Well since no one has yet tried these out, and the fact that 2 different distributors suggest leaving the back cover off to keep the back side of the LED unit cool, I'll just install a HID H7 5000k.

Cheers,
M

 

This is the first I have heard that LED H7s were available. Been pretty happy with the HID for the last 10 years.

 

In my headlight, an 00, the high beam bulb is within a BMW designed housing. As a result, one cannot easily replace the bulb. to use a brighter halogen bulb I bought the assembly parts from a bmw dealer and after experimenting used a small hose clamp to ground the bulb to the metal housing.

If you are looking for a LED high beam, consider pre made units which look small enough to be mounted under the mirrors. If you use a separate switch and relay if necessary, you can aim them differently and switch off the high beam that interferes with traffic in the opposite lane on interstates. Or aim them both the same way and then if a needed relay ceases functioning, you don't loose both high beams.

bob

 

Bob, yeah it is nice that companies are producing them.
But you're right, while a new idea, I'll go towards installing just a HID low beam assembly as leaving in 5 weeks for my cross country trip on the K1200LT I really do not want to mess with an unknown, presently.
Thanks!
M

 

I realize this is an old thread, but now there are "good" LED H7 blubs available from reputable suppliers.

I put the HID in last year, but have never been happy with the blast of light because the housing is not built for an HID. The beam broadcasts too high and at night I get flashed by other drivers too often. I suspect it's not safe for drivers coming towards me, which makes it unsafe for me.

Has anyone tried the LED headlight yet? If not, I may purchase one and try it. If I do this does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?

 

I am in the same boat as you... I think the HID is even worse than the stock halogen, and that's saying something!

I've been researching the LEDs, and one consistent thing I seem to hear about them is to not purchase the ones with fans, but rather with the ribbon cable heat syncs. Apparently the fans are prone to failure, and obviously the light would fail without proper cooling.

Please update us on how it goes... I for one am very curious!

Thanks, Adam.

 

Agree on the fan, Adam. Here's what I am considering:
H7 LED Motorcycle Headlight Kit | H7 Motorcycle LED Upgrade

 

Similar to what I'm considering here, but because the ones I'm looking at aren't specifically for motorcycles, it's a pair. Figured it would make an excellent spare... Same price as yours

 

It's LED! Unless I crash I shouldn't need another one. Then again, if I have a crash, I may not need the second one

Maybe we can split a pair.

 

If you did the HID, it will be easier than that. If you didn't do the HID, it's not that difficult. There's a metal bar that holds the back cover on. It pops down and then the cover comes off and you can work with it just like a car. You'll have to remove the ballast for the HID when you replace it. Should take 15-30min.

 

I figure it should be pretty easy. Lights are currently stock as far as I know but I haven't been inside the headlight area yet. I have seen pictures of the bar and the back cover so I know what to look for.

Since it is a 2 pack, I figure it comes with a spare ahead of time should it decide to fail Small enough to drag along for safety reasons and no extra cost.

 

Hey guys ; i've been using low beam led all summer on my 2005
love it, got it from cycle gear

 

Please let me know how this works out for you. Very interested!
Thanks

 

I bought a LED low beam bulb at Billings. It has a small ballast that is not a problem and it also has a small fan behind the bulb. It is very bright and so far no problems.

 

I looked at those also with the fan and there are a myriad of them. Both Cree and Phillips make one with a flexible copper band heat sink rather than a fan so nothing to break causing the bulb to overheat if the spinning fan stops.

I chose the Phillips over the Cree as there were a few problem reviews with the Cree. Should have them by Saturday.

 

OK, I got my LED bulbs today and since it is raining, it was a good day to go ahead and install it. They came 2 H7's to a pack so since my original Halogen was still good, I have that and one additional H7 LED as spares.

Installation was fairly easy but the bulb clips were a bugger seeing the normal power plug comes off the Halogen bulb and the clips are then easy to spring open to remove the bulb. The LED has a large square block on the back where the heat sink band connects so that is in the way and getting the lower clip on takes some acrobatics with the bulb in pulling out the lower side so the clip can be worked in under the block and into the slot to secure the bulb in place.

It can be done with a little patience and a good bright light so you can see what you are doing up there. No Tupperware removal required.

