Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

[shrey1992]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

Hello,
Can anyone please suggest me a good 100/90W bulb of good brightness to be used in Pulsar 200 NS.
I am currently using a 60/55W Osram Night breaker Unlimited bulb and its not much of an improvement over the stock bulb, just the light is white, that too in high beam only (which I never use in city).

[Vyshakh]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

That will be a shortcut for melting the reflector and the glass.. because the 90/100 bulb will be hot as hell.. the stock reflector can't hold that much of heat.. and need many changes to the stock setup like changing the RR system, battery,coil. cables. etc... and last it is risk.. so don't do that :thumbdown:

[shrey1992]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

That will be a shortcut for melting the reflector and the glass.. because the 90/100 bulb will be hot as hell.. the stock reflector can't hold that much of heat.. and need many changes to the stock setup like changing the RR system, battery,coil. cables. etc... and last it is risk.. so don't do that :thumbdown:

Ok, thanks for the advice.
Can you suggest any 60/55W bulb having good brightness. Yellow or white doesn't matter, just the light should be bright.

[acs1207]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

Ok, thanks for the advice.
Can you suggest any 60/55W bulb having good brightness. Yellow or white doesn't matter, just the light should be bright.

Osram NB or Philips Xtreme are good enough. If your battery can handle the load using a relay should give sufficient light.

[Vyshakh]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

Ok, thanks for the advice.
Can you suggest any 60/55W bulb having good brightness. Yellow or white doesn't matter, just the light should be bright.

Osram classic bilux 55/60..

[Ravikiran]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

hi everybody,
need your help. I want to change the headlight of my stock 2007 unicorn due to poor illumination. Current one is Philips 12 v 35/35 w halogen which came with the bike. I don't want to go for hid or coil winding due lack of proper mechanics in my locality. Pls suggest best alternatives. Battery is new exide xtreme 12 v 7 amp.

Thanks

[chats]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

I need some help understanding motorcycle lighting, and some advice regarding upgrading my bulb or installing fog lights.

I've got a Suzuki Gixxer and it's got a 35/35w which isn't the most powerful, but it suffices for city driving. Incoming headlights tend to blind me, but other than that the lighting set-up just about does it's job.

I'm thinking about taking my bike on a few long trips out of town, and want to upgrade my lighting with that in mind.

I was initially thinking about installing a 3500 lumen LED bulb but then I'd also have to install a projector housing.
There is a bulb that has the same beam pattern as a halogen is available in a yellowish 3000/4300k, and could possibly work without a projector but doesn't seem to be available here. It comes in pairs, and I'll have to call for it from aliexpress. But it's expensive as I can't get a single piece (Rs.4000 for a pair), and will take up to 60 days to get here, and I plan to go on my trip in early December.
Here's the link to the bulb I was looking at: 3600Lumen LED / 3000/4300k

The only LED's available here, at least online, seem to be 6000k, and will probably not work too well without a projector.
As I don't want to get caught by cops, or blind incoming traffic, I thought about installing some fog lights instead.

I came across two listings on ebay that I found interesting. I'd prefer to go for the cheaper one, but the seller hasn't been very clear about the specs. I'm going to message him and ask him for a clarification.
The more expensive listing is for water-proof spot lights, that are more powerful. 15w - 3000 lumens. I'm not sure if that's for a single light, or the pair, but it sounds like quite a bit, either way.

Here are the links to the ebay listings:
Rs.1250 for 2 9/12w LED's
Rs.2200 for 2 supposedly water-proof 15w LED's

Besides your thoughts on which of the two I should go for, or whether I should ditch the fog lamps, and upgrade my headlight instead, I'd like to know what the 35/35w rating of my current bulb means.

Does it mean that the low beam consumes 35w and the high beam an additional 35, so that when I've got the high beam on, the bulb is actually consuming 70 watts?
Would that mean that I could add the more powerful fog lights, and run the bike with the low-beam + the fog lights, and it wouldn't consume more power than running the bike with the high-beam on?

My bike has a pretty weak battery set-up, and I'd like to tax it as little as possible.

[sandeepcf]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

My bike has a pretty weak battery set-up, and I'd like to tax it as little as possible.

Just go for Philips Xtreme vision plus 55/60 which costs around Rs.800.
I am using Xtreme Vision in my Gixxer for the past 10 months without any problem(battery draining & relflector fading at all.
Change the parking lamp, number plate illumination to 1W LED to save some watts.

