Headlight for k100rt, 1986

[pfetter]

Does anyone know of a aftermarket replacement for the original headlight on the K100RT, the original really sucks here in deer country. I am also looking for some extra driving lights that can be added. Thanks a lot.

 

[GILLY]

Headlight relay helps the older K Bikes.
http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech/headlight-relay/index.shtml

Here is a site with some higher output bulbs that aren't some gimmiky "blue glass" bulbs that will actually HELP you see (yours is I believe an H4 bulb):
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

Or you could go with HID Xenon.

Of course you could add more lights, it's up to you. I'd rather keep the bike clean-looking, but that's me. Work with what it came with first I would recommend, why add extra switches and so forth?

Gilly

 

[bikerfish1100]

that headlight is not designed to run HIDs, so you would never see the real benefit of that system (lens and backing plate need to be properly focused for HID usage).
Motolights, PIAA 110Xs or Autozone Specials are your best options.
Or do like my buddy ended up doing when he wanted to add better lights to his R1100RT- he walked out of the store with a new 1150RT!

 

[LOSTBOY]

The headlight used in the classic Ks is the best light BMW ever put on a motorcycle. You may need to clean it internally, or it needs adjustment.

 

[bikerfish1100]

The headlight used in the classic Ks is the best light BMW ever put on a motorcycle. You may need to clean it internally, or it needs adjustment.

you get your tongue surgically implanted into your cheek, or are you serious? if serious.... what you smokin'? It must be somre really powerful chit!

 

[pfetter]

I have been in the process of checking out lighting options. I see here by the posts there are some varying opinions on lighting.. The one problem I see with the stock light is it seems the brights are too high and it already seems like the dims are not sufficient or too low, so I did not feel lowering the headlight would help as I would probably be riding with the brights on most of the time. I know sounds crazy. I appreciate the ideas, keep em coming.

 

[kayseventyfive]

If you look into a replacement bulb, you will run into Sylvania and Osram H4 units.

There is a difference between Sylvania and Osram Silverstars. The Sylvania seem bluer, and tire me out more on long night rides. After switching to Osram Silverstar, there seems to be less glare and I see better. I think the blue tint of the Sylvania Silverstars gives an illusion of clarity that is not borne out in reality. My unscientific cateye reflector counting indicates they are of equal brightness, with perhaps a slight edge to the Osram. When riding in wooded areas, keeping an eye out for deer who are not looking at me, I give the edge to the Osram, as it seems that there is a little more depth to what I see beside the road. With the Sylvania, everything seems flat, like a set in a stage production or something like that. If the deer is looking at me, both seem to pick up the eyes equally well, although this is just observation, as it is difficult to be objective with different deer and conditions each time. As far as looking straight down a paved road, the difference is not as noticeable.

Keep in mind that my elderly, lens-assisted eyes might be different than yours. One riding friend who has had Lasik really hates the Sylvania, and loves the Osram. His preference for the Osram is much stronger than mine. Says MUCH less glare.

 

[GILLY]

I would try getting your existing headlight up to snuff (including as a previous poster said, making sure your reflector is clean and also instide of the lense. If the outside of the lense is especially pitted or cloudy, you might try finding one in better shape.
Think about the relay.
Get a higher performance bulb in place. Even going to a new stock wattage bulb can help, "they" say that the bulbs performance does diminish with useage and time. Avoid a bulb with a tinted glass, like these blue colored bulbs.
I would disagree that there would be a problem with Xenon. BUT I also know there is much debate about it. Might see if you can locate an owner with this particular headlight style and see what their experience has been.
Additional lighting IS available in hid/Xenon.
Gilly

 

[bikerfish1100]

I would try getting your existing headlight up to snuff (including as a previous poster said, making sure your reflector is clean and also instide of the lense. If the outside of the lense is especially pitted or cloudy, you might try finding one in better shape.
Think about the relay.
Get a higher performance bulb in place. Even going to a new stock wattage bulb can help, "they" say that the bulbs performance does diminish with useage and time. Avoid a bulb with a tinted glass, like these blue colored bulbs.
I would disagree that there would be a problem with Xenon. BUT I also know there is much debate about it. Might see if you can locate an owner with this particular headlight style and see what their experience has been.
Additional lighting IS available in hid/Xenon.
Gilly

if the lens is not properly focused for handling HID, you will get very bright lights- but very diffused beam pattern. doesn't help so much at all, other than to make you more visible to oncoming traffic, and to really piss people off at night. and does nothing to help you see better.
for a K bike, there are MUCH better choices.

 

[beemer01]

Headlight

I installed a relay from Eastern Beaver and went to one of the blue tinged H4 bulbs at the same rating as the OE bulb.

I've also added driving lights - not especially good ones, just amber lights at 50W each.

The combination works for me - the entire setup cost $100 or so.

 

[GILLY]

I would maintain that if the xenon arc would end up in the same location as the tungsten filament, that focus shouldn't be altered. YMMV. Best to find someone running this style headlight (RT and possibly LT?) with a xenon and see what they think. Again only IF the arc is in the same location. Biggest factor would be if the stock bulb's filament is longitudinal to the bike, as the xenon bulb will be longitudinal.
I would tend to agree that it might be irritating to oncoming drivers. I think the xenon bulb really should have a shield in front of the bulb. I am investigating doing this with my GT, The GT has a free-form headlight (clear outer lense) and really should have a shield.
Like I said though, I know there is a lot of opinions pro and con on this, more debate than an oil thread!
Gilly

 

[GILLY]

Actually on a H4 bulb conversion, you would need to go to a bixenon to have high and low beams. Also a shield to block glare.

