shoud be able to ride in evening sounds as though you have a few problems.
Check battery and bulbs are right voltage
you can get brighter bulbs. Standard ones are tungstun you could invest in Halogen ones, much brighter. Make sure they are the right voltage, check with the a dealer
However check all the lighting connections make sure they are clean and free from water dirt.
One question. When your bike is ticking over and you rev the engine do your lights get brighter. They should get notably brighter, if not it suggests you may have a problem with your bike charging your battery as you go.
bb
January 2010