Headlight bulbs

[CaptainScarlet]

So...as I understand it, the early 955s headlights worked together, both having a low and a high beam; but then the UK law changed, and if a bike has separate headlights then they must now work -- high and low beam -- individually.

Now, my 2007 955 came to me with an additional relay ( presumably added by a previous owner) to put both headlights on 'dip' together. Problem is, the left headlight is marked on its lens as a dipped light and the right is marked as main beam, which means the main beam was on (on one of the lights) all the time.

Okay...present day. What bulbs are you guys using? Do you bother using different types of bulbs for the two lights, or just bung in standard dip/main bulbs from you local corner shop?

[Bixxer Bob]

From memory, both bulbs are H4, and removing the extra relay gets you through a picky MOT   zthen just put it back.

[CaptainScarlet]

From memory, both bulbs are H4, and removing the extra relay gets you through a picky MOT   zthen just put it back.

Problem was, even with bags of downward adjustment, I was getting flashed ( oh er, missus!) all the time; even my mates said it was a PITA in their mirrors -- the relay had to go! And yes, I'm running standard bulbs at the mo.

[Bixxer Bob]

The standard lights are dire anyway.  I got a cheap set of Chinese LED driving lamps and wired them to come on with the main beam through a switch and relay.

I've done the same on the Explorer even though it has much better lights as standard. 

[Lee337]

Are you sure the bulb is seating correctly?

I have the relay in for both headlights & don't have that issue, both my headlights beam patterns are pretty much the same.

[HockleyBoy]

Always had the relay in and both lights on without any problem, favourite bulbs Osram Nightbreakers.

[Sin_Tiger]

I suspect you might have a wiring issue at the moment, dip and main should be on at the same time, that could actually have alternator & R/R consequences as that's a lot of extra load. The laws relating to the bike year of registration will apply.

[Bixxer Bob]

Not sure about that Sin, maybe the way I'm reading it.  The Girly lights are one dip two mainbeam.  Most owners fit a relay in the empty relay socket under the left side of the cowl.  This puts both lit dip and both lit main beam.  If I remember correctly the purpose was so that in left hand drive countries the relay could be moved from one socket to the other.  The problem is that in the UK the other dip beam dips the wrong way.  I never found it a problem on mine because I adjusted that light down to compensate.  Since Capt Scarlet has a dazzle problem, and cant adjust it out, my guess would be the same as Lee.

[Sin_Tiger]

I was suspecting the dazzle issue at full deflection suggesting the mains and dips were on at the same time and someone got the relay wiring wrong, perhaps I'm reading too much into it.

[CaptainScarlet]

Done some 'research'. The reference markings on the headlights themselves show one to be a dip unit, one main. So no amount of adjustment's gonna turn both into dip/main lights. I've -- as I said-- removed the additional relay, fitted a couple of new H4s, and adjusted them (against the garage wall). I'm just gonna have to accept that the bike will forevermore look like one headlight bulb has blown!

[Sin_Tiger]

The actual lens is for main only? I didn't know they made them like that for the UK market.