twin head lights

[kawashima]

Twin head lights on motorcycles seem to me, usually only one light lights up with normal beam, both lights only with full beam.(my TDM too). If both lights light up with normal and full beam, it will make your view better.. I wonder why bike makers doesn't do this.
Does your bike have twin head lights and how is yours?
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2020 Touring Serow 250
,past 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900 2005 W650, [url=d], 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[metalangel]

SV, both headlights were all the time.

Fazer:

https://www.bkmoto.com/image/cache/data/FZ6/FZ6%20Angel%20Eyes%20-600x400.jpg

Two small outer lights and the left headlight all the time, right one was the fullbeam one (left and right from rider's perspective)
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Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[kawashima]

[G]

Pretty much all the bikes I've had with twin lights have both with twin-filament bulbs. NSR125, SV650, R6, ZX6R, ZX9R all have two.
There are some advantages to one each side - you may get a better view on full beam as you get both dip and main beam patterns at once - you shouldn't run both beam patterns together for extended periods if you have a twin filament for heat and possibly power issues I believe.
The reflectors can be specifically designed to work on the dip/main beam (though of course some may use twin bulbs and relfectors each side - zzr1400 an obvious example).

To some degree the size of the reflector often has more impact on how much illumination you get - around 2000 a lot of bikes had pretty big reflectors - it seems like that was about the zenith for decent illumination.
If you want more light, there's always options like HID.
I can see LEDS getting used more - I've got a 12x T6 LED torch that is certainly considerably brighter in the centre than my truck headlights and it could run a lot brighter than it does with a better driver. I could see these getting used for the full beam at least - they can be compact while providing pretty decent illumination forward, then maybe a more conventional dipped beam bulb.

[c-m]

Most older bikes with twin headlights use H4 twin filament bulbs meaning both will be on during both high beam and low beam.

Newer bikes tend to use H7 bulbs which are more efficient. However they require a separate bulb for high beam and low beam.

Personally I'm not convinced that twin headlights perform any better then a single headlamp. It's all about the quality of the reflector.

Often twin headlight bikes have a smaller less effective reflector, so all you're really doing is just consuming an extra 60w of power.

Best headlights I've come across in the past few years are the Aprilia Falco (single headlight), and VFR800 (twin head light)

LEDs are on the way, but they aren't that efficient compared to HID or even a regular H7 bulb. You'd want minimum of 2000 lumens, and at that output you're going to need 35-55w plus a ballast pack (similar to HID) and cooling. You also need to contend with the fact they don't often project as well.

[stinkwheel]

In the dark, a motorcycle with twin headlights close together can also appear very like a distant car.

People at a junction pull out thinking they have plenty of time only to find a motorcycle right on top of them.

I believe that's why there was a trend for eccentric headlights like the BMW GS:
https://www.r1200gs.info/photos/originals/R1200GS-headlights.jpg

Or vertically stacked twin headlights like on the Hayabusa:
https://www.motorcycle.com/gallery/gallery.php/d/349332-3/2012-Suzuki-Hayabusa-1340-Headlights.jpg
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Copycat73]

[kawashima]

[kawashima]

[c-m]

@kawashima don't get caught up on the efficiencies of H4 v H7.H7 is better but the margins are small, and it's not worth the effort to convert from one setup to the other.

As mentioned it really all about the quality of the reflector, and that's something that you often can't change, hence why people go searching for the brightest bulbs they can find (philips x-treme vision).

Projector headlights are something else. I can't think of a single projector setup using conventional bulbs that owners don't moan about. The Triumph ones are particularly bad.

If your motorcycle has projector headlights your best bet is install a HID kit. While reflectors aren't optimised for light pattern and output of HIDs, projectors actually work very well with them.

[stonesie]

Every bike I have had since the CG has twin H4 headlights in pretty damned good reflectors, and you can definitely tell when one bulb blows.. But you have another so can ride on at night

[Polarbear]

I have a w reg (1999 I think) Fazer 600 that has the worst lights in Christendom. The low beam on one light and the high beam on the other. At night, if I am on that, I crawl along in the gutter it's so bad.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[FergieinFranc...]

My Sprint, when l bought it (off a policeman) here in France, had single dip and single full beam.
He said that European regs dictated it, because at night, viewed from a distance with twin lights, it could be mistaken for a car some way off, and could result in a vehicle pulling out in front of you. That's the theory....however, it didn't stop me buying a pair of relays, plugging then into the loom and having both twin dip and twin main, as per normal UK.spec. Day time riding with just one dip beam can be just as dangerous if the bulb blew, you've no back up, thats my reason for having the twin set up, and I've not been pulled..yet
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Prendre garde au temps entre le chien et le loup

You don't scare me....I've got a daughter...

