Headlight Bulb Replacement Options

Hey VFR's,

Just checking in to see what you all recommend. I have a 98 VFR800 that is still my daily commuter and weekend canyon toy.... I just went through another bulb replacement, but am not happy with the area coverage and color (especially for bad weather riding).

What works for you that you would recommend? My primary concern is performance over price, but will be more than thrilled if there is a GREAT value bulb out there.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

Sylvania Silverstars and adapters to fit the Honda socket. Much better.

HID's at about 6000K, bright white, better yet. LED's still working on it. Soon I think.

Larry

 

I installed an H4 led conversion kit in mine. These guys. https://www.lifetimeledlights.com/led_lights/h4_led_bulb_h4_led_headlight_bulbs

also carried by cycle gear, but wait until Cycle Gear has them half off.

Been working great so far. Saved a bunch of watts vs the stock halogens, so I added another 6,000 lumens in LED auxiliary lighting. Can see down the road into the next day.



Mounted LED controller/ballast thing here:

 

Thanks for the recommendation and picks... I saw these at Cycle Gear but was a little leary... Does the waterproof boot fit over the new lights or do they need some mods?

 

The boots fit without any cutting. The stock bulb isn't exaclty an H4, the bottom two tabs are different. But you don't need an adapter, simple cut off or bend up the bottom 2 tabs.

The base ring separates from the led, so you install that first with the spring clip. Install the boot over the bulb, then twist in the bulb into the ring base. Can be a bit of a pain, but I was able to install them without ripping out the headlight assembly.

 

You can read Zoom-Zoom's post here
http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/44225-LED-Headlight-Install-5th-Gen
or go conventional here:
http://www.customdynamics.com/motorcycle_led_bulbs.htm#653 , scroll down to almost at bottom of page, PIAA H7 & H4 bulb, not DOT approved though...Hope this help.

 

As Nookiaz mentions you can read the thread I started on the LED headlight install, but the only caution I would have for you is that I have installed a different style of LED headlight in that thread than the one that RED99rc46 is mentioning. The Lifetime style bulbs which RED99 mentions have the bulb, fan and base assembled as a complete unit, whereas the bulb style in my thread has the bulb and fan base as two separate units.

In retrospect, and had I known about the Lifetime LED headlights I would have chosen the Lifetime style bulb. The installation with the Lifetime style bulb is far easier when it comes to installing the bulb unit itself (the mounting of the power supply box can be as easy or hard as you wish to make it) and their have been a few people on here and over on VFRD that have suffered bulb and fan unit failures on the style of bulb that I chose to use in my write up. For that reason, if you decide to go with the LED headlights, I would highly recommend the Lifetime LED bulbs. They may be more expensive than some others but heh, they do come with a fantastic warranty.

 

+2900 Lumens to that

 

my 5th gen is currently running 11,000+ lumens in "high beam". :biggrin1:

 

I was thinking about buying these....
http://smile.amazon.com/New-Brights-LED-Headlight-Conversion/dp/B00MOR4CFQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

the are not 360 degree bulbs. will that be a problem?

 

Be aware that the charging systems on our bikes are "balanced" systems, designed for a particular load. Too high a wattage incandescent lamp will draw more than the system can handle and you battery will die in a couple of days, been there, done that. LED systems draw considerably LESS than stock lamps, which is good, except normal R/R units shunt excess power to ground and get hot. Roadster cycle.com recommends a "Series" R/R which doesn't shunt power to ground if you are going use LED headlamps and tail lights or if you race and disconnect lights completely. About the same price as typical mosfet, but run much cooler.

 

Shouldn't be a problem, I can't speak for their build quality but reviews look positive enough. Power wise you should be fine, they draw about 45W each, which is exactly the rating the stock VFR halogens use. You won't be saving watts to add other gizmos, but these should be stupid bright. I might order a set for the car.

 

well, I just ordered the new brights H4's and remembered my cage has 55w H11s for fog lights as well so I ordered their H11 kit too. I anticipate the H4 LED low beam would drown out any usefullness from the H11 halogens so might as well upgrade them too :crazy: Should be here tomorrow, I'll let you know how they work out.

 

I'll tell you my theory on lights and R/R's.

The balanced system is made for daily highway operation with low beams and a well charged battery.

Killers are unbalanced loads with excessive drain requiring excessive charging/dumping.

LEDs require less current, so resistors are used to balance the load. Stop and go traffic with high beams will excessively drain system, requiring large charging, killing battery and frying R/R over time.

So, keep low beams on unless needed for added vision at night, keep battery charged, make sure R/R is functioning, and install LED with ballast, and balance load to output of system (amps).

Larry

 

eh? LED headlights pull less watts in high beam than stock halogens do in low, you can run them all day at idle if you choose. and I honestly don't think removing a few watts here and there is gonna send your R/R into nuclear meltdown. I mean you've got like an additional 200W stator capability wise to play with that the R/R is just pooping to ground anyway, what's an additional 20 or so?

 

I hope not. I just put a Rick's Stator and R/R in last week

 

I tried some high power load resistors to compensate for LED's on my '03, mounted them on a heat sink, and they worked. but they got hot too, plus nowhere logical to mount them, went with Roadstercycle's recommendation and everything worked fine.

 

I guess that's fine if you don't plan on adding anything else, but I often run full heated gear. Need those watts. Plus an additional 30 for aux fog/high beam lights.

 

it's all academic now, I traded in my '03 in Dec for my new '14 Deluxe! (With factory LED headlights), but I had fun rewiring stator wires and installing the new Series R/R.

 

Just curiousAllyance, does this mean you installed a series R/R on the new 2014 Allyance?