I know this subject has been discussed already, and I know that Sylvania and Osram, Phillips, etc make brighter halogen bulbs already. Are there any LED or HID bulbs that work? I see the new cars and bikes with vastly superior lighting, but I have heard of people having trouble with LED. Am I asking to much of my 17 year old bike?
These ones work awesome. http://www.xenondepot.com/H4-LED-motorcycle-headlight-kit-p/h4-led-mhl.htm Sure, they don't have a real clean cutoff (because I'm using the stock headlight housing) and adjusting them is tricky, but they are definitely much brighter and more noticeable than halogens. Behold them on my 6th gen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AxsSNB15ro
This is more to do with lighting design than power. A 55 watt bulb is a 55 watt bulb; newer designs leverage CAD and other new technologies to maximize light output. Yes, HID and LED are brighter but if you do not have the housings for them, much of that light is wasted and can create glare for everyone else, which I find unacceptable. I think the best way to add additional usable light, is to add additional lights to the bike such as touring lamps that you commonly see on BMWs and such. Or, to do a real retrofit on the stock light to add a projector element.
Cool, thanks. I really need to correctly aim my lights. The P.O. got cut off by a car and so he adding Chinese fairings and I think the headlight assy is from Ebay too. Right no my high beams are aimed very low and my highbeams are waking squirrels in the tree tops. However, the low beams are VERY dim. Kind of a brownish light.
Another led brand to look at a bit more money $150 for 2 bulbs but they have a lifetime warranty. https://www.lifetimeledlights.com/led_lights/h4_led_bulb_h4_led_headlight_bulbs They cut a big hole into the darkness. Also led bulbs are dot legal upgrades to stock halogen
A little off subject, whats the companies name where you can send your instrument cluster to and they'll redo with LED lights any color?
I've had them for almost 3 years now and they are great! In a daily use bike they have been faultless and even survived a R/R failure.
Underoath87: I would like to see a picture of the LED beam projection....any chance you can do that? Also was wondering what the actual impact is to the RR with pulling less current with the LEDs compared to the H4s.? I know the RR will get hotter as it has to make-up for the less current draw...just wonder about RR life.....any comments on that?
Eee I'm thinking just the opposite, and why the more interests here, more light for less energy spent. Less draw means less work load, meaning less amps equals less heat. Well it's that way in the AC world. Amps are amps right Knight?
Normally less current draw would mean less heat; however in the case of the RR the stator puts out the same power(varies with RPM) but the job of the RR is to regulate this power to be a constant level. So if the lights are drawing less current, then the RR must dissapate more in heat. At least that is what I have read over the last year of so of VFR ownership. Do not follow the "why more interest here" ??
I've tried just about everything on my 6th gen and I think you'll find that with a fresh set of halogen bulbs (I use Hella H/L) and properly aligned headlights you'll be very happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vht6x92wl_8 Keep in mind that I have a 6th gen. Yeah, there's a bit of overspray. But I live in central FL with some of the worst drivers the country has to offer, so I'd rather blind oncoming drivers a bit than not be seen at intersections.
Been using the same LEDs in a stock CBR500R; huge difference with the halogens. Slight readjustment needed but for the price, I'm very satisfied. I just bought a 2005 VFR800 and will replace the halogens immediately.
