Best headlight for GL1100 Interstate

[marcusknight]

What's the best headlight bulb for a GL1100 Interstate?

 

[Denver]

Look for the amount of light, measured in lumens, the color of the light, pattern of beam thrown, & COST. :read: Cost may buy a better bulb, but may have a shorter lifespan. :headscratch: Always used stock number's as far as the voltage output, 60,55, if memory serves, :roll: as higher voltage generates more heat, to bake out the inside of an old globe. :whistling:

 

[dan filipi]

"60/55" is actually the wattage of the bulb not the voltage. Just thought I should correct that.

 

[zman]

Sylvania had some halogen replacement bulb folks were hootin about,forget the name(star bright maybe) but it was the same watts as stock but had a brighter beam..dont go over watts as been said, these old wings didn't have allot of reserve current and best not to tax the charging system anymore then you must.
Allot of bikes are using the Cree LED conversion, the good quality type with a fan attached but every time I seen one the biker had to modify their bucket to fit, they are long with the fan attached, need to measure free space on the interstate and see, plus they maybe have made them more compact by now.
Think Dan Filipi has a fancy torch on his bike.

 

[Denver]

Nomenclature in the electrical system leaves much to be desired Try so hard to be helpful. :whistling: :hihihi:There's a lot of choices out there in new globes, reflector's are better than old stocker's, use the same bulb's, for better lighting. :good:

 

[brianinpa]

Are you looking for better high or low beam? I installed a set of driving lights to improve amount of light. The sad part was that the driving lights appeared to be brighter than the headlight in my Vetter fairing.

 

[Ansimp]

brianinpa » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:52 pm[/url]":a23268z6]
Are you looking for better high or low beam? I installed a set of driving lights to improve amount of light. The sad part was that the driving lights appeared to be brighter than the headlight in my Vetter fairing.

You could install an HID upgrade or a new LED bulb if you want to be as bright as your driving lights Brian. :yes:

 

[RBG]

HID best..other than the new spotlight ones..yoiu need to get an H$ type HId on Ebay you can them for $20 and get two set ups, ballast, bulbs, wirring etc. so you'd have a replacement. requires some extra install work but worth the effort and gives you a separate on/off capability.

 

[dan filipi]

Like Denver mentioned, new globe might be best option if not wanting to mod in something else to keep stock. The reflector in mine is pretty much done and mine is a lot better than others I've seen.

 

[brianinpa]

Ansimp » Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:03 am[/url]":3n22l2w6]

brianinpa » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:52 pm[/url]":3n22l2w6]
Are you looking for better high or low beam? I installed a set of driving lights to improve amount of light. The sad part was that the driving lights appeared to be brighter than the headlight in my Vetter fairing.

You could install an HID upgrade or a new LED bulb if you want to be as bright as your driving lights Brian. :yes:

At the time, the only HID upgrade I could find would have required adding a hole to the back side of the fairing and I wasn't ready to do that. Now I am seeing LED reflectors/bulbs that are the same size as a stock H4 so I am rethinking that. When I get to the Windjammer III overhaul, that is one of the things on my list. Funny... that list just keeps getting longer! :head bang: :mrgreen:

 

[zman]

brianinpa » Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:09 am[/url]":11fp4y3q]

Ansimp » Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:03 am[/url]":11fp4y3q]

brianinpa » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:52 pm[/url]":11fp4y3q]
Are you looking for better high or low beam? I installed a set of driving lights to improve amount of light. The sad part was that the driving lights appeared to be brighter than the headlight in my Vetter fairing.

You could install an HID upgrade or a new LED bulb if you want to be as bright as your driving lights Brian. :yes:

At the time, the only HID upgrade I could find would have required adding a hole to the back side of the fairing and I wasn't ready to do that. Now I am seeing LED reflectors/bulbs that are the same size as a stock H4 so I am rethinking that. When I get to the Windjammer III overhaul, that is one of the things on my list. Funny... that list just keeps getting longer! :head bang: :mrgreen:

Yea, those LED complete 7" light assemblies keep getting cheaper..remember when they were like 300 bucks, maybe lower by now.

 

[marcusknight]

I am going to remove the headlight bulb and see what kind is in there and then I will advise here. Hopefully is easy to remove the bulb.

The dim nature of the bulb is the reason for my research.

 

[dan filipi]

As a building electrician, I have found over the years in LED lighting development many were (and still are) over-driving the LEDs to increase light output. This shortened the life considerably.
The better Cree chip doesn't necessarily equal an LED array that was assembled properly.
From what I can gather, over-driving may be okay but good heat sinks have to be built in to remove the heat. The LED headlight bulbs similar in size as a stock bulb don't appear to have ANY heat sink. To me that tells me it isn't very bright, or it won't last long. Of course they are continuing to develop these things so who knows.

 

[joedrum]

id say connections of electrical stuff is a big part of the dim light snydrome....this can be quite wide in scope of things ..so many switches involved to the headlight power from battery along with connections

 

[brianinpa]

joedrum » Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:43 am[/url]":16lqlg2g]
id say connections of electrical stuff is a big part of the dim light snydrome....this can be quite wide in scope of things ..so many switches involved to the headlight power from battery along with connections

I think it was Dan that mentioned that he has a relay installed on his headlight and that it made his headlight brighter.

 

[dan filipi]

I had put a relay in feeding the fuse box main from the ignition switch.
I'm using the ignition switch black wire to trigger the relay, fuse panel fed thru relay directly from the battery. That did help a lot.

 

[mcgovern61]

brianinpa » Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:52 am[/url]":3b7zcr4h]
Are you looking for better high or low beam? I installed a set of driving lights to improve amount of light. The sad part was that the driving lights appeared to be brighter than the headlight in my Vetter fairing.

FYI...whenI pulled my Vetter faring and installed an OEM bucket with a new H4 it was remarkably brighter than the light in the Vetter.

 

[brianinpa]

mcgovern61 » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:35 am[/url]":1nt2l0cu]

brianinpa » Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:52 am[/url]":1nt2l0cu]
Are you looking for better high or low beam? I installed a set of driving lights to improve amount of light. The sad part was that the driving lights appeared to be brighter than the headlight in my Vetter fairing.

FYI...whenI pulled my Vetter faring and installed an OEM bucket with a new H4 it was remarkably brighter than the light in the Vetter.

I know. I am sure that it is a switch/wiring issue as Joe stated. there is a big difference between my 1100 and 1200.

 

[Trak]

like the HID idea,, swear my bike has the original light, glass is all jacked up, pitted,, point is- it throws PLENTY of light,, always kind of amazes me

 

[Denver]

My Interstate throw's pretty good light, but my standard's may get a new globe, :headscratch: or a whole new light transplant. :yes: Cash seems to be the only fly in the ointment, :doh: but would use the same h4 bulb's. :yes: The new reflector's in some seem to work very well, :good: & their length of life is better, than many of the big dollar light's. :roll: