I would appreciate input on LED head lights lights and accessory lights

[850 Combat]

I've been searching LED threads. Most are quite old, so I was hoping to get some information from those with a little long term experience. I would like to have brighter lights all around. Running lights (currently in front only), turn signals, tail lights, and brake light can all use an upgrade. So could the head light. It is an '81 1000G. I've been riding it regularly in fairly heavy surface street traffic, sometimes at sunset. Quite a bit of idling at stop lights, and rarely does it ever go over 3000 t0 3500 RPM.

Any advice on LED upgrades? I have three of these bikes, but this is the only one I'm riding a lot right now.

It will make 14 volts at the battery at 4000, but that takes a minuit or so to do. As far as I'm concerned, that is as should be expected. It always starts on the button. I think the charging system is fine. It has a few extra grounds and an old Gold Wing Shindengen R/R out of an old Gold Wing. Not the latest, but way better than stock.

[Grimly]

That old GW r/r will be a shunt type anyway, so treat the bike to a series one - an absolute must if you're running LEDs.
As far as the LED headlamp bulbs go - I'm still happily using the small-cob ones I fitted ages ago and have yet to have a failure.
The only downside is you can't be sure until you try them what the beam pattern will be like and to do it properly means avoiding blinding or dazzling other road users.

Otoh, you might be best served by a total modern sealed unit, as demonstrated by Steve and others since. The big advantage of those is they're ready-aligned internally and just like a conventional m/cycle headlight, the whole thing can be locked in the proper position.

[rphillips]

I thought LED's use way less current than any other type lights? And why do many of them have "fans" on them, I thought the LED's just get warm, not hot... This new stuff confuses me.

[Grimly]

I thought LED's use way less current than any other type lights? And why do many of them have "fans" on them, I thought the LED's just get warm, not hot... This new stuff confuses me.

It's to keep better heat control. LED don't produce a huge amount of heat - relatively tiny compared to QH bulbs - but what heat there is has to be ducted away quickly, either by fan on h/sinks or braid cooling. I always shied away from fan-cooled ones as I didn't trust the longevity of fans, but I've now seen plenty where the fans have lasted fine.
If you notice on the rear of the all-in-one solutions (7" Jeep lamps, for example), they have heavily riibbed rear casings, and even though they don't have fans there's sufficient heat-shedding area to do the job, especially as the H/lamp is mounted in a perfect place for forced air to go past it.

[dorkburger]

I thought LED's use way less current than any other type lights? And why do many of them have "fans" on them, I thought the LED's just get warm, not hot... This new stuff confuses me.

My understanding from reading here over the years is that due to the LEDs low power draw, excess unconsumed power gets sent (shunted) back to the stator causing it to run hotter. The series type R/R switches on / off as needed.
(I think)

[850 Combat]

I don't have a shortage of electricity. If I ever needed a new R/R I would consider a newer type, as I think they are easier on the stator and may lower oil temperatures. That said, I don't need one right now, all my GS have the Gold Wing type, and frankly, I've had a lot of trouble over the decades with connectors. I have quite a few soldered connections in lieu of overheated spade and bullet plugs. I do not appreciate that the new type Shindengin that saves the world has plug connectors on it in lieu of wire leads. I've had too much trouble with connectors, especially from the stator to the R/R and out of the R/R, and poor grounding of the battery box. So nobody has any light bulb recommendations?

[Rich82GS750TZ]

7" Truck-Lite 27270C-MP, in addition to the aforementioned Shindengen SH775, because it’s a series, not a shunt. Glen explained it pretty well.

[phydeauxmutt]

7" Truck-Lite 27270C-MP, in addition to the aforementioned Shindengen SH775, because it’s a series, not a shunt. Glen explained it pretty well.

Yes, you say you have "no shortage of electricity" with your Goldwing R/Rs, but if you install LEDs, especially a headlight, your problem will not be a shortage, but an EXCESS of electricity.

As Dorkburger mentioned, anything that is in excess of what the bike needs will be shunted back through the stator. What that really means is that the stator is generating as MUCH as it can, ALL THE TIME. Some of it is used by the bike, the rest is shorted (shunted) to ground. Since that path to ground goes through the stator, it increases the amount of current going through there, meaning that it will be running warmer. Exactly what you DON'T want.

The SH775 stator (commonly found on Polaris side-by-sides and SeaDoo watercraft) does not shunt the excess, it simply turns it off. This actually reduces the amount of current going through the stator to an amount that is less than stock, because nothing is being wasted.

There have been major improvements in LED "bulbs" over the last few years. The biggest problem with fitting LEDs instead of a halogen bulb is that the light source (LED emitter) is not where the tungsten filament was. Since it is out of the focal point, the light will not be reflected and projected where it is supposed to go. Some of the newer bulbs do have a line of tiny emitters on a very flat panel that is pretty darn close to what is needed. The biggest problem with those is that they are about $100 each. And then there is no guarantee that it will be correct in YOUR light.

A better solution was offered by Rich. The Truck Lite is a full light, not just a bulb. You pretty much remove your headlight reflector/lens assembly and install the Truck Lite. Can't get much easier than that. I have seen several members mention that they had one (or more). Rich mentioned Steve, but I can also recall Dogma, Cowboyup, Wingsconsin and a few others, besides having one myself.

