don't spend the money on the whole bulb (the enclosed thing that sits in the headlight bucket). *ALL* of tham that I have read up on so far are *plastic*. That won't last long with bugs, sand, rain, etc before the light will have a hard time peeking through it to light the road, not to mention plastic lens lights *ALL* do that nasty-looking fog-like thing, but it's not really foggy, it's like the lens *became* fog and it's permanent. Even a light that's only $25 dollars will be a waste of money.
Instead, keep the glass lens of your current bike and spend the same amount of money on an H4 LED bulb that fits inside the glass lens. It's *extrmely* easy to put in/replace, does just as good at lighting the road as those 'whole lens' lights, but you won't have the trouble of the plastic turning to snot-cloudy after 5 months.
I've had an LED H4 bulb in my '09 until '16 when the motor blew up on me and I sold the bike and kept the bulb and put it in the lens of my '98. It's lasted 6 years so far and is a nice white light and lets me see the road like it's supposed to be seen at night - lit up well! Yeah, this particular bulb, as old as it is, has a noisy fan when I turn the key on, but I don't hear it once the bike is started so I don't care. I worry about what works, not little noises I know are harmless. You couldn't pay me to buy one of those whole-lens LED lights now. I'll keep my H4 bulb and stock glass lens and be happy with that as it's just as easy to replace and just as cheap/expensive, plus, it's a lot easier to carry a spare bulb than it is to carry a whole lens light on a trip, heh.
This is of course just my humble opinion, but it works for me quite well and has done so since *before* H-D started to offer their high dollar LED lights.
I have 3 years and over 80,000 miles on the Daymaker in my Sporty and have no fogging. I had a 2001 Grand Cherokee and the lenses were fogged to the point where it would not pass inspection. Not sure if it's the type of plastic or if it's more the effect of UV light that degrades it.
And one thing to consider with the LED H4 bulbs is the "light" is not coming from the same location as the standard bulb so the optics are off. It puts out more light than the standard bulb but it is being spread out more so there is less where you need it than a complete LED headlight.
I have 3 years and over 80,000 miles on the Daymaker in my Sporty and have no fogging.
And one thing to consider with the LED H4 bulbs is the "light" is not coming from the same location as the standard bulb so the optics are off. It puts out more light than the standard bulb but it is being spread out more so there is less where you need it than a complete LED headlight.
I was going to mention this as well. The HD headlight bucket/reflector isn't going to project light from LED bulbs like an incandescent bulb. People were mentioning this when I was looking into lighting options, which is why I went to the full drop in assembly.
Stay away from the cheap stuff, you will regret the purchase in the long run. I think the Custom Dynamics with it's lifetime warranty is probably one to look into.
Bought my 16 Breakout Used and it had a immitation Daymaker in it.... it sucked.
I live in the country and all roads home are dark back roads after sunset.
So I switched to a true Original Daymaker.... was a little better, but still not happy. At 45 mph, I was outrunning the headlight regularly.
After some looking around, and not really liking the stock Breakout headlight assembly anyway, I ended up with a Bikers Choice Sunray after seeing one on a Big Dog.
When I installed it, I took out the stock H4 and installed a 9000lmn LED H4.
Im happy with this setup....Its not ideal, but i dont think anything is going to be ideal on the roads I ride at night.
heres the downfall of LED..... they're brighter where they're pointed, but LED lights what it lights, and thats it..... theres no "residual" light, if you will, like you'll find with a conventional bulb.
In a pitch black open area, you can almost draw a line between whats lit, and absolute darkness.
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Thanks again for your input
