2200 LED Driving Light Experiement

[txvoyager]

I have been using two pairs of ADVMonster driving lights on my FJR for some time now, maybe 30-35000 miles or so over the past year -- pair of 1500 lumen (3 LED) lamps on the forks and 1800 lumen (4 LED) lamps mounted below the mirrors. They have worked great, even with the addition of Baker Air Wings on the mirror mounts (see pics at https://kevinsawatsky.com/FJR.html). My only issue has been having two lamps in one of the top lights stop working, something that was graciously repaired under warranty by ADVMonster.

I have been looking for just a bit more light, however, and a wider beam. My current experiment is with a pair of lights purchased through Amazon (like these) for a total of $56 shipped. When they arrived, I found them to feel surprisingly well-made, perhaps a bit heavier than I'd ideally like. They do exactly what I had hoped, however, and create daylight around the bike.

They are currently controlled by an ADVMonster dimmer, giving me the ability to adjust the brightnes via a key fob, but going to full bright when high beam is switched on.

So far, over about 3000 miles, including about 1200 or so in the rain, they are working amazingly well... That said, I'll update after they get a few more hours -- and bugs -- on them.

 

[900gc]

Wow. Amazingly inexpensive for LED. Looking forward to next update.

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Good looking lights! The bike looks great too!

Your link to Anazon goes to a set of "flood" lights and some of the comments mention that the beam only goes out 20 ft or so. Do you have the flood lights or the spot lights?

I'm looking for a pencil beam type light that will give me as much lighted distance as possible.

Thanks for posting, I'll be watching for updates.

 

[garyahouse]

Bruce:

You're looking for Ericas from Clearwater: 6000 lumen pencil beam.

HIgh noon at midnight.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Yeah, I'd love to have them too. But unfortunately I'm on a budget, and I need/want to do more with $850 than get one set of lights...

But thanks for the suggestion!

 

[RiderX]

Bruce,

I just received some lights from cyclops that have a sole purpose of throwing light down range (touted on another general adventure oriented forum). They do that with some fancy projectors (they are LEDs). Avail in a 10 degree and 20 degree pattern. I am trying the 10 degree and will start a thread in next couple weeks. They certainly don't put as much light out near the FJR, but put it very far down range. Lifetime warranty and well built. More to come.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Bruce,
I just received some lights from cyclops that have a sole purpose of throwing light down range (touted on another general adventure oriented forum). They do that with some fancy projectors (they are LEDs). Avail in a 10 degree and 20 degree pattern. I am trying the 10 degree and will start a thread in next couple weeks. They certainly don't put as much light out near the FJR, but put it very far down range. Lifetime warranty and well built. More to come.

Interested also. Post up the results.

Dave

 

[txvoyager]

Finally got to take some pics of the driving lights discussed in Post #1. We live in the country, so these are taken on a completely dark road with my Nokia 920 Windows Phone 8 device. (Ignore the car tail lights that appear waayyy up ahead in the first couple of pics...)

FJR low beams only (Sylvannia Silver Star, IIRC)

FJR high beams only

FJR low beams plus ADV Monster 1500 lumen LED's (mounted on forks, and, since they are always on I have them pointed down almost in front of the bike as you can see to keep them from being irritating...)

FJR low beams plus ADV Monster 1500 lumen LED's plus "Amazon" 2200 lumen driving lights (on lowest setting, using the ADVMonster dimmer)

FJR high beams plus ADV Monster 1500 lumen LED's plus "Amazon" 2200 lumen driving lights (on brightest setting which is automatic when high beams are switched via the ADVMonster dimmer)

These are definitely not "pencil" lights, but give me both a reasonable distance as well as "daylight" around me as I ride. Hope this is useful...

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Sweet!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[900gc]

It looks like the ADV lights are kinda' pencil beam, or is that because they are hitting the road so close to the bike. It also looks like the 2200's would help a lot with spotting bambie sooner! Do like the color temp of LED's as well; nice and white. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Now that I've had a few minutes to look the photos over...

Comparing the high beams only to the "I'm giving you all she's got Capt'n photo on the bottom it appears that the gain in overall distance isn't that great, but the increase in light intencity has not only given you more "width" in what you can see but has increased the clarity by leaps and bounds even on what was previously lit. Is that a fair statement?

Do you notice any light reflecting back at you from the windscreen or feel like you're getting any distracting light in your eyes or is it all pretty much going out in front of you?

 

[gixxerjasen]

Looks like he also gains a lot of low to the side vs the high beams only. Useful because Bambi doesn't jump in front of you when you are a long way away but rather when you are almost next to them.

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Oh yeah, absolutely.

I'm running a set of 1100X's on the fork legs and generally have them aimed out a little toward the shoulders which gives me what I have considered good "side" visability. My thinking has been the next set of lights would be mounted high and I'd go for distance in the light pattern. But this set up is awesome, no doubt.

 

[fljab]

They do sell these as a 30 deg spot on Amazon:

https://tinyurl.com/cl3y64x

LED technology is better all the time, and there's many less expensive options - but how good are they? txv has tested these at least so maybe the spot version of these may be a good option.

 

[Zorlac]

These look interesting, might be a little too big for fork mounting though.

 

[txvoyager]

Having ridden with these now over a variety of miles, a couple of responses...

It looks like the ADV lights are kinda' pencil beam, or is that because they are hitting the road so close to the bike. It also looks like the 2200's would help a lot with spotting bambie sooner! Do like the color temp of LED's as well; nice and white. Thanks for sharing.

The ADV lights could be more of a "pencil" but I don't find an issue with distance. I went to these lights to get more "peripheral" vision. And yes, the color temp is much "whiter"/cooler than even the Silver Stars...

Comparing the high beams only to the "I'm giving you all she's got Capt'n photo on the bottom it appears that the gain in overall distance isn't that great, but the increase in light intencity has not only given you more "width" in what you can see but has increased the clarity by leaps and bounds even on what was previously lit. Is that a fair statement?
Do you notice any light reflecting back at you from the windscreen or feel like you're getting any distracting light in your eyes or is it all pretty much going out in front of you?

Yes... And no. All light is out in front. Nothing intrudes on my bubble!

Looks like he also gains a lot of low to the side vs the high beams only. Useful because Bambi doesn't jump in front of you when you are a long way away but rather when you are almost next to them.

I've played with pointing lights into the ditch on the right side, but have found that for my eyes at least, more illumination immediately to the side -- more than just a spot -- gives me more confidence that I am not missing something.

The "experiment" continues to be successful!