08 Road Glide HD lights suck
#22
#25
A reply from a message I sent Daniel Stern:
On Tue, 3 Jun 2008, Trent Combs wrote:
> I have a 2007 Harley-Davidson Road Glide - the one with the
> frame-mounted fairing and twin side-by-side headlamps.
There is no significant improvement available without going to the European optic unit. The US domestic optic is focused according to the out-of-whack priorities of the guy at Harley who specifies these things; as a result you get reasonably wide illumination but poor distance reach.
The Harley part number for the European-spec headlamp assembly for use on the RH side of the road (as we drive in North America) is 68995-01. Your cooperative HD dealer parts department should be able to specially order this unit for you, and its beam patterns, both low and high, are better
focused: Longer, wider and more effective. This headlamp uses the same configuration (twin reflectors with twin H4 bulbs) but the actual reflector optic surfaces are different.
Once you've got the good Euro reflector unit, my bulb recommendation is as
follows:
Put an Osram 70/65w H4 bulb in the right headlamp compartment (as you sit on the bike facing forward, *your* right side).
http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html
In the left, put a Narva Rangepower+50...
http://store.candlepower.com/naraulhiou60.html
...with a re-usable clip-on selective yellow balloon http://store.candlepower.com/clyeba.html
This combo gives the best overall improvement in day and night seeing and conspicuity (ability of other road users to see and identify you as a motorcycle and not do stupid stuff in front of you).
Have a helper hold the bike upright while you aim the lamp correctly per http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html
Please order bulbs via the links provided above.
Best DS
I know that
> there is a European reflector available for these from HD ($200
> MSRP!!!!), but would like your thoughts on options. Your name came up
> several times in the thread at
> https://www.hdforums.com/m_3457983/tm.htm
> That thread makes it appear that you can provide a good option without
> replacing the reflectors (post #21).
Mmm...no, I don't see anything like that mentioned in post 21. If you want to see well in a 'glide, you need the European headlamp. A source is mentioned earlier in that thread where you can get it for $134.
> Do you happen to know if the Euro reflector is "legal" in the U.S.?
It meets the applicable SAE standards but is not marked as such, so technically Harley couldn't install it, but bikes in use aren't Federally regulated, so you can install it legally. As long as it's aimed and used correctly, you'll be fine and won't get hassled.
DS
On Tue, 3 Jun 2008, Trent Combs wrote:
> I have a 2007 Harley-Davidson Road Glide - the one with the
> frame-mounted fairing and twin side-by-side headlamps.
There is no significant improvement available without going to the European optic unit. The US domestic optic is focused according to the out-of-whack priorities of the guy at Harley who specifies these things; as a result you get reasonably wide illumination but poor distance reach.
The Harley part number for the European-spec headlamp assembly for use on the RH side of the road (as we drive in North America) is 68995-01. Your cooperative HD dealer parts department should be able to specially order this unit for you, and its beam patterns, both low and high, are better
focused: Longer, wider and more effective. This headlamp uses the same configuration (twin reflectors with twin H4 bulbs) but the actual reflector optic surfaces are different.
Once you've got the good Euro reflector unit, my bulb recommendation is as
follows:
Put an Osram 70/65w H4 bulb in the right headlamp compartment (as you sit on the bike facing forward, *your* right side).
http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html
In the left, put a Narva Rangepower+50...
http://store.candlepower.com/naraulhiou60.html
...with a re-usable clip-on selective yellow balloon http://store.candlepower.com/clyeba.html
This combo gives the best overall improvement in day and night seeing and conspicuity (ability of other road users to see and identify you as a motorcycle and not do stupid stuff in front of you).
Have a helper hold the bike upright while you aim the lamp correctly per http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html
Please order bulbs via the links provided above.
Best DS
I know that
> there is a European reflector available for these from HD ($200
> MSRP!!!!), but would like your thoughts on options. Your name came up
> several times in the thread at
> https://www.hdforums.com/m_3457983/tm.htm
> That thread makes it appear that you can provide a good option without
> replacing the reflectors (post #21).
Mmm...no, I don't see anything like that mentioned in post 21. If you want to see well in a 'glide, you need the European headlamp. A source is mentioned earlier in that thread where you can get it for $134.
> Do you happen to know if the Euro reflector is "legal" in the U.S.?
It meets the applicable SAE standards but is not marked as such, so technically Harley couldn't install it, but bikes in use aren't Federally regulated, so you can install it legally. As long as it's aimed and used correctly, you'll be fine and won't get hassled.
DS
#26
#27
#28
#29