Indian Motorcycle Forum banner

Installed LED bulb in headlamp

50K views 171 replies 64 participants last post by  Old Skool 
#1 ·
LED BULB:
Well I took the advice of some of you and decided to purchase and install an LED bulb for my headlight. I do a lot of night driving during the week coming home from work, so upgraded lighting was important to me. I've had poor luck with HIDs in the past on my Dyna so LED upgrade seemed most logical.

This is the unit I purchased, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RE8J368/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 comes with two bulbs for a car. Figured I could use the second one if the first burns up or whatnot. If it works well then I guess I could just sell this for half my total cost.

THE INSTALLATION:
The install was almost seamless, basically plug and play. Took five minutes for the replacement. The light comes with a small ballast the size of a matchbox, which most the time I would install outside the headlamp enclosure but is so small it fit inside. The rubber seal would not stretch past the cooling element so I had to do a little cutting to enlarge the hole. I'm concerned that there is not enough airspace in the enclosure to keep the light cool. We'll see.

THE OUTPUT:
The light is much whiter in color, and at high beam is WAY BRIGHTER. I would say the low beam is a bit brighter than the standard bulb, and has a much sharper look. I'm hoping that it will get drivers attention better at night. The high beam is pretty amazing, it will definitely get everyone's attention. That is the real goal to show people I'm coming.

PICTURES:
I wish I had taken better before and after pics, sorry about that. I was in a hurry to just check it out and make sure everything worked properly. Maybe more when in the future. I wish I had taken same perspective before and after, I know, I wasn't thinking.

BEFORE
Black Darkness Light Sky Atmosphere


AFTER LOW BEAM
Speedometer Windshield Vehicle Car Glass


HIGH BEAM
Red Light Lighting Electronics Windshield
 

Attachments

See less See more
4
#3 ·
Thanks for posting this. I've been looking for a LED replacement but to no avail. Can't remember which thread (or even forum for that matter), but discussion was it couldn't be done w/o major rewire, etc. My question is will it work on the Vintage? Any one know?
 
#9 ·
THE INSTALLATION:
The install was almost seamless, basically plug and play. Took five minutes for the replacement. The light comes with a small ballast the size of a matchbox, which most the time I would install outside the headlamp enclosure but is so small it fit inside. The rubber seal would not stretch past the cooling element so I had to do a little cutting to enlarge the hole. I'm concerned that there is not enough airspace in the enclosure to keep the light cool. We'll see.
This is a great upgrade. Lots of extra safety for not big $.

Having mucked with the headlight myself, I am wondering how you are keeping all the dainty wires away from the very hot cooling element. That would be my only hestitation. I suppose you can always double up on the heat-shrink tubes or wrap it in some hi-temp electrical tape.
 
#21 ·
  • Like
Reactions: SaltyDogSam
#16 ·
LED BULB:
Well I took the advice of some of you and decided to purchase and install an LED bulb for my headlight. I do a lot of night driving during the week coming home from work, so upgraded lighting was important to me. I've had poor luck with HIDs in the past on my Dyna so LED upgrade seemed most logical.

This is the unit I purchased, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RE8J368/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 comes with two bulbs for a car. Figured I could use the second one if the first burns up or whatnot. If it works well then I guess I could just sell this for half my total cost.

THE INSTALLATION:
The install was almost seamless, basically plug and play. Took five minutes for the replacement. The light comes with a small ballast the size of a matchbox, which most the time I would install outside the headlamp enclosure but is so small it fit inside. The rubber seal would not stretch past the cooling element so I had to do a little cutting to enlarge the hole. I'm concerned that there is not enough airspace in the enclosure to keep the light cool. We'll see.

THE OUTPUT:
The light is much whiter in color, and at high beam is WAY BRIGHTER. I would say the low beam is a bit brighter than the standard bulb, and has a much sharper look. I'm hoping that it will get drivers attention better at night. The high beam is pretty amazing, it will definitely get everyone's attention. That is the real goal to show people I'm coming.

PICTURES:
I wish I had taken better before and after pics, sorry about that. I was in a hurry to just check it out and make sure everything worked properly. Maybe more when in the future. I wish I had taken same perspective before and after, I know, I wasn't thinking.

BEFORE
View attachment 5117

AFTER LOW BEAM
View attachment 5118

HIGH BEAM
View attachment 5119
It looks like you spilled a beer doing so or had too many and couldn't make it inside to relieve yourself fast enough!

Very useful post. Thanks for sharing
 
#32 ·
Update: First night ride with the new bulb. I have mixed feelings about the bulb.
Two things, first the bulb has the two elements and they are both on the top of the stem. Therefore I had to adjust the headlight up to have the beam higher.

Second, the frequency of light is at 6000K, whereas my automobile is 4500K, so I have to get used to the light being whiter. People react to my bike way better to the light, so I'm glad they see me better. But, I cannot see the surroundings as well, except for things that reflect that type of light. Therefore when I see the ground and surroundings it doesn't seem at illuminated, but road signs, white paint and reflective items are really lit up. The ground and surrounding areas don't see as bright.

I could be wrong, but it is a strange sensation.
 
