Living close to the edge of streetlit civilisation as I do, I am gobsmacked at how poor the XB12Ss headlights are. I used to love hooning down country lanes on warm summer nights on my M2 but since I got the XB my previously favoured environment has become scary and my rate of progress through it embarrassingly slow as soon as the sun goes down.

If I head into towns I expect to have to ride slowly to avoid the attention of officers of the law and speed cameras, but now, on the XB, if I head away from towns I have to ride even more slowly because I can't see where I am going!

So I'm bringing my M2 out of retirement. I was thinking of selling it but have changed my mind. Much as I like the XB, I like riding out to country pubs in the summer, too. I like rather less being taken by surprise by bends and junctions leaping at me out of the darkness from too few yards away.

I *will* uprate the lights on the XB (suggestions and opinions on effectiveness invited), but I'll still be concerned I'd have to get recovered from wherever until I find the cause of its intermittent reluctance to start (Separate thread in archive) and can restore at least some of my confidence in the electrical system.

Resurrecting the M2 may well be quicker!

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Reality is what you make it.

if i know i'm gonna be out in the dark the m2 is my favoured too
i have a night train but i cant see much even on main beam when the sun goes down
good move on not selling the m2 !!!!

M2 is a better .....all round...... .... bike anyway !!!!!!!

Compared to my SRAD the XBs lights are excellent.

You can swap a wire over under the front flyscreen bit that puts both headlights on when you have full beam selected - I did that before I'd really had it out of town in the dark so can't say how much it helps.

Suppose your next option is more powerful bulbs, then after that upgrading to HID light/s.

lol i only ride me night train when the buell is broken

Done 2 death before but the "both on lamps" mod helps a lot. Also PIAA lamps are very good as well as fitting spot lights.

The main prob is the headlamp design. Not to great

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Last year I joined a group for anti-social people
We haven't met yet.

Don't mess about just go straight to HID ...you won't regret it

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2001 X1 2009 1125CR 2006 Uly X3 2010 Uly a fully Maz'd S1 and a 1991 RS1200 Westwind.

IIRC HIDs are illegal in not HID lenses

I read somewhere that the boys-in-blue are cracking down on drivers with incorrect fitment.

You'll be in the slammer before you know Kevmean, just be careful when you pick the soap up in the shower...

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08 Specialized Langster

Well i shan't be taking mine off untill they make me ...may even get another to put on main beam as well

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2001 X1 2009 1125CR 2006 Uly X3 2010 Uly a fully Maz'd S1 and a 1991 RS1200 Westwind.

And I don't think they will go easy on Muffin in prison either...

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08 Specialized Langster

Pash knows. He's done hard time for an illegal numberplate

Seem to recall HID lamps in the main beam not legal either