Even with the ballast and the heat sink band, it all fit up in the housing and the cover went back on with little difficulty.

After looking at the pictures side by side, this is definitely an upgrade and hopefully longer or as long lasting as the HID alternative.

The light is much whiter than the Halogen as you can see in the attached pictures and no warm up time as with the HID.

I did a side by side comparrison to see where the LED element lined up with the Halogen and they look equally positioned. I don't expect to need any headlight adjustment and the disbursement pattern on the wall looks about equal as expected.

 

Thank you for the thorough post and explanation. I recently purchased a 1999 K1200LT (only put 2000 miles on it so far - bought it with 26.5K miles). Just ordered mine today, and should have it within a week. Cannot wait to install them, as the stock halogens just do not help me. I ride to work whilst still dark, and return home right after dusk. I should benefit from this change.

 

Looks great. On the final picture with the three light patterns, is one with the high beam and the LED? Also, is the LED broadcasting right and left enough? The Hal photo looks a little broader.

 

The final picture is from top to bottom. Original Halogen, new LED and new LED with original High beam. You can tell as it is the yellow spot in the center. I realize I didn't get the scale the same on my cut and paste but the disbursement pattern is pretty close from old to new. I am posting the original photos unedited so you can compare. I didn't do a great job of taking the pics from the same point so there is some difference but you should be able to get some reference points to see and compare the side to side.

 

Anyone here that can help me out on adjustment of the Headlight on my 91 750 RT? I've looked throught the entire Clymer shop manual and can't find a thing on it.. I tried adjusting with the Grey plastic screw and it doesn't seem to change a thing..I used to be an instructor and can't figure this one.. Probably very simple... Another thing is what if I'm out there and my headlight burns out.. Will I still have a headlight or Ive heard a few stories about the relay going.. : (
Thanks..
Les

 

Recently tried one of the H7 70 watt Xenon Gas blue-intensity white light bulbs from brite-lites in my 2001 k1200LT. I am impressed. A big improvement over the OEM halogen bulb. For under $20 and no ballistic or fans just a bulb replacement. Seems good to me.

https://www.bluhmenterprises.com/products/moto-brite-lites.php?pn_category_id=1

 

I am sure it is very bright and an improvement over the standard halogen but it is not DOT street approved. Be careful what you point that thing at

 

I figured I wasn't understanding you. I'm looking forward to replacing my HID with an LED. I'm sure it can't be worse.

 

I think I recall some people talking about the light source on HID bulbs not being properly aligned with the original Halogen filament position and there was some kind of spacer you could make or get to remedy that so the light source was at the proper position in relation to the reflector. It may have been just an installation issue also that I am recalling with cutting plastic for wires or the like. If the alignment issue is the case, then the beam pattern would be somewhat less than original optimal. Even if it generated more light over all, it might be " out of focus" so to speak, like those adjustable flashlights where as you twist them, it makes the beam wider or smaller.

Based on that recollection, I did check where the LED emitters were placed in relation to the original bulb and it looks properly aligned so I would expect a very close to original pattern with the LED. Never had a HID in my hand to compare though.

 

Look at this YouTube non bias headlight comparison link below. It is very in depth and well done. Don't discount it when you see the women in her living room as speaker. It compares HID (Xenon), Halogen and LED and I learned quite a bit that I was not aware of. The HID appears to be the better choice.

 

Look at this YouTube non bias headlight comparison link below...

Excellent video. PROJECTOR HOUSING. That's the issue with the K1200LT with the HID and possibly the LED, although it directs the light differently. Here's one on the light housing issue:

Did anyone do anything to their housing?

 

When I installed HID lights in both of my Lt's I re adjusted the low beam height. I ride 30,000 plus miles every year & at least 30% is at night on two lane roads.

 

I found this LED which is 80w.

Show Chrome Accessories H7 LED Replacement Headlight Bulb (80Watt)- Honda GL1800 (01- Up) and Other Motorcycles Equipped With H7 Bulb

 

Would be curious to see how that one stacks up against HID and other LED that have fewer emitters and fans or copper band cable heat sinks. It has no heat sink or fan so what is its equivalent lumen output which isn't listed. With LED, 80W is not a valid comparison value.

 

This is a great little excercise for me to learn.

