NC35 - improved headlights wanted.

[manicguitarist]

Looking at prices for things - and this would be just a relay loom to replace the wiring to the main lights (as opposed to the main beam too) - it would cost:

H4 sockets £1.99 for a pair
H4 male plug (1 of) £3.30
Inline Fuse £2
Relay £3
Ring terminals 5p
12 gauge Wire £2.50

So around £13 in parts - could probably get the bits for less if made enough of them.
Add another £3 for another relay if you want the main beam on new wiring too - as opposed to just passed through.

[Speedy]

I'd like better lighting on my NC35 too, especially now that it's endurance styled with its single headlight; but since there's no High/Low beam switch, do I still need a relay for that or can I simply get a H4 bulb and use it as it is?
P.s. I've a Li Ion battery on the bike now, if that makes any difference.

[lutorm]

I went all out on my NC23 and stuck tiny bi-xenon projectors into the existing headlight housings. It's way better than stock and would be even better if I had a clear glass rather than the existing striped one.

[speedy231278]

If you can solder then the wiring is easy enough to do - I did it on my NC35.

That all said - my NC35 was running standard UK bulbs when I got it - with no detriment. The headlights on the NC35 are permanently on - and as such don't go through a switch (so nothing to burn out). They are switched with the ignition and use a relay as far as I can tell (I am saying that because they are switched off when you press the starter button - which implies to me a relay - and yes, switched off as opposed to drop in voltage).

I will check the wiring diagram and get back to you to confirm.

They will be brighter if you do a wiring mod - because the old wiring loom has some resistance in it (I found about 1/2Ohm - which equates to a couple of volts at the lights...)

While the low beam cannot be switched off in the sense that you turn everything off, it still passes through the hi/lo switch so that the output can be alternated between the two. So, whatever load is on the headlamps is still pulled through the same feed to the switch. Now, if someone could tell me why the same switch block than can handle 2x 60W main beams turns all gooey and the contacts jam in when you have 55W low beam instead of 35W ones, I would love to know!

[Neosophist]

While the low beam cannot be switched off in the sense that you turn everything off, it still passes through the hi/lo switch so that the output can be alternated between the two. So, whatever load is on the headlamps is still pulled through the same feed to the switch. Now, if someone could tell me why the same switch block than can handle 2x 60W main beams turns all gooey and the contacts jam in when you have 55W low beam instead of 35W ones, I would love to know!

It doesn't work quite like that.

This switch doesn't carry the power for the high beam, it simply activates the high beam relay, which has heavier duty contacts to switch power to the high beam side.

The switch DOES carry all the power for the low beam though. Which is 70 watts of power using the stock H4R bulbs .

If you put H4s in without adding an additional relay to drive the low beam you increase the load over the switch from 70 watts to 110 watts, which is more than the contacts can take and it melts overtime.