Asking this question is probably like the tyres (tires) and battery threads but anyway here goes.

Has anyone had experience with the supposedly higher output H4 headlight bulbs in recent times - particularly in Australia but I'm interested in anyone's experiences.

Reason for the question is that I recently purchased a pair of Philips +130% H4 bulbs that I initially was planning to try out on my R80G/S after having just fitted headlight relays. I had already fitted headlight relays to both K bikes to protect the switches and finally got around to it on the boxer for the same reason but was curious if the tiny headlight on the R80G/S could be improved with the "new technology" bulbs. The night before my recent jaunt down south I fitted the first of the uprated bulbs and headed off down the road to get an impression. The low beam filament blew before I got to the end of the block - damn!

Went back home and fitted the other one and again headed off. Same result - now I'm really pissed as these are $40 each. Refitted the original Hella H4 that has been in the bike for years and went for a 10 km ride - no problem. Left the next morning and rode 1350 kms over the weekend - no problem with the standard Hella bulb. The retailer that I purchased the high output bulbs from gave me a credit and told me that those bulbs have also been found to not be suitable on some brands of cars.

Anyone with thoughts or experiences?

Cheers

I use Osram Nightbreakers at supposedly +110% but they do make a helluva difference. I'm pretty sure that your problem was serious heat buildup in a

tiny headlight.

The surface temperature for a standard halogen bulb is 900 degrees Celcius; overclocking the bulb to run at +130% is going to push that temperature into the stratosphere. Overclocked bulbs do have shorter lives - but not that short.

I tried several types Narva and Phillips among them and to be quite honest they were all about as useless as tits on a frog. best results was the relays and 60A alternator.

I've fitted a Cyclops LED 3800 Lumen H4 in my K1100LT and it's like turning daylight back on. They're rated at 40 watts but obviously generate some heat because they have a fan to cool the back of the lamp housing.

I have used these on a few K's with great success - noticeable improvement with no modifications.

I would love to try Mike's option

RicK G wrote:....as useless as tits on a frog

Useless - really? You're not using them right Rick - check the manual!!


For what it's worth, I have fitted an allegedly "50%" brighter H4 bulb to Gretel - no wiring mods, no additional relay and (so far) no problems with it (2 months and counting)...but, to be honest, I can't really see much difference from the standard H4 bulb when on low beam! 

It is amazing though how just a simple bulb can transform my 28 year old bike to have "a distinctive and modern look".

+1 on the Nightbreakers 


[size=43]K-rider [/size]

There's another lurky-lurky problem too and Ringfad has found it. Any headlamp reflector of that age is shafted. I can't speak for the modern stuff because I'm out of the business of writing for bike mags now, but back then a new headlight lost 60% of it's reflectivity after as little as four years and carried on downhill from there. NOS is in the same boat, so don't even think about wasting your money in that direction. That's why LFB's RS fairing has been converted from rectangular headlight to round headlight and I'd recommend the naked guys (oo-err!) think about replacing their headlights if they haven't already done so.

Some theory:
The halogen bulb has been around for over 50 years and reached the peak of its development back in the 1980s. The technology cannot be developed any further. When the manufacturers tell you that there is 30% more light, they mean it is a slightly different colour and so looks brighter. If it was possible to get more light out of 55 or 60 watts with a halogen bulb then why would anyone still make the 100% one?
It is true that by fitting relays to the system you can make sure that the bulb is getting full voltage and so running at maximum efficiency, and this is a worthwhile mod on an older bike, but the halogen bulb has not changed for years.
You can try fitting a 100 watt bulb in there and you will get about 15% more light, but most of those extra watts are going to end up as heat and can burn the connector on the back of the bulb and even start wires melting. They are also illegal in most countries around the world.
Headlight manufacturers are still looking for improvements and the HID xenon was the first improvement over the halogen, 35 watt consumption for about 2 to 3 times more light. These should only be fitted in projector headlights though, as all manufacturer fitments are. The next generation are LED, but not just some old LED bulb fitted into a reflector designed for a halogen, but a specific headlight built as a unit with LEDs in it. You can buy these in 7" round format to aftermarket fit to the Ks with a round headlight.

I've tried HID conversions with mixed results. Both reflectors on my T5 van are burned away due to the temperature (?) of the bulb. Having seen this first hand I did not go for HID's on my K, that's where the LED replacement came in. 
As Bob T has mentioned, the reflectors are not specifically designed to run LED but my main requirements are twofold. 1, to be seen and 2, to be able to see. I've had drivers flashing me but hey, at least they've seen me, right? 

