[JDerrick]

Does anyone know what I can do to make my 1982 Honda cm450c headlights any brighter. I swear it seems they only put out enough light to see around 5 ft ahead of me and 4 feet to the sides. With high beam on it might be 6 feet in front and 6 ft to the sides. I can really hardly tell any difference in between high beam and low beam.
And on the same subject. Can I replace the light bulbs or do I need a whole new headlamp when it goes out?

 

[JDerrick]

Thank you I appreciate your time and for those links that you have given to me. I bookmarked those links. At least there is hope. It is not very cheap but not super expensive either.
I'm hoping this bike will last me for 2 years. And I'm trying to save for a new one. So if the light goes out I will probably have to buy a whole new lamp, and not just the bulbs.
I don't plan on going on any long trips, on unfamiliar roads, at night at least. Right now I will have to do with what I have and keep riding in the city at night.

 

[JDerrick]

A lot of older bikes (as well as cars) had headlights that are borderline by contemporary standards – both in terms of output as well as desperation pattern. As was suggested, about the easiest way to go modern is to get an H4 housing – the actual H4 bulb is around 30+ years old itself, but you don’t need to use the standard bulb if you want more light – there are HID, LED and over-wattage alternatives that fit the H4 reflector housing. You may have to do a bit of very minor surgery to get a modern H4 reflector to fit your housing, but generally they are quite basic and simple of themselves – and the 7” bracketry is about the easiest to use.

I am seriously electrically challenged, but have done the conversion on a late 90s Kawasaki, mid-90s Harley as well as my wife’s earlier model Miata… I won’t say it is a no-brainer, but as bike mods go it is quite straightforward… The over-wattage conventional incandescent H4 is about the easiest installation (you can use the DOT variation too of course), and probably consumes the most power as well (typically 80/100 watt or 55/100 watt to as much as 130 watt), which may be a limiting factor on older bike alternators with limited output… Once the H4 reflector/housing is in place, the HID and LED conversion is electrically usually uncomplicated on older bikes (that don’t have bulb-out warning circuits) – but (BIG “but”) -- not all HID/LED “bulbs” are created equal – and although you may find all sorts of stratospheric lumen quotes, if the light elements aren’t correctly designed to sit in the correct relationship with the H4 housing reflector, you may get a light pattern that is iffy to distracting at best.

You might go to a higher-dollar website like Headlight Revolution and poke about on their videos, then you’ll have an idea what to look for – I have no connection to them, and you don’t have to buy from them anyway, but their light info is sound… The alternative to the H4 housing is to go to one of the Cyclopes style 7” converter kits – all the above caveats apply here too. Note, regardless of installation, strongly suggest you use a relay and draw power directly from your battery (using legacy switches and wiring simply for switching) or a sub-panel for any over-wattage installations…

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I'm a little confused. Is the H4 housing the same size as the OEM's light housing on the CM450? Are they both 7"?
And the wattage on the lights you are recommending are astronomically higher than the 35 and 50 watt range of the originals. Would I need to get a new and bigger alternator to use these lights with the higher wattages?

And what are legacy switches?

 

[JDerrick]

Both are interchangeable. A reflector housing is quite superior to a sealed beam and allows you to use different wattage H4 halogen bulbs. The first post I made in this thread was a link to a place that sells excellent reflectors. My bike had a dull reflector and was very dim when I got it. I used to live in a place where deer dodging was the rule instead of the exception so I went a step further after replacement and put a Cree LED in it. Just about anything is much better than than a sealed beam. You might also have a problem with voltage loss at the headlight. There are relay modifications so you get full power directly from the battery, but one step at a time. If you have a sealed beam, replace it with a new reflector housing for a H4 bulb. If you have a dull reflector housing, just replace it with a good one and Candlepower sells excellent ones. A Legacy switch is what is on your bike. It is old and probably has a green patina on the contacts that may reduce voltage to the light (one step at a time). Make too many changes at one time and you will end up chasing your tail a lot.

So your saying that I could buy this? https://www.bikebandit.com/aftermar...lights/emgo-headlight-assembly/p/47325?m=2133

and install this?
https://www.bikebandit.com/aftermar...lights/emgo-headlight-assembly/p/47325?m=2133

Then replace the legacy switches? And I would be good to go?