| Author | Message | ||
     Jonsocal |
OK, I have seen a ton of the HID's for motorcycles and many of you guys on here have already installed them. I also know that when I mountainbike at night that there are those that now use LED's which are smaller, burn much less energy and can be as bright as a supernova. Are there any applications for motorcycles? I figure that they have to be way less expensive than HID's as they have no need for that huge ballast. Someone please educate me. TIA Jonsocal | ||
| Froggy |
This is a joke right? The light output on LEDs is terrible, at best. The highest output LED aux light I have seen on the market was something like 500 lumens, while a standard 55w halogen bulb is around 1000 lumens. The DDM HID kit brings you up to 5000 lumens. LEDs are great for things like turn signals, brake lights, and a pocket flashlight, but is absolutely useless when you need to blast down the road at highway speeds. Also you mention the cost, HID bulbs win again, as you would be looking at several hundred dollars per bulb to get something that matches a halogen bulb output. If by huge ballasts on the HID, you mean something so small that two of them take up less space than a pack of cigarettes,then yes they are huge.  | ||
| Jonsocal |
Froggy, I've seen the LED's and they are ridiculously bright. I've recently ridden with a a guy on our mtb's at night and he was pumping out a more than respectable 1500 lumens from just two tiny bulbs. From what I have heard, the batteries are the larger cost for the mountainbiking lights. I ride with HID mtb lights and this guys LED's were about three times brighter. http://niterider.com/prod_pro1400.shtml Jonsocal | ||
| Towpro |
The problem is price. I have seen LED's running $450.00. HID's run $45.00 for the pair! I ran them both 35w HIDs for 4000 miles with no bad affects to wires or reflectors. | ||
| Sharkguy |
I just bought these for the uly. Just got them in yesterday. I need to make a light bar to mount them on the bike. They are bright. http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607184 | ||
| Sleez |
if you go to a 7" headlight you could use this bulb, but i think they are like $300.00 http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servle t/GenericView?pageName=/new/PressReleases_en_US/12 vLEDHeadlamp.html&storeId=10001&langId=-1 | ||
| Froggy |
Jonsocal, thank you for that link, I will have to look further into that, it sounds like BS to me, but would love to be proven wrong. I checked on ebay quick and saw that 1400 was $550, not exactly cheap enough for me to pick up one to toy around with, so I will do more research. | ||
| Sprintex |
Saw one of those LED head lights on a Guzzi T3 at the Guzzi breakfast Sunday. The owner loves, it says it is very bright. He put it on to free up some watts. | ||
| Andymnelson |
frank, I'm dissapointed!  LED technology has come a LONG way. There are some very bright LED products out there, but they are spendy and require controllers and proper cooling. It is pretty cool technology tho. Find the thread in the XB forum about the guy with the turbo XB that was building his own headlight- pretty cool stuff in there, some informative links too. oh, and accoding to ddmtuning.com: typical H7: lumens 35w HID: lumens 55w HID: 5000 lumens | ||
| Keith_mahoney |
I have been using Magicshine lights for a while now on my mountain bikes. they are really cheap for the amount of light you get. I haven't had one burn out yet but for the cost compared to niteriders or other popular lights I won't mind so much when one does. Here is the link for them http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=inde x&manufacturers_id=22 they are ridiculously bright. The problem I see with LEDs though is that they get real friggin hot if you are not moving. They would not hold up sitting in traffic. All the mountain bikers I have met turn off their lights whenever they stop. | ||
| Seanp |
Check out this thread over at ADVRider: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607184 The lights are $90-115 for a pair, and they look really bright. They're also pretty small, and relatively light weight. Looks like a great auxiliary light. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I remember reading that our ULY charging system is not variable. It's output is the same regardless of draw and you either use it or lose it. For many of us, like me, the output is plenty for the watts I use. Don't need no stinking LEDs. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