[chickenstrip]

[RhynoCZ]

I also have 2 lights on the ZXR, one for low beam and one for high beam. I did one night run and it was not good at all. I'm gonna change the bubls and will see. I already got new high beam, it's 100w , the original was 55w I think, I couldn't get yellow 55w. If it won't be any good then I'm gonna put in an average 55w bulb and yellow foil over the light.

I like the idea, having separate headlights to reduce the power consumption and still having the option to turn the second light on.

My mate has a '99 CBR900RR, there are two BIG lamps with H4 bulbs and his bike really brightens up the road, even with low beam. Once, he went couple of meters behind me I turned off my headlight and there was no difference. I tried OFF, low beam and high been, nothing, it was the same. The GPz was the worst, when I had to ride it at night.

https://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae184/RhynoCZ/ZX7R/DSC02253_zpscf43e97f.jpg
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[stinkwheel]

I fitted twin 8" diameter Cibie conical projector spots on my MZ. They took H1 bulbs.

I had one for dip with an 85w bulb which was dipped off to the left. The other had a 100W bulb and was aimed straight down the middle. Both on for full beam. I had one of those polychromatic projector fog lights for a position light.

Had to replace all other bulbs with LED to reduce the draw on the charging system.

Oddly, one flash was sufficient to make any oncoming vehicle dip its lights.

Don't have any pictures of that bike other than this one (which doesn't really show the lights).
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/Glentrool_2005_15.jpg

The problem was, under heavy braking, the forks dived so much you couldn't see anything on dip. If it hadn't been stolen, I was planning to fit a pressure switch on the front brake line that would put the full beam on under heavy braking.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[G]

Baja designs used to be big on the twin 8" lights - these are HID I believe.
https://images.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/large/12_yamaha_WR450F_ProjectBike_14.jpg

However, they're now more on LED.

https://www.bajadesigns.com/imagelib/image-products/ktmrally_1sm.jpg?sfvrsn=2

However, charging a pretty horrendous amount - considering my torch has 12 rather than 8 of the similar LEDs and cost me £65 or so. In this case the LED lights are about twice as bright as my torch - but the torch can be upgraded too... however am limited by batteries.

[c-m]

[stinkwheel]

[G]

Because they wouldn't be infront of the car, they would believe the car is a long way away.

[dextersaurus]

Projectorrrrrs

Better than twins (headlights, not sisters)

https://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/duncdmc/911715_10200447065052918_53120628_n_zpsd65f0a2e.jpg

https://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/duncdmc/913249_10200447068573006_1060294107_n_zps86aa7b77.jpg

And this is the dipped beam (the bottom one, top is full beam)

https://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/duncdmc/1373784_10201360658572185_1191821718_n_zps3fce613b.jpg

Very bright, perfectly flat beam pattern, lights up the road brilliantly.

I am thinking about getting an HID kit for it...
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2002 RSV Mille | 2003 955i Tiger | 1998 CBR900RR Streetfighter | Fazer 600 hardtail chop

I was MrDunkable in a previous life. Then questioned why I was the one being dunked...

[kawashima]

[kramdra]

https://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/Kramdra/IMG_20130705_145542_zpsbdcd39ae.jpg

Left - Suzuki DL650, Right, CBR600F 2002


The DL650 has dual filament bulbs sharing a reflector. I would guess half the light is wasted. CBR6 has a dedicated reflector for each beam and is far brighter than the DL650, which uses twice as much power

I also think the DL650 is ugly and also quite confusing when its behind me, trying to decide if its a car or bike (the rider is slow, often waiting for him to catch up).


Big, dedicated reflectors with H7 bulbs win imo. Newer bikes seem to have got smaller reflectors, probably for looks.

[kawashima]

[Fizzer Thou]

Both the Exup1000 and the R1 have twin H4 bulbs fitted.But for daytime riding I disconnect the left bulb and ride with just the single headlight on.I was questioned about this by plod last year when at the Oakdene cafe and I pointed out that if a car was to see two headlights close together they might think that the vehicle was a car and pull out into my path.But if the other vehicle driver was to see a single headlight,they MIGHT...MIGHT think again,thinking 'Motorbike' and stay put.But at night I reconnect the left bulb as the extra illumination is worthwhile.

Many years ago I had a bad experience of a single headlight on my Honda 750,when both filaments blew while riding a bit quickly at night.The Cibie 'Z' beam unit was a worthy investment in those days,but when I was pitched into absolute darkness I was lucky that my brother was riding with me and he saved the situation by switching his lights to main beam.Not long afterwards I fitted a twin headlight fairing to the bike

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Honda%20750/BikesBikesBikes294.jpg
https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Honda%20750/BikesBikesBikes163-1.jpg
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