The latest in LED head lights

[Big T]

The LED head light tech seems to be evolving monthly. I'm looking to upgrade my bikes and would like some tech talk and feed back from people who have been using LED head lights. Not interested in tail lights or turn signals

Charlie G. mentioned these

http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/

The video with Trevor has this company

https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/7000-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-Bulb_p_169.html

The Cyclops is spendy, but is 2 X the lumens and is fan cooled

 

[Steve]

Note that fan cooling sounds like a nice feature, but look at how much air is available inside the headlight bucket for cooling.

I have a very limited experience with LED inserts for headlights, and it was dismal, at best. Others have reported modest success, and I purchased the ADV Monster insert based on that. Yes, there was a lot of light, but it was unfocused, much like having a VERY bright candle out there. Very impressive, until you actually hit the road, as there was NOTHING projected down the road. I hear there have been improvements, but I have not seen them for myself.

The way I see it, the source of light on the LED and HID inserts is not quite in the same place as the filament on the incandescent inserts, so the light projected will not have the same pattern. Sometimes it's not too bad, other times it's totally unacceptable. I prefer to replace the entire bulb/reflector/lens assembly, to have something that was designed together to put a proper pattern on the road. Yes, it's even MORE money, but it's one of those things that makes you ask "why did I wait so long to do this?" :-k

.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

I have been turned off by many reports about such things. Have you looked into Narva bulbs?

 

[posplayr]

http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-3800-H4-LED-Headlamp-Bulb&highlight=Cyclopse

 

[Gorminrider]

Get a DOT approved light.

otherwise, Per Led headlamps, I'm Waiting until the dust settles...but I am thinking Steve's comment is very pertinent-We MAY need new reflectors to suit these. ( I tried an ebay cheapo for fun and indeed, it's a mess. I also wouldn't have a fan ...but heatsink-sure. Lots of air around a moving motorcycle)

anyways, No headlight sees around corners (though some cars have them swivel nowadays!) so brighter is not always better. and the "brighter" trend can be useless where everyone is dazzled by each others' oncoming super-novas.... but maybe you live alone on the prairie where you can dazzle a deer further down the road.

 

[Steve]

I also wouldn't have a fan ...but heatsink-sure. Lots of air around a moving motorcycle)

Sure, there is a lot of air around a moving motorcycle, but the heat sink is going to be in a very small, confined area inside the headlight bucket.
But I would still take a heat sink with no moving parts over a fan that might fail.

No headlight sees around corners (though some cars have them swivel nowadays!) so brighter is not always better.

To make it even WORSE, when a bike turns, it leans. That means that, instead of the curve going to the side of the bike, there is now an "upward" vector, relative to the bike, as well. Even switching to high beams in a turn will not raise the beam enough to see through the turn.

... and the "brighter" trend can be useless where everyone is dazzled by each others' oncoming super-novas....

The Cyclops bulb claims 7000 Lumens? If they are not focused on the road, they are useless, and I certainly don't want THAT coming towards me.

.

 

[posplayr]

The Cyclops bulb claims 7000 Lumens? If they are not focused on the road, they are useless, and I certainly don't want THAT coming towards me.

.

I did a comparative analysis in the link provided.

 

[Guest]

J.W. Speaker has a mucho grande expensive cornering headlight.
http://www.jwspeaker.com/products/adaptive-led-headlights-model-8790-adaptive/

 

[Steve]

J.W. Speaker has a mucho grande expensive cornering headlight.
http://www.jwspeaker.com/products/adaptive-led-headlights-model-8790-adaptive/

And I thought my Truck-Lite light was expensive. :-\\\

J.W. Speaker 7″ LED Black Adaptive Headlight

Manufacturer Part Number 0552341


This product fits a variety of motorcycles. Please select yours so we can find the right part and guarantee fitment. Select A Motorcycle

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[storm 64]

I don't like the looks of them LED headlights. It takes away the classic look of vintage motorcycle. Plus I'm not sure of the reliability of the light. For now I'll stick with the PIAA H4 Super Plasma Bulb. 3800/5000 Kelvin!

(I know this cause I'm reading the box) ☺

 

[GS1150Pilot]

I don't like the looks of them LED headlights. It takes away the classic look of vintage motorcycle. Plus I'm not sure of the reliability of the light. For now I'll stick with the PIAA H4 Super Plasma Bulb. 3800/5000 Kelvin! 

(I know this cause I'm reading the box) ☺

+1 on H4 bulbs.

 

[Guest]

The LED daytime running lights on new cars really stand out. That kind of daytime visibility would really help on bikes given how lots of cagers drive.
That?s something to think about when picking your bike headlight.


Projector LED headlights don?t look as ?vintage? as reflector headlights. But they may be a lot better as daytime running lights.

 

[salty_monk]

And I thought my Truck-Lite light was expensive. :-\\\

J.W. Speaker 7″ LED Black Adaptive Headlight

Manufacturer Part Number 0552341


This product fits a variety of motorcycles. Please select yours so we can find the right part and guarantee fitment. Select A Motorcycle

• 
• 

• 
• 

Product may vary from photo(s).