It's variable but not like a car's. The alternator puts out maximum output all the time and the regulator dumps the extra power off as heat. Which means you're not abusing anything if you hook up extra load but you're not gaining much of anything by reducing the overall current load. There is of course an upper limit to how much juice you can take out before it's unable to keep the battery charged. | ||
| Jetjock |
Does anyone have experience with LEDs from clearwaterlights.com -- either the big or small ones? | ||
| Froggy |
Seanp, that light in your link looks great, and not ridiculously priced. Shame he didn't post a link to where they can be bought. | ||
| Seanp |
Froggy - I'm pretty sure if you send him a PM he can tell you how to buy them. I think he may be making them himself, but I'm not sure. | ||
| Odie |
Surf some Jeep forums. They have been using them for a while and most seem happy with them. They are not cheap for sure. I'm happy with my HIDs for automotive/bike use. Maybe the prices will come down someday.... | ||
| Billyo |
I just got a new Harley catalog in the mail and they are offering LED headlights now. The photos compare the halogens vs LEDs and they really look bright. No price is given of course. | ||
| Od_cleaver |
For the LED spot lamps on the Electra Glide - $308 at Chicago Harley. PN 73396-10 | ||
| Sharkguy |
Froggy and Seanp, Those lights are being sold by the poster of that thread. I bought a pair of the 10watts for aux lights. They are quality and bright. I'm sure he's getting them from China, or Taiwan. The 10watt cost me 90.00 for the pair. As soon as I get the chance to fab up a bar to attach them to the bike I'll post some pics of how they look. | ||
| Seanp |
Sharkguy, thanks. I'm half tempted to put some on the Triumph, if I can figure out a way to put them somewhere that they won't look too gaudy. But when I leave my house at 0530, it's pretty dark and there are a lot of deer around... | ||
| Dynasport |
Anybody tried these? http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/5 224 | ||
| Gamdh |
Jetjock I have the Clearwater lights, the original Glenda's ... very happy with them. Put them on back in Nov. I actually have another set to put on the '10. They are very good quality and do what I want. The original glenda's are not considered 'driving' lights. But, they do put out noticeable light.  See more pics here http://gamdh.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/ClearWaterLig hts/10314905_JLSYp#712898110_MJxkA | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I don't use my high beam at all; with my super bright low beam, and then the HID driving lights. So I considered for awhile putting a simple LED bulb in the high beam, and then running it through a modulator. A bulb like these:  http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/comme rce.cgi?product=CAR They wouldn't put out light, but they'd gain attention. | ||
| Jetjock |
Gamdh, Thanks for all the helpful installation pictures! Your white Clearwaters look as bright or brighter than the headlights. Do they project as well down the road as the picture makes them look? I am considering amber to catch the eye/attention/respect of others; but, always appreciate extra driving illumination & your whites look pretty good in the pictures. They seem to be enough different color to be noticed & I wouldn't think the amber would provide as much illumination. Would you go with white again or do you think amber would be an advantage? | ||
| Gamdh |
Jetjock No problem .. HTH. The lights do project down the road, but again, they are not intended to be driving lights. With that said, I can tell the difference. I do have both headlights on for bright and the Clearwater lights go to 100% when I hit the high beams. They are controlled by a dimmer type switch .. I really like it. During normal driving I run them about 50%. Personally, I'm sticking with the white. With the '06 stock headlight, the LEDs do look like a different color. There are a few reasons I really like them - Low power draw - Long life - Really like the dimmer switch control - I like them mounted low, so it forms the "light triangle" for visiblity. - The quality is excellant. I got like the 1st or 2nd set he did (and bought another set for the '10)... I called them and talked to Glenn (President) several times, he was very knowlegable about lights. If your really want 'driving' lights they now have the 'Krista'. If your really interested, call them.... they know what they are talking about.. and you might be able to work a deal on the price (I did). HTH.. Thread high jack over..... | ||
| Dennis_c |
LED headlights 2880 lumens 50w $449.95https://www.bajadesigns.com/NET/C-375/LED+HEADLIGH TS |
