HD makes a HID kit , here is one on e bay
Brighter headlight!?
The Hella or Cibie are the way to go.Replacing the bulb with a higher out
put Osram (65/70) will yield better visibility .You have to remember that
whatever bulb you put in will only see 12 volts.All the brighter non dot bulbs
are rated at 13.6-13.8 volts ,so you need a relay to get that voltage to the
bulb.
put Osram (65/70) will yield better visibility .You have to remember that
whatever bulb you put in will only see 12 volts.All the brighter non dot bulbs
are rated at 13.6-13.8 volts ,so you need a relay to get that voltage to the
bulb.
When you factor in the costs, in the long run you might as well go LED. like
the old Fram commercial "You can pay me now, or pay me later".
the old Fram commercial "You can pay me now, or pay me later".
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 300
Likes: 6
From: South Carolina
The Hella or Cibie are the way to go.Replacing the bulb with a higher out put Osram (65/70) will yield better visibility .You have to remember that whatever bulb you put in will only see 12 volts.All the brighter non dot bulbs are rated at 13.6-13.8 volts ,so you need a relay to get that voltage to the bulb. www.easternbeaver.com sells kits or individual relays. The drawback to this brighter/hotter running bulb is about a 25-40%shorter lifespan. When you factor in the costs,in the long run you might as well go LED. like the old Fram commercial "You can pay me know,or pay me later".
Billy
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Saluda SC
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,172
From: Oxford, Nc
The FLHR allready has the lights running off a relay. My RK runs closer to 14v. than 12v. so 5-6ft. #16 @ 5-6a. going to the head lights = a voltage loss of arround .3-.4v. So I would have arround 13.5v. @ the bulb. The 70/65w Osram draws less than 1a. over the 60/55w bulb and Harley sells a lamp that runs the 65w high and the 55w low beams together = 120w. drawing 8.9a. @ 13.5v. The RG runs 2ea. 60/55w bulbs off the same wiring set up.
Billy
Billy
All the other circuits ( including at the battery.) still read 13.8.
Last edited by Stiggy; Mar 24, 2013 at 02:07 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 6
From: Lapeer , Mich
there are alot of things we do that I would bet are not legal , like messing with the exhaust , fuel system , reprograming the ecm , if it works better , why not put in a better headlight
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 300
Likes: 6
From: South Carolina
Those 90W-100 bulbs I'm running in the RoadGlide do use that extra voltage too. With the headlight fuse pulled, the voltmeter shows 13.8 volts at anything over idle. The voltmeter is apparently on the headlight circuit however and when the headlights are on reads just over 12 volts when the bike's running.
All the other circuits ( including at the battery.) still read 13.8.
All the other circuits ( including at the battery.) still read 13.8.
Billy
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 6
From: Lapeer , Mich
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,172
From: Oxford, Nc
The newer models have 50a. alternators that are supposed to out put 585w @13v. @ 2000 rpm and should hold the voltage a bit better. But 200w. is a bit much for the wiring and the 15a. fuse. In your case I would run 12ga. wire with a 20a. inline fuse, a DPDT relay to the lights and wire the relay coil to the high beam wire. Use the NC contact for low beams and NO for high.
Billy
Billy
And I understand your instructions, but given that I've run the bike 75,000 miles with this set up and have had no wiring, socket or plastic issues ( the bulbs are still the original upgrade from 2009,) and I commute 12 months out of the year with my Gerbing heated gloves for 3 months of that too....(No difference in readings with the gloves "on" btw) ....I'm leaning toward to "if it ain't broke don't fix it" line of thinking.
The new charging system seems to deliver everything that I need with no adverse consequences. Or am I missing something?
Last edited by Stiggy; Mar 24, 2013 at 03:54 PM.
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 300
Likes: 6
From: South Carolina
Thanks Billy. I installed these bulbs in 2009 along with a Compu Fire 3 Phase 40 amp system that I also needed at the time.
And I understand your instructions, but given that I've run the bike 75,000 miles with this set up and have had no wiring, socket or plastic issues ( the bulbs are still the original upgrade from 2009,) and I commute 12 months out of the year with my Gerbing heated gloves for 3 months of that too....(No difference in readings with the gloves "on" btw) ....I'm leaning toward to "if it ain't broke don't fix it" line of thinking.
The new charging system seems to deliver everything that I need with no adverse consequences. Or am I missing something?
And I understand your instructions, but given that I've run the bike 75,000 miles with this set up and have had no wiring, socket or plastic issues ( the bulbs are still the original upgrade from 2009,) and I commute 12 months out of the year with my Gerbing heated gloves for 3 months of that too....(No difference in readings with the gloves "on" btw) ....I'm leaning toward to "if it ain't broke don't fix it" line of thinking.
The new charging system seems to deliver everything that I need with no adverse consequences. Or am I missing something?
billy