brighter headlight
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 0
From: Rescue, VA
Osram 70/65 H4 lamps are great!! Not overpriced like PIAA crap. The 55/100 by Hella is good, but beware, running your high beams all the time can cause the bulb socket to overheat, and also remember that the extra amps being pulled by the 100 watts is going through your hi beam switch, which is another place that can get a high resistance and possible overheating and failure.
There is a company called Eastern Beaver that sells a direct battery to bulb wiring system, that provides power direct from the battery, and is controlled by relays. It all fits inside the bulb housing, and is plug and play, or plug and "light."
There is a company called Eastern Beaver that sells a direct battery to bulb wiring system, that provides power direct from the battery, and is controlled by relays. It all fits inside the bulb housing, and is plug and play, or plug and "light."
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Hella 80/100w bulbs
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
Bingo. The real problem with the HD headlamp isn't the bulb, it's the lens optics. Get an E-code replacement and you'll never be sorry. Night and day difference - literally. Personally, I got a Cibie unit. It cost about twice the Hella that iclick suggests and probably isn't much different. (Iclick - where were you years ago when I did this?)
If interested, I started a thread years ago on this. If I weren't so lazy, I'd look it up for you.
If interested, I started a thread years ago on this. If I weren't so lazy, I'd look it up for you.
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
Hella 7" E-code headlights
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 157
From: Banning, CA
Color Temp (K) Color Description:
3000k: Yellow light (suitable for fog lights)
4300k : White light with tinges of yellow (closest to daylight, used in OEM applications)
5000K: PURE WHITE LIGHT.
6000K: White light with tinges of blue
8000K: Distinct blue color light
10000K: Bluish-green light
12000K: Bluish-purplish light.
3000k: Yellow light (suitable for fog lights)
4300k : White light with tinges of yellow (closest to daylight, used in OEM applications)
5000K: PURE WHITE LIGHT.
6000K: White light with tinges of blue
8000K: Distinct blue color light
10000K: Bluish-green light
12000K: Bluish-purplish light.
pretty much washes out the blue". $71 delivery including CA tax - hard to beat. IMHO.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
Hella 80/100w bulbs
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
This is the most cost effective path to a truly bright headlight. The housing is far superior to the factory Harley piece, and would be a huge improvement all by itself. I've been using one with the Hella 80/100W bulb for a year and a half now, lots of it at night with the high beam on, and have yet to suffer any ill effects. I was told I needed to replace the headlight connector socket with a ceramic one to use the high power bulb, but I didn't do it. No signs of heat degradation at all, no ill effects to the switches, wiring, etc. If you think about it, a Road glide with two headlights will have about the same current as one of these bright Hella's. Also, if you're already replacing the bulb, then it takes no extra time at all to swap the housing since you already have it out for the bulb change.
The difference between stock and my current setup is like, well, night and day.
Last edited by schv; Jul 14, 2011 at 07:38 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,758
Likes: 3,176
From: Central Indiana
i know this has bin talked about many times . but i want a brighter headlight for my 08 ultra . i did the search but get confused with all the technical terms . i simply want a brighter headlight bulb that works in the real world . just a bulb i can put in without doing wiring or relays .
i dont need the newest high tech stuff , but just a brighter bulb , getting older and want better night time vision . can the passing lamps have a brighter bulb?
any sugestions?
i dont need the newest high tech stuff , but just a brighter bulb , getting older and want better night time vision . can the passing lamps have a brighter bulb?
any sugestions?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,335
Likes: 27
From: San Diego, CA
My son installed the new HD LED headlight and it is the brightest I have ever seen. It is a "plug and play" product. You just remove the existing lense and plug in the new LED light. I could not afford that though so I use the Sylvania SilverStar ULTRA 9003 Halogen headlight. NOT THE PREMIUM BUT THE ULTRA!!! It it 50% brighter, shines 40% further down the road and shines 50% wide to the sides than the standard cheap HD stock light (as stated by Sylvania). The only problem is, when you get a incandescent type light that is brighter, you also get a shorter lifespan for that bulb. For me, it is worth it!!! Check them out an almost any auto parts store. There you can read the back and see comparison to the life span between the standard and the ultra. I get mine at O'Riley's Auto Parts ($29) and they have a standard 1 year guarantee on all parts they sell. I believe that also includes headlight bulbs. If you want to see some picture comparisons of the bulb, here is a link to the Sylvania site that has that.
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...lverStarUltra/
Keep in mind that these are pictures from a car not a bike but I still think they do it justice. I love the one I have on my Sportster!
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...lverStarUltra/
Keep in mind that these are pictures from a car not a bike but I still think they do it justice. I love the one I have on my Sportster!
Last edited by DOMAPOI; Jul 15, 2011 at 06:28 PM.
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Thhis is what I use and it is a great inprovement. Thinking on going the LED route though.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 0
From: Rescue, VA
Hella 80/100w bulbs
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
If you don't mind taking another five minutes, install this for another $38 or so. It's worth it.
Hella 7" E-code headlights
Not big on the HIDs, mostly due to the housing optics not being compatible to the HID capsule. That, plus the number of summons I write for illegal HID installations........