I don't know why but I'm failing at finding a super bright front head light for my 98 vtr1000f. Any links to point me in the right direction!

 

Fit an Easternbeaver relay kit and a xenon bulb or be a Guinea pig for this bulb….

https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...adlight-31560/

 

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The way I see it you have two options (or be a guinea pig).

1: Get an Easternbeaver relay kit and put a higher wattage halogen bulb in it. The stock wiring on these things is inefficient, so you are getting much less wattage through it than the bulbs can use. A relay kit is basically beefier wiring and will make a big difference with even a stock bulb. That plus a higher wattage bulb will make a world of difference for a lower price/effort.
H4 Kits

2: If you get a xenon bulb and want to do it correctly, you must do a projector retrofit. Dropping in a different bulb technology in reflectors designed for a halogen bulb is brighter but less controlled lighting. If you want to know more here is a good article on it:Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

Or test the LED like Wicky pointed out to (but I still suspect that it will have the same problems that xenon would).

 

I like the Eastern Beaver kit. Simple, plug'n'play, but haven't heard of anyone here talk too much about it.
Who has one, and, was it worth the coin ?

 

I like the idea of a simple solution! I used the connections from Easternbeaver for the regulator upgrade and like it a lot. Great electrical products. I'll take the plunge and do it and come back when I'm done.

 

I didn't do it on the Superhawk but have done a similar setup on a few cages that I've owned (this upgrade works for those too!). You can build one too with a relay and plugs, but the EB kit is nice because it everything you need (you don't save that much $ by building your own). It is absolutely worth it IMO based on these. The gf's Dodge Neon had an HID "upgrade" kit in it and I tore it out and put in a relay kit and Halogen bulb and it made a world of difference. It's anecdotal, but when you see it in person it makes sense. The reason I didn't do it in the Superhawk is I put a projector/HID in it .

What I might have understated is that you can use a much higher wattage bulb with it if you want to. You can upgrade the stock 60/55W with something like a 100/90W and get all of the potential light out of it. Your stock harnass isn't even providing the full wattage to the stock bulb (due to the resistance from inadequate wiring and series of connectors it has to travel through), so if you put in a 100/90W bulb in the stock bike it is brighter but not by much, and not as bright as a relay kit with a 60/55W bulb. You may find this unnecessary after putting in the relay kit, though.

 

+1 on the Eastern Beaver kit. Add a PIAA 60/55W bulb and get brilliant white light. The only downside I've experienced is shorter bulb life than the stock bulb.

 

I have the Eastern Beaver kit and run a 100/55 bulb, so I get decent lighting on low-beam (and not too much heat, a factor around town when speed is low) but high beam gives me a good blast of light when travelling through the countryside at night (but good airflow to deal with the additional heat produced on the 100W setting). A win-win.

 

Yes, no, no.

YES; I installed one for a SH rider... it was worth it to him.
NO; I built one myself using the same relays Eb uses, no it was not worth it to me.

NO; On my 1998 SH, with stock wiring I get 14.6v at the headlight socket..... yup, full battery voltage.. My Sylvania Ultra Bright 9003 (H4) bulb is getting all of the possible voltage my system can produce, and there is no added resistance in the OEM system limiting required amps(wattage) the bulb draws.

If I was using a higher wattage bulb (using a 55/60 watt now) say a 55/100 watt, then the relays are a need. If a user measures less than full battery voltage (key on engine running) at the headlight socket, than yes relay set up will help.

One other note, while the LED option looks expensive.. at $79,, a Sylvania Ultra Bright 9003 (H4) bulb is about $29 or so... and has a OEM rated life of 150 hours low beam, 50 hours high beam.

That LED light need only last 3 times as long to be worth it... I go through one or more Sylvania Ultra Bright 9003 (H4) bulbs a year right now on my SH alone.. then there are the ones on our GT500, GT, F350.... I'd SAVE $$$ by switching to the LED option if they last 1/10 as long as the seller states.

 

After those bulbs were mentioned a few days ago I've been looking into the claims that they can be dropped in standard housing and I'm not convinced they project well. There doesn't seem to be a way to adequately imitate the light output shape and spread of a Halogen bulb. Brighter, yes (although bright LED's are pretty hot... much hotter than HID's).

It's essentially trying to put a square into a round hole. It doesn't matter how efficient the square is or what color it is or how heavy it is or what it's made of. Fundamentally the shape doesn't fit and because of this it:

a) Doesn't project a pattern with the most usable light for riding.
b) Can cause glare to oncoming drivers.
c) Creates a false sense of security to the user.
d) Is illegal for these reasons (at least worth mentioning this )

Halogen bulb goes into halogen designed housing/projector (Superhawk)
HID bulb goes into HID projector.
LED bulb goes into LED projector.

There's always the chance that someone knows something that I don't, but this is what I've seen to date!

Interesting that you had 14.5v to your headlight, Eric! My Jeep definitely had much less (about 12.5v if I remember correctly), and I didn't even check the Hawks' before I replaced it.

 

I would agree, in theory, except, I've seen posted pictures of the LED bulb in a OEM housing H4 design .. and the cutoff and pattern were spot on.

Ha, me too so i built forts, then during pre install, to have a know to compare against, I measured, measured again, tested resistance, check wattage draw of a 55/60 bulb and a 55/100 bulb....
Darned if the OEM system was not providing everything possible from the system to the stock headlight plug. As I'd already built it, I installed the relay system anyway.

 

I've seen one on another forum review as that was very close on the Cree bulbs... I'm still not convinced enough to recommend it to someone else because I hate it when theory doesn't line up with reality! But as long as it isn't the company selling it telling me it works... I've been wrong more often than I've been right...