Tere aren't many better experiences than carving your scooter on a midsummer midnight mountain ride. Cool breeze and the smell of nature. The solitude and lack of traffic can let your mind focus on what's under you, within you, and what lies ahead. Glowing roadside beacons often signal furry critters intent on waiting until just the right moment to cross the road. Does roadside grass taste better than the endless forest at their disposal? I digress-but animals and road hazards are easiest to prepare for by having notice. Even an extra 100 milliseconds may mean the difference between a cool campfire story about the one that got away (you) and the hospital.
Buying some extra time comes in two forms that depend upon one another in the thrills/life/safety equation: speed and light. If you can't see what's ahead, it's best to slow down. Conversely, with a better view of both what's ahead and alongside, you can ride with more confidence. If you are running an old sealed beam headlight, you are literally riding in the dark compared to current technology. Most modern bikes are running a two-piece headlight that combines a reflector headlamp and a separate halogen bulb. H4 is the designation for the most popular bulb of this type and is available in many different low/high beam wattages.
With that said, although you can go out and buy a brighter bulb for your headlamp, it doesn't mean you're getting all the light where it belongs. The reflector within the headlamp goes through extensive engineering to produce the most bang for the buck-delivering maximum light output to where you need it most. In addition, the pattern of the light-throw is as important as the brightness. You wouldn't want a two-foot viewing area in front of your bike, no matter how bright and far the beam projected down the road. Keep in mind, too, that higher wattage bulbs can generate enough heat to melt wiring or draw too much current from your charging system.
I was in search of a new headlight for a Sportster project and spoke with Joel from Headwinds about upgrading my stock headlight. All of the Headwinds headlight buckets are made in the US from spun billet aluminum and then polished, chromed, or brass-plated. They also have a wide variety of different headlamp housings to accept H-4 bulbs. I went with a Cibie lamp that has gained a very good reputation for being bright while projecting a wide pattern. As with many things on our bikes, this European spec (E-code) lamp is not approved by DOT. So, along with my carb, pipes, ignition, and motor, these headlamps are for off-road use only. Check with your local 5-0 for applicable laws or just go with one of Headwinds' lamps that are DOT-approved.
Check out the install and go get one of these for yourself. You'll be surprised at how much better you'll be seeing at night.
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