Author |
Message |
Blazinc5
| Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 11:01 pm: |
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hey all, Just curious bout the light quality of your low beam... I know they suck monkey but it seems that my low beam is like one big ring of light hitting the pavment that has a big dark spot,, rite where I need to see something in front of me.. So I just leave the high beam on all the time. my prob is when riding at night and I have an oncomeing driver that forgot his highs are on I can't flash them to get them to remember to turn them down. |
Elff
| Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 11:10 pm: |
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I upgraded my low beam to a Halogen/Xenon H7 bulb from American sportbike. I think the high beam was better with the stock bulb so now i have a spare for both the high and low. For the R American sportbike sells Halogen/Xenon H3 bulbs to accomplish the same thing. Now I like how both beams light up the road at night |
Poondogger
| Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 02:56 am: |
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I got rid of that low beam and replaced it with a high beam. I think it was like $45 bucks for the entire thing and took about 1/2 hour to install. I ride 30 miles every night at 1am. Haven't hit any possum, armadillo's, racoons, dogs, cats, deer, roadkill, etc.. all of which I can now see. |
Kurosawa
| Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 08:05 am: |
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You mean you replaced the headlight assembly? So now you have 2 high beams? Are they focused to the same distance? Anyone flash you on the road? |
Rd3501
| Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 09:58 am: |
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THe stock lights are the same except the low as a little piece of metal that reflex the light down. You can just pull the little metal piece out and than you can have two high beam lights |
Spike
| Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 10:48 am: |
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The stock low beam has the dark spot to avoid blinding other drivers. A low beam shouldn't put light above a certain height. Make sure it's adjusted correctly before judging it. If you have it adjusted correctly and you're still unhappy with the amount of light that it puts out you should check to make sure the reflector housing is still glossy inside (they fade over time) and switch to a better bulb. I replaced my low beam reflector and installed a PIAA "super white" bulb at ~11k miles, the difference was amazing. Also, the high and low beam reflectors are not the same shape, so pulling out the metal piece will not make them the same. The low beam has a "fatter" shape.
quote:I just leave the high beam on all the time. my prob is when riding at night and I have an oncomeing driver that forgot his highs are on I can't flash them
Ever think about that from the other driver's perspective? |
Poondogger
| Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 02:39 pm: |
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I get flashed on a divided highway running both high beams at night. Against oncoming traffic I would never run both hi beams, they'd feel the heat. The low beam assembly it exactly the same as the high beam however their light charachteristics are totally different. The high beams focus the same and give substantial light out in front. Go with both high beams, you won't be sorry. I cruise on a 2 lane highway at 75-80mph comfortably at night. (Message edited by poondogger on April 25, 2006) |
Xb9
| Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 03:19 pm: |
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"check to make sure the reflector housing is still glossy inside (they fade over time)" That's an understatement. The heat from the bulb degrades the reflective paint inside the lense housing. They are good for maybe 15-20K, and the complete housing should then be replaced. I could wipe the reflective coating off with my finger after 20K. OR you can go with good quality 90MM Hella units with some modification of course. These rock compared to the stock units. If you want to spend a bit more, convert the bulbs to HID, see aerostich for reasonably priced kit. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=32777&post=212600#POS T212600 |
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