Sylvania SilverStar Ultra headlight bulb on the XJ11

[KA1J]

Being a glutton for more light I checked out the offerings at the local dealers and found the brightest H4 light I could get that didn't up the power usage was the Sylvania SilverStar Ultra 9003/HB2 H4 bulb. It claims "up 50% more brightness, 40% more downroad visibility and up to 50% more visibility to the sides.

The box says its "engineered to achieve the highest performance available which results in a product life that is less than standard lamps". So I guess they'll burn bright & die young but if I can get significantly more seeing power at night, specially with the number of idiot deer crossing the roads around here, I'll happily take the shorter life expectancy for that.

I had some "free" purchasing from my Autozone points & they had a $39 for a package of two sale going on so I paid a couple of bucks cash and got these new bulbs. I figure I'll just keep the extra one in the tool box under the seat as the spare.

Seeing as I just installed a Stebel Nautilus air horn & had this new light installed I thought I'd take Hurricane out for a night ride through country twisties & see how well everything worked...

I gotta say the visibility is far better than the original bulb; different characteristics and it seems like a different spectrum of light but clear light, not colored. I may want to adjust the high beam down a bit so as to not blind other drivers but the visibility I now get is remarkable and well worth the lower life expectancy. I see them for $18 shipped on fleabay & that's less than two six packs cost, good bargain.

As to the horn; I took photos of the installation & will post that separately but I can say it scared the $&!% out of the two deer standing beside the road, it's a lot louder than my car horn.

[Poprock]

Put same in my XS11. Almost as good as HID, and it matches the lens, so actually more effective.

[Unixkid]

Silly question, but... can that bulb be thrown into a standard headlight?

[natemoen]

Silly question, but... can that bulb be thrown into a standard headlight?

It is a standard automotive H4 bulb.

[cywelchjr]

I have one step down from that one and am fairly happy with it. I may try the ultimate one next though, as a little bit more light for the same load would be nice.

The one step down is pretty good though, and it's supposed to last a lot longer. They carry all of them at walmart too, so have them in both pairs and singles for a decent price point.

[mikubuilder]

It is a standard automotive H4 bulb.

still did not answer the question...is it gonna fit in my xs1100 standard....headlight

[natemoen]

still did not answer the question...is it gonna fit in my xs1100 standard....headlight

Ah but I did, if your standard headlight has a replaceable bulb (some didn't so check) it is an h4 bulb that is used.

[DiverRay]

The '78 came stock with a SEALED BEAM headlight! If you have one of those, no it will NOT work. If you have a bulb from a later model, with the replaceable inner lamp, then yes it will.

[cywelchjr]

With the Vetter fairing it's going to depend on whether you have a sealed beam bulb or one with a replaceable H4 bulb in it. My Vetter has an H4 bulb, but some don't, IIRC my other Vetter sitting in the garage doesn't.

[clcorbin]

Put same in my XS11. Almost as good as HID, and it matches the lens, so actually more effective.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Silverstar bulbs. But they don't hold a candle to a HID conversion. And they definitely are not "Almost as good as HID". A 30 watt HID will produce almost 3 TIMES as much light as a 55/65 watt Silverstar (or any other halogen bulb you want to name), assuming you didn't play the "how high a color temperature (aka: blue/purple light) can I go" game. That's just a simple fact based on the technology of the bulb.

From my measurements, the H4 HID conversions put the light source right at the same place as the filament of the halogen bulb, so the lens works pretty much just as well for either bulb. With the bi-xenon bulbs that use a solenoid for high/low, it really works very well for both high and low beams.

Of course, if you aren't interested in a HID upgrade, the Silverstar bulbs are definitely a step in the right direction compared to the stock type bulbs. Just don't think you will get "almost" as much light from the Silverstar's as from a HID conversion.

