Headlight Shootout! BD43 vs Dual H4 vs Dual Xenon

[Fred]

If you hadn't seen it already, makanouchi modified his FZ6 to put xenon projectors in it. The writeup is here.

My bike has two H4 bulbs, giving it two high and two low beams. I also modified it in such a way that I could quickly go back to the stock H7 bulb on the left side, leaving the bike with just the BD43 headlight mod.

Makanouchi came over tonight and we did a scientific test of the various lights We set the bikes up at the end of a street and photographed high beams and low beams. The bikes were not running, so all of these tests are on battery power only.

The bikes were both on their centerstands, which made the headlights point lower. This is more a test of relative brightness and beam pattern than it is of headlight aim.

The camera was mounted to the windscreen of the bike being tested, to give a rider's perspective on the headlights.

The link to the gallery of images is here.

First, the most popular headlight mod to date, the BD43 modification.

Details here.

Low beam.

High beam

Next up, dual H4 bulbs, created by Cashcrzzy.

Details here.

Low beam

High beam.

Finally, Makanouchi's Xenon death rays.

Low beam

High beam

I'd add a conclusion here, but the results speak for themselves.

Fred

 

[abacall]

Wow, they really do....

That is really starting to climb on my priority list now.....

 

[SovietRobot]

If I had $300 to burn I would do the HID bi-xenon no doubt.

 

[yamaha rider87]

If I had $300 to burn I would do the HID bi-xenon no doubt.

+1 on that I just ordered my 520 chain conversion and sprockets +ASV shorties or I would be all over that! Perhaps once my bank acct is off life-support in a month:thumbup:

 

[Scorphonic]

Wow the H4 dual set up is terrible compared to the normal H7/H4.

You cant dispute those projectors!!

 

[Fred]

Wow the H4 dual set up is terrible compared to the normal H7/H4.

The dual H4 is a tradeoff. The low beam seems to be unchanged, but the high beam is altered. You lose the close up flood lighting, and get more light put out as a spotlight, which increases the long distance visibility.

I think it's an improvement over H7/H4, but it's not a drastic improvement. At the time, it was the best option I knew of. If I was starting with a new FZ6 now, I wouldn't even bother with it. I'd go straight to the xenons.

Fred

 

[Scorphonic]

I guess i'd do it differently myself. I bought HID's for the bike and now looking at the many many options to do this mod (And i really like the idea of making a backplate and take the reflector out and mounting a projector to this instead of the reflector!!) I'd certainly go straight to the projector mod.

 

[Hellgate]

Wow what a difference and the H4/H4 was a huge improvement over stock.

Fred I can tell your current headlights show up great during the day time. You passed me at I35 and about 51st and I saw you coming up for about a mile.

Your jacket stands out very nicely too.

 

[Allistair]

Hi Fred, what did you do to the H7 base in the headlight to make it take the H4 based bulb ? Cheers Allistair

 

[HowlFZ6]

I followed Makanouchi's write up for the HID projectors. I can't say enough about how great an improvement this is. Phenomenal.

 

[cv_rider]

That is incredible! Looks cool too.

I'm not much of a night rider, but I'd be interested in super bright headlights for improved visibility (ie, drivers seeing me) during day riding. Are those Xenons noticably more visible during day also?

I once saw someone with incredibly bright lights coming down the road, don't know what it was, but there was no way you could look in his direction and not notice that. It was like he had latched some piece of the sun onto his forks.

 

[codeblue]

Definitely the xenon is shootout king. WOW, talk about bright enough to be seen. I do have a question, but how is the battery drain with the xenons? I hate to go on a long ride and find out my bats drained. I'd like to see a side note comparison of battery drain from all three mods.......please.

 

[Allistair]

Hi Fred, did you do the mod of just having both lights on dip when on dip and both lights on full when on full, by running a wire from the right side low beam to the left side low beam and the same with the high beam ? Did the BD43 mod tonight and put a Xenon bulb in the right side, and still have the stock buld in the left side. Will get another Xenon and get to work with the grinder etc. Thanks for the input all concerned. Cheers Allistair