LED

[DaveCh42]

Has anyone tried LED lights in their Bird yet and what are the results?

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

Has anyone tried LED lights in their Bird yet and what are the results?

Whereabouts?

Got an LED in the parking light which is brighter than the standard Honda headlight, just got new led front indicators inc Daytime Running Lights and an LED rear light unit. All are fantastic in comparison tomold stuff. And of course, an HID for the headlight.

[DaveCh42]

I am thinking about using LED for my headlight provision. and was wondering if anyone else had experience of them.
My plan is to use 5000k (over that the light scatters too much )
HID looks good but only for low beam. and its fuchkin expensive
Might also try using a relay instead of LED (even cheaper)
In the research phase at the moment gathering information.

[Simmo]

Hi I have one as do Ramo not to expensive about £27 for 2 and haven't any problems I have 6000k bulb

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xenon-HID-Con ... 4d04904cb0

[DaveCh42]

HID how does that work with using high beam?
looks very cheap. In fact cheaper than most LED systems

[Simmo]

HID how does that work with using high beam?
looks very cheap. In fact cheaper than most LED systems

Hi Dave I don't use the high beam no need , although you could put one in if you like

[DaveCh42]

That's kinda what I mean. Low beam and high beam for a reason. HID super naff for a high beam.
would like a system that works for both low and high.
Which for me ends up coming down to LED or using a relay

Triumph Bonneville's have notoriously naff light and both LED and relays work well with lots of info for both.
I am trying to get Info for LED and relays for the Bird.
HID works well on the low beam
but as said I want to use only one system
so it might rule HID out (though that's a very cheap system you gave me a link for and might be worth a bash.)
I guess I am just not really sold on HID (yet)

[MaXX2]

Dave... HID's only have one fault on the main beam and that's when 'flashing'. The bulb operates from a ballast which gradually builds up power from the switch into the bulb and it lights like a kitchen fluorescent but a bit quicker.

Thing is, the LED's seem to operate from a ballast as well and having not used them, I don't know if they're any quicker to fire and build up the lumens than HID is. Perhaps you could let us know if you end up heading down that route??

Other than that the performance looks similar by reference to power drawn and lumens delivered, so pay your money and take your chances....

[DaveCh42]

Thanks Maxx
Anything I do I will report on rest assured

[Cyclops]

I am thinking about using LED for my headlight provision. and was wondering if anyone else had experience of them.
My plan is to use 5000k (over that the light scatters too much )
HID looks good but only for low beam. and its fuchkin expensive
Might also try using a relay instead of LED (even cheaper)
In the research phase at the moment gathering information.

Just fitted 2 LEDs in both dip and main beam. Both are 4000 lumens so brighter than HID. Result is Dip beam is excellent nice even spread instead of a dim thin line across the road. Main beam now lights up the planet and makes night riding a pleasure. Start up time is 0.01 of a second so instant on, headlight flash instant.
These are 40 watt 40000 Lumens H7 units and were the brightest I could find. Build quality on the units is very good and they use Cree LEDs 4 per unit giving a 360 degree spread. Compared it to Tims HID unit tonight and I think he was impressed especially with the main beam.

HTH

Ian

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

I am thinking about using LED for my headlight provision. and was wondering if anyone else had experience of them.
My plan is to use 5000k (over that the light scatters too much )
HID looks good but only for low beam. and its fuchkin expensive
Might also try using a relay instead of LED (even cheaper)
In the research phase at the moment gathering information.

Just fitted 2 LEDs in both dip and main beam. Both are 4000 lumens so brighter than HID. Result is Dip beam is excellent nice even spread instead of a dim thin line across the road. Main beam now lights up the planet and makes night riding a pleasure. Start up time is 0.01 of a second so instant on, headlight flash instant.
These are 40 watt 40000 Lumens H7 units and were the brightest I could find. Build quality on the units is very good and they use Cree LEDs 4 per unit giving a 360 degree spread. Compared it to Tims HID unit tonight and I think he was impressed especially with the main beam.

HTH

Ian

First impression tonight was "Wow!" Main beam instant and brighter than a bright thing. Would love to see it out on the unlit roads. Very impressed. Now that Cyclops is au fait with the fitting of these lights it should be a piece of piss when he has to fit mine.

[DaveCh42]

Have you got a link Cyclops

[Cyclops]

Have you got a link Cyclops

Here we are young sir

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262020476135? ... EBIDX%3AIT

They are seriously bright but are a bit of a bugger to fit as Mr Hondas idea of H7 fitting is not the same as the rest of the automotive world, due to the spacer/adaptor the Bird has as standard.

It requires a bit of modding of the headlight to get them to fit right, fortunately it is reversible, unless you screw it up.

[Oldbull]

Ive been giving these a bit of thought as well for the main beam only.... after seeing Ians light up the planet I was wondering if he got any gestures,rude signs etc etc from the cage drivers for dazzling them... They are brighter than the HID and although it shouldnt be a problem with the daytime running, the night time SUN mite be a different lumen They are seriously fookin bright and if you look into them your blinded

What Im trying to say is are these taking things over the top a lttle

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

Ive been giving these a bit of thought as well for the main beam only.... after seeing Ians light up the planet I was wondering if he got any gestures,rude signs etc etc from the cage drivers for dazzling them... They are brighter than the HID and although it shouldnt be a problem with the daytime running, the night time SUN mite be a different lumen They are seriously fookin bright and if you look into them your blinded

What Im trying to say is are these taking things over the top a lttle

Ya whittle too much me owd froot. Any decent, considerate, courteous rider will dip his beam at the first sign of oncoming traffic. Likewise you aint gonna ride behind someone with ya main beam on now are you. The main beam LED only blinded us when we put our eyeline down at headlight level. Storm in a teacup if you ask me.

