Tonight I got caught out later than I like. Visiting a buddy who won't shut up so you can to home. You know the type. He's probably lonely after staying home with pregnant wife past few weeks. Just wanted to talk man things for awhile lol.

Anyhow take off home well after dark. I haven't ride after dark in years accept for few runs to store and back. But this was in Kentucky boondocks down a 2 lane twisty road. I don't like to ride after dark because deer are terrible and I hit one back in 2005. Anyway I took my time a chugged along in 4th gear most the way doing 40mph or so. One thing that struck me was how crappy my headlight it. It's a 2002 dyna wide glide and has the old round headlight and looks like it belonged in a 19690 ford truck. Has the thick glass lense cover just like the old cars. I can see my lane ok I guess but I should be able to do much better. I'm afraid a road hazard would be there and I wouldn't see it until last minute

Do they have bulbs you can put in them or do you have to buy anwhole new updated headlight.

 

The most cost efficient improvement would be to install a High Intensity Discharge (HID) rig, which would run under $100.

 

Adjure reflector set-up is about $80, comes with a 60/55W Osram Nightbreaker bulb. Not quite LED or HID but a LOT better than stock.

 

Hella or cibie headlight with an osram 65/75 bulb . Or get a led headlight from jw speaker.

 

Nothing BUT options when it comes to lighting. I run a projector housing with a 55watt HID and I LOVE it. Was $100 for the housing and about $50 for the HID kit

 

It's all up to your budget, the stock FX/XL standard headlights are quite small, and as you noticed...not much better than a flashlight with old batteries in it.

You can keep the stock headlight size and get a little brighter....or go for a larger diameter custom headlight that will throw a LOT more beam out front. Look at the larger tear dropped headlight on my wifes Sportster in my sig pic...a LOT brighter than the stock small one that Dynas and most Sporty's have.

Quick fix on the current light, being older, it's likely hazed a bit, give it a good polish with elbow grease...take some of the "foggyness" away. Had the same headlight as yours on my '06 Dyna and a good polishing of the glass helped a bit.

 

I don't know if the Fuel Moto LED replacement bulb will fit your bike for about 60 bucks. But if it will, I wholeheartedly recommend it. I put one in my Road King and it's literally like night and day, and I run just a single headlight; no passing lamps.

 

Osram 80/100...it'll be like "night & day" difference on your ride.

 

Personally, when my head light went out after 9 months, my wife suggested...yeah, that surprised me too...to get the Day Maker. It's was expensive but TO ME, well worth it.

 

I went with the LED in my '01 FXDXT; huge difference AND it's less load on the older low output charging system, freeing up capacity for heated gear...expensive answer to your question, though