Installed Sylvania LED Headlight bulbs.

I saw these on the shelf at the local AutoZone and decided to give them a try.



So far I'm very pleased with the results. While technically not DOT approved for this, as long as you have your headlights aimed properly I think you'll be fine. These Sylvania LED closely match actual halogen beam spread, and I didn't have to make any aiming adjustments after install. I've done a bit of night riding, and so far nobody has flashed their brights at me when faced with just the low beam. The LED emitters are small and match the spacing location of halogen filaments pretty closely. There's also little balconies on either side that stand in for the shield you would see in an actual H4. If you don't want to go with Sylvania, I would still look for a LED bulb from another manufacturer that is matching this design.

The official Honda VFR bulb, seen on the left, has wider tab spacing than normal H4 bulbs. It's long been known you can just bend the bottom tabs on a regular H4 and use it, the bottom bulb is one I pulled out of the bike for the LED install.


The Sylvania LED bulb base separates. The bottom tabs can't be bent, but are easily cut off. I just gave them a few passes with a hacksaw and they came off.

Install of the LED is pretty easy. Mount the modified base in the VFR headlight housing and secure the spring clip. Pass the bulb through the dust boot, and install in the base. Twist bulb to line up. The LED emitters should be pointing horizontal, balconies facing upwards.


The drivers for the bulbs are pretty small. I tucked them and the VFR headlight plugs into the fairing openings on either side. I am a little concerned how the dust boot seems to block bulb side cooling vents, but time will tell. Bulbs do come with a 5 year limited warranty.


Just a photo of the bike and some beam shots.

 

Thanks for the writeup. I'm just about to do this on mine.

 

years pass quickly. I threw halogens back in some time ago. The Sylvanias were still working, now in storage. I was concerned about rectifier health with vastly dropped electrical load.

Updated advice if you want to do this. The little driver boxes, don't just tuck them in the fairing pockets to freely skate around while riding. Secure them down with double-sided whatever. 3M and Velcro make adhesive back fastener pads that can do this.

Install a Series Rectifier, like the SH847. The stock halogens are a main consumer of the stator's power. Dropping electrical load with a LED swap means a standard rectifier (even MOSFET) has more power to dump as waste heat. Modern MOSFETs can probably handle this for a long time, but they don't throttle back stator output. Series rectifiers will throttle back stator output as demand requires. Potentially prolonging stator life in the process. Series rectifier install is a win-win and best electrical system mod you can do.