The longevity update:
I installed the Evitek G6 LED bulbs that were first recommended by Spiderman in this thread back in September of 2017. The electronic control box that is part of the wiring harness of one of the bulbs failed. So it lasted for six years. It still works on high beam but blows the fuse on low beam. The other one is still working fine. My original halogen bulbs were in there for six years before I put in the LED bulbs, and they are still working just fine as that is what I have put back in to get my headlamps working again.
The problem:
This happened while I was out on a ride. I noticed that I didn't have any headlamps when I went through a covered bridge that has yellow reflective markings on the sides and I didn't see any reflection from my headlamps. I tried my high beams and still no reflection, and I noticed that I had no high beam indicator on my dash either. The internal electronic control box failure caused a short that blew one of the headlamp fuses taking out all headlamp function, high and low beam, on both sides. There was no point in replacing the fuse as it would just blow again. So I had to ride home with no headlamps which makes a person feel uneasy. It feels like your safety has been compromised because you are so much less visible now.
I know that halogen bulb filaments can short out and cause a fuse to blow as well, but that is extremely uncommon with incandescent bulbs. Overwhelmingly an incandescent bulb will just stop illuminating, it won't cause a short circuit. The rest of the headlamp system continues to function providing illumination. Electronic control box failures seem to result in a short circuit much more frequently, which in the case of headlamps is not to good if it results in the loss of all headlamp function.
The above aside, I find the LED bulbs to be far superior to the halogen, and I will be putting LED's back in once I get around to getting some.