[Mister Majestik]

Dave,

you can buy less intense ones, seen lots on ebay 2400lm

they dont have to be 4000lm as cyclops bought

[Oldbull]

Ya whittle too much me owd froot. Any decent, considerate, courteous rider will dip his beam at the first sign of oncoming traffic. Likewise you aint gonna ride behind someone with ya main beam on now are you. The main beam LED only blinded us when we put our eyeline down at headlight level. Storm in a teacup if you ask me.

I dont have a prob with just high beam Tim, as its hardly on long anyway,,, but Ian cant dip his dip now can he was wondering if anyone gave him the dazzle finger the other night... I get the odd one with the HID and its set to spec...

I will be putting one in each main beam of my bikes .. not totally convinced on which one to go with yet tho ...

TDM piece of pish to get at and plenty of room for the fan bit,,, dont fancy pulling the bird to bits to fit a bulb tho

[DaveCh42]

Dave,

you can buy less intense ones, seen lots on ebay 2400lm

they dont have to be 4000lm as cyclops bought

The lumens are not as important as the kelvin (colour temperature) In my research it seems to be a common theme that over 5000K (kelvin) the light though brighter and whiter begins to scatter and no longer provides a projected beam which is not good for riding as the beam becomes too defuse to be helpful (that's the theory anyway.)

[Oldbull]

Dont worry about that theory Dave because when Ian fires them two baby's up you can see every fookin thing and I mean every .. no matter what diffused scatter you get

[Cyclops]

Ya whittle too much me owd froot. Any decent, considerate, courteous rider will dip his beam at the first sign of oncoming traffic. Likewise you aint gonna ride behind someone with ya main beam on now are you. The main beam LED only blinded us when we put our eyeline down at headlight level. Storm in a teacup if you ask me.

I dont have a prob with just high beam Tim, as its hardly on long anyway,,, but Ian cant dip his dip now can he was wondering if anyone gave him the dazzle finger the other night... I get the odd one with the HID and its set to spec...

I will be putting one in each main beam of my bikes .. not totally convinced on which one to go with yet tho ...

TDM piece of pish to get at and plenty of room for the fan bit,,, dont fancy pulling the bird to bits to fit a bulb tho

To allay your fears Dave I rode home on Saturday night and received not one finger or flash to indicate the I was dazzling anyone. Even riding behind a car on an unlit road they never even dipped their rear view mirror. I did spend a bit of time setting the dip beam up though, being the considerate person that I am.

[Mister Majestik]

The lumens are not as important as the kelvin (colour temperature) In my research it seems to be a common theme that over 5000K (kelvin) the light though brighter and whiter begins to scatter and no longer provides a projected beam which is not good for riding as the beam becomes too defuse to be helpful (that's the theory anyway.)

Dave what's the difference then between these 2 LED's both 6000k, one 2400lm and the other 4000lm?

other than the fact that the 4000lm uses twice the power,

so if they are the same, the 2400 would be the one to go for, as its more efficient?

2400lm - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-H7-Cree-L ... 3a9bf91326

4000lm - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262020476135? ... EBIDX%3AIT

cheers steve

[Cyclops]

The lumens are not as important as the kelvin (colour temperature) In my research it seems to be a common theme that over 5000K (kelvin) the light though brighter and whiter begins to scatter and no longer provides a projected beam which is not good for riding as the beam becomes too defuse to be helpful (that's the theory anyway.)

Dave what's the difference then between these 2 LED's both 6000k, one 2400lm and the other 4000lm?

other than the fact that the 4000lm uses twice the power,

so if they are the same, the 2400 would be the one to go for, as its more efficient?

2400lm - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-H7-Cree-L ... 3a9bf91326

4000lm - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262020476135? ... EBIDX%3AIT

cheers steve

Steve the lumens is how bright the units are, so 2400lm is not as bright as 4000lm. Unfortunately due to losses the 4000lm one are not twice as bright as the 2400 20Watt ones. To put it into prospective a normal 55 Watt lamp is approx 1150lms

[Mister Majestik]

Yep
Ian thats what I thought

[DaveCh42]

Reet then over 500kelvin you just don't get the same quality of light out put. High kelvin (I believe over 6000) things like road signs also begin to change colour where red shows up as brown etc. here are some really good articles about kelvin. Although the articles are about HID lights I would imagine that LED would suffer the same problems at high kelvins

http://www.carlightblog.com/2013/12/20/ ... ood-light/

First post here is interesting too
http://www.automotiveforums.com/t177538 ... utput.html

another good one here

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/knowit ... ulbs.html/

[Cyclops]

Which is why I chose the 6000 kelvin units, which are pure white after that the light gets bluer causing light scatter and becomes less effective. As is clearly demonstrated by young chaps in their 900cc fart boxes cars with big bore exhursts.

Just get the fookers fitted