I've modified my OEM headlight to be more effective by putting a diode (a 1N5402 works brilliant here) from the low beam wire to the high beam wire so the high beam is always just halfway "on" (due to the half wave rectification of the AC current by the diode)
This really helps to see in the distance without blinding other traffic, the beam is less truncated and has a smoother transition to the darkness beyond...
Also the orange glow from the high beam filament at half power, that others see from a distance, makes your headlight stand out from those of the cars around you.
Another simple modification I made is to connect the small 3W bulb at the bottom of the headlight assembly to the low beam so it's always on together with the low beam, and this really improves visibility from the side...