let there be light

[crapper]

hello all......I've got the stock headlight and also driving lights and when night driving, it seems i could use a lot more light...
I thought i read a while back about replacements (maybe auto bulbs) that some guys used to greatly improve night driving.
any sugestions would be appreciated..............

[dogdoc]

I would need more info about what you have to tell you whats out there. You can up grade your head light to a much brighter 100W bulb if you choose. As far as the spots it depends on what you already own.

[ringadingh]

Go check Gadgets sight , he has an article there, and lists the part #, and does a comparison on bulbs.

[tazfl]

just keep in mind a brighter bulb causes more heat. I know on the other vulcan forum i post on, years back guys were trying different bulbs and a few guys running the 100 watt bulb had problems with melting wires in their headlight bucket. Others didn't have problems. just something to keep in mind.

[Bdog]

I run the 100 watt headlite and the 55watt driving lites..no problems and nite time becomes day time..bdog

[watchman]

Sounds to me like your lights are not aimed correctly. I have the stock head light but run 55 watt driving lights and have no problem seeing at night. I set my lights like this. Set the bike with the front of the headlight 25' from a wall on level ground. Measure to the center of your head light and mark that measurement on the wall with some masking tape looking light a + sign. Turn on your low beam and adjust the beams brightest spot to 2 inchs below the mark. Then adjust the driving lights accordingly with the left light straight ahead. Do this by measuring from the center of the left driving light to the center of the headlight. Mark that distances on the wall and adjust the light as needed. Keep the driving light the same 2 inches below the mark. Do the same with the right light but move it 2 to 3 inches farther out to the right from the centering mark. This will have the light shine a little farther into the ditch area for you to help spot deer. Warning: You will get cars brighting you for your driving lights being turned on with them set like this.

[crapper]

thanks all for the advice.......I will check and see if my lights are aimed correctly first and take it from there ...........I'm new to the nomad world and have only had it a few months... got 2000 klks under my belt and have to say it wasn't love at first ride....however i now love the bike and so does my wife............2002 nomad with 30 xxx .paid $7200 canadian and i now think that i got a great deal..........................

[Sin City Stan]

35 watt HID lamp conversion works great

[dogdoc]

Ive got mine set per manual, and i still get people flashing me with the Cobra spots on and dim lights.

[macmac]

Doc yer spots are probably a bit too high.

I use the back country road aimming, where i arm up with tools and go riding off into the night, park dead center in a road way out in the boonies and get to work.

When I am done i set around enjoying the view, have a few smokes, clean up the road kill, check for wild life in my pockets, look thrice for Moose, and be on my way.

I gotta go do that one of these nights with the amber bulbs i just installed. I guess i will need a manillia folder and masking tape to cover the main for that deal.

[macmac]

Oh yeah the mains wires are miserable excuses for wire. Normally I would say get a snowmobile bulb in something like 110 hi and 90 lo, but I don't know if these wires can take that. That is what i have on my 1981 Yammi, but it has real wires!.

My main is stock for now and I do have (2) 55 watt lamps down on the lowers, so i can see at night.

[ringadingh]

When replacing with a 100w headlamp some guys have melted the plug in the bucket. There is a Hi Temp plug available at auto parts stores to solve this if it happens.

[billmac]

Ive got mine set per manual, and i still get people flashing me with the Cobra spots on and dim lights.

Doc, I have the stock headlight with cobra spots, 35w bulbs. Some people flash me too, even in the daytime. At first I thought they were warning me about radar ahead. Now I am starting to think they are signaling they don't like the passing lights. I know they are not aimed too high. As long as they see me, I am not really concerned about it. Maybe it is a Texas thing.

[bundyrumandcoke]

Another vote for 35 watt HID conversions.

Cheers
Bundy

[dogdoc]

Thx Bill and mac. yes I think you are right about they just dont like those extra spots blinding them, but who gives a damn right. be noticed. they see my blinking head light modulator and they pull over thinking Im a cop. :-)

[kudzufarmer]

Thx Bill and mac. yes I think you are right about they just dont like those extra spots blinding them, but who gives a damn right. be noticed. they see my blinking head light modulator and they pull over thinking Im a cop. :-)


I agree 100% with you Doc.......let the cagers ride a little bit with 1 light dodging rabbits and squirells, much less deer and other forms of higher mammals, rather than with 2 tons of steel around them and 2 to 4 headlights and then see what they have to say about spots!!!!!!!!!

[Sin City Stan]

A picture is worth a 1000 words.

http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww179/Stan7442000/P8020005A.jpg

I use all three lights in the daytime for visibility. Just the HID at night. The 55W crash bar lights are pretty much drowned out by the 35W HID at night.

I wired the driving lights through a relay and used a blocking relay so ALL lights come on on High Beam. Just the HID on low beam.

[jamiep24]

I thought when I first bought my new Nomad back in Early March that the first thing I would be purchasing would be a light bar, because I want to make sure I'm as visible as possible. But I was surprised at how bright my stock light is. I think on bright it is as bright as my low beams in my F-250 and almost as bright as my high beams. Think I'll use that 3 or 4 hundred somewhere else. I can see pretty much everything on the backroads and country roads. I probably need to raise 'em just a hair because the highs are fine but the dims are sorta low.

[kpmhspirit]

hello all......I've got the stock headlight and also driving lights and when night driving, it seems i could use a lot more light...
I thought i read a while back about replacements (maybe auto bulbs) that some guys used to greatly improve night driving.
any sugestions would be appreciated..............

My wife and I traded cars recently (long story) and she was running stock H4 bulbs. My night vision ain't what it used to be and I couldn't see s**t at night. I got some Silverstar Ultra 9003 H4 bulbs (same as the Nomad) from Autozone and what a difference. I couldn't believe how much better these are. They throw a bright white light and really light things up. I put one in my Nomad also and it made a hell of a difference. With these and a proper light adjustment, I think you'll get what you need. And the bulbs are 60/55 W so there should be no danger of frying of the wires. They are not cheap (~$25 each) but I think well worth it.

Just my 2 cents

Pete

[dkdixie]

I was using 100W bulbs, but changed due to blowing High beam about every 4-5 months. Plus the war stories about melting wires, etc with 100W

Went to Osram 70/65W +50 with 2000/1350 lumens.
Everybody I ride with comments on how bright these are.


http://store.candlepower.com/h4hb29003bulbs.html