SuzukiSavage.com - LED Headlight Bulb

Dave

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #150 - 06/06/17 at 12:07:46

Yep Springman....you have it figured out.

The early and the current cheap mass produced LED's just don't have the right location of the light source to simulate the filament bulb accurately. The LED's put out a lot of light - but they don't make it in a way that the reflector can use it properly. If you want to spend $20 - $30 on a Chinese made LED....you are going to get light going in directions that isn't a lot of help.

The newest LED's are starting to get it figured out - but they may not fit in the stock Savage light bucket....and I am not sure the Savage reflector is very good to start with.

Here is what the next generation of LED lights looks like - and at the moment they are about $120 - $250 a pair.

So I am still looking for an affordable LED light that works well.

This one is working well in the 7" light in my Ninja...it is a pretty good light for the less than $20 - it has the LED's in almost the right place...unfortunately the reflector is just painted silver instead of being a reflective surface (I might try sticking some silver foil on it).
https://www.amazon.com/LASFIT-Headlight-Kits-COB-Adjustable-6000K-Dual/dp/B01...

I have some lights to try at the outing next week - Stewmills and MMRanch are going to be the test subjects!

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Ruttly Serious Thumper Offline Thumpers Rule Posts: 4997 Manteca , CA Gender:	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #151 - 06/06/17 at 12:20:03 Dave , Will that fit in stock headlight bucket ? The rear section is so long. I rarely ride at night , I would try it for that price , if it fits !
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Dave

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #152 - 06/06/17 at 12:27:16

Ruttly wrote on 06/06/17 at 12:20:03:

Dave , Will that fit in stock headlight bucket ? The rear section is so long.

I think it will fit in the stock housing....as the part sticking out of the light is the fat part of the fan housing, and it isn't much deeper than the socket to plug in the light. Springman and Stewmills all had the other one with the fan installed on their bikes...and they had room.

If you can take photos of the headlight high/low beam up against a garage wall.....about 50-80 feet away, and are willing to try these things out and do an evaluation of them - I have 3 different LED's for you to try.

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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #153 - 06/06/17 at 12:31:25

I went with two inexpensive units from China. The 4" dual headlight housings I'm using for the Tracker just doesn't have a lot of extra real estate for a large format LED. That, and to be honest, I don't ride at night - as a rule - so I'm not that concerned about the quality of the output. I want to been seen during the day and for the one time a year I may ride at night I'm not worried about out riding the available light. Nothing good happens on a motorcycle at night.

I got a pair of these ==> https://www.amazon.com/CLighting-Motorcycle-Headlight-Headlamp-Kawasaki/dp/B0...

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Dave

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #154 - 06/06/17 at 12:38:18

Gary:

Those are very similar to the one that I tried and Tocsik is still using.
https://www.amazon.com/LASFIT-Headlight-Philips-Driver-Warranty/dp/B01BBWQWFM...

The weird part about these lights is that they shine all the light upward into the reflector - no light is directed downward....and that is where the high beam light goes in a normal filament bulb.

These upward only LED's with the internal fans are the easiest to install, and the low beam works very well. The high beam just doesn't shine out as far as it should.

Eegore just provide a set of these Lasfit bulbs for me to try out....they will be going to the group ride next week for Stemills and MMRanch to test.

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stewmills

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #155 - 06/06/17 at 12:41:56

Dave wrote on 06/06/17 at 12:27:16:

I think it will fit in the stock housing....as the part sticking out of the light is the fat part of the fan housing, and it isn't much deeper than the socket to plug in the light. Springman and Stewmills all had the other one with the fan installed on their bikes...and they had room.

Correct. I have a small felt pad in the back of my stock housing to dampen vibration, and i could tell where the LED housing likely bumped up against it snug. So there is room for a fit without forcing anything, but not a lot of EXTRA room. The little capacitor deal (or whatever the rectangular thingy is) just tucks up in there with all of the other headlight wiring.

