Have started to notice the darker mornings. My bike has a standard H4 60/55W headlight bulb but drivers seem to struggle to see me. Just about been cleaned up twice on the way to work in the last two weeks. Just passed a testing station WOF so headlight is adjusted okay. Anyone suggest a brighter whiter bulb that doesn't need a wiring upgrade as well?
tamarillo,
Mar 2, 6:35pm
Good on you for thinking about being seen, I replaced the bulb in my Tiger 1050 with simply the best and brightest H4 I found, can't recall which but Philips, Hella, Osram all do a range of high quality bulbs that have been proven in tests to emit more light for same wattage.
There are also HID conversion kits for many bikes which really change it - best google for your bike. BUT some of the problem is cars can't judge how quickly a bike approaches well, and the mind dismisses us as not relevant when they're are only having a quick look. One answer is daytime running lights that are designed to be put out on each extreme to provide a clear left and right and be seen without using lots of volts. Modern led ones use very little power so most modern bikes can handle them. Might be preaching to the converted (apologies if I am ) here but next step is further training in road skills, there's lots of things we can do to get noticed better we can learn. If really interested look up local IAM observer, though there are lost of other training courses of course. For me, I never stop learning safe fun riding skills. Enjoy!
dingo011,
Mar 2, 8:46pm
Thanks guys, I agree with you never stop learning! been riding bikes for 25+ years and still do riding courses from time to time. I think it is the change of light at 6.30am - 7am at the moment. I have had cars pulling out of side streets which I have had to swerve inside or outside in the last week. I know they have been looking at me as I always give merging turning cars the "hairy" eyeball. Sure gets the blood moving first thing in the morning!
pauldw,
Mar 2, 9:32pm
If they can't see an H4 bulb lighting won't fix it. A brighter bulb may help you see more of the road but if they ignore one they'll ignore anything.
tamarillo,
Mar 2, 9:37pm
Tend to agree, driving lights are better answer. You could keep your lights on high at this time of day, of keep ready to flash and quick been on decent horn. If you have standard horn may I suggest you put in a stebel air horn, easy fit, easily heard. Took me a while to start using my horn as little 'hello I'm here' but it's better than being hit, and I make point of raising friendly hand when I do to say thanks.
doriandarby,
Mar 2, 9:58pm
How old is your bike? It could be that you're not getting the full 12v to the light. A good fix would be to wire in some relays that draw straight from the battery to the light socket, and are switched by the original handlebar switch. You'd need one for dip and one for high beam.
Planning on doing this to my old bike before winter.
clark20,
Mar 2, 11:54pm
You must be buying them off the wrong person here then
gsimpson,
Mar 3, 12:25am
I fitted H4 motorcycle 6V led bulbs to my 70 year old car. At 10W they are much brighter than the original 20Ws. More light using less power. Win/win.
There are more powerful options than the 10Ws too.
dave653,
Mar 3, 12:52am
In our car I tried +120s. They failed inside a year. I now use 'Long Life' +50s. have been in for two years so far. But yeh. some drivers don't give a rats whats coming! And yeh again. check the voltage at the bulb. Had a VK Commie read 9.8 and 10.2 at the bulbs.
neell,
Mar 3, 2:43am
. and you ride around with your lights on full beam?
kazbanz,
Mar 3, 3:16am
first of all what exactly is your bike? be aware that a bulb upgrade on a modern bike is often not recommended due to the plastic lenses Second--if you ride a bike you could have a 2000watt bulb and idiots will still miss seeing you.
dingo011,
Mar 3, 3:50pm
My bike is a 1992 Kawasaki ZR1100 so has a glass lense so not going to be melted by a bulb. Going on a South Island tour in a couple of weeks so was planning for a new bulb in now and take the old one as a spare. Can sometimes be a bit wet on the West Coast LOL so good head light a good thing in the rain. Had a look online at super cheap and there are options from about $40 - $50 just not sure which is a good brand i.e. Hella. Osram etc
kazbanz,
Mar 3, 5:03pm
Dingo--I'd put a hella 100/110 in then. BUT I just don't KNOW the wiring will be heavy enough, Im not saying it won't be but I suspect a relay will be needed.
dingo011,
Mar 3, 5:14pm
Cheers kabanz, which side of the switch does the relay need to go? i.e. after the switch and before the bulb ( relay can go in headlight casing ) OR between the supply and switch?
dingo011,
Mar 3, 6:48pm
Okay, I have just researched the wiring on my bike and it already has a relay in the lighting circuit. How the relay works is that the head light does not get power until the starter has finished and the engine is running. I guess this cuts the load on the battery and ignition during crank over / starting. This would also reduce the load through the ignition switch as well. Does this mean that a 100w bulb will be okay as the load is static?
therafter1,
Mar 3, 8:41pm
If you or anyone else are riding up and down the road with your lights on, off, dim, bright, low beam or high beam expecting to be seen by motorists you are going to come unstuck at some point when someone pulls out on you that you have "assumed" has seen you!
It is about you seeing them and treating every other as potentially intending to harm you and you taking measures to prevent it.
tamarillo,
Mar 3, 11:48pm
Yes you're right, and you being a bit harsh on OP here who has said they have ridden a while and still attend training courses. They're merely attending to one facet of safety and don't think we should assume they need the lecture personally. Many highly skilled trained riders attend to business of doing their best to be seen with driving lights, good bulbs, high vis etc. it's one part of big picture.
therafter1,
Mar 4, 4:30am
Probably a bit blunt, not necessarily directed at the OP, and I'm pretty useless in the manner that I express myself a lot of the time in an attempt to try to keep things concise.
Aimed as a reminder to all riders/drivers, and more so those coming on stream. It matters not what you are piloting, if you blunder along mistakenly relying on others you are going to come a gutser.
Nothing to do with the subject, but from memory there was a turkey in a boat navigating a channel between a couple of islands in the inner Auckland harbour recently using autopilot while he was below fiddling with something below deck without a boatman/look out, and he cleaned up another boat . they aren't just on the water.
snoopy221,
Mar 4, 4:39am
I think it is the change of light at 6.30am - 7am at the moment.
That is one old age equation- Sure we have all had a few late nyts and road trips. BUT one is either an early morn driver or not. To me the change from day to night is better than night to day.
snoopy221,
Mar 4, 4:40am
Nd urro Richard Ow the ell r ya nd ow Taihapie? LOL long time no see bra
sr2,
Mar 4, 5:36am
Apologies to the OP for straying off topic as well but when the full story unfolded it transpired that the boats did not collide or even touch each other. The skipper of the moored boat panicked when he saw the approaching yacht and decided to leave his crew and abandon ship. He then jumped overboard and got run over while trying to swim away!
Funny how the newspapers went very quiet on the subject the following day. Could the captain of the Costa Concordia have started a new trend?
therafter1,
Mar 4, 3:17pm
How ya doing snoops, wasn't ignoring you, it was past my bedtime and I had hit the sack. I was only up while I waited for the Teina Pora decision. I was then launched into by some half witted woman that had made a couple of half witted totally incorrect assumptions so thought I would have a play with her for a while, but she bailed lol
Had another bloody Jag scenario yesterday that turned into a mini nightmare (owners fault), who would have thought that something as simple as a flattie on an XJR would create issues hmmm . in saying that the issues weren't the Jags fault, it was an ID-10T error, as opposed to pebac lol
dingo011,
May 17, 12:00pm
Wow boats, Jag fault codes, comments on my care, attention and riding ability! LOL Who knew a question about headlight wattage would spark such a deverse range of subject matter.
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