Quote:
Originally Posted by Pretorian Cheers to you. |
Back after lunch. hehehe...
Thanks, pretorian - if there is one thing that I am still learning, it is to respect all users of the road, which includes pedestrians & bovines, also. More about that when I have some time.
Here is the picture of the stock bulb in Gladiator....
It is a standard Halonix bulb - probably made specially for Yamaha!!
See its quality -
a.
the smudges on the bulb - the same material which covers the top of the bulb - sheer carelessness?
b.
the yellowishness of the glass - because of the heat? (but I have seen the bulb of my Palio - Philips - used for about 4 years, without any such discolouration. I'll see what happens to the Osram now)
The stock replacement Osram went in place of the new one.
Went to the darkest patch of road I could find, and placed a big stone to one side and took my bike about 10 - 12 away to adjust the focus. After a little trail and error, could manage a setting where the low beam could clearly pick the stone out, and high beam was bright enough to show it out.
So benefit from Osram about 10% better light.
Satisfied, packed the bags for the trip next day.
A very satisfying day - beautiful roads, greenery all round, no crowds and half-tank of shell petrol making the bike sing!!
Got late on the return on the return - and heavens opened up! It was a torrential down pour for nearly an hour - driving ruled out - so holed up waiting for it to peter down.
Finally, when it turned out to be small drizzle by 7.45 pm, started on the way back from Satara to Pune.
It was pitch black and only a few vehicles on the road from Satara City to NH4.
And my new bulb - didn't live up to the previous nights' performance. Nil illumination - could only illuminate the tail lights (Unicorn) and its numberplate - all other objects on the road - ZILCH!! (If it is any consolation, Unicorn had the same problem). Crashed into numerous pot holes and what not.
Somehow, made it to the highway without any mishaps. Thankfully, rain stopped; parked the bike and cleaned my visor and headlight - there was some improvement (same in Unicorn) - but it was like this :-
(a) on dark areas the low beam was pretty bright to illuminate the road (without rain) - but could not risk speeds above 50; high beam - just enough light to sense what was head;
(b) in ambient lighting like lamp posts / ambience from other lights - illumination - close to ZERO.
This position was almost similar to Unicorn. And few other bikes on the road seem to have the same lighting pattern.
To conclude -
1.
35 / 35 W head lights are pathetic for highway driving - you simply cannot risk it! There is a desperate need to improve the power.
2.
Cleaning the headlight and focussing improves the illumination a little better - what is more essential is bulb gives a better beam of concentrated light, which the reflector cannot do.
Thinking of putting a 55W bulb now - my head and limbs are more important than the electricals of my Gladiator!!