PIAA H8's on DownTown 300i

[TANWare]

It stopped raining long enough to take a short 10 mile ride at night. I installed the H8's this morning both low and high beams.

Low Beams;

1.) Daytime running from the front the lights now more closely color match the LED's aroung the high beams.
2.) Daytime stopping behind other vehicles the headlight relection over the stock bulbs is definately more noticable.
3.) Night time riding with the stock bulbs at about 40MPH you start to feel you are overdriving the lights, with these 50 MPH is comfortable with the low beams.
4.) Pulled to the garage and the aim is no higher, good to know I don't have to pull the front tupperware again.
5.) The light doesn't seem too much brighter, but it is slightly, but it is definately more even of a spread.
6.) Viewable light output is whiter in front of the bike but no noticeable blue tint.
7.) it is not overly obnoxious from 100 feet in front so no one will be flashing their high beams at you.

High Beams;

1.) As with the low beams the color now matches the LED's better.
2.) Again with Daytime running looking at the reflection from the vehicle in front it is more noticable.
3.) You never feel you are overdriving the lights even at 90MPH, these do create a slightly brighter cast though.
4.) No real aim issues here but the garage door was definately more viewable.
5.) As with the low beams besides the slightly brighter light the light seems more evenly spread out.
6.) Still no blue cast.
7.) you defiantely will get flashed with these but not overly obnoxious.

Now these are in no way twice as bright. My 55watt Silverstars in the car will handily blow these out of the water. HID's will do so even more. It however is an actual upgrade, my fear was it wouldn't be at all and they would just be all hype. Below are two videos with my bloggie. The bloggie shows better detail with the PIAAs as there is more light and bloggies are junk in lower light situations especially with uneven lighting.

[TANWare]

Here are the lights on a cloudy day, the video shows the tail lights too................

[scootinChris]

Appreciate the review.
You say they are an upgrade, but are they worth the money???
Or might it be better to save up for HID's ?

[TANWare]

Appreciate the review.
You say they are an upgrade, but are they worth the money???
Or might it be better to save up for HID's ?

Are they worth the money, a good question. to be honest I'd say no so long as you are willing to go the HID route and do the wiring etc. That is so long as the HID's do not change the beam pattern.

Now they do seem to provide better light, are they a game changer though. No way, again you feel more comfortable at speed and the high beams provide a great light. These however are not 55watt bulbs. If the heat isn't an issue Silver Star H11's would be a better choice but I think they would just be too hot.

I am still not discounting going over to HID's and if were not for the fact the beams have to warm up I would have tried them out from the get go. For now I ride with somewhat more confidence at night..........................

Edit;
Maybe a better comparison would be I like to ride down by the ocean. On the main drag per block they have the reflective signs in the middle of the road for pedestrian crossing per block for about 3/4 of a mile.

With the old low beam the first block reflected brightly and the second dimly and the third seemed not to reflect back at all, with the new bulbs the beams now reflect brighter on the first, pretty good on the second and reflect somewhat on the third.

With the high beams the old bulbs relected back good for 3 blocks or so but dimmed out to unnoticable at about 7 blocks. With the new bulbs the high beams seem to reflect back well at 9 blocks, after that the refection is too small to really resolve. clicking the highs on and off you can see there is someting out further but my eyes do seem to resolve that far (they just look like tiny relective dots).

Now if the object is dark and non reflective it is still hard to see. I have never been behind HID's so I can't compare but I do know driving down the drag in my cage with Silver Star 55 watt bulbs in both high and low beams the reflective surfaces are better illuminated.

I was riding last night and came around a bend to be presented with a Doe about 150 yards away with the high beams on. The deer was not only well lit but well defined. So I can ride with these lights and feel somewhat more comfortable. For the $140 or so the value may not be the best but it is plug and play, no beam or heat issues and do at least the minimal required job well enough even if it is not turning things to daylight in front of you............