HIDs Leds are not that good atleast for me because of their Color Temperatures.

[acs1207]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

I need some help understanding motorcycle lighting, and some advice regarding upgrading my bulb or installing fog lights.

I've got a Suzuki Gixxer and it's got a 35/35w which isn't the most powerful, but it suffices for city driving. Incoming headlights tend to blind me, but other than that the lighting set-up just about does it's job.

I'm thinking about taking my bike on a few long trips out of town, and want to upgrade my lighting with that in mind.
.
.
.
.

Just go for Philips Xtreme vision plus 55/60 which costs around Rs.800.
I am using Xtreme Vision in my Gixxer for the past 10 months without any problem(battery draining & relflector fading at all.
Change the parking lamp, number plate illumination to 1W LED to save some watts.

HIDs Leds are not that good atleast for me because of their Color Temperatures.

If your battery can handle the load Osram NB or Philips Xtreme is the best bet. Park lamps, tail lights and indicators can be changed to that of lower wattage to minimise the load.
The leds that I have seen come only in white color... mebbe 6000k. And that is a potential hazard in fog or rain. If you connect additional fog lamps or aux lamps for rain/fog use then you will have the best of both worlds. I am trying the reverse actually. I have 55/60w in my zma and am planning for led/projector aux.

[chats]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

Just go for Philips Xtreme vision plus 55/60 which costs around Rs.800.
I am using Xtreme Vision in my Gixxer for the past 10 months without any problem(battery draining & relflector fading at all.
Change the parking lamp, number plate illumination to 1W LED to save some watts.

HIDs Leds are not that good atleast for me because of their Color Temperatures.

Thanks for the reply. Do you think it would help if I get an Osram nightbreaker of 35watts? The power output according to the specs seems to be the same as the original bulb, but it still says upto 50% more light.

Could you let me know which LED's you used for the parking and number plate lights? I could also change the indicator bulbs, if that would make a difference.

If your battery can handle the load Osram NB or Philips Xtreme is the best bet. Park lamps, tail lights and indicators can be changed to that of lower wattage to minimise the load.
The leds that I have seen come only in white color... mebbe 6000k. And that is a potential hazard in fog or rain. If you connect additional fog lamps or aux lamps for rain/fog use then you will have the best of both worlds. I am trying the reverse actually. I have 55/60w in my zma and am planning for led/projector aux.

I don't think my battery can handle the load of the more powerful bulb, and the fog lights. But if [MENTION=26152]sandeepcf[/MENTION] has been running his bike with a 60w bulb for the last 10 months, then I think my bike should be able to handle the LED fog/spot lights I mentioned in my earlier post or alternatively I could use a 55/60w bulb and forget about the LED's. I don't think my bikes battery can handle both.

[udaykhan]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

I have read about these night breakers / day breakers / extreme plus unlimited / whatever fancy sounding name they give them, they are all pretty much same - the proof is that they all have same lumen output. I don't have the link but I read somewhere they just market them as +50 or +90 or something simply based on the fact that somewhere in the light beam there is a small spot that is 50% or 90% brighter than the rest of the beam area, and hence the name. This is absolutely useless if the lumen output is same as stock bulbs. We are actually at a loss coz these things burn out very quickly and are very expensive.

I have a TVS Jupiter and been in need of better lighting ever since I bought it (stock bulb is HS1 35/35W halogen as usual). After researching for some time on Halogens, HID+Projector kits and even LEDs, I simply plonked in a regular Philips 55/60W H4 bulb (Rs. 90) and it seems to take it pretty nicely. Since Jupiter's light beam pattern is pretty well designed, it has enhanced the light to a great extent and beam pattern is the same obviously. Now since it is pulling an extra 20W from the alternator, I replaced all the other smaller bulbs (pilots, all bulbs in the instrument console, rear number plate) to LEDs and saved about 10-12 watts so the net extra load on the alternator is only 10W, which it seems to be taking in comfortably. It does take a couple of extra seconds to fully light up but when it does, it's just a lot better than the stock bulb. I lined up my scooter beside cars in the night traffic several times and noticed that the color temperature and intensity of my scooter's light is pretty much the same as the car's so I assume it is indeed giving out 55W worth of light. It's been about 6 months now and no issues with reflector melting or anything.

Note that every bike / scooter's electricals may not be designed the same so there is no guarantee that this will work for everyone - I just took the risk as I was desperate and its been good so far.

