- Joined
- Jul 18, 2009
- Messages
- 26
I'd like to find out who knows what about H4 headlights. I've seen a lot of info here and there in different threads on different forums, but it'd be nice to collect some info here in one place.
My '75 Mk III came with a flat Hella H4 light (no city light) - I don't believe it's available anymore. It works well with the stock bike handlebar switches - of course, in the first key position there's nothing lit - I'm thinking about rewiring so that first position lights a city light, for visibility. My old Volvo 1800ES has Cibie H4 lights (with the city light) that would fit in the Norton headlight shell - but again, I don't think these are available new anymore.
Susquehanna Motorsports has 7" Hella H4 dome lights - the ones here are all Euro pattern:
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=487
Hella 7” round Euro domed H4 bulb plus city light
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=350
Hella 7” round Euro domed H4 bult w/o city light
This is similar to what’s in my bike, except mine is flat, not domed
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=136
Hella 7” round DOT approved domed H4 bult w/o city lights
CAUTION: I read that these lights have an air hole that opens them to the atmosphere, and I read a report that dust can get in and cover the silver on the reflector – doesn't sound too nice...
I'd be interested if anyone knows other choices for headlights with a single hi/lo bulb. I'd also like to know if anyone has info about righthand drive pattern vs lefthand drive pattern - I think the ones above are righthand (so OK in the US), and if anyone has any info about whether the standard car lights are OK for cycles - I'm not sure if H4 lights built for cycles are any more rugged than those for cars.
Also interested to hear about possible charging issues when you do the switch to the H4 light. Also curious if anyone has run a 12v line up to the headlight shell for only the headlight and switched the light with a small relay - I did this on my 1800ES and it made the H4 headlight installation a lot more solid. This is pretty easy to wire - I'm just not sure if it's worth the effort on a bike, where the wiring lengths are a lot shorter than in a car.
Peter
My '75 Mk III came with a flat Hella H4 light (no city light) - I don't believe it's available anymore. It works well with the stock bike handlebar switches - of course, in the first key position there's nothing lit - I'm thinking about rewiring so that first position lights a city light, for visibility. My old Volvo 1800ES has Cibie H4 lights (with the city light) that would fit in the Norton headlight shell - but again, I don't think these are available new anymore.
Susquehanna Motorsports has 7" Hella H4 dome lights - the ones here are all Euro pattern:
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=487
Hella 7” round Euro domed H4 bulb plus city light
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=350
Hella 7” round Euro domed H4 bult w/o city light
This is similar to what’s in my bike, except mine is flat, not domed
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=136
Hella 7” round DOT approved domed H4 bult w/o city lights
CAUTION: I read that these lights have an air hole that opens them to the atmosphere, and I read a report that dust can get in and cover the silver on the reflector – doesn't sound too nice...
I'd be interested if anyone knows other choices for headlights with a single hi/lo bulb. I'd also like to know if anyone has info about righthand drive pattern vs lefthand drive pattern - I think the ones above are righthand (so OK in the US), and if anyone has any info about whether the standard car lights are OK for cycles - I'm not sure if H4 lights built for cycles are any more rugged than those for cars.
Also interested to hear about possible charging issues when you do the switch to the H4 light. Also curious if anyone has run a 12v line up to the headlight shell for only the headlight and switched the light with a small relay - I did this on my 1800ES and it made the H4 headlight installation a lot more solid. This is pretty easy to wire - I'm just not sure if it's worth the effort on a bike, where the wiring lengths are a lot shorter than in a car.
Peter