$854.99

Free Ground Shipping

Uses the same tech as the KTM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8qolUQT7S4

Basically turning on a line of LEDS to light the way as it leans

Bit cheaper here http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/232355045430

 

[GS1150Pilot]

The LED daytime running lights on new cars really stand out. That kind of daytime visibility would really help on bikes given how lots of cagers drive.
That’s something to think about when picking your bike headlight.


Projector LED headlights don’t look as “vintage” as reflector headlights. But they may be a lot better as daytime running lights.

I'm guessing most folks buy headlights for night riding vision rather than daytime visibility, however.

 

[Steve]

I don't like the looks of them LED headlights. It takes away the classic look of vintage motorcycle.

Yes, I have noticed that many members here are after a particular "look". Some of those looks might be a bit questionable to the purists, others are going for the purist look. For an example, I questioned your move to spoked wheels, instead of cast. Yeah, it has a certain "look", but it also involves more maintenance. I understand the spoked wheels are a bit lighter, which would help a lot for racing, but I am not sure they offer that much of an advantage on the street. Not criticizing your bike, though. I do like the way it looks, it's just something that I would not do to my bike.

I will agree that many of the lights are getting rather "glitzy", like the Daymaker and the one I showed a few posts earlier, but the TruckLite is rather simple and clean-looking. On my bike, with a black fairing, the fact that the light has a black-out look just makes it blend in that much more. On a bike without a fairing, it does look a bit "different" with its black appearance. For me, my bike is enough of a mixture, it's hard to say that the light looks out of place. And, while it doesn't look that out of place, I can see a LOT better, so it stays. :encouragement:

Plus I'm not sure of the reliability of the light.

I don't know about any of the other brands, but the TruckLite was originally designed for use in the military HumVees.
While ultimate lifetime might be up in the air, there is no question that they can withstand some pretty rough abuse in the process.
And, ... I can't tell you how many H4 bulbs I have had fail over the years. Yeah, they are good, usually predictable quality, but I ALWAYS carried a spare. :-\\\

.

 

[Gorminrider]

...show us a demo again of those running lights, Steve if you have the pix around- as turn signals they change colour? and the unused one goes off! I recall- verry cool and demonstrative signals! ('though I am not sure if I could use the run light function legally at night hereabouts? I'll have to read up on those! ...)

....I can't tell you how many H4 bulbs I have had fail over the years.

The BRIGHTER H4s burn out very quickly. According to the packaging info, the "hours' life" are much reduced from the "standard" bulb so I bet the filament is delicate too and made for cushy car suspension. I've had good life from the standard H4...

....as an aside, Sealed beams, if you must have them, seem Especially bad nowadays.... I needed a square one for a fairing -twice, they lasted about 12 hours riding...again, researching found that a harder-to- find one with a lower wattage had 10x the expected life.

Right now, Until I can afford something like Steve's, that change function, I like my cheapo LED run-lights mounted away from turn signals + the plain old low-beam H4 headlight... But my (ahem!) "classic" bikes can't have non-stock lighting...so Hi-beam is the running light and it reduces the lifespan of these...or tipping the lowbeam up is a help too, maybe.
At night, I don't have a problem with a single, normal H4s in car or bike (the aforementioned Cheapo led run-lights being illegal patterns then) But I slow down too and my eyes seem pretty good-I can see "beyond" lowbeam's range if there's not too much traffic... In real dark, very little light is really needed, when your eyes are accustomed

 

[tkent02]

Have you guys in your research run across any LED H4s for 6 volt electrical system? I know a lot of them say 6v - 34v or even 6v - 80v, but I can't imagine they would be bright at all on a 6 volt system? Thinking 6 volts is probably where they just start to glow a little bit?

 

[posplayr]

Have you guys in your research run across any LED H4s for 6 volt electrical system? I know a lot of them say 6v - 34v or even 6v - 80v, but I can't imagine they would be bright at all on a 6 volt system? Thinking 6 volts is probably where they just start to glow a little bit?

From what I have seen , the LED need a certain current through them to achieve a specific brightness. The reason that the voltage ranges are so wide is because there is a current regulator that adjusts to the required current independent of the input voltage.
what that means is typically you draw 1.5 amps from a 12v battery the input current will drop to .75 amps @ 24v or go up to 3amps at 6 volts.
in other words the amplifier will keep constant power to the LED and brightness rains the same.

 

[tkent02]

Ah, so any that run without that get dim at 6 Volts, all I have tested is the little tail lights and turn sigs which don't have it. They light up at 6 Volts, but very dim. I guess all of the expensive ones would work as you say. The light bulb in my head just came on, thank you. Now where did I put that ADV Monster I bought a while ago.....

 

[posplayr]

Ah, so any that run without that get dim at 6 Volts, all I have tested is the little tail lights and turn sigs which don't have it. They light up at 6 Volts, but very dim. I guess all of the expensive ones would work as you say. The light bulb in my head just came on, thank you. Now where did I put that ADV Monster I bought a while ago.....

A simple single LED like in a tail light or dash light bulb will be designed for a fixed voltage. These typically use a fixed resistor to get the right current at that voltage. The brightness of bigger headlamp LEDs would vary too much and so use the amplifier plus can be adapted to 6-30V applications.