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    #1

    Possible dumb headlight question

    I searched around and didn't find anything that helped me out. I also haven't opened the light to see what my options are and since I'm bored at work, I figured I'd ask the experts.

    I have a 1980 750e. The headlight is decent. I went out with it the other night and the Hi beam gave me what I needed. It's that old school orangeish glow though.

    I'd really like to do something brighter and whiter. That being said, all I want to do is replace the bulb. Replacing the headlight would go along with replacing the gauges and that type of stuff and I'm a while from that, if at all.

    So....is there a modern bulb I can go to autozone and get to easily swap out my current bulb and give me a brighter result?
    Tags: None
    #2
    This is what I replaced mine with...



    It's a headlight assembly that replaces the sealed beam unit with a housing that uses the standard H4 lamp like car headlights use. It mounts in the existing headlight bezel and fits in the existing headlight shell. They come in 2 different sizes IIRC...so get the right size.

    Comment

      #3
      You already have an H4 halogen bulb in there. Stock wattage is 55 on low beam, 65 on high beam. You don't really want to excede those numbers, and you won't be able to at Auto Zone, anyway. About the only thing you can do is to get something like Sylvania's "+30 Ultra" bulb, or whatever it's called. They claim a bit more output (30%) with the same wattage.

      One thing you DON'T want to do is get any of the bulbs that claim "Ultra White", "Plasma White" or any of that other stuff. All they do is tint the bulb blue so it "looks more like daylight". Problem is, that removes a LOT of the useable light from the bulb.

      Stick with CLEAR bulbs (even the SilverStar bulbs have a light blue tint), you will see a LOT better.

      Obviously, the one that razor shows won't work in your "lunchbox" light, so just get a new bulb and make sure it's getting proper voltage.

      .
      sigpic
      mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
      hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
      #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
      #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
      Family Portrait
      Siblings and Spouses
      Mom's first ride
      Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
      (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by Steve View Post
        You already have an H4 halogen bulb in there. Stock wattage is 55 on low beam, 65 on high beam. You don't really want to excede those numbers, and you won't be able to at Auto Zone, anyway. About the only thing you can do is to get something like Sylvania's "+30 Ultra" bulb, or whatever it's called. They claim a bit more output (30%) with the same wattage.

        One thing you DON'T want to do is get any of the bulbs that claim "Ultra White", "Plasma White" or any of that other stuff. All they do is tint the bulb blue so it "looks more like daylight". Problem is, that removes a LOT of the useable light from the bulb.

        Stick with CLEAR bulbs (even the SilverStar bulbs have a light blue tint), you will see a LOT better.

        Obviously, the one that razor shows won't work in your "lunchbox" light, so just get a new bulb and make sure it's getting proper voltage.

        .

        Yea those sylvanias are what popped into my head. I've been seeing the car commercials a lot lately, didn't know how that translated over to a bike.

        Thanks

        Comment

          #5
          Just make sure it's a CLEAR H4 bulb, it may also be shown as a 9003.

          Depending on the stock in your favorite store, they might have a "Powersport Application" rating on it, too. It's just a heavier-duty bulb.

          .
          sigpic
          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
          #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
          Family Portrait
          Siblings and Spouses
          Mom's first ride
          Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
          (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by Steve View Post
            Just make sure it's a CLEAR H4 bulb, it may also be shown as a 9003.

            Depending on the stock in your favorite store, they might have a "Powersport Application" rating on it, too. It's just a heavier-duty bulb.

            .

            I just ordered one off Amazon. Reviews were all motorcycle guys saying how great it was. $17. If it works out, money well spent.

            Comment

              #7
              "Silverstar" bulbs are one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the driving public.

              I just installed an H4 lamp (55/65) and reflector from candlepower.com. It about tripled the useful light compared to the original sealed-beam. Fit perfectly in the housing. If you order from them, remember to buy the bulb, too. The unit as advertised is the reflector/lens unit only, without a bulb.

              And after you install, before you go out for a night ride, take it out at night to test and adjust the headlight aim. You don't want to light up the trees and have a dark road when you hit the high beam for the first time.

              Comment

                #8
                By the way, headlights are not "dumb".

                Some of them might not be very bright, though.

                .
                sigpic
                mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                Family Portrait
                Siblings and Spouses
                Mom's first ride
                Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                Comment

                  #9
                  I_have_the_Sylvania_Silverstar_Halogen_Plus_headli ghts_on_four_bikes_because_they_suck.

                  Eric

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by 7981GS View Post
                    I_have_the_Sylvania_Silverstar_Halogen_Plus_headli ghts_on_four_bikes_because_they_suck.

                    Eric
                    You haven't bought a new keyboard yet?

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by FiremanBob View Post
                      "Silverstar" bulbs are one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the driving public.

                      I just installed an H4 lamp (55/65) and reflector from candlepower.com. It about tripled the useful light compared to the original sealed-beam. Fit perfectly in the housing. If you order from them, remember to buy the bulb, too. The unit as advertised is the reflector/lens unit only, without a bulb.

                      And after you install, before you go out for a night ride, take it out at night to test and adjust the headlight aim. You don't want to light up the trees and have a dark road when you hit the high beam for the first time.

                      Those are round lights though.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        candlepower sparked my intrigue on replacing the horn though.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Ah, so you have one of the square headlight 750s? You could measure the reflector and see is one of these would fit:

                          Rally Lights, Hella, TerraTrip, Hans, WRC, ZAMP
                          http://www.rallylights.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=354


                          I use Hella driving lights on all my cars. The quality of the lens/reflector units is outstanding.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Originally posted by FiremanBob View Post
                            Ah, so you have one of the square headlight 750s? You could measure the reflector and see is one of these would fit:

                            Rally Lights, Hella, TerraTrip, Hans, WRC, ZAMP
                            http://www.rallylights.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=354


                            I use Hella driving lights on all my cars. The quality of the lens/reflector units is outstanding.
                            Cool. I'll have to look into that.

                            I have hopes and dreams of tearing off the front, putting a big round headlight on there, and putting in some new gauges instead of the blocky thing on there now.

                            I'll probably end up getting a new bike before I get to that point though. I feel I've out grown the 750 and want something bigger.

                            Comment

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