What's the best H4 bulb out there?

[ebster1085]

Just read a bunch of old threads discussing positives and negatives of different H4 bulbs on the market. I am currently running a VS-2 kit with Motogiro's relay and blew my bulb last night. Right now I have in my cheap 35 watt spare and am in the market for a new 55/65 watt unit.

It seems like the top three bulbs discussed in older threads are the Phillips, PIAA, and Sylvania. I wanted to reopen this topic to new opinions and see what everyone now considers the best bulb out there. Obviously I am looking for something that is bright and has longevity. All opinions welcome!

 

[Ben_H]

i also am using a vs2 kit. i have a Sylvania silverstar ultra. it works great good clean light not to white and not to yellow.also runs a bit cooler than the piaa.

 

[Ben_H]

also the Sylvania can be purchased at most part stores

 

[ebster1085]

i also am using a vs2 kit. i have a Sylvania silverstar ultra. it works great good clean light not to white and not to yellow.also runs a bit cooler than the piaa.

Interesting. From some of the older posts I read it seemed like a common theme that while the Silverstar has great light output, it is not all that vibration resistant and also ran hot which caused it to burn out faster than other bulbs, namely the PIAA.

Alternatively, would a simple HID kit like this one be an easy plug and play swap in?

http://www.motorcyclehidxenonlights.com/Yamaha-FZ6-HID-Xenon-Lights/

 

[Maverick]

Interesting. From some of the older posts I read it seemed like a common theme that while the Silverstar has great light output, it is not all that vibration resistant and also ran hot which caused it to burn out faster than other bulbs, namely the PIAA.

I liked the PIAA, but I only received 10 months of service out of it... I hope the Silverstars aren't less than that??

I too would be interested in the feedback of others.

 

[degake]

Interesting. From some of the older posts I read it seemed like a common theme that while the Silverstar has great light output, it is not all that vibration resistant and also ran hot which caused it to burn out faster than other bulbs, namely the PIAA.

Alternatively, would a simple HID kit like this one be an easy plug and play swap in?

Yamaha FZ6 HID Kit Xenon FZ6 Bulbs Kits HIDs Headlights

The bulb in your link will be an easy plug and play...
However: this will leave you with a low beam only.... (It doesn't have any kind of high beam functionality).
Plus, these HID bulbs just don't work well in halogen reflectors. You'll get a lot of glare and won't have the nice cutoff that projectors would give you

FWITW, projectors are the way to go :thumbup:

Grtz,


Degake


edit: remember our PM's about this issue?

 

[H8 PVMT]

I was just thinking last night that the headlight in my VS02 kit isn't quite as bright as I'd like. I'll claim too busy or lazy to look it up right now but does anyone know what the replacement bulb is that would make it brighter? Is it a 35w, I didn't even think to ask when I got it.
As for highbeam, I use that once in a blue moon so I'm not concerned with that as much as I am a very good normal light.

 

[ebster1085]

I was just thinking last night that the headlight in my VS02 kit isn't quite as bright as I'd like. I'll claim too busy or lazy to look it up right now but does anyone know what the replacement bulb is that would make it brighter? Is it a 35w, I didn't even think to ask when I got it.
As for highbeam, I use that once in a blue moon so I'm not concerned with that as much as I am a very good normal light.

The bulb that comes with the kit is a 35 watt unit which runs cool enough that overheating from using both the high and low beam filaments simultaneously (high beam setting) will not happen all that fast. If you want a brighter bulb, go with a 55/65 watt H4 unit. Just know that without the relay mod, using the highbeams or even just flashing them to alert someone could result in a burned out bulb.

 

[philz]

Anyone tried these ones?

RING H4 XENON ULTIMA 120% BRIGHTER HEADLIGHTS BULBS RW1272 *BRAND NEW!* | eBay

 

[ebster1085]

Never seen or heard of those, but with a claim of 120% brighter at the price of 14 pounds for 2 bulbs..I highly doubt they are any good.

 

[degake]

Never seen or heard of those, but with a claim of 120% brighter at the price of 14 pounds for 2 bulbs..I highly doubt they are any good.

I've read some fora to get some opinions about these bulbs, and it seems they are quite good quality.
The claims of the intensity and such also seem to be true

Grtz,


Degake

 

[mave2911]

Go HID.

No filament to break and has considerably more light output. Get one with the built in glare shield, and you get a nice cut-off of light, so it's no worse for oncoming vehicles.

I recommend 6000 Kelvin temperature bulbs. (I last put a set of HIDs in my car 3 years ago, and they are still fine, and have done many installs since)

It is better to have the dual headlight mod though, as with the magnetic plunger style bulb, it is already lit - whereas if it's not, you won't get full hi-beam brightness for 5-7secs.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[degake]

Go HID.

