Topic: Headlights!

[Deltarider]

You dont use relays for voltage but for the extra current used by halogen bulbs stretching the limit of standard wiring

Correct. Nevertheless, before adding extra components (where to locate them?) I would first do a V-drop measurement.

[Tracksnblades1]

Consider the load the relays spare your old original switch contacts…

For example:

A 60watt headlight draws 5 amps @ 12 volts.

A Bosch relay’s coil only draws 160 mill-amps and the load (headlight) current only passes through one set of contacts that can degrade.instead of multiples in the control circuit..

[Deltarider]

Yes, but my CB500K2-ED came standard with a 55/60 Watts H4 and after 47 years the switches still live...

[Tracksnblades1]

Yes, but my CB500K2-ED came standard with a 55/60 Watts H4 and after 47 years the switches still live...

Not arguing that Honda made good products.

Just concurring the current has a straighter path with less inherent compounded resistances of multiple switches than with the single set of contacts with a relay use.

My buddies old 75 750k headlight current had to pass through the ignition switch, light switch, dimmer switch, just to name a few before traveling out through the spaghetti mess in the headlight bucket before lighting the headlight..

[70CB750]

Yes, but my CB500K2-ED came standard with a 55/60 Watts H4 and after 47 years the switches still live...

Not arguing that Honda made good products.

Just concurring the current has a straighter path with less inherent compounded resistances of multiple switches than with the single set of contacts with a relay use.

My buddies old 75 750k headlight current had to pass through the ignition switch, light switch, dimmer switch, just to name a few before traveling out through the spaghetti mess in the headlight bucket before lighting the headlight..

I did relays for my old CJ7.  The headlight difference was significant.  It is an upgrade worth the effort no matter what vehicle. 

[Kelly E]

We've been using 7" Stanley H4 motorcycle lenses #001-1970 with Sylvania Silver Star 55w/60w bulbs. They work great and aren't expensive. When the white speed limit signs reflecting back kinda hurts your eyes it's bright enough. I live out in the country where there's no street lights and plenty of wildlife so good headlights are important.

Here's the Stanley H4 light on the 77' KZ 1000LTD.

[RAFster122s]

Cibie ECE H4 optics I find are better than Hella, Bosch, etc. Very crisp optics and robust design. Valeo owns them and markets them as Valeo in US. I found some on Amazon for around $35 a lamp. They have the finger of light that lights up the signs and right shoulder. Just don't buy the British market lamps unless you drive on the left side of the roadway...
Who knows what the E-code Cibie headlamp goes for these days, if Amazon sellers offer them. I had one sent to me that was marked as a return and discounted, someone had put a Hella lamp in the Valeo/Cibie box. I returned it telling them it was mislabeled as the Hella unit was typically a $30 headlamp housing while typical price of Cibie was $40-50 most 0laces I could find it. I found a couple discounted after watching them for a while on Amazon and they knocked price down to the $35 I picked them up for....

[rotortiller]

I have these Bosch things on mine offered for vintage cars and they have no left and right designation. They are P/N 1305-603-038 and have a bike designation embossed. They are much better than sealed beams and you can pick your H4 bulb. Bike vendors call them motorcycle lenses, vintage car vendors sometimes sell them as car lenses. Stick a H4 bulb in it and ride lol. If you install and correctly aim a quality H4 automotive lens on a motorcycle it should do the trick, lighting difference is minor. This cage guy seems to agree and I have found the reverse application true.  https://www.ratwell.com/technical/BoschH4.html

[PeWe]

All my Hella reflectors have a metal shield in front of the H4 bulb, probably for LO light pattern.

Take not long time for it to shake off and rattle around inside scratching the reflector.
Did in the 80's as well as my newer reflectors bought the last 5-7 years..
3 or 4 so far.

Both my bikes have chinese LED H4 with fan.
Result: Brighter light make me more visible in traffic in daylight compared with before with std H4.

