Hi everyone. I plan on doing a bit of riding over the summer after sunset. My stock headlight is shit. I'm not very techie but I'd like to upgrade. What's the easiest way to get more light?

Thanks!

Easiest would be just upgrading the bulb to a PIAA/Silverstar/Hella.

Before I went with a Truck Lite I was going down this path...this article had me wanting an "IPCS Wizard" bulb as they seem to be the best for less;

http://www.stylintrucks.com/articles/0909_headlightbulbcomparison.aspx

Thanks, I actually found a youtube vid featuring the SilverStar, but I had no idea the bulb would make any real difference. May be a good place to start and then something more serious if I'm still not happy.

Oh yeah, I'm about to install turn signals so I'll have to take the headlight off. Should I replace the bulb while I have it off, or can the bulb replacement be done with the headlight still on?

Thanks again .

Quote from: pesto on May 16, 2014, 07:32:45 PM
Oh yeah, I'm about to install turn signals so I'll have to take the headlight off. Should I replace the bulb while I have it off, or can the bulb replacement be done with the headlight still on?

Thanks again .

You will have to take the headlight off to replace the bulbs. It will be easier to do everything at once.

Thanks!

I added a brighter bulb, helped a bit.  It is still the single worst headlight I have EVER had.  I run it on high beam only and in 10k miles have not had a single car flash me. 

I am going to try to add a couple of spacers behind the lower mounting bolts in an attempt to get a bit better reach from the headlight.  I do not understand why it has such a crappy headlight. IMO is is way below substandard and gets right into dangerous.

Quote from: Skybarney on May 18, 2014, 10:57:28 AM
I added a brighter bulb, helped a bit.  It is still the single worst headlight I have EVER had.  I run it on high beam only and in 10k miles have not had a single car flash me. 

I am going to try to add a couple of spacers behind the lower mounting bolts in an attempt to get a bit better reach from the headlight.  I do not understand why it has such a crappy headlight. IMO is is way below substandard and gets right into dangerous.

agreed. with the high beam on it's merely adequate, and I run it like this 100% of the time at night.  i would like to see that much output from the low beam alone.  I haven't gotten to play with bulbs, but I can't imagine anything making a significant difference.

Quote from: Skybarney on May 18, 2014, 10:57:28 AM
I added a brighter bulb, helped a bit.  It is still the single worst headlight I have EVER had.  I run it on high beam only and in 10k miles have not had a single car flash me. 

I am going to try to add a couple of spacers behind the lower mounting bolts in an attempt to get a bit better reach from the headlight.  I do not understand why it has such a crappy headlight. IMO is is way below substandard and gets right into dangerous.

i can't find the thread, but I recall there has been discussion about this and the main culprit is the lens, IIRC

Most of the Duc quirks are pretty easy to live with.  The headlight?  No excuse!  Makes me want to start an effort to force Ducati to do something about it.  This being the first modern bike I have ever owned (30 years lots of bikes later) that has such horrible light output.

Truly should not even be legal to ride it with such a crap headlight, much less sell it.

Quote from: Skybarney on May 21, 2014, 05:44:18 PM
Most of the Duc quirks are pretty easy to live with.  The headlight?  No excuse!  Makes me want to start an effort to force Ducati to do something about it.  This being the first modern bike I have ever owned (30 years lots of bikes later) that has such horrible light output.

Truly should not even be legal to ride it with such a crap headlight, much less sell it.

Start a petition!  Occupy headquarters in Bologna!

Occupy Ducati!

I could think of worse places to occupy.