Not watts but lumens... I found this brief article: energy.gov/energysaver/lumens-and-lighting-facts-label

It seems to give 100 lumens for each 5 watts (75 watts is 1100 lumens and 100 watts is 1600 lumens).

On Amazon, the 80w Cree H7 says 1200 (which matches the government). The photos show the heat sink is above and below the diodes.

The Kensun H7 HID I have says 35 watts, which provides as much light as 55 watt halogen. I see some claims that HID 35 watt are 3,000 to 3,500 lumens. Obviously, this is high compared to the LED at 1200, assuming that is correct. But then there's something about effecency.

So, I'm feeling like I'm running in circles. I know what I have (HID) and how it works. I think I will try the LED and see how that works.

 

Efficiency is the thing. I believe the gas charge in the halogen bulbs helps keep the bulb cleaner and allowing the filament to reach higher temps and producing more light providing more lumens per watt output than a standard vacuum bulb and longer life.

HID is an arc in a bubble so you are looking at lightning in glass.

You have links to both the Cree and Phillips on Amazon for bulbs with the copper band ( no moving parts ) heat sink in this thread as well as the 16 emitter 80W bulb you posted ( and a myriad of available others. If you go that way, I would be interested in your opinions of how it compares in real life to your HID. Specs on my Phillips are 2500 lumens and around 6500K for color.

When you get your LED and if you go single diode per side, I would be interested to know how the emitters line up side by side. The LED lined up very well with my Halogen filament. If you go multi diode, then it may not be a true comparison of placement and beam pattern. I also read on the specs of several multi emitter like your mentioned 80W that they are for projector housings and that may make sense.

 

The added benefit that the wide pattern of HID has is you get to see those big four legged animals at night before they jump out in front of you. Always helps to see them as early as possible.

 

Went out last night and rode around on some dark roads to adjust if necessary. There is a very clean cut off line with the Phillips LED and it lights the road well IMO. The high beam does light up stuff further out but now looks weak by comparison so I may have to upgrade my high beam to LED as well to be happy with it. Checking on H3 styles now.

 

That's encouraging! Looking forward to doing this on my bike.

 

The Phillips LEDs seem to have come down significantly in price. While I still haven't done the LT, I did swap out the HIDs in my Prius and the H4 on my Honda Hornet and like the results in both.

 

Apologies for the newb question, but does any of this apply to the later model bikes with the Xenon headlight and the separate high beam housing? The difference between the Xenon main and the halogen high beam are immediate and obvious (main is bluish, high is yellowish), but still, I wonder if an LED module would be an upgrade on the main light, and if there's an LED or HID upgrade for the high beam module.


TIA!



Mark

 

Apologies for the newb question, but does any of this apply to the later model bikes with the Xenon headlight and the separate high beam housing? The difference between the Xenon main and the halogen high beam are immediate and obvious (main is bluish, high is yellowish), but still, I wonder if an LED module would be an upgrade on the main light, and if there's an LED or HID upgrade for the high beam module.

I'm no expert, Mark, but I thought Xenon and HID headlights are the same thing.

 

Thanks for the info, that helps for future decision making.:smile:

AFAIK, she's stock all the way, so I think I'm good, and I honestly can't believe I even entertained the notion that HID might be a viable high beam alternative. Boot to the head for ol' Miller here.


Thanks again!

Mark

 

The Xenon on the later LT's is a very good Phillips unit, The light output and wide pattern make night driving feel much safer. Mine comes on right away too and with my PIAA lighting the Halogen hi beam is almost useless. So if any thing needs changing it is the halogen high beam bulb. Caution though as you have to make sure heat output of an HID high beam won't melt lens as it will be closer to the plastic.

 

In looking at the H3 LED replacements available on Amazon, I see in the reviews that most are longer than the original bulb and depending on your housing, it may not fit in without hitting the front or part of the lens. They all look significantly longer in the supplied pictures so I found a 100W Optilux pair in amazon warehouse deals for about $12 and free prime shipping so cheap to try. I will see how they compare to the 55W stock bulb against my new LED main. I will keep looking for a viable H3 LED replacement that will fit. I need to look more carefully at my housing to see how much room is in there. It doesn't look like a lot from memory.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CO7N3Q?keywords=h3 100w bulb&qid=1444238783&ref_=sr_1_6&sr=8-6