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[Rod 1942]

Is it necessary to disconect the headlight from the bike to do this, or can it be done with the headlight in place. Looking to install a brighter bulb.

[SteveS]

Remove the two screws that hold the headlight in and remove the headlight bucket.Remove the plug at rear of headlight , then you rotate the bulb and remove. to put in new bulb , Do not touch the bulb with your fingers .

[snake]

Looking to install a brighter bulb.

Not sure how bright you want to go....bulbs with much higher than normal wattage require the use of a relay, to keep from burning up switches and wiring. If you would like a slight stepup without the need for relays, I'd suggest a Osram Ralleye bilux H4, a 70/65 watt bulb #64205. It is a Halogen bulb with great light output. I have run all the way up to 130/90 wattage bulbs before, but the 70/65 watt seems the best for me. Try:
http://store.candlepower.com/numerical-listing-click-to-continue.html

48911
NARVA H 4 12V 100/55W P43T

48901
NARVA H 4 12V 100/90W P43T

48951
NARVA H 4 12V 130/100W P43T

64205
H4 12V 70/65W P43t HALOGEN

64206
H4 12V 85/80W P43t HALOGEN

All these will work, remember that they are not "LEGAL" for on road use, so don't brag about them to an officer!
To me better lighting always wins out. The 70/65 won't blind the oncoming drivers like those 100, 130 watt bulbs can.
Good luck!
SSSSSssssssnake

[bluestreak]

Twenty years ago headlight nacels were metal, reflectors and lenses were actual glass. The best reflectors were silver coated leaded glass and pretty heavy.  Those materials could handle the very high tempratures of high wattage bulbs without damage.  We could run very high wattage bulbs (The 100/140 H4 Iodine gas bulbs were flame throwers) provided we set the wiring up to accomodate the higher amp draws.  Now a days most nacels are chrome plated or painted abs plastic with reflectors that are chrome plated ABS plastic and lens that are acrylic (like on the VTX).  These new plastic materials sometimes can not tolerate the higher heat generated by higher than OEM wattage bulbs we use to run in the all glass and metal headlights.  I've heard stories of folks melting headlights assemblies on VTXs and other brand bikes after switching to wattages above even 85, so be carefull when considering bumping the bulb wattage.  The law mandates 55/65 as maximum wattage so anything above that can get you a ticket.
Bumping the wattage will only net you a brighter light on the same area of coverage your current lens and reflector will generate.

The biggest factors in determining the ability to "see" the road is the reflector size, design and light temprature.  Light temprature plays a role in determining how much contrast the light casts against objects which helps you "see" an object at night.  The best light temprature for contrast is in the range of 4800-6500 Kelvin which closely approximates natural sun light.  Using a bulb that casts a obvious dark blue or purple light (8000 Kelvin) limits contrast and is a poor choice for night time driving but is better than a standard OEM buld for day time because it allows cagers to see YOU better durring the day.  The VTX has a pretty good reflector design that produces a good area of coverage with a pronounced horizontal cut off line, which is great for not pissing off other drivers if you decide to run hotter bulbs. So short of changing the entire headlight to get better coverage, the 55/65 Sylvania Silver Stars are best bulbs I've tried in any of my bikes.  They run only slightly hotter than standard halogen bulbs of the same wattage and operate at around 6000 Kelvin.  I like them other than the fact they seem to not last as long and are more fragile than OEM bulbs to hard wheelie impacts.    

[Rod 1942]

Thanks for all the info, I appreciate it. I went with the PIAA bulb. So far it's working well.