[nosvet]

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Folks,



I'm looking to upgrade the headlight as well as the driving lights on my 98SE.



I've read many of the posts on here about the headlight upgrade and do not seem to sense a direct answer to which bulb to get. For the Head light I want to use a 55/60 bulb but I want the brightest whitest bulb that is easily located and affordable aka cheap! BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK! Oh yeah! what's the deal with needing shims to replace the factory bulb? Is the factory bulb not use the industry standard base or what??



On the factory driving lights, has anyone ever tried converting the factory dual filament 18watt bulbs, that only use one filament, (I bridge the contacts with solder one the first filament blows out so I can use the other filament.)



I'mwondering what the limitations of the factory housing is if upgrading to a 35W halogen bulb? Can the wiring handle it? Lens, housing?I'm sure its been done before but what was the outcome? What bulbs, were used and was it worth it?



Thanks

 

[Dusty Boots]

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nosvet wrote:

Folks,



I'm looking to upgrade the headlight as well as the driving lights on my 98SE.


On the factory driving lights, has anyone ever tried converting the factory dual filament 18watt bulbs, that only use one filament, (I bridge the contacts with solder one the first filament blows out so I can use the other filament.)

Thanks

These are not driving lights, merely 'cornering lights' and as such are basically useless for 'driving lights' as the light pattern given off by these are to the frontal side of the bike, due to the positioning angle of the lights as installed. Too close in and off to the side to be of any real use while riding(at night), other than to aidoncoming trafficof your presence on the road.

If you want real 'driving lights', you will have to add on an additional pair, sold/meant as 'driving lights'.

Sorry, can't help you about the headlight bulb, as mine being an earlier model,doesn't require the shims.



Dusty

 

[us385south]

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These... are driving lights. Came complete with a wiring harness and the relay from Walmart for about $19. Installed easy...

 

[nosvet]

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Yeah, I know what driving lights are. It just that on the 98 - 2000SE they changed the lights so they stay on all the time and most folks call them driving or running lights as opposed to the turning or cornering lights of the earlier years that only came on with the turn signals.

I've seen these lights at wallyworld but none of the sets out by me include any relays. Just the rocker switch and the under-rated wiring.

I think my best bet is to upgrade the headlights to true HID setup with the fairing bar and some nice super bright LED driving lights simply for daytime visability for the cagers.

 

[L8ndeb]

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Have you tried Sylvania SilverStars in the headlights? A marked improvement over OEM.

 

[us385south]

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I agree! I installed these mostly for daytime visibility. I also agree that the wiring left a lot to be desired... but I already had a four switch bay installed... and a Electrical Connections master accessory fuse block... so for the most part the real work was already done. Upgraded to 12 gauge wire and spiral taped the entire lead... followed the OEM harness and tied it down... shrink wrapped all the terminals. Presto Chango... blazingly bright lights on the front for practically nothing.

It actually turned out real nice... I was rather surprised. It does pull about 10 amps so it draws down the changing system a bit. Not enough to be alarmed about... but enough to take note of. I consider these and my air horn my best investment thus far for daytime safety...

This little Wolo Bad Boy horn mounted right nice in front of the radiator cover at the same time. 118 decibles. VERY loud!

 

[us385south]

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L8ndeb,

Can you give me any sort of a vendor for this Sylvannia bulbs? I buy lots of stuff from Cyclemax Ohio and I didn't see them there.

 

[Stuart JS]

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On my '99 SEY and the 'cornering' lights were wired from the factory to stay on all the time as running lights and not be cornering lights. Looking around the web, as you do, I found some useful information and have now converted them to behave differently,I can either have them, Off when side lights are on, On when side lights are on or even, either one will come on and stay on as long as an indicator is on plus about 5 seconds, providing the side lights are on - therefore acting as cornering lights.

I used the "Pulsed to Steady Output" (link) from http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page4.asp


If you use this method, remember to treat either side individually
I ran the feed from these two circuits to a relay on either cornering light so they would work independently, I also included another 2 diodes so the lights.

