Alright so I feel like the headlight isnt bright enough. And I'm in to the latest stuff on the market with that said I think an led headlight would just be bad ass and plenty bright enough

Wait a minute...   you're in to the "latest stuff", but, you're looking to put a 5 spd in a 30 year old bike?...

Even an 2012' Savage is super low tech...

A seldom considered complication is, that your headlight is a major draw of power from the stator output... if you reduce this drastically without any other balancing factor, the excess voltage will be shunted to the rectifier... and expelled as heat...
This means shorter rectifier life...

It's all about balance... you want to reduce for what you add...
...and,.. it's dependent on how much you ride... (that will change the amount of power used to charge the battery)...

It's nothing critical,... just a consideration...
Nothing will blow instantly... it's just too much imbalance will shorten the life expectancy...

I'm just pointing out for the general membership,... that we give a lot of consideration to maximum output, without considering the harm in having too little draw...
You can overdue efficiency,... when it comes to current draw...
Our alternators are designed for our bikes stock consumption...
More or less, is not better...

...(also,.. I just had to replace 3 stators in 3 bikes this year... so, I'm hyper current conscious)...
...proximity awareness?... ...


In tote...  combining your 2 current posts, involving a tranny upgrade and high dollar headlight,... I'm saying that you are suffering from upgrade fever... and you can easily invest way more than the value of your bike...
Unless you are dripping money... but if you're dripping money, why are you riding a 30 year old Savage?....

This is okay to do in a valuable classic, or show bike...
...but, it will just bleed you dry in a runner bike...
A Savage will never be a valuable bike...

It's like sinking $20,000 in a Ford Taurus... Pffft!!!!...

We are way cooler than Ford Taurus,... but you get my point... ....

Make sure before hand that it will pass inspection in your state, some states are very strict about headlights and what is stock to a bike.

I also felt that the light output on the savage was uninspiring...

Upgrade the headlight itself to a Hella e-Code unit. Pretty sure the 5 3/4 one should fit the stock bucket.

I went with a 7" E-Code headlight (with the standard 55/60W H4 bulb) and a new side mount 7" bucket and the light output is dramatically improved. Same draw on the system, just the headlight itself is much improved over the old stocker.

Good luck!

quentin99 wrote on 07/26/14 at 23:44:35:


Sure a$ $h!ttin... a LED light aint gonna throw much light on the road and will be top dollar for doing what it can do.

quentin99 wrote on 07/28/14 at 18:12:42:


They put out a lot of unfocused light that shines in a big blob of light.  As long as you don't need to see more than 15 feet ahead and don't mind blinding the oncoming drivers......go for it!

If you want a better headlight....then get a better headlight.  But don't waste your time on an LED light bar.  Get a real motorcycle headlight.  You can find plenty of good used headlights on eBay that have mounts on the sides of the headlight, and you can buy mounts that clip on the fork legs.

Dave    

And since everybody asks me "Why is your motorcycle named Pokey?"...

...because we had a car named Gumby.