moshe_levy Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Well, the title says it all. My GF is looking to upgrade the lighting until she can swing the moolah for some real candlepower. I ran an 85/100W H4 for years in my Sportster with no problems. Can the same be done with the R1150R, or is a relay required? Does the R1150R have a relay already, on the stock lighting circuit? Questions, questions..... =MKL Link to comment
Mike Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 I think your GF would be rolling the dice. I've heard a couple of stories of R1100-series owners burning out their lighting harnesses with high-wattage bulbs, and I don't have any reason to believe that the 1150s would be all that different. The issue is not whether the bulb is relay-controlled, but whether the portion of the wiring downstream from the power source is of a sufficient gauge. A better approach, I think, is to upgrade to a better bulb, like the Silverstar Ultra, and add auxiliary lights. Link to comment
Eckhard Grohe Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Check out Eastern Beaver for more info. Link to comment
Davis Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Add a relay and good wires to the battery. You'll get more light out of the 55W bulbs and will definitely get more out of a higher wattage bulb as the voltage drop in the wiring will be even greater then. The headlight dimmer switch is usually the weakest link and will likely fail eventually from switching the added current. Link to comment
rdsmith3 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Well, the title says it all. My GF is looking to upgrade the lighting until she can swing the moolah for some real candlepower. I ran an 85/100W H4 for years in my Sportster with no problems. Can the same be done with the R1150R, or is a relay required? Does the R1150R have a relay already, on the stock lighting circuit? Questions, questions..... =MKL My 2002 R1150R does not have a relay, so I added one from Eastern Beaver, as noted above. It is a very easy installation job. You can probably find a cheaper solution, but Eastern Beaver makes it very convenient. I would not trust the stock wiring with a higher current draw, especially the switch, but that is just me. I also added a 90/100 W H4 bulb. The relay plus the bulb made a major difference in the light output. It is a very worthwhile upgrade. Also, IMO, the Roadster is a great bike for adding a high wattage headlight bulb. The metal headlight housing is almost completely exposed to a fresh air flow, so there is ample cooling. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 My 2002 R1150R does not have a relay, so I added one from Eastern Beaver, as noted above. It is a very easy installation job. You can probably find a cheaper solution, but Eastern Beaver makes it very convenient. I would not trust the stock wiring with a higher current draw, especially the switch, but that is just me. I also added a 90/100 W H4 bulb. The relay plus the bulb made a major difference in the light output. It is a very worthwhile upgrade. Also, IMO, the Roadster is a great bike for adding a high wattage headlight bulb. The metal headlight housing is almost completely exposed to a fresh air flow, so there is ample cooling. Bob, did the relay installation fit inside the headlight or the kit is on the outside with just the wires going inside the housing? Link to comment
Mike Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Check out Eastern Beaver for more info. Looks like the perfect solution. In switching to a higher wattage bulb, thin wires and less than robust connectors are the problem. The meltdown always seems to occur at a connector. Upgrading everything--as with this kit--is definitely the way to go. Link to comment
moshe_levy Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Interesting - however, the Eastern Beaver website specifically lists the R1150R as having heat issues, and recommends no more than a 55/100W bulb on low beam default... -MKL Link to comment
T__ Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Well, the title says it all. My GF is looking to upgrade the lighting until she can swing the moolah for some real candlepower. I ran an 85/100W H4 for years in my Sportster with no problems. Can the same be done with the R1150R, or is a relay required? Does the R1150R have a relay already, on the stock lighting circuit? Questions, questions..... =MKL moshe_levy, having either a plastic light lens or a plastic headlight shell, or a plastic headlight connector/socket makes it a real crap shoot in using higher candlepower light bulbs.. The added heat from the higher wattage can easily melt or distort the plastic parts.. Then, as mentioned above you still have the wire size & switch current carrying issue to deal with.. Twisty Link to comment
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