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Date:         Mon, 1 Nov 2010 07:16:19 -0400
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Motorcycle headlight conversion?
In-Reply-To:  <038801cb796b$5988a4e0$0c99eea0$@net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Here's a good clarification from Ron at Bus Depot. Edward

>It depends on which Hellas you have. To explain this I probably have to >start with what the Bosch is, and is not. The Bosch is a true H4 headlight. >Thanks to arcane U.S. D.O.T. FMVSS 108 regulations, you're not supposed to >use H4 headlights on a car in the United States. (For this reason, I and all >other vendors sell all H4 headlights as for "offroad use only.") However, >according to the same regulations, it's perfectlly fine to use them on >motorcycles, as long as the manufacturer has obtained the proper D.O.T. >approval. Bosch makes two versions of their H4's - one which is strictly >E-code (European and Canadian street legal), and a very similar one that is >D.O.T. approved for use on motorcycles. The latter one can be identified by >the D.O.T. marking on the lens, and is the one that is generally preferred >for Vanagon or Bus use. (See http://www.ratwell.com/technical/BoschH4.html). >It is our good fortune that Bosch makes this D.O.T. version because that's >the only reason we are all getting this bargain. One of Bosch's customers >(Harley Davidson) experienced a sales downturn, resulting in an overstock of >these headlights, which I in turn bought for way below wholesale. > >Hella makes their own conventional H4 headlight, which is relatively >comparable to the Bosch (although some would argue that the Bosch has a >slightly preferable beam pattern). If that is what you already have on your >Vanagon, I can't say I'd bother replacing them. But Hella also makes a >"Vision Plus" model that is also often erroneously referred to as an H4 >headlight. A better description would be "H4 style," as it actually uses an >HB2 rather than an H4 bulb. Since it is not actually an H4, it is U.S. >D.O.T. approved for automotive use, so anyone concerned about enforcement of >FMVSS 108 can use it worry-free. But the downside is that the HB2's >performance is widely considered to be inferior to that of a comparable H4, >and the cost is higher. If this is the Hella that you have, you might notice >some improvement using the Bosch, although certainly not as substantial as >if you were upgrading from sealed-beams, as the Vision Plus has already >gotten you half way there. > >In between these options are a wide range of bargain priced H4 headlights, >mostly made in India or Taiwan. They all come from a few factories that >private-label them and build to spec (or to price). Most are neither ECE >(E-code) nor D.O.T. compliant, so they have to meet no recognized standard >at all. As a result the quality and performance are all over the place, and >cannot be predicted by brand name or price. The worst of them can leak when >it rains, blind oncoming traffic, or in some cases illuminate the shoulder >better than the road (as some sold in the U.S. were actually designed for >Indian, UK, or other right-hand-drive markets). The best of them are >actually pretty decent, and a few even meet ECE specs, although I would not >put them on the par with a good Bosch, Hella, or Cibie. > >As for having to upgrade your wiring, the standard 60/55 watt H4 bulbs draw >about the same current as the stock sealed-beams and will work with your >existing wiring (although cleaning up or replacing grounds, or adding a >relay, can only improve things). If you move up to an 80/100w bulb you will >need to add a relay. Most people find that upgrading to the H4's with the >standard 60/55w bulbs is already a big improvement, and it's a five-minute >drop-in installation that way, so I tend to advise starting there. If it >doesn't cut it for you, you can always add a relay and brighter bulbs >afterwards > >Bottom line for all this is, at regular price ($80 to $120 for a pair of >Bosch, Hella, or Cibie H4's, $35-$50 for a decent generic set), there would >be a number of options well worth considering. But right now, while you can >get the Bosch's for the price of the generics (and half the price of any >comparable top-shelf alternatives), there's nothing else to consider. This >is a no-brainer. > >Link: > > http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=0301600118 > >- Ron Salmon > The Bus Depot, Inc. > www.busdepot.com > (215) 234-VWVW > >_____________________________________________ >Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT

At 10:20 PM 10/31/2010, Tom Hargrave wrote: >I dont know why anyone would install motorcycle headlights in a car. >They arent better, they are different. Motorcycle headlights send out a >tighter, longer reaching beam while a car headlight sends out a more >spread out beam. You need the more spreadout car headlight beam to >safely light the road ahead. > >The right solution is to upgrade to newer car HID headlights, assuming >they are available fo Vanagons. > >Tom >www.towercooler.com > > >Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone > >-----Original Message----- >From: Tom Boldway <jboldway@HOTMAIL.COM> >Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2010 6:59 PM >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >Subject: Motorcycle headlight conversion? > >Hello, my previous owner spent $451 to get the headlamps converted to >Bosch motorcycle headlights - "BOSCH H2 000 SAE76 DOT 1305 603 038" >headlights and the output still kinda sucks. I bought a pair of driving >lights to go along with this. Anybody ever heard of this conversion >before? =


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