Just wondering if anyone is aware of any new options for LED upgrade to the OEM halogen headlight for a ‘13 Gen III FJR?
I understand that the reflector design of the ‘13 headlight has not, in the past, been conducive to changing to LED bulbs but curious if there are any new developments and choices?
Any feedback is welcome and appreciated — thanks in advance,
JA
I have been eyeing a set of the GTR Ultra 2.0. LEDs. According to Headlight Revolution they have showed far better promise than any stock bulb in non-projector / projector style housings. They’re brighter, have a greater usable Lux, have a cleaner beam pattern / cutoff line, have a their hot spot in the same place as incandescent bulb filaments, have the LED chips which supposedly sit in the same place in the housing as the wire filaments would in an incandescent bulb, and have a lifetime warranty.
Two possible downsides if they matter to you: They’re “off-road use only” and the price.
However, putting prices into perspective, I just needed to change the factory HIDs in my car because one finally died. Since you replace HID in pairs, I bought the OSRAM Xenarc Night Breaker Laser Xenon HIDs, a brighter and whiter version of the stock OSRAMs that were factory installed. I’ve found the newer OSRAMS to offer a HUGE difference in light output and a much whiter light than stock OSRAMs. The price… in line with what the GTRs cost, so, yep, there’s that.
Back to my ’15 FJR:
Currently, I have a set of OPT7 LEDs installed. I got rid of the stock bulbs (technically they're sitting on a shelf in my shed) a year after I got the bike new. The stock bulbs that came in the ’15 were just simply not bright enough for the very dark, deer invaded roads of rural New England. Clearly I found myself in need of the throw of a really good LED due to all of the freaking deer that LOVE jumping out into roads right in front of moving vehicles, (I've personally hit two in the past. Both times I struck one I was “safely” in a car. I shudder to think what hitting one of those dumb *******s on a bike would feel like. I can tell you even in the “safety” of a car they were very unpleasant) and for 2016, I found that in the OPT7s, but now, I think I, we all, can do better!
To be completely transparent, I do run a set of PIAA ultra white (incandescent) driving lights mounted on T-Rex front cages along with the OPT7s. The PIAAs are set so they fall before the headlights to light up the garbage roads we all enjoy traveling on here in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. The PIAAs work well for potholes, cracked pavement strips, sand, frost heaves and other junk avoidance.
That said:
I’ve been doing a ton of research on LED technology and it seems as though LED tech has come leaps and bounds since 2016. LEDs now have better chips, cooling systems, including active water-proof fans, drivers and serious material advances. I think there are some real contenders for going with LED technology over stock incandescent. As I’ve been finding out, overall construction and actually testing the hell out of what everyone who makes LEDs claims is paramount. Headlight Revolution seems to do that, and they seem to be fair. I have no affiliation with them, I’ve just have seen a ton of their videos.
If anyone has any experience on the GTR Ultra 2, please share with the class. Otherwise, I'll be the guinea pig, buy a set of the GTR LEDs and report back to you all.
If I wasn’t going to go with the GTR Ultra 2, I would go for a set of Morimotos or some Sv4s. For now though, I’m going to try the GTR Ultra 2 first. If they suck, at least they’re easy to RMA.
Good luck in your search!
