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Headlight Upgrade-Can it take the load?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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I have a 1980 GS550E which i bought new and have been restoring this winter. The project has come along well and I've put the bike back on the road and have really been enjoying feeling like I've repaid an old friend for many years of faithful service. The only thing I find sorta lacking is that flakey yellow headlight. I've been considering doing an upgrade to a halogen kit from Dennis Kirk (Pt# 22-35). This comes with a H-4 P43T
60-55W bulb. I've been reading alot about the weak electrical system on these bikes and would like to know if this would be too much to ask of my old system. All wiring is good and grounds are clean. I've never suffered any electrical trouble on this bike aside from having to replace the battery every 3 or 4 years. Thanks in advance for advice.

Kevin
 
That bulb rating is fine. Same as I use. No problems with it.

You might look into the next step, though, and opt for the bluish bulbs.

They put a cleaner, whiter, light on the road and make a substantial difference, even when compared with halogen lamps of same wattage.

Check first to see if they are legal in your state, and be sure to get blue/white only. Some of the older coated bulbs turned out a rainbow of colours and you are asking for tickets if you use them.
 
Re: Headlight Upgrade-Can it take the load?

I converted my headlight on the GS750 to that exact bulb about a year ago and have had no problems whatsoever with it, or the charging system. The H-4 seems to put out about 2+ times more light than the old sealed beam and has a much better pattern.

Earl


kkmaurer said:
I've been considering doing an upgrade to a halogen kit from Dennis Kirk (Pt# 22-35). This comes with a H-4 P43T
60-55W bulb.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the replies! I'll go ahead and order the upgrade. It's great to have a place to ask experienced folks such questions... :D

Kevin
 
55/60 watt H4 doesn't draw any more than the 55/60 watt headlight the difference is in the construction and efficiency of the H4 bulb.
 
100/90 halogen

100/90 halogen

Has anyone tried a high output 100/90 halogen? I'd like to try one on my '83 GS1100 but I'm not sure if it would be too much load. I have heard of people wiring a relay to keep the low beam on when the high beam is on and that would be 115 watts with the stock 60/55 bulb. Please help!
 
Joe,
I'm running a 55/100 on my '85 700. Shouldn't be any problem on your '83.
 
Another note regarding headlights Make sure you are getting full voltage to your headlight. If you aren't, consider adding a relay to the system. Check out Focus Frenzy rewiring post. You would be supprised how much one volt difference can make.
 
Re: 100/90 halogen

Re: 100/90 halogen

JoeNardy said:
Has anyone tried a high output 100/90 halogen? I'd like to try one on my '83 GS1100 but I'm not sure if it would be too much load. I have heard of people wiring a relay to keep the low beam on when the high beam is on and that would be 115 watts with the stock 60/55 bulb. Please help!
Click to expand...
I haf one in for over 2 years. It didnt have any negative effect. I switched back to the smaller wattage because when the higher wattage bulb blew out, i couldnt get my hands on the same one a that moment.
 
Re: 100/90 halogen

Re: 100/90 halogen

JoeNardy said:
Has anyone tried a high output 100/90 halogen? I'd like to try one on my '83 GS1100 but I'm not sure if it would be too much load. I have heard of people wiring a relay to keep the low beam on when the high beam is on and that would be 115 watts with the stock 60/55 bulb. Please help!
Click to expand...
I did the same conversion on my old 1000 with no problems...I even pitched the 60/55 bulb that came with the kit & packed it with the "big" 130/90 watt version. I considered the trick ultra-white style from PIAA but found it to be VERY expensive.
Rick..........
 
upgrading the headlight

upgrading the headlight

I see in Dennis Kirks new metric bike catalog they have the PIAA extreme white H4 bulbs. these bulbs shine at 4150 Kelvin color temp, sunlight is 5250 Kelvin. They have a 60/55W power consumption rating with a 135/125W light output equivalent. They're a little spendy at $48 a pop, but I'm a firm believer that you can never have enough light at night. The 1150 is getting one at the end of the month.
Doze.
 
Re: upgrading the headlight

Re: upgrading the headlight

Doze said:
I see in Dennis Kirks new metric bike catalog they have the PIAA extreme white H4 bulbs. these bulbs shine at 4150 Kelvin color temp, sunlight is 5250 Kelvin. They have a 60/55W power consumption rating with a 135/125W light output equivalent. They're a little spendy at $48 a pop, but I'm a firm believer that you can never have enough light at night. The 1150 is getting one at the end of the month.
Doze.
Click to expand...
Its hard to find bulbs with that much information printed on the package Don. This is what always spooks me when messing with an electrical mod. I have to be able to calculate how much current will be drawn or i dont touch the item..
 
Re: upgrading the headlight

Re: upgrading the headlight

Doze said:
I see in Dennis Kirks new metric bike catalog they have the PIAA extreme white H4 bulbs. these bulbs shine at 4150 Kelvin color temp, sunlight is 5250 Kelvin. They have a 60/55W power consumption rating with a 135/125W light output equivalent. They're a little spendy at $48 a pop, but I'm a firm believer that you can never have enough light at night. The 1150 is getting one at the end of the month.
Doze.
Click to expand...
Has anyone tried the PIAA extreme on a 78-79 1000? I have the stock 60/55 H4 and would like a brighter light but am afraid to mess with the electrics on these bikes too. If they really do consume the same power as a stock bulb,the wiring should be 'OK',but I don't understand how they can do it. Any experience/advice? Thanks, KK.
 
My understandingon this is; that while the actual current draw is the same as the stock bulb, because of the different gas and filament composition the bulb is made with, the light output is equivalent to that of a regular 135/125 halogen H4 bulb but it is only using 65/55W to accomplish that . Does that make more sense? Dom, I took that information about the PIAA extreme white bulbs straight out of the Dennis Kirk catalog. I haven't seen the information on the packaging either. I will keep you posted when I purchase one.
Doze.
 
Brighter is better I say. My light is an 80/100 Osfram and it works great, just watch when you aim the light that the high beam isn't too high in the trees... :)
 
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