uprate headlights

[(RIP) Miff]

If you can, it's worth getting a decent HID. Les gives a 2 year guarantee with his stuff.

Or you could get a cheap pair from china and use one of them. Personally, I recommend Les' stuff as I use it.
There is also MotorbikeAdventures on here too in the Vendors section.

 

[Deleted account 190920002]

Thanks Miff I'll put all your thoughts in the melting process and come up with an answer. At 68 maybe I shouldn't be thinking about the long trips I used to do even just a few years back. Anyway being a carer of sorts ( the wife says a good one) it kind of limits my scope of operations anyway. The big difference I find like the trip to Manchester three weeks ago is the volume of traffic on the road now you have to be so much aware of what's going on around you maybe the lights are a bit of a red herring to my own inadequacies through age. Hopefully not guys.

 

[Bendy toy]

I dont know if its just my bike but the poor headlight seems to be the main beam angle rather than actual light range. Dip gives a good spread but main beam hardly gives any more range. If the fogs are on, the main beam might as well not bother. Its drowned out by all the foreground light.

If I angle the headlight to get good main beam range I'm dazzling other road users. If this is the OP's issue simply adding more light wont help a great deal.

A cheap solution would be a pair of 50W halogen driving lights. Ring make some 50mm x 65mm but make 100% sure you get narrow beam not wide spread fogs. I had these on my 900 Diversion (which really did have a useless headlight). I could not ride fast enough to find their illuminating limit.

Edit: I think these were the ones but check with seller they are not fogs
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ring-Ice-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a717ab592

Some decent LED spots would be better, but they will be at least 2x the cost and maybe a lot more than that.

 

[sethmopp]

I had a pair of those Ice Blue spots on my ols 1150, they really were worth it. I had them hardwired to come on with my main beam, no problems in the several years they were on.

 

[Bendy toy]

Power from battery or a spare fuse via a relay then no hassle with switchgear or Lampf warnings. A switch on the bodywork or handlebar can isolate the relay and as @sethmopp says have them light with the main beam.

The advantage with LEDs, apart from great light output, is many can work with a dimmer device. Dimmed, they have the same light colour but just less of it so you can have them as day lights via the dimmer and bypass the dimmer to give full power to support main beam.

But these would be more like £130 a pair instead of £30 for the Ring Halogens.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

I was out in the dusk on Saturday for the 1st time on my new bike & the headlights seem to be set at the perfect angle............................................................................to hit the centre of most car's interior mirrors thus dazzling both the driver & myself.

 

[(RIP) Miff]

If you have engine bars fitted, it should be easy enough to mount a couple of spot lights. You could have a fog light wired into dipped beam and a spot light wired into main beam. If you use a five pole relay then it should be easy to wire them.

 

[Bendy toy]

I was out in the dusk on Saturday for the 1st time on my new bike & the headlights seem to be set at the perfect angle............................................................................to hit the centre of most car's interior mirrors thus dazzling both the driver & myself.

That’s exactly what happens when I set mine so that main beam is actually useful – dip beam dazzles everyone coming the opposite way and some get annoyed enough to hit main beam and dazzle me. The beam angles cant be adjusted separately so the only option on my bike is add-on driving lights.

 

[Deleted account 190920002]

Well I followed Fizzers advice. And thanks guys for all your help, and thanks to my daughters for my bulby early birthday pressie and a nice torx set from machine mart in the toon. I think though my trip up to the old work place Peterheid this weekend will have to go on hold as the weather is supposed to be sh**e . I was looking forward to feeling the full efects of my nearly new heated vest ooooh. And also lovely daughters got me a years sub's (digital) to Adventure BikeRider it seems a good deal with the digi edition £20 for a years sub's but you have access to all previous eighteen editions. The only catch is you have to read them off your tablet ( no no mine's not an Iplop its a nexus thingy)