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I will not argue that you can get a proper beam pattern, but I will say that you can get one that works and lets you see more without distracting other traffic around you. No placebo, but an honestly brighter AND more usable and further reaching beam of light than the crap Harley puts in these bikes stock.
H4 bulbs are actually some of the easiest ones to work with in terms of HID retrofits when you buy the good ones. The shields on the bulbs are some of the better designs in terms of keeping light from reaching places it's not supposed to go.
It's not legal or even optimal, but it works and works well for an inexpensive upgrade solution to the excuse for a headlamp HDs come stock with.
IF it is not legal or optimal, why even spend the money on it? Been thru enough BFE cities where the cops have little to do besides harass you for wearing the wrong color underwear. Had a cop IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT ask me to show him my headlights, taillights were working since he thought he saw a bad bulb. Exhaust too loud. WTF? It was 100% OEM!!! No front license plate. Going thru an intersection too slowly. WTF!!! There was 4 inches of snow. "Sir, did you know that one of your headlights is shooting a beam higher than the other side?" Well gee Officer Barney Fife, Glad we solved all other major crime in the country. Buddy with 2 lights got pulled over because 1 was not working. Well, no kidding. To make both light up, he'd have to turn on his high beams, you donut munching moron.
I'd rather save up for the right stuff and not have another issue for them to hassle me. Most times I buy the cheaper stuff, it has come to bite me back in the ***. I had to get 3 warranties on my HIDs for the truck. Tossed them and got the high grade ones with much less problem.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.