Stu

 

[L8ndeb]

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I bought mine on Ebay. Fairly inexpensive, and fast shipping. If your looking for H4's, there are some listed there now.

 

[us385south]

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Thanks...

 

[L8ndeb]

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385,

However, this is the number I used: 9003SU.

Apparently H4 and 9003SU are the same. Here is a post:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sylv...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

[LUV2WING]

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nosvet wrote:

Folks,



I'm looking to upgrade the headlight as well as the driving lights on my 98SE.



I've read many of the posts on here about the headlight upgrade and do not seem to sense a direct answer to which bulb to get. For the Head light I want to use a 55/60 bulb but I want the brightest whitest bulb that is easily located and affordable aka cheap! BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK! Oh yeah! what's the deal with needing shims to replace the factory bulb? Is the factory bulb not use the industry standard base or what??



On the factory driving lights, has anyone ever tried converting the factory dual filament 18watt bulbs, that only use one filament, (I bridge the contacts with solder one the first filament blows out so I can use the other filament.)



I'mwondering what the limitations of the factory housing is if upgrading to a 35W halogen bulb? Can the wiring handle it? Lens, housing?I'm sure its been done before but what was the outcome? What bulbs, were used and was it worth it?



Thanks

On the 1998 through 2000 1500s you will need special shims to use regular H4 bulbs. The OEM bulbs are about 25.00 each. I got my shims from Venco Wings.com. Great people to deal with.



On the driving or cornering lights or whatever you want to call them, it is not necessary to solder across the contacts to utilize the second filament. Just remove the bulb and turn the spring loaded base sideways just enough to free it from the slots that it slides up and down in and turn it 180 degrees and put it back in the slots and install the bulb.

 

[L8ndeb]

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Right you are Luv2wing. I didn't bring it up because 385 looks like he has a pre '98 headlight. (If that is actually his bike! Maybe it's his neighbors. I guess I shouldn't assume.) BTW, I got my shims from:



http://www.electricalconnection.com/non-electrical/h4_shim.htm

 

[LUV2WING]

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L8ndeb wrote:

Right you are Luv2wing. I didn't bring it up because 385 looks like he has a pre '98 headlight. (If that is actually his bike! Maybe it's his neighbors. I guess I shouldn't assume.) BTW, I got my shims from:



http://www.electricalconnection.com/non-electrical/h4_shim.htm

You're right too about the bike shown but it was nosvet asking the question and he said in the question that his was a 1998.

 

[us385south]

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Right again... it was Nosvet who asked the orginal question. I just offered another solution them got pulled off into a side dialog with L8 about Silverstar bulbs... sorry! One of my front bulbs has started to fail... so looking to upgrade.

L8... loved the price on this bulbs already have them on order.

 

[nosvet]

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Well, the current bulbs say 55/60 so I assume someone before me has already got the shims in there. According to what I understand, if you have the Honda bulbs which were 45/45 then you will need the shims, but if you have anything other than the Honda bulbs in there the shims are all read in there.

Although, one of my complaints is that it seems like the positioning, or alignment of the current bulbs is a mess. So maybe the PO put the newer bulbs in there without the shims and thats why the alignment is all messed up?

One more thing, where are the hidden screws to remove the headlight assembly, under the mirror gasket somewhere? I can't seem to see them from where I've peeled it back.

I'm considereing the SliverStar Ultras, or maybe the Night Busters,

 

[LUV2WING]

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nosvet wrote: Although, one of my complaints is that it seems like the positioning, or alignment of the current bulbs is a mess. So maybe the PO put the newer bulbs in there without the shims and thats why the alignment is all messed up?




Quite possible because the whole idea of the shims is because the 98 through 2000 headlights were changed from previous to an alignment different than automotive and to replace the bulbs with automotive type bulbs that are half the price you must cut two tabs off the new bulb and use the shim that has the automotive tab alignment.