So as we know, the stock headlight is downright unsafe. I replaced the stock bulb with a Philips X-Treme Vision bulb, their brightest one, and it's STILL TERRIBLE.

Question I have-- the little black "cone thing" (technical term) that covers the tip of the bulb...can I just take that off? Will it improve the light?

Anybody else struggling with this scenario?

 

Take a look at this solution-



Top left pic is our LED for the Sportster. Top right is the best Halogen for the Sportster we could find. Bottom Left is our Visor headlight with a Halogen, and bottom right is the stock Sporty headlight.

There are more pics at this LINK

Removing the cone will make the stock light less effective.

 

Using a LED in the stock bucket is better than good halogen. I used a Piaa bright white halogen and the LED was still better. There are integrated LEDs what will fit the stock bucket...check DK Customs..I know they now carry those.
I replaced my stock headlight with the one sold by DK along with the relocation kit...and that headlight is even better (improved reflectors) than the stock bucket with the same LED

 

I, too, am amazed just how bad the stock light is. I'm still new to riding so rarely ride at night but the other night I got caught out later than I expected. When turning off the high beam, I actually thought I had turned the light off. It's that bad.

I'm going LED, probably next month when I have the $'s. That being said, the above posted link is a much more affordable option over the daymaker which I'm sure is great but pretty expensive.

 

Bought the day maker from Harley a while back and couldn't be happier. I don't usually drive at night, but I got caught out late coming home from a buddies house with the stock headlight. I honestly felt like I was going to die. I made the change to the daymaker and I actually go on night rides just for the funsies now. I've done some great midnight beach rides since i got it and I couldn't feel safer. It's expensive, but worth every single penny.

 

Man I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. I was at my brothers yesterday for a bbg drove home in the dark. With the brights on I couldn't see but 10 ft in front of me I need adjust the light some but it still isn't bright at all. That was my first time on the highway at night with the Iron.

 

I put Custom Dynamics LED's into my turn signals, the kind that are white driving lights until they change to Amber when you signal for a turn.

Now my turn signals make the stock headlight look like a guttering candle.

LED headlight has now moved up to #1 on the upgrade list.

 

Had the same problem with the stock light, went daymaker made night driving so much better.

 

I remain convinced that everyone who thinks the stock headlight is unacceptable has simply failed to aim it properly.

I have a 100% stock headlight in my '07 Sporty and it's fantastic. It was complete **** when I bought the bike because it was aimed up into the sky instead of being aimed down the road. Took 5 minutes to aim it properly and suddenly it's great at night.

 

same problem when going to work at 4am easily resolved with a cyron led bulb