Quote Originally Posted by Kawazacky View Post
I'm confused.

I installed a 45-watt Bosch bulb I bought from the local HD dealership.

Would a halogen be somehow brighter? Because I am not happy with the light from my 45 watt bulb.

35w Halogen would be about 1.5x brighter than a 45w incandecent bulb. It is the efficiency of the filament operating in Halogen gas. Just look at how bright a 15W Halogen bulb in a house is vs a 40W incadecent. Just walk into Home Depot or Lowes, and look at the difference. You can feel the energy in the form of heat coming off the light. Dont worry, I havent seen a China bike yet with a plastic lense, they have all been glass.

Stay away from the 45W bulbs, they use more power, but dont create much more Lumens. Unless you have LED Markers and Turns, you will likely burn up the stator in a short time. Way to much of a power draw!!

I too thought about the HID. The two issue I was concerned with was the fact that they draw well over 15 amps at start up, and some of the cheaper "overseas" units can draw up to 25. I purchased a 9004 kit for my Saab 9000, and have measured over 20 amps each on start up. Infact I burnt my last DVOM up, as it was rated to 10A cont, 15A int. This is alot of power to pull on a battery that can range from 8-15 amps total. The other issue is that many do not have diffusers in them. Instead of placing a light down on the road like a spotlight they flood the area with light, like a flood light. Most automobile headlamps have diffusers cut into the light, were the BA20D uses a small diffuser over the fillament. Any oncoming officer of the Law here in the states will stop you and write you a ticket for blinding him.