 

[deilenberger]

Actually on a H4 bulb conversion, you would need to go to a bixenon to have high and low beams. Also a shield to block glare.

Correct - and a bi-xenon will never have the arc discharge in the same place and as important - the same shape as a dual filament bulb.

FWIW - I did a lot of detailed measurements for a series of articles for the BMW-CCA Roundel magazine (car club..) As mentioned the Sylvania Silverstar is not the same bulb as the Osram Silverstar - and it puts out less light, and has a shorter lifetime. The euro +50 bulbs generally DO give more light (at the cost of shorter life) than the same wattage standard bulbs.

General rule: If it's blue - it's bling. Your eye doesn't like blue tinted light. Blue causes scattering (it's why the sky is blue actually..) - and your eye cannot focus it well. Try a little test - if you can find a blue and a red neon sign - see which one has a halo around it, and which color you can easily focus on. Same reason BMW uses orange/red for the instruments on their cars.

Also - new bulbs put out more light than old bulbs. As much as 50% more. And voltage drop reduces the light output by the square of the voltage drop - so.. relays REALLY make a big difference.

My answer is also to use auxillary lights. I prefer Hella FF50's (Hella has been in business about as long as BMW - and has made many light systems for them.) - LOTS of light, very reasonable cost, very durable. Using a good set of aux-lights allows you to aim them to light up what you need to see - critters in the puckerbushes are much more easily seen with a good set of aux-lights.

 

[LOSTBOY]

No, my tongue was not in my cheek when I responded. I've put something over 400,000 miles, many of them at night, on a K100RS and K1, which use the same headlight. The only thing that comes close is the /6-/7 headlight.

 

[GILLY]

You could probably up the wattage a little bit too, especially with the relay
Yes avoid the blue bulbs!
http://store.candlepower.com/64206.html
http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html

 

[bikerfish1100]

No, my tongue was not in my cheek when I responded. I've put something over 400,000 miles, many of them at night, on a K100RS and K1, which use the same headlight. The only thing that comes close is the /6-/7 headlight.

i know you have a ton of experience and knowledge, so it was why i was perplexed. my experience does not coincide with yours at all.
i've had a few K75s, a K11RS and a few /6 & /7 airheads, and even with upgraded bulbs NONE had a headlight even close to my stock R11S. Swapped out the stock H1 & H7 bulbs on that bike for HIDs, and now there is no such thing as "dark". From all reports, the stockers on the R12ST are even better than the R11S.

 

[pfetter]

This is all really great stuff, you guys never fail to give more than is asked for in information. You have me doing a lot of information searching myself.

 

[pfetter]

If you look into a replacement bulb, you will run into Sylvania and Osram H4 units.

There is a difference between Sylvania and Osram Silverstars. The Sylvania seem bluer, and tire me out more on long night rides. After switching to Osram Silverstar, there seems to be less glare and I see better. I think the blue tint of the Sylvania Silverstars gives an illusion of clarity that is not borne out in reality. My unscientific cateye reflector counting indicates they are of equal brightness, with perhaps a slight edge to the Osram. When riding in wooded areas, keeping an eye out for deer who are not looking at me, I give the edge to the Osram, as it seems that there is a little more depth to what I see beside the road. With the Sylvania, everything seems flat, like a set in a stage production or something like that. If the deer is looking at me, both seem to pick up the eyes equally well, although this is just observation, as it is difficult to be objective with different deer and conditions each time. As far as looking straight down a paved road, the difference is not as noticeable.

Keep in mind that my elderly, lens-assisted eyes might be different than yours. One riding friend who has had Lasik really hates the Sylvania, and loves the Osram. His preference for the Osram is much stronger than mine. Says MUCH less glare.

I appreciate your info on the osram and sylvania, at first I thought they would be the same because Sylvania owns Osram but through some diligent digging I do see there is a difference in Osram and Sylvania Silverstar bulbs, they also say there is a slight difference in the base for the H4 to be used on motorcycles, Sylvania says to order a H4ST from what I understand it is just the way it fits into the plug. Did you run into that with the Osram. Also where did you purchase the osram and how much. I believe that is what I am going to go with for right now.

 

[deilenberger]

I appreciate your info on the osram and sylvania, at first I thought they would be the same because Sylvania owns Osram but through some diligent digging I do see there is a difference in Osram and Sylvania Silverstar bulbs, they also say there is a slight difference in the base for the H4 to be used on motorcycles, Sylvania says to order a H4ST from what I understand it is just the way it fits into the plug. Did you run into that with the Osram.

Nope. Used the Osram H4 bulbs in K75's for years..

Also where did you purchase the osram and how much. I believe that is what I am going to go with for right now.

www.powerbulbs.com - in the UK, but they ship for free to the US - the shipping is fast (less than a week) - they have currency conversion right on their website and they usually toss in a freebee of some sort. Good people - I've been using them for years and have been very satisfied. Oh - besides the Osram Silverstars - the Philips VisionPlus +50% bulbs are also good.

 

[GILLY]

Posting new reply, forgot these are H4 bulbs.

Especially if you are installing a relay, I would really consider the Rallye bulb by Osram. The only "good" way to get more lumens out of an incandescent (IMHO)is to increase the wattage, and with this bulb it is manageable, even without the relay.
http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html

That said, I think the Osram Silverstar WILL help, if for no ther reason than it will be a new bulb

Gilly