There are a couple of downsides with the Truck Lite. One is that they don't come in a size to fit an "L" bike, but it won't be a problem with your 1000G. The other is that it will cost about $150. Yes, it's not cheap, but on your first ride in the dark with it, you will wonder why you waited so long.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I actually didn’t mention Steve in this thread, but now that you bring him up, I’ll say that it was Steve who convinced me to get the Truck-Lite, and also gave me and countless others so much terrific guidance on all manner of bike things. I really miss his presence on the forum and hope that Steve and his family are well.

[Gorminrider]

( )cataract surgery may be in your future but otherwise; opining

If your 'running lights" are added (added incandescents accessory) changing these would be my first to go led....for real benefits in stoppngo traffic. You can get some cheapies on ebay that are extremely bright. However,some are not so great in look or quality but the underlying electrics are pretty good ime.... I've even put led s 'into old running lights to replace those nasty hot tiny halogens some have in them... (the reflectors and shell were high quality and they look much better than modern types...)
,
Signal lights and dash indicators (brakes,turn) won't provide much benefit unless they really are brighter. They aren't on all the time. That said, cheap bulbs are available that fit the sockets and look for the ones that have the most actual led area...even the gear-indicator bulbs are easily led'd find the socket type and search. (I have em here somewhere)

but Led turn signals are extra work if you have the original two connection- type blinkerbox that came on old bikes, You will need to wire in a relay for leds-they don't use enough power to heat the bimetal strip of the oldtime blinkerbox. Plus,, your dash indicator lights will probably need some changes.

I don't have an led headlight but the "steveoid" suggestion per "truck-lite" sounds the best -it's likely legal for one thing. But if $ is a hurdle,I'd suggest that if it's an old halogen in a socket in there now-they do get old and tired. New ones are brighter. (if it's a sealed beam-don't replace without a guarantee-the one's I've had die from vibration in days)

I still haven't lost a stator to my old honda sh232 or 238 r/r, led's or not.

[850 Combat]

I appreciate it, Gorminder. The Truck Light just isn't going to happen unless they make it look much more like a standard tail light. It looks like a Halloween mask to me. The '81 already came with dual filament turn signal/ running lights in front. I could make that happen in the rear turn signals in back probably without too much grief. . Brighter brake and tail light wouldn't hurt either.

Advice regarding the additional shunt of power to ground putting more heat into the stator is well taken. I'll run it by some electrical engineers at work.

Cataracts run in my family. So far I'm excluded from the problem, but time does not cure everything. It was common to have headlight switches on motorcycles for decades. Suzuki headlight switches isolated a leg of the stator from the R/R when not running the headlight. I'm not certain how much additional excess electricity will exist with a LED headlight. I could maybe find brighter incandescent running, brake, and tail light bulbs to help balance that.

[Gorminrider]

If visibility is a worry, Running with hi-beam during day is a huge help on its own I think ...there's some cost to bulb lifetime versus lowbeam but worth it. because there's a definite "memory issue" among car-drivers. Burning yourself into their brain as "WHAT IS THAT? " seems to help when they glance left and normally carry straight on through a stop sign...

I like a headlight switch too and it can allow a few more spins from a tiny battery. but the Suzuki loop integrated with it was "meh" - I think just maybe it was about their design of R/R as much as anything else ... which was weak compared to the Honda 232-238 shunts.... It's pretty easy to interrupt headlight ground with a switch. I actually have a very cool spring switch I can reach with my thumb on a Honda...I won't say it NEEDS a "flashier" start but it can help some days PLUS I note some more modern bikes mute the headlamp until motor starts automatically too, but in a far more complicated way.

One thing- it's unlikely you'll get strictly legal led replacements that are really brighter than (new,good) incandescents..by being generally "bluer" than yellowish incandescents leds trick the eye as being brighter. That is a good thing per being seen I guess but I'm not so sure that "brightness" is useful seeing more road at night.
Given that, replacement is more "power-saving" and ... I suppose theoretically there is some deloading of the stator's drag using a "series" R/R, but the watts/fuel saved versus engine hp are pretty small...If the bike were electric-well, that'd be a very different thing.
Just a thing I am into but I never liked the integrated running+turn idea...It seems on a bike it takes away from "note-ability" so I put separate white run lights on the lower frame of bike(crashbars better!) to make a "triangle"...then the flashing yellow turn stands alone off-BRIGHT versus dim-Bright. These runs are led so they are pretty bright and don't draw much. I keep my bright led runlights away from turn signals which (I think) can remove some noteability...)

It's generally illegal to run certain extra lights at night..(eg:fog lamps and other super-brights... I am trying presently wiring the run lights to hibeam switch and run with hibeam during day and careful to dim to lowbeam considerately at night...but used a switch on these run lights before...

[rphillips]

Probably shouldn't mention it because to use one on hwy. would make you a criminal...but you can get incandescent headlight bulbs in 100/55w for off rd. use. Legal is 65/55w. these bulbs are much brighter on Hi but on Lo don't affect oncoming traffic at all...Just say'in.

[Greg7]

Probably shouldn't mention it because to use one on hwy. would make you a criminal...but you can get incandescent headlight bulbs in 100/55w for off rd. use. Legal is 65/55w. these bulbs are much brighter on Hi but on Lo don't affect oncoming traffic at all...Just say'in.

Would these higher wattage bulbs get too hot and melt the harness?

[rphillips]

I wouldn't never guarantee anything, but I've ran them for yrs. & "I've" not had a problem.