Go HID projector
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:BLAA:

Grtz,


Degake

 

[mave2911]

Go HID projector

Degake

Good idea - if you want to frig around and pull your bike apart and then pull your headlight apart, cook it in the oven, burn your fingers a few times before resealling it and burning your fingers again!

OR, you could just get an HID kit and put the ballast in the inner-fairing, run the leads to the battery and light socket - replace the halogen bulb with the HID and job done!

Job done in less than the headlight cooking time alone! (not considering how long it'll lake you to get the headlight out, fit the projectors, refit the headlight etc.)

Oh, if you're going to go HID - don't waste your time with 35w - go 55w!

Cheers,
Rick

 

[degake]

Good idea - if you want to frig around and pull your bike apart and then pull your headlight apart, cook it in the oven, burn your fingers a few times before resealling it and burning your fingers again!

OR, you could just get an HID kit and put the ballast in the inner-fairing, run the leads to the battery and light socket - replace the halogen bulb with the HID and job done!

Job done in less than the headlight cooking time alone! (not considering how long it'll lake you to get the headlight out, fit the projectors, refit the headlight etc.)

Oh, if you're going to go HID - don't waste your time with 35w - go 55w!

Cheers,
Rick

If I had to retrofit another naked FZ6 with a projector, I guess it would be all done in less than 1.5 hours
Plus, to install any HID bulb, we have to take the headlight off, so that's not the dealbreaker (only 4 screws :Flip

Each to their own, I guess

Grtz,


Degake

 

[ebster1085]

Go HID.

No filament to break and has considerably more light output. Get one with the built in glare shield, and you get a nice cut-off of light, so it's no worse for oncoming vehicles.

I recommend 6000 Kelvin temperature bulbs. (I last put a set of HIDs in my car 3 years ago, and they are still fine, and have done many installs since)

It is better to have the dual headlight mod though, as with the magnetic plunger style bulb, it is already lit - whereas if it's not, you won't get full hi-beam brightness for 5-7secs.

Cheers,
Rick

When you mention the dual headlight mod, do both BD43's wiring mod AND Motogiro's relay work to operate the HID kit properly? I am currently running Motogiro's relay with my VS-2 headlight.

Also, do you have a specific kit that you recommend? One that has both high and low beam settings as well as the anti glare shield and would be a plug and play type install?

 

[mave2911]

When you mention the dual headlight mod, do both BD43's wiring mod AND Motogiro's relay work to operate the HID kit properly? I am currently running Motogiro's relay with my VS-2 headlight.

Also, do you have a specific kit that you recommend? One that has both high and low beam settings as well as the anti glare shield and would be a plug and play type install?

I know the bd43 mod works - and all it does is replace a wire that should be there anyway. No frigging around with relays or the like - truely plug and play.

As for the HID kit, I always buy the same kind of kit, and it has the harness and relays built in. If you use the bd43 wire, the HID relay will see the circuit exactly like a standard H4 socket and will seriously take 10mins to install.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[mave2911]

If I had to retrofit another naked FZ6 with a projector, I guess it would be all done in less than 1.5 hours
Plus, to install any HID bulb, we have to take the headlight off, so that's not the dealbreaker (only 4 screws :Flip

Each to their own, I guess

Grtz,


Degake

Why must you take the headlight off? All of the kits I use, utilise the standard H4 socket, so no removal of the headlight assembly required.

All you need to do is lift the tank to plug the HID relay into the battery (and hide the ballast for naked versions) take off your inner fairing to mount the ballasts (for semi faired versions), run the trigger to the old H4 plug, put the HID bulb in the headlight socket and plug the ballast to the HID bulb!

Seriously is as easy as it sounds!

Cheers,
Rick

 

[ebster1085]

I know the bd43 mod works - and all it does is replace a wire that should be there anyway. No frigging around with relays or the like - truely plug and play.

As for the HID kit, I always buy the same kind of kit, and it has the harness and relays built in. If you use the bd43 wire, the HID relay will see the circuit exactly like a standard H4 socket and will seriously take 10mins to install.

Cheers,
Rick

Fair enough, and thanks for the quick reply. Not exactly sure how the relay I am running effects the circuit, but I imagine it works in a similar fashion to the BD43 wire mod. I will have to ask Cliff about that.

So what HID kit do you run?

 

[red06]

im running this kit
http://www.ebay.com/itm/55W-HID-BI-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a139886d6&vxp=mtr

it will work for you except you only need one bulb and ballast , and you might want to get a slim ballast as this one has the big bulky ones