Std H4 taking 50/60W is not better than my 30/40W LED.

Standard 180mm/7" reflector for right hand traffic + ev parking bulb or not.
In that place the LED H4 + ev LED parking bulb if your control have Parking.
10W LED parking make bike visible  in daylight when need to save power. If you have a voltage gauge at front as both my bikes have.
 
See charging and power loss in real time when driving.
A must for me when used  for a few years.

[MauiK3]

My 73 K3 has a Marchal headlamp. I recently found an LED bulb from Lasfit that is the right shape for this H4 Marchal light. I put two into my Acty headlamps and so far they seem pretty nice, very bright with good aiming.

[Don R]

  Before a cross country trip, I spent an evening testing the old lenses and bulbs I had in my headlight tote. My preference was the Bosch lens over the Stanley and the Silverstar H4 bulb mentioned above to any of the other ones I had. The Bosch lit up the roadside and signs better.

[Deltarider]

As far as H4 bulbs, Philips and Osram Nightbreaker always came out top in tests. If you're concerned about  being noticed, go for yellow. Many here do. Bonus: no blinding by roadsigns. 

[PeWe]

I have used Philips Extreme Vision on my car.
Then H7. Really short life, a  1/3 of expected and std bulbs.

I got tired of that sudden one eyed car so I found General Electric std in a test.
Not much less bright or lenght than Philips Extreme Vision, but much longer life.
Osram Nightbreaker known to have similar short life as Extreme Vision H7.

I guess Philips and Osram  H4 versions have short life too?

LED has a visible brightness that halogen does not have.

[Tracksnblades1]

I have used Philips Extreme Vision on my car.
Then H7. Really short life, a  1/3 of expected and std bulbs.

I got tired of that sudden one eyed car so I found General Electric std in a test.
Not much less bright or lenght than Philips Extreme Vision, but much longer life.
Osram Nightbreaker known to have similar short life as Extreme Vision H7.

I guess Philips and Osram  H4 versions have short life too?

LED has a visible brightness that halogen does not have.

Have you got access to these across the pond..?

LED01X1 Philips 

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/LED01X1/led-headlamp-7-inch-round

Pricey but seems to take vibrations and harsh environments.

Too bad the didn’t come glass and aluminum…just have to hang the gauges’  hand towel over the headlight to when in the parking lot..

[PeWe]

I have used Philips Extreme Vision on my car.
Then H7. Really short life, a  1/3 of expected and std bulbs.

I got tired of that sudden one eyed car so I found General Electric std in a test.
Not much less bright or lenght than Philips Extreme Vision, but much longer life.
Osram Nightbreaker known to have similar short life as Extreme Vision H7.

I guess Philips and Osram  H4 versions have short life too?

LED has a visible brightness that halogen does not have.

Have you got access to these across the pond..?

LED01X1 Philips 

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/LED01X1/led-headlamp-7-inch-round

Pricey but seems to take vibrations and harsh environments.

Too bad the didn’t come glass and aluminum…just have to hang the gauges’  hand towel over the headlight to when in the parking lot..

It can be fitted on a stock headlamp rim set and mounted on the stock bucket?
Philips has hopefully made it in China so the manufacturer can release lower priced versions thru another door.

[Deltarider]

Contrary to popular believe, brightness does not make you stand out. It's maybe what you wish, but it doesn't, now that so many modern cars have ultra bright DRL's. A yellowish headlight however does. Philips specifies the lifespans of all their bulbs on their site. For the X-treme vision it is 300 hrs. My old Philips Visionplus lives forever, in spite of having had both filaments on more than once, due to a lame PA switch. If you choose the Ecovision, which draws 20% less current, you can expect a much longer lifespan (1500 hrs).

[newday777]

Contrary to popular believe, brightness does not make you stand out. It's maybe what you wish, but it doesn't, now that so many modern cars have ultra bright DRL's.

A yellowish headlight however does.

