Best headlight for GL1100 Interstate

[Omega Man]

The light on my 1500 is very bright even in the daylight, the brights just p*ss people off.

~O~

 

[chilidawg]

I went down the HID road, had problems at first that took a while to exactly put my finger on, but it turned out to the ballasts don't like to be turned off and on real fast, as with what happens when you turn the bike on and then hit the starter to start it and then release the starter once its running.

So I did a little wiring mod to eliminate the turning off part and now it works great.

Much brighter than the halogen and sheds much more light.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

I put a Sylvania silver star ( not the ultra ) in my 1200 wing about four years ago, I have them in my 1500 wing also

 

[chilidawg]

chilidawg » Tue Feb 23, 2016 6:21 pm[/url]":2p2m57gk]
I went down the HID road, had problems at first that took a while to exactly put my finger on, but it turned out the ballast don't like to be turned off and on real fast, as with what happens when you turn the bike on and then hit the starter to start it and then release the starter once its running.

So I did a little wiring mod to eliminate the turning off part and now it works great.

Much brighter than the halogen and sheds much more light.

Oops! messed that up, Mr moderator!!

 

[canuckxxxx]

I have this weird concave headlight in my Windjammer IV. :shock: Is it a good thing if I put in a brighter bulb?

Are there any car type, sealed beams that would work better.

Brian

 

[canuckxxxx]

Sorry, I forgot to attach pix

image

• canuckxxxx
• Feb 26, 2016

image

• canuckxxxx
• Feb 26, 2016

 

[dan filipi]

That is an odd one. Don't believe I've ever seen one like it.
Does it cast a beam forward or more a flood?

 

[mcgovern61]

Never saw one like that! :shock:

I would say that it may be a lense installed backwards, but on the front the lettering is reading correct, not as if it is the back of a lense.

 

[canuckxxxx]

dan filipi » Fri Feb 26, 2016 7:43 am[/url]":1kodvv7y]
That is an odd one. Don't believe I've ever seen one like it.
Does it cast a beam forward or more a flood?

Hmm, not really sure Dan. I know it doesn't light up the road very good.

 

[AApple]

"E2" is the standard for lighting in France....

 

[canuckxxxx]

Living in a large city, I very seldom find myself needing a really good HL. There are street lights everywhere. But last fall I was on a group ride out on country roads so it was pitch dark. I couldn't safely ride more than 45 or 50 mph if I was alone.

Do these new HID or LED bulbs make enough difference to allow highway speeds in the pitch dark?

Brian

 

[Denver]

My opinion is the expense, as well as the other issues to deal with, make it not worth the investment, to me. :nea: Money might be better spent on reflector to put inside of your housing, :headscratch: a new chrome tear drop cut off in back type of housing to fit your fairing, if you like chrome. :roll:

 

[julimike54]

What is the diameter of the headlight?

 

[canuckxxxx]

julimike54 » Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:20 pm[/url]":2iaivaha]
What is the diameter of the headlight?

It's the same diameter as the H4 HL in my OE HL bucket...about 6 5/8" (the glass part). Maybe I could swap the OE HL into the Windjammer and see if that is brighter. :headscratch:

image

• canuckxxxx
• Feb 26, 2016

BTW, this is the bulb from my OE HL (that is off because of Windjammer). Is it the stock bulb? :fishin:

image

• canuckxxxx
• Feb 26, 2016

image

• canuckxxxx
• Feb 26, 2016

 

[Denver]

Looks like the bulb's in my 1200's, the ones in my 1100's in the past, & the maximum wattage allowed in the 1500's, according to the housing on my 1500. :yes:

 

[Ansimp]

dan filipi » Wed Feb 24, 2016 1:40 am[/url]":38tyjhjs]
As a building electrician, I have found over the years in LED lighting development many were (and still are) over-driving the LEDs to increase light output. This shortened the life considerably.
The better Cree chip doesn't necessarily equal an LED array that was assembled properly.
From what I can gather, over-driving may be okay but good heat sinks have to be built in to remove the heat. The LED headlight bulbs similar in size as a stock bulb don't appear to have ANY heat sink. To me that tells me it isn't very bright, or it won't last long. Of course they are continuing to develop these things so who knows.

+1 That's why the high output H4 has a large heat sink and fan :yes:


Brian, I didn't change the Vetter fairing, I just fed the ballast wiring through the back side and the bulb from the front it was a PIA but I also wasn't smart enough to remove the turn light assembly first :doh: