Headlight bulb help - central London

Stridey said:
I seem to recall it came from XT660.com as I am a subscriber on there as I also own an Tenere. To beef up the crap headlight some of us upgraded to 100W bulbs with no issues noticed. My Ten is now 3 years old 18K miles and still on OEM battery.

Does anyone know the correct legal answer for sure and also am I really going to damage anything just by running an extra 25W?

Such a long time since I have been on here but now on 5 posts or is it six?
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Legal answer is that all bulbs must be marked (typically E-marked) for road usage, emit white or yellow light and contain filaments that do not adjust the beam throw.

Extra 45W... nearly twice the heat can't be good for the reflector though i think many of the reflector fouling/misting reports were from early HIDs that got very hot or from rally bulbs.

S
 
Smythson said:
Legal answer is that all bulbs must be marked (typically E-marked) for road usage, emit white or yellow light and contain filaments that do not adjust the beam throw.

Extra 45W... nearly twice the heat can't be good for the reflector though i think many of the reflector fouling/misting reports were from early HIDs that got very hot or from rally bulbs.

S
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Thanks for clarification on the legal side of running 80W lamp. So if its E marked for road usage then I can use it legally, I will check to see if it says for off road use only. But may leave it fitted as unlikley to get stopped for only extra 25W I think. By the way its 25W over the standard so again is the 25W going to cause any overload or heating of reflector/lamp lens?
thanks.
 
Stridey said:
Thanks for clarification on the legal side of running 80W lamp. So if its E marked for road usage then I can use it legally, I will check to see if it says for off road use only. But may leave it fitted as unlikley to get stopped for only extra 25W I think. By the way its 25W over the standard so again is the 25W going to cause any overload or heating of reflector/lamp lens?
thanks.
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I'm not 100% certain about the legal side with regard to fitting to design of the bike. There are construction and use laws surrounding vehicles that are quite extensive and much of it revolves around the manufacturers intended spec. On an aside a quick google and i can't find anything over 55w marked for road usage...

I'd agree you are unlikely to get stopped - the leftwards (not a word but you know what i mean!) bias of the reflectors mean you are less likely to dazzle other road users than our cousins from across the pond (who use an even left to right spread)

Regarding misting or overload - i can't find the threads right now but from what i recall i think the CANBUS was ok with the rally bulbs and i'm pretty sure these were the 100W or 105W bulbs. Misting was reported mostly by HID users (of the early kits) and by the 100W rally bulb users. I wouldn't profess to be an expert on the tolerance of the BMW specs for temp so can only wish you good luck! If i get some time i'll dig out the threads.

Until then try www.legislation.gov.uk The relevant act is the Road Vehicles Lighting Act 1989.

S
 
Fitted a set of Osram bulbs this evening before venturing out to local club meeting - what a difference :eek: Only changed them cos the wife's car needed a bulb on the weekend and I ripped one out of the bikes main beam.

Think I need to lower the headlamp alignment a bit now as the change in bulb makes the upper area above the cut off much much brighter when on dip (several cage drivers didn't appreciate the extra illumes :D)

Big Plus for the Osram Night Breakers from me

SteveT

:cool:
 
Just changed mine for the new Phillips Crystal, what a difference, brighter than a Tefal Manager!! Got 2 x H7 Bulbs, sidelight bulb and number plate bulb, all crystal range for £23 off E-Blag. I've had HID's before, but these are not that far behind.
 
Whilst we're on the topic of lights...

Has anyone found an LED sidelight for the front that doesn't get burnt by the H7 next to it?

I have tried coating the canbus friendly type with araldite which normally lasts a month or so but eventually succumbs to the heat.

Is there such a thing as LED in glass?

S
 
Smythson said:
Has anyone found an LED sidelight for the front that doesn't get burnt by the H7 next to it?

I have tried coating the canbus friendly type with araldite which normally lasts a month or so but eventually succumbs to the heat.

Is there such a thing as LED in glass?

S
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I have a LED white bulb side next to my HID 35W, provided and en lightened by Les Wassal of this parish :thumb HID50.com :thumb
 
twizit said:
Malc, most of my riding is the commute in and out of London, no unlit country roads, so I've always found stock headlights to be more than sufficient. If I was doing a lot more out of town night riding though I'd definitely consider HID.