Note that they do get warm, which halogen bulbs do as well. Just be conscious what you have up against the LED parts (that silver thingy) in the event that it gets hot enough over time to possibly melt any wire sheathing and short something out. Dave likely knows better than I what the potential for this is given that I have not ridden with the LED for any extended period of time and he has tested a lot of stuff, but I am also admittedly overly cautious when dealing with electrical components that get "warm" since electrical stuff isn't my strong suit.

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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #156 - 06/06/17 at 12:58:41

Dave wrote on 06/06/17 at 12:38:18:
The weird part about these lights is that they shine all the light upward into the reflector - no light is directed downward....and that is where the high beam light goes in a normal filament bulb.

Being that I have a dual headlight, I wonder if I will be able to install one facing in one direction and the other in the opposite.

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stewmills

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #157 - 06/06/17 at 13:36:20

Gary, I think they will only go in one way, without modification. The three prongs on the bulbs have one that is wider than the other two, and this lager one is prong that points "up". And the prongs do not create an equilateral triangle...they are a bit offset. I am sure they do this on purpose so the vertical cutoffs, etc. are at the correct orientation.

Nothing that a dremel won't fix though Huh

See stock bulb for reference:

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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2626 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #158 - 06/06/17 at 13:48:29 Perhaps the reflector can be rotated in the housing 180 degrees. I should have it by the weekend to conduct some trial fitments.
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stewmills Serious Thumper Offline Imagination is more important than knowledge Posts: 2630 Auburn, AL Gender:	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #159 - 06/06/17 at 13:51:11 Gary_in_NJ wrote on 06/06/17 at 13:48:29: Perhaps the reflector can be rotated in the housing 180 degrees. I should have it by the weekend to conduct some trial fitments. Perhaps you are thinking outside of the box
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Ruttly Serious Thumper Offline Thumpers Rule Posts: 4997 Manteca , CA Gender:	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #160 - 06/06/17 at 15:19:44 Dave , My bike is down for the next 2 to 3 months. Riding the sportster for now. Building muscles learning to toss it around , I already miss the tracker being so light & agile. But thanks for the offer. Not liking the idea of something hot in a plastic headlight with my precious wiring ! Thanks again
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28770 L.A. California Gender:	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #161 - 06/07/17 at 22:37:10 I had to replace my led bulb in the stocker, one of the low beam elements gave up the ghost. so... daymaker low beam daymaker high beam 2500-led-stock-light-low beam 2500-led-stock-light-hi beam
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #162 - 06/08/17 at 05:09:26 That's tossing some light down..
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Dave

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Re: LED Headlight Bulb
Reply #163 - 06/12/17 at 02:45:27

I had hoped that this bulb was going to be a good update for the stock Savage headlight, as it is self contained and fits in just like a stock bulb. It is brighter - although the light pattern is a bit different as all the light comes out the top of the bulb. It makes a very wide and bright beam of light.

http://stores.advmonster.com/native-h4/

https://www.amazon.com/LASFIT-Headlight-Philips-Driver-Warranty/dp/B01BBWQWFM...

Tocsik and I tried this bulb from ADVmonster and found that it fogged up the reflector and lens. Tocsik was told to clean his with alcohol and it would be OK. Eegore sent me a pair of these same bulbs distributed by Lasfit, and I tried one this weekend. I cleaned the bulb with alcohol and a Q-tip before I installed it, and I connected it to a battery and let it run for several hours before I installed it into the bike.

This is what the lens looked like when it was installed.

The reflector started fogging up almost immediately - and this is what it looked like 100 miles later:

I am not sure what is causing this fogging - it does seem to be worse when the bulb is first installed and the rate at which it fogs up the lens seems to slow down over time....but I just can't recommend this bulb to anyone.

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Rodger Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 256	Re: LED Headlight Bulb Reply #164 - 06/12/17 at 04:55:41 Good to know, Dave. Thanks for all the time you've put in!
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