My least-favorite part of the 696 works great

[mstevens]

The design feature of the 696 that I've always liked the least is the headlight.

This evening we drove down to Mass. to pick up my wife's red 696. It thunderstormed the whole way there, but stopped just as we left for home. I had 60 miles of my least-favorite riding: dark, unfamiliar rural roads in bad condition with puddles and other crap, peppered with bad, impatient drivers. The headlight is so much better than the one on my 620 that it's hard to think of them as the same basic thing (and I've got really nice bulbs in the 620).

[Popeye the Sailor]

The design feature of the 696 that I've always liked the least is the headlight.

This evening we drove down to Mass. to pick up my wife's red 696. It thunderstormed the whole way there, but stopped just as we left for home. I had 60 miles of my least-favorite riding: dark, unfamiliar rural roads in bad condition with puddles and other crap, peppered with bad, impatient drivers. The headlight is so much better than the one on my 620 that it's hard to think of them as the same basic thing (and I've got really nice bulbs in the 620).

After your mirror thread I'm now tempted to suggest a different headlight as if the stock one didn't work right just because 

[Raux]

it works even better if you buy the whiter (higher temp) bulbs!

[mstevens]

it works even better if you buy the whiter (higher temp) bulbs!

I would imagine. I've got those in the 620, but even with the stock bulbs the funny-looking 696 headlight works much better.

[z0mb1e_DUC]

it ain't pretty, but it does work.  It's probably the one item that I don't like the looks of, but have a hard time justify changing out, cause, functionally it's quite good.   

I've always been a function over form kinda guy.

[Kurt V]

it works even better if you buy the whiter (higher temp) bulbs!

I'm not happy with the light output at night with the stock bulbs. What bulbs do you suggest?

[Raux]

you need to be looking at the color temp of the bulbs. the sylvania silverstar bulbs H1 and H7 bulbs are 4000k and 501 Phillips Bluevision H5W bulbs for the center at 3400k

[Scissors]

Please note that bulbs with tint (such as the blue SilverStars) actually put out less light than untinted bulbs of the same wattage.  In order to overcome this, you'd need to go to a higher wattage bulb.

This also means more heat, which can age/damage the housing over time.

I suggest HID for the lowbeam.  Though it's likely the housing is not properly designed for HID, and would thus throw the light in an incorrect pattern.  But it's probably still better for oncoming traffic than a high-output traditional bulb.

But that's just me.  YMMV

[Raux]

my silverstar... if i remember right weren't coated. and put out more light than stock

[Christian]

Silverstars are coated, FYI.

[Raux]

well it must have been my ad-influenced vision that realized they were brighter

[Alex]

Generally speaking, higher color temp bulbs put out less light than lower color temp of the same wattage and type. They just look "brighter" because they are whiter.

IMO, the ideal color temp is that of the sun. Unless you enjoy the pale glow of fluorescent tubes, leave the ultra-white bulbs for the teenagers trying to make their cars look cool.