Bulb wattage in my motorcycle

Thread Starter

Autobike

Joined Feb 23, 2018
91
hello i have two questions about the bulbs in my motorcycle :)

1) my headlight is a 60/55W H4 bulb. i recently replaced it and apparently there were two filaments. so does this 55W filament work when i'm in "low beam" and the 60W filament begins to work when i'm in "high beam" ? or both filaments work when i'm in "high beam" ? honestly i forgot to check how it works before reassembling the headlight assembly.

2) the OEM Stanley signal and brakes lights are 18/5W. the after market bulbs found here are 21/5W. so if it put that 21/5W instead of a 18/5W, will that do anything bad to my electrical system? what kind of effect will it have ?

thank you :)
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,706
1) Normally only one filament is on. On automobiles, the "dip" switch allows both filaments to turn on momentarily, used to "flash" another driver.

2) There is not enough difference between 18W and 21W to be concerned. Don't lose sweat over it.
 

Thread Starter

Autobike

Joined Feb 23, 2018
91
1) Normally only one filament is on. On automobiles, the "dip" switch allows both filaments to turn on momentarily, used to "flash" another driver.

2) There is not enough difference between 18W and 21W to be concerned. Don't lose sweat over it.
thank you :) yea flashing makes the same intense light as the "high beam". so apparently the "high beam" turns on both filaments too.
 

Doode

Joined Nov 15, 2019
8
In most all bikes I've worked on, the headlight switch is wired so only low or high beam are powered, not both. Sometimes, if you're careful, you can activate both if you slowly slide the switch to the mid point where both low and high are fed power.
 

Thread Starter

Autobike

Joined Feb 23, 2018
91
In most all bikes I've worked on, the headlight switch is wired so only low or high beam are powered, not both. Sometimes, if you're careful, you can activate both if you slowly slide the switch to the mid point where both low and high are fed power.
true :) thank you.
 
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