Also in 6 odd years of commuting I've only ever had to replace two headlight bulbs. Funnily enough both were on BMWs....
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Would agree with Malc. In London especially the brighter lights help you get noticed, especially if you dare to go in any the bus lanes. Better though is probably to install some fogs so you have a triangle. Then if one bulb go you have two more left:D.
 
chas820 said:
I have the led bulb in mine with no problems,it does have a glass cover.Might be a "Ring" product.

Mine looks similar to this

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/233-LED-Single.html
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In what way similar, those are bayonet fit... we need wedge.

Even with a glass envelope the heat must affect the electronics, also most of the LED sidelight bulbs aren't strictly legal as they are not e-marked

I too did the trial with an LED sidelight bulb I gave up on that idea and run a separate ring DRL under the headlight. I powered it from the sat nav connection which gives the added benefit of it staying illuminated for a short period after turning off bike. Gives enough light to get bike round back of house with the engine off.
 
rce said:
In what way similar, those are bayonet fit... we need wedge.

Even with a glass envelope the heat must affect the electronics, also most of the LED sidelight bulbs aren't strictly legal as they are not e-marked

I too did the trial with an LED sidelight bulb I gave up on that idea and run a separate ring DRL under the headlight. I powered it from the sat nav connection which gives the added benefit of it staying illuminated for a short period after turning off bike. Gives enough light to get bike round back of house with the engine off.
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It's a good point you raise about being E-Marked - how is it that there is no legal LED gear when it is brighter and uses less juice? :nenau

I was looking to power some LED marker lights in my handguards and was hoping to do so from the aux power plug that is currently blanked and sits on top of the battery. Did you cut the wiring or use a plug to run from this socket?

S
 
Smythson said:
It's a good point you raise about being E-Marked - how is it that there is no legal LED gear when it is brighter and uses less juice? :nenau

I was looking to power some LED marker lights in my handguards and was hoping to do so from the aux power plug that is currently blanked and sits on top of the battery. Did you cut the wiring or use a plug to run from this socket?

S
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Used a plug from nippy normans rather than cut oem wiring
 
Smythson said:
My preferred option too. Was it this one?

http://www.nippynormans.com/product...zumo-660-into-the-bmw-harness-gar-canbuszu660

S
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Yep that's the one, I used heat shrink tube to protect the yellow wires (cutting back the unused wire so it sat in the heat shrink), I terminated the 2 used cores in a more standard socket. A matching plug on the end of the DRL cable then attaches everything together.

The BMW plug/socket is held in the original clip on the battery, the new plug/socket are a push fit into a sticky backed C clamp that I had kicking around, this fits on the inside of the fairing so if ever I need to disconnect I don't need to take central false tank section off. A further C clamp keeps the rest of the wiring in place as it runs inside the fairing to the front of the bike.
 
Maybe of help... a couple of photos.

1st Orange arrow points to one of the C clips inside fairing that retains feed to DRL

2nd DRL & sidelight

3rd DRL

4th All off


To mount the DRL I made a couple of brackets, epoxy onto DRL and double sided sticky to bit of beak that slopes back under headlight.
 

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rce said:
Yep that's the one, I used heat shrink tube to protect the yellow wires (cutting back the unused wire so it sat in the heat shrink), I terminated the 2 used cores in a more standard socket. A matching plug on the end of the DRL cable then attaches everything together.

The BMW plug/socket is held in the original clip on the battery, the new plug/socket are a push fit into a sticky backed C clamp that I had kicking around, this fits on the inside of the fairing so if ever I need to disconnect I don't need to take central false tank section off. A further C clamp keeps the rest of the wiring in place as it runs inside the fairing to the front of the bike.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the pics - that's good work! I suspect mine shall be a little bit of a bodge but it's the extra light (and therefore hopefully extra visibility!) that i'm after. Will drop in some pics when they're installed. Though first I've got to machine some new parts for my Bark busters to fit a new screen...

S
 
I see Nippy is charging £15 for the cable,my local dealer(Vines)only charged £12 including postage. £8:33+vat collected.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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