As I said HID xenon conversions should only be used in projector headlights and not reflectors. They would be illegal in reflectors.

I run cheapo 100/55 Xenon H4s in all of my Ks. The high beam puts out quite a bit of light. For $8/pair they work quite well. Yes, they are cheap Chinese crap but they do work. The shortest life I've gotten from one is 24,000 miles but at that price keeping a spare in the tail cowl isn't cost prohibitive.

Of course you do not want to run a 100W high beam without relays but even the 60/55 cheapos do a decent job.

Though they are sold as Xenon, they are not HID. Just regular H4s with a different gas and maybe filament metal than older halogens, but they do work much better than 30 year old stock bulbs.

Thanks for the replies so far - much appreciated. Keep them coming if anyone has a story to add.

Cheers

Edit: forgot to add that the frogs in BAE's part of the world look pretty good.

Beware ........ Graphic images .

Gaz , I have noticed your headlights to be quite dim at times , mainly the 75X . I remember that we discussed globe options at Chez Gaz just before heading to Grey Gums Cafe with BAE . 
The biggest issue was relating to switch burnout , which I thought was affecting Ol Blue at the time . 
I was riding with no headlight function for most of our outing that weekend , this pic was a rare moment it worked .
first pic shows if I am correct Ol Blue fitted with a Narva 130 plus . These are normal 60/55 rated globes. No additional relays fitted .



I was to later discover after Ol Blue was returned home from our misfortune , the LH switch was playing up . 
I have found both the Narva 130 plus and 50 plus to be quite adequate and have removed the 130 from Ol Blue ,
 it is now installed in my wifes Boulevard, and functioning well after her trip to Woolongong last weekend .


I am happy to continue using the Narva range , much the same price as you are spending now on the Phillips globes .

Ed, I'm hoping I don't have to teach any of my bikes to lie down to get the same headlight performance as you had on Ol Blue 

I was lucky in that I haven't spent any dollars on the Philips +130 as the retailer kindly gave me a full refund when I took the blown bulbs back.

I rarely plan to ride at night these days & both the K bikes, which have headlight relays and heavier wiring installed, are adequate at modest speed with the standard 55/60 watt H4 on the odd occasion that I have to ride into the night.
I have only just fitted the relay & wiring upgrade and ceramic lamp holder to my R80G/S which will probably improve the standard headlight but on that bike the headlight is a very small diameter and the experiment with Plus bulbs was to see if easy improvement could be had.

I think Dai might be right about overheating of the bulb.

duck wrote:I run cheapo 100/55 Xenon H4s in all of my Ks. The high beam puts out quite a bit of light. For $8/pair they work quite well. Yes, they are cheap Chinese crap but they do work. The shortest life I've gotten from one is 24,000 miles but at that price keeping a spare in the tail cowl isn't cost prohibitive.

Of course you do not want to run a 100W high beam without relays but even the 60/55 cheapos do a decent job.

Though they are sold as Xenon, they are not HID. Just regular H4s with a different gas and maybe filament metal than older halogens, but they do work much better than 30 year old stock bulbs.

+1
Been using the same 100/55 H4's ~5 years on the cafe bike.

Still have original & a spare 100/55 in parts bin storage.

Color temp is very close to original. 
I prefer the warmer temp to the white/blue cooler temp of some of the H4 upgrade offerings.

The remainder of the story of my experience with the high output H4 bulbs on my boxer was that after more testing of the electrical system and after fitting a volt meter to that bike I found that my voltage regulator was passing voltage spikes of over 19 volts. No doubt the major contributing cause to the extremely short bulb life.

ssssh! don't tell the retailer who gave me a full refund on the Philips bulbs. I have changed the voltage regulator but haven't ventured back to buy another set of expensive bulbs yet. Maybe in the future as time permits as having three toys in the garage to service/fiddle with/ride keeps me busy.

Cheers

Not convinced. Airheads and air-cooled Guzzis use the same charging system (although they're not interchangeable because BMW, bless their hearts, insisted on 0.5mm more on the step machined at the back of the stator). Yes, they spike like crazy which gave Newtronics (Pirahna Ingnition Systems) a real headache as both bikes would fry their aftermarket electronic gnition systems at the drop of a hat. Mistral (Rita) solved the problem by putting a sodding great capacitor across the input to absorb the transients. As none of my Guzzis ever gave me problems running halide H4s (nor did any of the airheads I worked on), I'm sticking with my small headlight/big heat theory.