additional lighting

[ScottLee]

After a return ride from a visit to a friends new place on some dark unfamiliar roads I realized exactly how lacking my factory headlight actually is especially in stock form. Any recomendations on adding some needed additional lighting. Trying to find something that isn't too obnoxious but actually gets some usable light on the road. Any chance someone still has a factory driving light bar kicking around they care to part with? Thanks

[Avidrider62]

Some run the 18v LED fog lights and or flickering headlight. I know sylvania has the ultra bright headlamp, same wattage as current light.

[Tonyvdb]

These are the ones some of us use on out front crash bars.
http://www.amazon.com/RioRand-Off-road- ... ing+lights" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They work very well.

[Avidrider62]

I meant 18 watt, not volts

[Neal]

Many folks here don't seem to know the best and cheapest way to get more light is to put the hi-lo switch in the middle, then you'll be running both hi and lo beams together.

[Lucasind]

I am with "NEAL" I have ...and have had MANY bikes ,in the stable, The stock Voyager XII headlight is more than adequate ....as we go out "night riding" in the worst deer infested areas imaginable
(cautiously of course) that middle spot of your "hi lo"switch, will light up your "blue "high beam" indicator on the dash.....before you actually push it to the "hi beam" position.
I am very impressed with the stock lighting that KAWASAKI installed on the XII !
BUT....more is better ! ..............................tony

[usmalenurse]

I also use the "middle" position with the stock lights and also have a pair of 55w driving lights (from Wally World) mounted to the crash bars. The driving lights add a little extra light but to be honest, the "middle" position is more than adequate. That said, I like the driving lights for daytime use.......anything to make me more visible!!

[chicagorandy]

+1 on the CREE driving lights - low power draw, VERY robust construction, a good value for the buck. Makes a great 'light triangle' day or night.

I wired mined to a separate switch mounted in a hole I drilled next to the square CB cover. I also added an indicator light to remind me they are on in the daytime.

[ScottLee]

Nice middle position switch trick guys! Definetly puts way more like on the road. Between that and a pair of those led driving lights I can see why you are satisfied.
Any concerns about drawing too much current ? 55w low beam and a 60w high beam together on at the same time is 115w. Twice the watts = twice the curent right?

[Highway Rider]

I have used the switch in the middle also. Make sure that the head light is adjusted properly by turning the big knob on the left side of the faring just below the dash.
It may be to high or to low.
When on super slabs I will adjust it down and then slowly start to turn it up till it is reaching out there as far as I want it to be.
But that may be turning my low beams into high beams and my high beams into super high beams. Never had an on coming car flash there lights at me, when I'v done this and, met them with low beams on.

[Tonyvdb]

I've replaced my main bulb with an LED H4 bulb as well. Even with the two driving lights and the main headlight on I'm still well below what the old incandescent bulb was drawing.

[TenRacing]

Not sure you can find them anymore but I just installed a true HID H4 hi-lo in the stock headlamp...

It has one 'burner' and uses a electro magnet to move the burner (element) from the Low to the Hi beam location,and above an opening in the shield.

Worked great in the stock road glide headlamps for many years, when I parted that out, I kept all the lights I had on it, so I fitted one of them on my newly acquired 99 XII it looks to have a great beam pattern, but haven't had it out on the road at night yet...

I have a nice set of HID driving lights I will find a way to mount if the HID conversion doesn't do enough...

[Chris near Kansas City]

Sylvania Silverstar replacement headlight bulb and 2 different sets of $20 wallyworld lights plus a voltmeter to keep track of watt's (LOL) going on with the charging system.

[TenRacing]

Had the XII out last night on some rural roads in Minnesota, after installing the H4 HID with Hi-Lo in the stock reflector...

Although it have long range punch it is WAAAAAAY more than adequate!

If you can find the movable 'burner' style H4 HID I highly recommend it! I'll try to get some pics of the install and how it illuminates the road..

[broksonic]

One thing you need to keep in mind about running with your lights on in the middle switch position, is the heat produced may burn out your bulbs sooner.

Im on a truck forum where this was a heavy topic of discussion, and the conclusion was you can cut your bulb life almost in half. Most the time (about 80%) of the time you will only loose one element (bright or dim), although there were reports of loosing both at the same time.

Nothing worse than a "flash" in the night and then you see nothing but darkness.

[Neal]

That sounds like the old addage of somebody simply repeating stories they've heard, instead of actually trying it for themselves.

[ScottLee]

[Any concerns about drawing too much current ? 55w low beam and a 60w high beam together on at the same time is 115w. Twice the watts = twice the curent right?[/quote]

Never really got a popular vote on this one so here its goes again.
With a rocker type headlight switch in the middle position you only have half the surface area of the contacts being used drawing twice the amps. Sounds like a recipe for a headlight switch replacment. Using a higher wattage bulb will only make things happen faster. I know the middle position trick works but at what expense. I can also see both filiments burning at the same time could cause the bulb to overheat and burn out probably at the worst possible time.

[SgtSlag]

ScotLee is correct: with both filaments active, you will be drawing 60 Watts + 55 Watts = 115 Watts (which is basically, heat). All of that current will be passing through the switch contacts, and this will likely cause some heating, which will shorten its life. How much shorter the switch's life will be, is unknown. It will also nearly double the heat within the bulb, itself. This is physics, not guesswork, not hype. It will shorten the life of the filaments, but, again, how much is unknown.

Why tax the bike's electrical system, and the bulb, when you can get LED's which put out more Lumens, for less amperage, with no stress on the bike's systems? That just seems like a very bad idea, to run the bike with the switch in the middle position... Add in additional LED's, at much higher Lumen output, for less amperes, less stress on your alternator, and wiring. Cheers!

[ScottLee]

Bruce you seem satisfied with the performance of your led headlight. What type of of the many different style bulbs offered did you end up using? Any pros or cons from your experience so far?

[Tonyvdb]

This is the H4 LED bulb Im using.

http://www.amazon.com/AutoEC-6~36V-2000 ... rds=H4+LED" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The only issue Ive had is that you have to disconnect the Bulb out sensor unit otherwise when you switch to low beam it eventually goes to high beam. Personally this is no issue as I aim it lower and run on high beam all the time even at night and its never bothered anyone yet is far brighter than the stock H4 bulb.