Viper Pilot
Well-known member
Well what ever they do they are definitely not friendly with our plastic light housing lenses. Live and learn!
LED Headlights
- Thread starter Richouse
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
The V-strom got some LED love this week. The HIDs in the V-strom lasted 2+ years and went kaput. It's the ballasts, the bulbs are fine.
I had to cut short a long ride and bee-line it home due to the dead headlights - and not wanting to rely on the aux lights only. The high beam aux lights are obnoxious during the day to leave them on, and with the headlights kaput - there no longer was that triangle of lights with the aux lights on the forks.
As a result, the V-strom got some Philips love, picked them up for $200 because of a 20% off sale at xenondepot. Hopefully the $$ translate to reliability. The lights fit and look great. May not have time for pics, but will test ride it both in the day and night to see how they work out.
I had to cut short a long ride and bee-line it home due to the dead headlights - and not wanting to rely on the aux lights only. The high beam aux lights are obnoxious during the day to leave them on, and with the headlights kaput - there no longer was that triangle of lights with the aux lights on the forks.
As a result, the V-strom got some Philips love, picked them up for $200 because of a 20% off sale at xenondepot. Hopefully the $$ translate to reliability. The lights fit and look great. May not have time for pics, but will test ride it both in the day and night to see how they work out.
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lnewlf
Well-known member
Noticed that the Datel VM reads 14.1 now instead of the usual 13.9....guess it has to be the LED headlights...didn't make any other changes
On that line...
The ones that I have are rated at 40W each. My assumption is that this is in high beam mode with all 4 (both high and low beam) LEDs lit and the fan running. I do not know how much power the fan uses, and assume that it runs all the time, but if we discounted it from the equation, when the lights are on low beam and only the 2 low beam LEDs are running on each lamp, the power would be half of 40. So with the fan each lamp should be pulling maybe 25 watts or less, which is at least half the power consumed by the halogen (50W low, 55W high) bulbs during running in low beam only, which is the daytime standard.
Of course then I go and screw the power consumption pooch by running my LR4 Aux lights all the time, albeit PWM'ed to minimum intensity (and power use) on low beam.
The ones that I have are rated at 40W each. My assumption is that this is in high beam mode with all 4 (both high and low beam) LEDs lit and the fan running. I do not know how much power the fan uses, and assume that it runs all the time, but if we discounted it from the equation, when the lights are on low beam and only the 2 low beam LEDs are running on each lamp, the power would be half of 40. So with the fan each lamp should be pulling maybe 25 watts or less, which is at least half the power consumed by the halogen (50W low, 55W high) bulbs during running in low beam only, which is the daytime standard.
Of course then I go and screw the power consumption pooch by running my LR4 Aux lights all the time, albeit PWM'ed to minimum intensity (and power use) on low beam.
Some feedback on the Philips LED headlights as compared to my previous HID headlights. Sorry, no pictures, just my words. FWIW.
1. Nowhere as bright as the HIDs I was running before. The HID headlights in my eyes were the ultimate nemesis of darkness. I hardly ever wanted to or had to use my Aux LEDs in the dark. With the Philips LED headlight, I "feel" the need to switch on the Aux LEDs. I suppose this is expected.
2. Significantly less to no glare from these lights as compared to the HIDs. Again this is expected, as the low beam cutoff is razor sharp, AND the lights are nowhere as retina burning bright as my previous HIDs.
3. I like the extremely lightweight heat sinks, and no moving parts. The heat sinks get warm to the touch after the lights have been running for hours (and the bike has been moving also) , but the no fan cooling seems very efficient - at least for the V-strom it seems there is very good airflow. The V-strom headlight bulb spring is quite weak, another reason to appreciate the lightweight heat sinks.
1. Nowhere as bright as the HIDs I was running before. The HID headlights in my eyes were the ultimate nemesis of darkness. I hardly ever wanted to or had to use my Aux LEDs in the dark. With the Philips LED headlight, I "feel" the need to switch on the Aux LEDs. I suppose this is expected.
2. Significantly less to no glare from these lights as compared to the HIDs. Again this is expected, as the low beam cutoff is razor sharp, AND the lights are nowhere as retina burning bright as my previous HIDs.
3. I like the extremely lightweight heat sinks, and no moving parts. The heat sinks get warm to the touch after the lights have been running for hours (and the bike has been moving also) , but the no fan cooling seems very efficient - at least for the V-strom it seems there is very good airflow. The V-strom headlight bulb spring is quite weak, another reason to appreciate the lightweight heat sinks.
redneckj
Well-known member
if you want a bright H4 LED bulb, check these out.
https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/7000-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-Bulb_p_169.html
https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/7000-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-Bulb_p_169.html
RossKean
Well-known member
7000 lumens (on high beam) is a lot of light - half that on low beam is STILL a lot of light. After a certain point, I am wondering if it is a good idea to put out that much light. Driver may never get his "night vision" and oncoming traffic is likely to be dazzled no matter how good the cutoff might be. (Especially when there are reflections from wet roads etc.) The more I see and read about LED lighting systems, the more I think light quality (color temperature and beam pattern) are more important than raw power.
I was puzzled by one statement in the ad:
Emitters Lifespan: 30,000 hours
(Do not expect this bulb to last longer than your vehicle)
At 30,000 hours and an average speed of perhaps 40 MPH, we are looking at 1,200,000 miles. I know that an FJR is long-lived but I haven't seen many bikes with over a million miles on them! (Math is HARD!!)