I have realized that getting HIDs is a big thing for most bikes and scooters that have AC headlight - it's just too many changes, risks and expenditure for a bike that you are going to ditch in a few years anyway.

Hope this helps.

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Thanks for the reply. Do you think it would help if I get an Osram nightbreaker of 35watts? The power output according to the specs seems to be the same as the original bulb, but it still says upto 50% more light.

Could you let me know which LED's you used for the parking and number plate lights? I could also change the indicator bulbs, if that would make a difference.



I don't think my battery can handle the load of the more powerful bulb, and the fog lights. But if @sandeepcf has been running his bike with a 60w bulb for the last 10 months, then I think my bike should be able to handle the LED fog/spot lights I mentioned in my earlier post or alternatively I could use a 55/60w bulb and forget about the LED's. I don't think my bikes battery can handle both.

1. Pilot lamps / Parking lamps are T10 (3 watt)
2. Number plate light is a T4W BA9S (4 watt)
3. Tail / brake lamp would be 1157 BA15D
4. Indicator bulbs are battery powered so changing them wouldn't make much difference w r t savings while upgrading headlight.

[sri19022003]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

1. Pilot lamps / Parking lamps are T10 (3 watt)
2. Number plate light is a T4W BA9S (4 watt)
3. Tail / brake lamp would be 1157 BA15D
4. Indicator bulbs are battery powered so changing them wouldn't make much difference w r t savings while upgrading headlight.

Hi Udaykhan,
Are these bulbs mentioned in 1, 2, 3 are LED's.
BTW what is the price of these.

Regards,
Sri

[rprathin]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

I have read about these night breakers / day breakers / extreme plus unlimited / whatever fancy sounding name they give them, they are all pretty much same - the proof is that they all have same lumen output. I don't have the link but I read somewhere they just market them as +50 or +90 or something simply based on the fact that somewhere in the light beam there is a small spot that is 50% or 90% brighter than the rest of the beam area, and hence the name. This is absolutely useless if the lumen output is same as stock bulbs. We are actually at a loss coz these things burn out very quickly and are very expensive.

I have a TVS Jupiter and been in need of better lighting ever since I bought it (stock bulb is HS1 35/35W halogen as usual). After researching for some time on Halogens, HID+Projector kits and even LEDs, I simply plonked in a regular Philips 55/60W H4 bulb (Rs. 90) and it seems to take it pretty nicely. Since Jupiter's light beam pattern is pretty well designed, it has enhanced the light to a great extent and beam pattern is the same obviously. Now since it is pulling an extra 20W from the alternator, I replaced all the other smaller bulbs (pilots, all bulbs in the instrument console, rear number plate) to LEDs and saved about 10-12 watts so the net extra load on the alternator is only 10W, which it seems to be taking in comfortably. It does take a couple of extra seconds to fully light up but when it does, it's just a lot better than the stock bulb. I lined up my scooter beside cars in the night traffic several times and noticed that the color temperature and intensity of my scooter's light is pretty much the same as the car's so I assume it is indeed giving out 55W worth of light. It's been about 6 months now and no issues with reflector melting or anything.

Note that every bike / scooter's electricals may not be designed the same so there is no guarantee that this will work for everyone - I just took the risk as I was desperate and its been good so far.

I have realized that getting HIDs is a big thing for most bikes and scooters that have AC headlight - it's just too many changes, risks and expenditure for a bike that you are going to ditch in a few years anyway.

Hope this helps.

1. Pilot lamps / Parking lamps are T10 (3 watt)
2. Number plate light is a T4W BA9S (4 watt)
3. Tail / brake lamp would be 1157 BA15D
4. Indicator bulbs are battery powered so changing them wouldn't make much difference w r t savings while upgrading headlight.

are these led running fine on AC supply, as far as i know TVS Jupiter supplies AC. And LEDs need dc.
Did you add diodes and caps before the leds?

[pradeeppk]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

are these led running fine on AC supply, as far as i know TVS Jupiter supplies AC. And LEDs need dc.
Did you add diodes and caps before the leds?

All lights other than headlight using DC directly from battery, so u can use led.

[rprathin]

Re: Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

All lights other than headlight using DC directly from battery, so u can use led.

Front parking lights, speedometer, fuel gauge meter, rear tail lamp and licence plate lamp are also on ac supply as it turns off when engine stops.