You are correct on the yellow attention getter.

On my ride yesterday, returning back late afternoon @ an hour before the sun going down, I was headed westerly on the twisty New Hampshire back roads when I encountered a couple of bikes coming towards me from a distance(@ 1/8 mile) with a couple of cars w/Brite drl lights in front of them that they were following. Their bikes both had yellow driving lights down low, and LED headlights. Their yellow driving lights seamed to have LED intensity too.
It was the yellow that caught my attention 1st(my brain said that's something different), probably an 1/8 mile straight away, more than the bright white headlights.

[PeWe]

There are auxilary LED lamps to buy, yellow is optional xrom some sellers.

Yellow headlight is typical french for me since long time ago.
Better on misty roads.

My visibility experience is based on how other car drivers have reacted.
Some cars have even reduced speed and turned more right when I catched up fast from behind.
Respect or thought the law is coming from behind

Not  that many idiots that suddenly cross the road just in front of me as before either.

[Tracksnblades1]

PeWe:

Product description

Application
Headlight
Color temperature
5600
Designation
Philips LED Headlamp
Light source
2 LED Arrays
Range
LED Headlamp
Replaces
6014, 6015, 6016, H6024
Type
7" round

I’m pretty sure a 6014 and a 6024 will fit your bucket….



I don’t have one in mine. I have the flat face Hella H4 conversion from 1982…
Had a good beam pattern compared to the old sealed beams. Not as good as the one the modern bikes do now.

[PeWe]

Thanks,
Good info to have in mind for future upgrades.
It is still no dark rides here yet

I added auxillary lamps on my K6 after very dark November rides on remote country roads last year.

2x15W LED. I had to search to find low wattage model the charging system can handle.  Connected with HI.
40, 60 or 90W of same lamp most common.

No use of them yet, except flashing against others a few times

Hopefully a wider view.

[HondaMan]

The best part of incorporating relays, regardless of the control voltage, is you take the current (ampacity) out of the control circuit.

That's why I [used to] sell Relay Kits on my disappeared website.
...still fighting that battle...  

[PeWe]

My K6 has 5 relays
All have thicker wirings direct from battery and separate fuses.

Also thicker ground cables direct from battery. Extra to rectifier as Hondaman has recommended in a post. Wirings look like a mess but is logic.

1. Ignition
2. Hi,
3. Lo
4. Opening relay for Parking lamp (10W LED) so it switch off with Lo to not affect light pattern.
5. Horn (the dual snail horns needed better connections.)

I might change the name to CB750R

[HondaMan]

My 73 K3 has a Marchal headlamp. I recently found an LED bulb from Lasfit that is the right shape for this H4 Marchal light. I put two into my Acty headlamps and so far they seem pretty nice, very bright with good aiming.

I'd be interested in how well you think it lights up the ark roads?
(Are you near the terrible fire there?).

[Floshenbarnical]

My 73 K3 has a Marchal headlamp. I recently found an LED bulb from Lasfit that is the right shape for this H4 Marchal light. I put two into my Acty headlamps and so far they seem pretty nice, very bright with good aiming.

I'd be interested in how well you think it lights up the ark roads?
(Are you near the terrible fire there?).

Oh goodness, what a terrible disaster. Had my honeymoon in the town that has since burned to the ground. Quite a metaphor, really.

[joegeis]

Okay, so the Hella headlight and Phillips bulb came in. I tested it and it worked great! I'm trying to install the headlight in the housing, but have a problem. The new light came with these three raised tabs that the old housing does not have. They seem to interfere with clamping together the two pieces that hold the light. I can't see any way to make these tabs work, and I assume they were intended for Royal Enfield bikes (the website seems mostly dedicated to that brand). Can I just cut these tabs off and move along? I want to be 100% sure before I ruin this $70 item!

It looks like the new housing is smaller, but it is actually the same size. It fits in the chrome rim perfectly.