[natemoen]

Don't get me wrong, I love the Silverstar bulbs. But they don't hold a candle to a HID conversion. And they definitely are not "Almost as good as HID". A 30 watt HID will produce almost 3 TIMES as much light as a 55/65 watt Silverstar (or any other halogen bulb you want to name), assuming you didn't play the "how high a color temperature (aka: blue/purple light) can I go" game. That's just a simple fact based on the technology of the bulb.

From my measurements, the H4 HID conversions put the light source right at the same place as the filament of the halogen bulb, so the lens works pretty much just as well for either bulb. With the bi-xenon bulbs that use a solenoid for high/low, it really works very well for both high and low beams.

Of course, if you aren't interested in a HID upgrade, the Silverstar bulbs are definitely a step in the right direction compared to the stock type bulbs. Just don't think you will get "almost" as much light from the Silverstar's as from a HID conversion.

They are still illegal though.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Is this the best headlight bulb for a 79SF?

Being a glutton for more light I checked out the offerings at the local dealers and found the brightest H4 light I could get that didn't up the power usage was the Sylvania SilverStar Ultra 9003/HB2 H4 bulb. It claims "up 50% more brightness, 40% more downroad visibility and up to 50% more visibility to the sides.

The box says its "engineered to achieve the highest performance available which results in a product life that is less than standard lamps". So I guess they'll burn bright & die young but if I can get significantly more seeing power at night, specially with the number of idiot deer crossing the roads around here, I'll happily take the shorter life expectancy for that.

I had some "free" purchasing from my Autozone points & they had a $39 for a package of two sale going on so I paid a couple of bucks cash and got these new bulbs. I figure I'll just keep the extra one in the tool box under the seat as the spare.

Seeing as I just installed a Stebel Nautilus air horn & had this new light installed I thought I'd take Hurricane out for a night ride through country twisties & see how well everything worked...

I gotta say the visibility is far better than the original bulb; different characteristics and it seems like a different spectrum of light but clear light, not colored. I may want to adjust the high beam down a bit so as to not blind other drivers but the visibility I now get is remarkable and well worth the lower life expectancy. I see them for $18 shipped on fleabay & that's less than two six packs cost, good bargain.

As to the horn; I took photos of the installation & will post that separately but I can say it scared the $&!% out of the two deer standing beside the road, it's a lot louder than my car horn.

I am looking to replace my headlight buld on my 79SF. I want the brightest bulb (don't care about long life). I read I need a 55-60 Watt bulb for stock charging sys. I am finding everything from "Super Purple Plasma" to HID again.Who has upgraded and what is best I am guessing new/better stuff is out there, Thanks

[cywelchjr]

I am looking to replace my headlight buld on my 79SF. I want the brightest bulb (don't care about long life). I read I need a 55-60 Watt bulb for stock charging sys. I am finding everything from "Super Purple Plasma" to HID again.Who has upgraded and what is best I am guessing new/better stuff is out there, Thanks

Anything that's not pretty close to white has the potential to get you the attention of our law enforcement friends. HID unless you spend over $400 is not legal in any of the 50 states that I can find although it appears that some of them turn a blind eye to them in some cases, but they can cause a glare problem, which can cause the driver coming toward you to fixate on the glaring headlight and drive right into you. So really I'd say that the top of the line silverstar is pretty much the best your going to get without going HID. Any of those "plasma" things are up in the range that actually give less visibility rather than more.

[crazy steve]

Look at a 'premium' automotive replacement headlight like a Cibie or Hella; better optics than the OEM light, so the same wattage lamp will throw more usable light. Should be a bolt-in on any Special....

[cywelchjr]

Look at a 'premium' automotive replacement headlight like a Cibie or Hella; better optics than the OEM light, so the same wattage lamp will throw more usable light. Should be a bolt-in on any Special....

I wonder if the mod the Randy devised for an automotive headlamp from a jeep would work with one of the square Cibie H4 headlamp units? I know those would cost more, but I presume they would give better lighting as well? I found daniel stern lighting when looking for them who carries both the round and square in both sizes, they run about $75 per housing. For only $425 more you can have DOT approved HID , why would you even bother? .