Sacrilegious headlight replacement?

[Grimly]

The gpz headlight doesn't bother me, since it fits the bike better, visually.
I put over 60k miles on my stock xs650 and a halogen bulb did help!

The relatively puny output of the XS stock alternator limits the headlight wattage for general putting around - a 40W sealed beam was in it, which is terrible glow-worm territory. I'd have put a normal H4 7" round unit, but the deeper reflector of the new insert and the cramped stock shell left no room for the cable bundles. So, the GPZ unit got fitted instead. With a 25W LED in there, the alternator now has no problems, and might last longer. A lot of the so-called charging / alternator troubles on the stock XSs are caused by lack of maintenance and over-taxing the output, I think.

[gsgeezer]

I do remember replacing the alternator brushes about every 20k, or so. They were cheap though.