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New headlamp bulbs for cbf500

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Cbf500 commuter
L Plate Warrior



Joined: 23 Sep 2017
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PostPosted: 09:00 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: New headlamp bulbs for cbf500 Reply with quote
Hi I'm new to the forum chat thing, just wondering if anyone can help me.
I have a cbf500 and commute 45mins 5 days a week, as it's coming up to the darker months and potentially rainy crappy weather I was wanting to brighten up the headlamp as currently it's not the best(original).
It would be good to know the fitment I'm looking for as well?

Also, there are led spots I have seen (see attached photo) and look decent for what I want but if someone could let me know if they are worth it?

All I want is a nice bright path ahead.

Thanks in advance.
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Moo.
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Joined: 11 Jan 2009
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PostPosted: 09:19 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Take the bulb out and read the specs on the bulb. Probably a H4 bulb as they are the most common fitment.
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sickpup
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Joined: 21 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 13:09 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rather than play around with the headlight bulb you would be better off fitting a set of crash guards and mounting a set of LED spot lights on them. Not as cheap as a headlight bulb but potentially considerably more light.
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kramdra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2010
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PostPosted: 13:30 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Those lights will be blinding to oncoming traffic. Mounting them low on the forks, as pic will be even worse as they will be pointing horizontal instead of at a downwards angle. Mounting them higher could easily obscure or confuse your indicator signals. See bikes with them quite often, they are always going slow, cant corner or filter. Get a decent headlight unit and adjust it correctly. Avoid a unit with H4 dual filament bulbs, they waste a lot of light using a shared reflector. H7 bulbs, separate reflector, you get much better light and the occasional comment from idiots expecting symmetry. Generally bigger the reflector, better beam you will get. Mine are adequate for hitting 120 on country lanes in winter.

Too much light in the wrong place will earn you a blast of my high beam. I am fairly certain that most other vehicles share the same view, so recommend against being a cunt.
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sickpup
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Joined: 21 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 14:13 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
kramdra wrote:
Those lights will be blinding to oncoming traffic. Mounting them low on the forks, as pic will be even worse as they will be pointing horizontal instead of at a downwards angle. Mounting them higher could easily obscure or confuse your indicator signals.


Mounting spotlights low isn't a problem. In fact they should be mounted low at a shallow angle to give as long a beam on the road as possible spreading the light instead of concentrating it at a particular point.

This is why I suggested getting crash bars. The Givi ones for example if the OP used the top bar would mount the spotlight approx 18" from the road giving a good height and angle to the beam and so a good spread of light.
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sickpup
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Joined: 21 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 14:29 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
kramdra wrote:
Mounting them low on the forks, as pic will be even worse as they will be pointing horizontal instead of at a downwards angle.


Just to add further to this. The above is wrong, obviously wrong.

If you look at modern cars you will notice that spots and additional running lights are generally incorporated into the bumper or lower valance. This is for the reasons I have already stated.
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Arfa__
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Joined: 01 Feb 2013
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PostPosted: 14:51 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yep, by default CBF500 uses a standard H4 dual filament bulb (for high and low beam). Dunno if you could easily swap that out for anything better without replacing the whole head light unit.

Prob easier supplementing it with other lights as others mention.
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kramdra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2010
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PostPosted: 16:11 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Swapping the headlight unit is the best option, did not say it was the cheapest. It is also very easy.

Beam is optics and has nothing to do with position. This is why the reflector design and size are so important. Tiny shitty spot lights are going to give you a tiny shitty spot and a far too intense beam for oncoming traffic. Consider a normal bulb has the end blacked out, the entire beam is from reflected light, off a 4" reflector. A spot light has a tiny 5x5mm led and is focused, rather than spread.

sickpup wrote:
Just to add further to this. The above is wrong, obviously wrong.

If you look at modern cars you will notice that spots and additional running lights are generally incorporated into the bumper or lower valance. This is for the reasons I have already stated.



Then headlamps would also be mounted down there. If I look at modern cars I see style over function, a common example of this is rear indicator lamps mounted inside the brake lamp, often in a x pattern, confusing and hiding the indicator signal. Please explain this.

Headlights are for seeing, day running lights are for being seen. Fog lamps are put low for the purpose of getting under the fog and allowing maximum visibility. Day running lights are put there and everywhere else for cosmetic and style reasons only, they add nothing for the driver, and they dont need to, the headlamps are quite good without them.
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sickpup
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Joined: 21 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 17:40 - 23 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
kramdra wrote:
Beam is optics and has nothing to do with position.


Yes it does. Headlights are designed to work within a defined height so as to give a correct beam length without dazzling oncoming vehicles.

kramdra wrote:
This is why the reflector design and size are so important. Tiny shitty spot lights are going to give you a tiny shitty spot and a far too intense beam for oncoming traffic. Consider a normal bulb has the end blacked out, the entire beam is from reflected light, off a 4" reflector. A spot light has a tiny 5x5mm led and is focused, rather than spread.


And this is why they should be mounted low and at an angle below 90degrees to the vertical. The focused spot then becomes a long ellipse.

kramdra wrote:
Then headlamps would also be mounted down there. If I look at modern cars I see style over function, a common example of this is rear indicator lamps mounted inside the brake lamp, often in a x pattern, confusing and hiding the indicator signal. Please explain this.


I agree they are crap but have no relevance to front lights.

kramdra wrote:
Headlights are for seeing, day running lights are for being seen. Fog lamps are put low for the purpose of getting under the fog and allowing maximum visibility. Day running lights are put there and everywhere else for cosmetic and style reasons only, they add nothing for the driver, and they dont need to, the headlamps are quite good without them.


Auxillary driving lights are not fog lamps or DRL's so your arguments make no sense.
Auxillary lights are used in conjunction with the headlights not to replace them and are used to supply light everywhere and as far forward as possible (remember that long ellipse bit earlier?).

The problem with creating a highly lit spot is the driver concentrates on that spot and not the surrounding areas, a sort of target fixation which is why ideally you have a long ellipse of light.
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tsmith
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Joined: 15 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: 20:49 - 24 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
my GPZ also uses an H4 bulb. I swapped it for one of these:

https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-racingvision-h4-twin

and aimed it up slightly using the headlamp adjuster. Made a big difference.
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andy_uk
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Joined: 13 Aug 2011
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PostPosted: 21:07 - 24 Sep 2017    Post subject: Re: New headlamp bulbs for cbf500 Reply with quote
Cbf500 commuter wrote:
Pic of LED lights.

A couple of friends of mine have those (or some very much like them) and there is an issue with them...
They are a 3 mode light. High, low & flash. You switch between modes by turning them off and on again.
Unfortunately they don't always stay in sync...having a bike behind you on a rideout with one flashing light and one solid light is rather off-putting!
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Moo.
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Joined: 11 Jan 2009
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PostPosted: 07:41 - 25 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Aldi have pairs of bulbs in at the moment. There one set which is apparently +90% light for £5.99 not bad at £3 a bulb

They seem to throw more light out than my standard Osram Hilux bulbs
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kramdra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2010
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PostPosted: 23:30 - 25 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
It wont do much good if you have a shit headlamp unit that is wasting 50% of the light to begin with, and not doing a great job with the rest. Half the reflctor is for high beam only, rest is low beam.

Yes you can buy cheap chineseium spotlights and bodge them to some crash bars, roughtly pointing at the road, its not going to be half as good as what I have, and what I need. I ride some very shitty country lanes in winter and Id say my progress stays quite good.
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Old Thread Alert!

The last post was made 6 years, 213 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
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