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Viper Pilot
Well-known member
I just don't believe that 7,000 number. I am running the Phillips LED headlights and I believe they are rated at 1500 lumins and I also have the Ericas and each one of them is 6,000 lumins at full power. And to achieve 6,000 lumins the Ericas have 6 LED's. I think one has to be careful with all the advertising on line.
I'd bet the 7000 lumen is from both lamps on high beam. That would be 8 LEDs total.
Edit - Then again the listing is for a single bulb.
Edit - Then again the listing is for a single bulb.
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RossKean
Well-known member
I think that offering is for ONE bulb at $75 - not cheap. Whether the lumen claim is for one bulb or two, there is no guarantee that it was measured using any acceptable method. I still don't get where 30,000 hours of operating time is not in excess of the bike's life.
I have seen eBay offerings with well over 7000 lumens claimed and I'm pretty sure that it must be for two bulbs or something made up from an opium dream.
Edit: Some eBay H4 offerings say over 25,000 LM. Many say 16,000 or higher. Even if both high and low beam on both bulbs, the claim is somewhat unbelievable!
Example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-252W-25200LM-PHILIPS-LED-Headlight-Kit-Hi-Low-Beam-Bulb-White-6000K-Power-/131960912226?hash=item1eb97bb962:g:SUIAAOSwTuJYuNz~&vxp=mtr
Says Philips (they aren't)
Says 25,200 LM (they aren't)
Says 252 watts (I hope not)
Buyer beware!!
I have seen eBay offerings with well over 7000 lumens claimed and I'm pretty sure that it must be for two bulbs or something made up from an opium dream.
Edit: Some eBay H4 offerings say over 25,000 LM. Many say 16,000 or higher. Even if both high and low beam on both bulbs, the claim is somewhat unbelievable!
Example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-252W-25200LM-PHILIPS-LED-Headlight-Kit-Hi-Low-Beam-Bulb-White-6000K-Power-/131960912226?hash=item1eb97bb962:g:SUIAAOSwTuJYuNz~&vxp=mtr
Says Philips (they aren't)
Says 25,200 LM (they aren't)
Says 252 watts (I hope not)
Buyer beware!!
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The answer is very simple. Just because the Emitters will last 30,000 hours does not mean the lamps as a whole will last 30,000 hours. The lifespan for the cooling fans might be only a few thousand hours or less. Once the fans die the Emitters might overheat and then fail. So 30,000 hours is not the operating time for the lamps but the operating time for the Emitters under ideal conditions.
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RossKean
Well-known member
... then the statement that the emitters will last 30,000 hours is misleading, irrelevant or just plain wrong. They didn't say in the absence of failure of fan, ballast or wiring the emitters might last up to 30,000 hours but otherwise assume that actual lifetime is going to be very much lower. Again, another example of thinly veiled untruth in advertising.
I won't deal with these guys - either they are too stupid to realize the inconsistencies in their spiel or they assume that the customer is too stupid to know any better.
I won't deal with these guys - either they are too stupid to realize the inconsistencies in their spiel or they assume that the customer is too stupid to know any better.
Oh come on, they specifically say not to expect the bulbs to last longer than the lifetime of your vehicle.
Emitters Lifespan: 30,000 hours
(Do not expect this bulb to last longer than your vehicle)
How much clearer can they get? If that is not enough clarity for you than you better not ever buy any item you see advertised because you are sure to be disappointed.
Emitters Lifespan: 30,000 hours
(Do not expect this bulb to last longer than your vehicle)
How much clearer can they get? If that is not enough clarity for you than you better not ever buy any item you see advertised because you are sure to be disappointed.
RossKean
Well-known member
The emitters last 30,000 hours or they do not last 30,000 hours. Pretty simple.
Never mind...
Never mind...
ndivita
Well-known member
I just upgraded to the Philips H4 6200K X-treme Ultinon LED. Part Nr. PH-XULED-H4-12953BWX2. Got a pretty good deal from XenonDepot.
I think it is a significant improvement.
I also moved the Rigid Industries D2 lights from the engine guards to the mirror mounts purchased from Garauld.
I kept the LED MotoLights as is, where is.
If they can't see me coming now, it's hopeless.
High beam:
https://goo.gl/photos/FHpHtUy4YjjFb8Ns9
Low beam:
https://goo.gl/photos/ooaapj54iDUwZmzz9
Many thanks to Kebo123 for guidance and encouragement.
I think it is a significant improvement.
I also moved the Rigid Industries D2 lights from the engine guards to the mirror mounts purchased from Garauld.
I kept the LED MotoLights as is, where is.
If they can't see me coming now, it's hopeless.
High beam:
https://goo.gl/photos/FHpHtUy4YjjFb8Ns9
Low beam:
https://goo.gl/photos/ooaapj54iDUwZmzz9
Many thanks to Kebo123 for guidance and encouragement.
https://www.adventureriderradio.com/adventure-rider-radio-episodes/2017/6/29/led-motorcycle-lights-what-you-need-to-know
An interesting podcast to listen to with an interview with the owner of Clearwater lights and alot of led tech explained.
An interesting podcast to listen to with an interview with the owner of Clearwater lights and alot of led tech explained.
Bill Lumberg
Merica
I see you have the knuckle visors, in addition to 2/3's of the sun, on your bike.
Is that for one or two bulbs? The website doesn't actually say....
Also, how is the beam pattern? - the write up says that there may be some stray light above the cutoff - that's my issue with my current (older gen) Cyclops setup.
ndivita
Well-known member
Yes. It makes the front face of the bike look a bit more like Bozo the Clown than I would like, but the overall goodness of the FJR more than makes up for it. And they are functional in my opinion.
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