What are the brightest replacement headlight bulb?

[Bones]

Dip bulb blew today so as the headlights could do with some improvement I thought I would take the opportunity to upgrade the bulbs. What are the best straight replacements, where do you get them, and what is the approx cost? I don't want to go down the route of fitting additional lights but just want to improve the standard setup.

Cheers

 

[millard]

Without a doubt - HID
You won't need any other additionzal lights and will be truly amazed at the difference.
Coupla guys on here advertise them for sale and fitting, or do what I did and get them from China direct for about £50 and do em yerself, piece a piss.

millard

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

PIAA Exteme (or summit like that, Nippy Norman sells them) are a bit brighter but quite expensive and have a hit and miss reputation over longetivity.

I've been down that route and the improvement was minor and not worth it IMO.

I know you say you just want a straight bulb swop but I can't put into words just how much better HIDs are - they really are not a lot of hassle to fit and are soooooooo worth getting

Andres

 

[MickDB1]

I got a pair of bulbs off fleabay fitted one to me R100 and one on me XT600
my mates tell me they are more brighter to see in their mirrors, and I know they are brighter from behind the bars - I too read of them not "lasting long" get some 300 quid HIDs etc. I know HIDs, especially the ones fitted at a well known Gser up this end of the world, are top notch and are almost blinding to look at from the front.
All I can say is the bulbs are cheap ( less than 8 quid I recon ) and I have ridden with them for 4 thou on GS and 2 thou on XT
a lot of that bouncing about. and no problems as yet and I have dosh for the fuel
- famous last words

 

[RickG]

I agree with what's been said. The easy solution with most bikes is to simply put in a higher wattage bulb (even if it is illegal) as 80w is significantly brighter than 55w, and this is what I did on my 1150

However, on the 1200 the can bus will probably shut down the circuit thinking it's overloaded.

I've tried PIAA bulbs and was very, very unimpressed, yes they were little whiter and brighter but the stock headlamp design is fundamentally flawed and the illumination of the road is absolute rubbish. They also only lasted a month or so before blowing - I went through 3 before I gave them up as a bad job.

Auxillary lights are a massive improvement as all those with HID will testify and allow you to progress at night as if it were day. I realise you say you don't want to do this but the difference is astonishing and once you have extra lights you'll never want to do without.

If you can afford them they are great, but I can't and run a pair of small halogen driving lights from Halfords just one of which is brighter than the BuMW dip beam. Cost about £40 the pair, though you need to fabricate the brackets to mount them.

 

[skyenet]

My original bulb blew last week just as Lidl advertised Tesla 2 x H7 12V Bulbs for £3.99 a set. I went for the 50% more light set and they are brighter than the standard bulbs. Made in Germany. Had them on my R1100RS and they lasted fine so bought two sets. That should last me fine.

 

[ianboydsnr]

You may not want the hassle of fitting a HID setup, but it won't stop a 100 people on this board telling you to get them, the reason is that they are the only setup that deliveres the goods, whilst looking standard, it may look expensive, but you will eventually end up fitting them, or more expensive auxilary lights.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Just to clarify, with talk of aux lights and £300 bills - yes I also have aux lights (which are great) but I'm talking about just swapping your dip bulb for a HID unit, very simple to do yourself and about £50 for the bulb and ballast.

As RickG says, the fundamental problem on the 1200 is the poor headlamp reflector design and the only way to overcome this is to go overkill with the amount light chucked out form the bulb, ergo HIDs.

Andres

 

[Bones]

Just to clarify, with talk of aux lights and £300 bills - yes I also have aux lights (which are great) but I'm talking about just swapping your dip bulb for a HID unit, very simple to do yourself and about £50 for the bulb and ballast.

So the HID fits inside the dip beam unit? I haven't heard of this solution. I will do a site search. Cheers

 

[Bones]

My original bulb blew last week just as Lidl advertised Tesla 2 x H7 12V Bulbs for £3.99 a set. I went for the 50% more light set and they are brighter than the standard bulbs. Made in Germany. Had them on my R1100RS and they lasted fine so bought two sets. That should last me fine.

Cheers. I will stop at Lidl on the way home. Running around on high beam at the mo, alright during the day/get you home, but I need a quick fix before I miss out on night time action

 

[theEnglishman]

So the HID fits inside the dip beam unit? I haven't heard of this solution. I will do a site search. Cheers

The only 'problems'(for the want of a better word) with Les Wassals HID kit are

• You have to cut a 25mm hole in the back of the cover where the bulb goes
• You have to find somewhere to mount the balast box

Neither are difficult - you'll spend far more time deciding where to mount the balast and cutting the hole than actually doing the work of connecting the wires and fitting the bulb.

 

[millard]

The only 'problems'(for the want of a better word) with Les Wassals HID kit are

• You have to cut a 25mm hole in the back of the cover where the bulb goes
  Like this.
  I put it in my wee lathe to do it but a holesaw will be just as easy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• You have to find somewhere to mount the balast box

I put mine here, but then I'm not fussy about looks. You can buy or fabricate special mounting brackets.

Neither are difficult - you'll spend far more time deciding where to mount the balast and cutting the hole than actually doing the work of connecting the wires and fitting the bulb.

Right
It's really easy connecting it up as the connectors cannot be plugged up the wrong way round, and the harness just hooks up to your battery at one end and your headlamp bulb socket the other.

 

[orange]

Hi,
Have been thinking about improving the lighting on my 12 for some time. HID's seem to give the best results. The only thing holding me back is the thought of an HIB bulb or one of the balasts failing whilst out on tour.

 

[theEnglishman]

Hi,
Have been thinking about improving the lighting on my 12 for some time. HID's seem to give the best results. The only thing holding me back is the thought of an HIB bulb or one of the balasts failing whilst out on tour.

So? Just take a 'normal' bulb with you. The kits don't involve any wire cutting - you could (very easily) just take out the HID bulb, put in a 'normal' one and re-plug the BMW headlight connector in. It's take a couple of minutes, tops if you plan the wiring layout appropriately in the first place.

You'd just bypass the whole HID thing......

Easy peasey

 

[orange]

Ok, Ok, I told you i was thick. HID's coming my way soon then.

 

[Nick Marshall]

spare HID bulb and wires and plug

Hi,
Have been thinking about improving the lighting on my 12 for some time. HID's seem to give the best results. The only thing holding me back is the thought of an HIB bulb or one of the balasts failing whilst out on tour.

is about £18 posted, so no real need to convert back.

 

[theEnglishman]

is about £18 posted, so no real need to convert back.

yea, but the 24 hour wait for DHL to pull up on the side of an autobahn would be a tad inconvienent!

 

[colm_c]

Les's kits are now even easier to install lately, he's got some with the caps pre-drilled, and a mounting kit for the ballasts, no cutting, drilling or otherwise.

Mine arrived at the weekend, £210 for all inc p&p. (to Ireland) for both main and dip.

Took me all of 30 minutes to fit, including removing the screen, removing the light pod, and putting it all back together.

Les's kits are the dogs dangleys.

 

[mpdouglas]

If you don't fancy the HID route, fit a Philips X-Treme bulb. Significantly better than standard, cheaper than HID, 100% legal and will not fail an MOT.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/produc...cessory_of_the_year_philips_xtreme_power.html

 

[millard]

yea, but the 24 hour wait for DHL to pull up on the side of an autobahn would be a tad inconvienent!

Just swap the main for the dip, assuming you convert both.