improved headlight globes for the 1250

[chappo555]

Gudday guys and girls,
Got my first bandit last month and love it heaps with the exception of the bloody poor headlamp. It is woefull. Anyone done an upgrage to different globes and what was the difference? Tried a search here with no results.

cheers and thanks in advance
 

[rodge ram]

not sure on the 1250 but i tried hids on mine (gen2 bug eye), they would really shine out there. i really didnt like them, it was kinda like you had a blacklight in front of you, if it was reflective you could see it hundreds of yards away but in front of you everything was gray, colors seemed off and looked fake.  i also had a problem that when i hit the starter sometimes one of the lights would go out, some sort of safety built into the ballasts, never knew when my headlights were on unless it was nite.
 
did some research on here and over the winter i took the headlights apart, cleaned and removed the blockers, ordered hir bulbs, and upgraded the headlight wiring. havent had a chance to try them out yet has bin too wintery here. i did however, try switching the wires from stock to the upgraded harness in the garage and there is a noticeable difference in light output. the stock wires are not heavy enough.

[PaulVS]

You may want to try the Sylvania ULTRA Silverstars... I believe they are also sold under the Osram name.

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/HighPerformance/Silverstar/

[Dink_1170]

Chappo I get the impression you are Aussie? If so get Phillips +80's any Bursons will have or can get overnight.

Dink

[bikerman1]

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/home.php?cat=42  a few mates over here in uk have fitted these not cheap but a vast improvement on origional, and ballast can be hidden behind fairing.

[gunzip]

 before you go diving into a bulb replacement , check your beam adjustment. Quite a few of them [mine included] come from the factory pointed way too low. See the post on this website for a how-to.
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=9347.0

[Down Under]

I hear what your saying Chappo!  I don't ride much of a night but would like a globe that's much brighter/whiter than the stock B1250 globe.  Also, I would like to replace the sidelights as they are just as pathetic as the main lamp.  Besides replacing the main lamp globe has anyone replaced their side lights?

[Rhys]

Someday I'll change out the low & high beam bulbs to something brighter & after-market.  But it's the design of the reflector that is most guilty of limiting the beam pattern....  If I have the money and incentive, I'll add a couple PIAA lamps.

But I've already done something about the turn signals; I didn't like the trend of going to clear lens' & amber bulbs, and now bikes are coming with 'em already in place.  The clear lens and little amber bulb wash out in the brightness of daytime light, and can't be distinguished as a signal flashing.  I simply bought the amber lens' from prior year Bandits, then took some solvent and washed the die off some cheap amber bulbs.  Now I've got a bright clear bulb illuminating the entire interior of the housing and amber lens.... in addition, I put some silver reflective tape on the inside of the signal's housings.

I plan also to buy Kissan's "SignalMinder" for a hundred bucks.  You plug or wire it into your flash relay and it will time and turn off your signals if you forget to turn them off; in addition, it will make daytime running lamps of BOTH the front & rear turn signals.  It's kinda illegal to run amber running lamps at the rear of the bike, but the cops never bothered me during the 60,000 miles I had them on my Beemer.  Or..... a guy could find some red bulbs for the rear and go back to the clear lens'... BUT they won't be conspicuous signals during daylight hours.  I could carry and swap out my lens' & bulbs from amber to clear if I happen to be out at night.... or just not sweat it.