Improved bulb on m696 '08?

[MikeTheBike]

The headlight on my m696 is... terrible! All's 'OK' if nobody is coming the other way, but if a car with half-decent headlights comes towards me... I'm kinda in the dark!

Any recommendations on a quick-fix for now? - Even if a slight improvement for now whilst I consider things like replacing the loom if needed!? Reason = long nighttime ride tomrw night, and back again - both in the dark.

Any recommendations on bulbs that'd be better? I know I may not be able to go up in power, but in light spectrum etc maybe?

Any tips appreciated, both short-term and longer-term ;)

Cheers!

[Mr Gazza]

Osram Nightbreaker and Phillips Extreme Vision are both well proven bulbs and highly regarded as upgrades.
Available in all the headlamp fitting types, probably H4 in your case, which is a twin filament bulb for dip and main. Other types will require a separate bulb for each beam.

I prefer the Osram, which is a little cheaper (read less expensive) and has the reputation of lasting longer. There is very little difference between the two in reality.

I heard of another bulb today, by Halfords called the Halfords Extreme something or other.
A lower price and even better performance than the above was reported, but as yet untested by me.

I've just bought a pair of these, as yet untested but looking very promising indeed. I'm already getting on very well with a bulb of the previous generation to these.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-4-Sides-H4-LED-Headlight-Car-Bulbs-200W-20000LM-High-and-Low-Beam-Bright/392104580684?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[Luddite]

Like Mr Gazza, I'd also recommend Osram.

I use the Night Racer (H7 for the 696/797/1100) - I like the packaging!

https://i.postimg.cc/NMcd3fm2/51-Boj-DLKs-YL-SY355.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

A definite improvement over standard but still not great. I think the limiting factor in our case is the reflector design; there's a separate half-reflector for dip and main bulbs. Fashion over function, I think.

[Mr Gazza]

Ah. H7 on a 696...I thought they would be separate bulbs.

So.. The Halfords bulbs are Extreme Brilliance and Ultra Brilliance, Apparently for H4 only? Super brilliance is available in H7.
I only have hearsay reports on these based on todays research into improving the lights on my daughters new Skoda Citygo. The Skoda forums reckon the Halfords Extreme Brilliance H4 is better than the Osram. The Super Brilliance H7 is not mentioned.

Personally I would stick with the Osram.

[Darren69]

Gasa has a Phd in monster headlights so he knows his stuff. Me on the otherhand have a HID setup on mine which is great so I can finally see where I'm going at night but its now illegal to do that apparently! :)

Heaven forbid one might blind an oncoming car driver and end up in a ditch because I can't see anything!?

[MikeTheBike]

Osram Nightbreaker and Phillips Extreme Vision are both well proven bulbs and highly regarded as upgrades.
Available in all the headlamp fitting types, probably H4 in your case, which is a twin filament bulb for dip and main. Other types will require a separate bulb for each beam.

I prefer the Osram, which is a little cheaper (read less expensive) and has the reputation of lasting longer. There is very little difference between the two in reality.

I heard of another bulb today, by Halfords called the Halfords Extreme something or other.
A lower price and even better performance than the above was reported, but as yet untested by me.

I've just bought a pair of these, as yet untested but looking very promising indeed. I'm already getting on very well with a bulb of the previous generation to these.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-4-Sides-H4-LED-Headlight-Car-Bulbs-200W-20000LM-High-and-Low-Beam-Bright/392104580684?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Thanks! It's 2 separate bulbs by the looks - One of those monster headlight units with dipped beam at top, main beam bulb at bottom, and a sidelight bulb hiding horizontally between the two :)

Cheers for the advice, will head to the shops tomrw and see what I can get & if any of the ones you mention are in stock anywhere local (Newport/Bristol)

[MikeTheBike]

Gasa has a Phd in monster headlights so he knows his stuff. Me on the otherhand have a HID setup on mine which is great so I can finally see where I'm going at night but its now illegal to do that apparently! :)

Heaven forbid one might blind an oncoming car driver and end up in a ditch because I can't see anything!?

Hahaha yer, it is hard to see where I'm going when cars come towards me, that's for sure.

[MikeTheBike]

Like Mr Gazza, I'd also recommend Osram.

I use the Night Racer (H7 for the 696/797/1100) - I like the packaging!

https://i.postimg.cc/NMcd3fm2/51-Boj-DLKs-YL-SY355.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

A definite improvement over standard but still not great. I think the limiting factor in our case is the reflector design; there's a separate half-reflector for dip and main bulbs. Fashion over function, I think.

Ah. H7 on a 696...I thought they would be separate bulbs.

So.. The Halfords bulbs are Extreme Brilliance and Ultra Brilliance, Apparently for H4 only? Super brilliance is available in H7.
I only have hearsay reports on these based on todays research into improving the lights on my daughters new Skoda Citygo. The Skoda forums reckon the Halfords Extreme Brilliance H4 is better than the Osram. The Super Brilliance H7 is not mentioned.

Personally I would stick with the Osram.

Hmmm I'm getting confused (sorry for being dumb!) In the headlamp unit, I have:

Top bulb - Dipped beam
Middle - horizontal strip with a sidelight (not working/blown)
Bottom bulb - Main beam

With the above considered, which Osram bulb do you think would be good, for the dipped beam (main beam ain't too bad, but don't like having that on when folks coming towards me, they don't see to like it!) :D

[MikeTheBike]

Ahhh so h7 is a single filament, for when separate bulbs, right? Cool.

[Luddite]

Ahhh so h7 is a single filament, for when separate bulbs, right? Cool.

That's it - same bulb type for both dip and main. (So your main beam loses 5w over a conventional unit straightaway.)

[Darren69]

The Motodemic kit has been used by some on here, in order to replace the whole lamp unit with something much better. It's not cheap but I think you can buy the kit with or without the lamp and source your own which makes it less expensive.

[alan s4]

I've fitted Halfords "Off Road Rally" Bulbs in the monster, they are 130/90w as opposed to standard 60/50w. They don't blind in the same way as after market HID's and obviously make a huge difference at night.