New headlight bulb?

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

I just installed my new $9.00 headlight bulb from Mike's, it's BRIGHT And so far, I have only seen it in the daytime I took advantage of having it all apart to bend back one ear (the morons that moved it used the turnlights as lifting bars to move it around on the truck after they left my place, they laid my V Max on a blanket on its side, anouther blanket on top, then they laid my XS on top of it,) Smashed gas tank, battery acid everywhere Anyway, the new bulb looks great, my question is the bike is rated for 55/60W bulb and this is a 60/55W bulb I guess diff. in high / low Watts? Any neg. effect on my charging sys?

[crazy steve]

That's a bit less than 1/2 amp, I wouldn't worry unless you've loaded the bike with electrical goodies...

[Danny Crawdad]

Wow, I hope whoever moved your bikes is paying for all that? Geez, I cringed when you said they a) laid them down and b) one on top of the other!

I think that bulb should be the same as the old one, actually. The way H4 bulbs work is that they have a shield between the two filaments, the low beam filament is on the bottom, and the shield effectively directs the light downward to the road. When the high beam is activated, it turns on the filament above the shield, to project the light without any cutoff from above.

As I understand it, the higher wattage filament is always the high beam, 55/60 and 60/55 should be the exact same bulb, the numbers are just reversed.

I don't always understand things correctly though so someone correct me if I am wrong!

[cywelchjr]

Actually that's backwards. The shield actually direct the light for the low beam up, so it hits only the top of the reflector, which then directs the beam down towards the road. The high beam is unshielded and in a different location so it uses the entire reflector instead of just the top part of the reflector.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Cool

That is what I was thinking 60/55 55/60, just two ways of rating the same bulb As to the moveing Co. paying for the damage, they offer $0.50 per LB for damaged goods (about $300.00 per bike, and they get the bike), so, no, I fixed the bikes at my own expense$$$ I moved from FT Myers FL to Gainsville FL to NC to FL to TX to NC again, then back to FL in a few short years. Two of those moves were a disaster, both on my bikes and on my furniture, some stuff even got stolen on one move

Wow, I hope whoever moved your bikes is paying for all that? Geez, I cringed when you said they a) laid them down and b) one on top of the other!

I think that bulb should be the same as the old one, actually. The way H4 bulbs work is that they have a shield between the two filaments, the low beam filament is on the bottom, and the shield effectively directs the light downward to the road. When the high beam is activated, it turns on the filament above the shield, to project the light without any cutoff from above.

As I understand it, the higher wattage filament is always the high beam, 55/60 and 60/55 should be the exact same bulb, the numbers are just reversed.

I don't always understand things correctly though so someone correct me if I am wrong!

[cywelchjr]

That is what I was thinking 60/55 55/60, just two ways of rating the same bulb As to the moveing Co. paying for the damage, they offer $0.50 per LB for damaged goods (about $300.00 per bike, and they get the bike), so, no, I fixed the bikes at my own expense$$$ I moved from FT Myers FL to Gainsville FL to NC to FL to TX to NC again, then back to FL in a few short years. Two of those moves were a disaster, both on my bikes and on my furniture, some stuff even got stolen on one move

I would have filed in small claims court, it would have been a guaranteed win, as that was CLEAR negligence. I've never heard of a moving co getting to do that, and having worked as a piano technician I've repaired piano's that were damaged in moves, and the moving company didn't get to keep the piano, they had to pay to fix the damage and the owner kept the piano. The moving co only gets to keep the goods if they goods are destroyed, if they can be repaired they are required to repair them, and that's a federal thing that kicks in if the cross state lines (I know having been in the military and having grown up as an air force brat), so you got ripped off, they were required to fix any damage they caused (especially if it was caused by how they packed, and guess what, by your description their insurance would NOT have covered them, it would have come out of their own pockets). I don't know how long it's been, but if it's within the window and if you documented everything, and if they have an office in your state where you are now, you need to go down and file a small claims court case against them. They will keep doing this stuff to people till it starts costing them money, I'm not talking about this about you should be trying to make money, but taking money from their pockets is the only language companies like this understand.

[Danny Crawdad]

Actually that's backwards. The shield actually direct the light for the low beam up, so it hits only the top of the reflector, which then directs the beam down towards the road. The high beam is unshielded and in a different location so it uses the entire reflector instead of just the top part of the reflector.

Knew I'd learn something! Forgot about the reflector part of the equation!

And re: the moving company, that is absolutely ridiculous. I have guitars that weigh less than 7lbs that are worth thousands of dollars. If a moving company smashed them and offered me $2.10 for them, I think I would hit the roof. If it hasn't been too long, definitely contact an attorney. Talking to one generally costs nothing, just call the local Bar Association. Here's the FL Bar Association site: http://www.floridabar.org/tfb/flabarwe.nsf

I worked in the legal field for many years and I guarantee that there is an attorney somewhere nearby salivating to nail these guys to the wall if they at all can .

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Your right!

I made the mistake of useing a "shipping broker" instead of a "real shipping Co" They sub'ed it out to the lowest bidder I am sure I found a real moveing Co after, and they did a great job It;s the old "live and learn" I was dealing with a very high pressure job and covering 5 states, so this wasen't even on the horizion of S#!T I was dealing with then And at "THAT" time (oh how I miss that time, at least income wise) money ment nothing, my time ment everything

I would have filed in small claims court, it would have been a guaranteed win, as that was CLEAR negligence. I've never heard of a moving co getting to do that, and having worked as a piano technician I've repaired piano's that were damaged in moves, and the moving company didn't get to keep the piano, they had to pay to fix the damage and the owner kept the piano. The moving co only gets to keep the goods if they goods are destroyed, if they can be repaired they are required to repair them, and that's a federal thing that kicks in if the cross state lines (I know having been in the military and having grown up as an air force brat), so you got ripped off, they were required to fix any damage they caused (especially if it was caused by how they packed, and guess what, by your description their insurance would NOT have covered them, it would have come out of their own pockets). I don't know how long it's been, but if it's within the window and if you documented everything, and if they have an office in your state where you are now, you need to go down and file a small claims court case against them. They will keep doing this stuff to people till it starts costing them money, I'm not talking about this about you should be trying to make money, but taking money from their pockets is the only language companies like this understand.

[Danny Crawdad]

Ah, know the feeling there, where it is more valuable to just move on with your life and get the big fires put out instead of wasting time stamping at the flareups .

But man, reading that made me hot , no pun intended.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Thanks

Thanks for "Feeling my pain" I always try to see the bright side My XS was red and the smashed tank gave me reason to repaint the bike, I always liked them in black dress (not picking on red lovers) I worked 80+ hours a week then, and what little time I had for me was enjoied by seeing my bike come back to what I had always loved a black OEM 79SF

Ah, know the feeling there, where it is more valuable to just move on with your life and get the big fires put out instead of wasting time stamping at the flareups .

But man, reading that made me hot , no pun intended.

[jmacsuga]

New Bulbs on EBAY>>>>>>>>>>>

Hi, All: I just found some new bulbs on eBay. Search on seller "jdmbeamer". He is selling bulbs for $.99 and $3.99 shipping. I ordered one and we will see if it works. He has LOTS of them for this price. Jim