Headlight bulb replacement


stevecbr

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Changed my sidelight bulbs from the standard, old style bulbs for LED sidelights as they look much better, ie white light not the yellow. photo attached so you can see the 2 different types
led sidelights.jpg

Problem is now the standard 55/60w H4 bulb looks yellow. Whats the best thing to change it for, was thinking the Osram day breaker or a LED H4 bulb. I will not be going down the HID route, I just want a simple bulb swap.

Anyone changed theirs, and what for? A brighter light will be useful, as bike used for commuting year round
 

motorcycleboy

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Look for Philips Exteme Light 130% H4 bulp.. They aren't so white as leds but you'll see a lot better, wider and farther in night riding..!

P.S. the posted photo can't show the "led-line-light" that we can see in real.. stock bulps has poor and yellow light, when leds has stronger and clearer brightness than ever and looks like the 2 "alien eyes" of MT-09.
 
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Kinjane

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PIAA competition bulbs are probably the best plug and play H4 option currently available (off road use only)

Their street legal bulbs are still brighter and whiter than any 60w Quartz halogen bulb you'll find on the high street if cost isn't a consideration.
The £30 HE820 is rated at 3600K and the equivalent of a 130w halogen bulb on dip, 140w main.
 

boro

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Have a look at the PIAA Super Plasma GT-X H4, it is described as Bluish/Purple bulb at 3800/5000K. I've fitted it and it matches the side LED. Might cost a few pennies more put is a quality item.
 

Stan09

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I did the same. LED side lights and an Osram Night Racer110 H4 headlight. Nice white light and as it says it's 110% brighter while still being 60/55W street legal. I bought a twin pack on ebay, so I have a spare Ebay is also cheaper than Amazon.
 

R6owdlad

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Might be a daft question but can you not get a led light to replace the oem bulb? Or I guess it's a lot more complicated...
 

Steely

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Put these in mine.. Canbus free LED sides with Cobbs/Cree H4

View attachment 4354

View attachment 4355
Smurf, I test fitted an LED bulb to my MT that I had for another bike. The beam pattern was diffused and very patchy, so I stuck with the stock bulb. It seemed to me that, though LED's may work with old style reflectors, they might not always be suitable for lamps with segmented reflectors.

I take it your cree bulb is better?
 

bobh

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Smurf, I test fitted an LED bulb to my MT that I had for another bike. The beam pattern was diffused and very patchy, so I stuck with the stock bulb. It seemed to me that, though LED's may work with old style reflectors, they might not always be suitable for lamps with segmented reflectors.
Agreed - I bought a cheap-ish LED H7 bulb, intending to use it as the dipped bulb of my FZ8. But the light pattern was far too diffuse and didn't give enough focussed light where I wanted it (in the 30-odd metres in front of me). Plus it would have resulted in oncoming cars flashing me all the time. It would probably be OK in a car foglight, where you want a good spread of light.
 

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Excuse me for jumping in with what maybe a silly question...but do the above bulbs plug straight into existing parts? Thanks. :)
 

stevecbr

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The ones I used yes, just a simple bulb replacement. Osram Nightbreaker and 2 led sidelights. The main bulb was about £7, and the sidelights £1 for 2, all off ebay
 

motorcycleboy

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I have changed the std front H4 halogen hi/lo bulp for the Philips H4 Exteme Light 130% and i have way better visibility in night riding.. and the bulp seems "made to last" as its still "working" for 37000km
I also have replaced the 2 side bulps for 2 philips LED bulps and my bike's face looking more agressive/alien
Total cost about 20 euros (back in spring of '14, now they are more expensive)..
 

MT09-Smurf

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I've put Osram Laser in my van to try out thru the winter... i used the nightbreaker unlimited previously... prefer the laser for an quid or 2..
 
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I went with the Philips Extreme vision LED 6000k sidelights with a Philips Diamond Vision ultimate white main bulb:

20170225_103932.jpg

Standard 501 glass bulb:

20161121_150413.jpg

with Philips LED and standard headlight:

20161121_150948.jpg

ADDED - with LED bulbs and main headlight on:

20170227_182545.jpg


They're not road legal, but i have had the exact same bulbs fitted in two different vehicles and both went through MOTs without issue. in fact, the only issue i had with the LED bulbs was when one of the cheaper ones started flashing whilst on MOT! the tester replaced it with a normal 501 but did say they weren't legal - still passed it though.
But that was ages ago when LED were quite new and it was with the cheapo Hong Kong jobs, i've had a few of them fail hence spending the extra on the Philips.

Will try get a pic up with all of them on, looks nice and bright and a lot more modern.
 
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