#33 ·
Update: First night ride with the new bulb. I have mixed feelings about the bulb.
Two things, first the bulb has the two elements and they are both on the top of the stem. Therefore I had to adjust the headlight up to have the beam higher.

Second, the frequency of light is at 6000K, whereas my automobile is 4500K, so I have to get used to the light being whiter. People react to my bike way better to the light, so I'm glad they see me better. But, I cannot see the surroundings as well, except for things that reflect that type of light. Therefore when I see the ground and surroundings it doesn't seem at illuminated, but road signs, white paint and reflective items are really lit up. The ground and surrounding areas don't see as bright.

I could be wrong, but it is a strange sensation.
Keep us posted with your thoughts and impressions Booby as I do a lot of night driving also and would like to upgrade.....Thanks...;)
 
#36 ·
My apologizes to all who really don't care about degrees Kelvin in relation to color temperature. I'm way off topic here. Just pass on by this post.

The cameraman in me has to respond here... 5600 degrees Kelvin is daylight in the middle of the day. 6000k up to about 9000k more or less is the light of an heavily overcast day very blue. Quartz lights are 3200k, Incandescent lights like in your living room are down around 2800K , And by the way the 3800k to 5000k range is where you'll find a lot of those god awful old school florescent lights of days gone by, generally with that nasty green tinge. Out doors at night most of the light we see is inexpensive vapor lighting used mostly to light streets and parking lots you know that god awful bright yellow/orange light that you just can't quite see great in. That is the light that comprises most of our night time environments. It's very bright so it works. It also has a very low color temperature and is considered a broken spectrum light source and as such just doesn't contain enough frequencies of light for our eyes to separating out colors very well. Just try and pick out the green car.

Degrees Kelvin have nothing to do with heated steel, At 6000 degrees kelvin steel would be long broken down into its component atoms. It has to do with degrees above absolute zero and in the case of color temperature the light that would be radiated from a black object at those extremely high temperatures. Water boils at 373 degrees kelvin...Titanium melts at 1941 degrees Kelvin... the surface of the sun is 5800 degrees Kelvin hmmmmmmm sun light after being filtered through the atmosphere = 5600 degrees Kelvin more or less depending on the angle of the sun light through the atmosphere.... daylight!

You should get your 2 cents back
 
#37 ·
Brrrrr ..... But thanks Camermanx, for the education, I'm always eager to learn. Truthfully, very interesting, guess what I read years ago was misleading (John Shaw). Your explaination gets to the matter of why LEDs seem so strange at night on the bike (back on topic).

BTW, please notice that my 2 pennies were counterfeit. :(
 
#39 ·
Cameramanx, I am impressed.

Here I thought we would get in some spring rides (and do a little pillion sniffing - restricted to the lingering fragrances of good looking babes only - of course) and you blow me away with your intellect. Oh well, discussions about the the nuances of the works of Ansel Adams and his zoning system will have to suffice for our planned debauchery.

By the way, are you a Vinnie Paz fan -- being from Rhode Island?
 
#40 ·
Vinnie Paz fandom is required for state residency. They are working on a movie. Martin Scorsese is the EP.
Paz has a wine coming out called Five Times Better, a nod to his five championship titles.
A merlot? A cabernet? Paz isn’t sure. “Red wine,” he says. “I want it priced low and taste great.”
 
#43 ·
LED BULB:
Well I took the advice of some of you and decided to purchase and install an LED bulb for my headlight. I do a lot of night driving during the week coming home from work, so upgraded lighting was important to me. I've had poor luck with HIDs in the past on my Dyna so LED upgrade seemed most logical.

This is the unit I purchased, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RE8J368/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 comes with two bulbs for a car. Figured I could use the second one if the first burns up or whatnot. If it works well then I guess I could just sell this for half my total cost.

THE INSTALLATION:
The install was almost seamless, basically plug and play. Took five minutes for the replacement. The light comes with a small ballast the size of a matchbox, which most the time I would install outside the headlamp enclosure but is so small it fit inside. The rubber seal would not stretch past the cooling element so I had to do a little cutting to enlarge the hole. I'm concerned that there is not enough airspace in the enclosure to keep the light cool. We'll see.

THE OUTPUT:
The light is much whiter in color, and at high beam is WAY BRIGHTER. I would say the low beam is a bit brighter than the standard bulb, and has a much sharper look. I'm hoping that it will get drivers attention better at night. The high beam is pretty amazing, it will definitely get everyone's attention. That is the real goal to show people I'm coming.

PICTURES:
I wish I had taken better before and after pics, sorry about that. I was in a hurry to just check it out and make sure everything worked properly. Maybe more when in the future. I wish I had taken same perspective before and after, I know, I wasn't thinking.

BEFORE
View attachment 5117

AFTER LOW BEAM
View attachment 5118

HIGH BEAM
View attachment 5119
When you installed did you get any codes?
 
#44 ·
Nope. Just plugged it in and BAM. It just worked. I must say that in CA we do share lanes with cagers, and they see me much better now. That was my primary goal. In my opinion, still needs more lights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Spark and Basshole
#45 ·
Update: I adjusted the headlight to where the beam is just below the height of a windshield just about the same as my Harley Streetglide. It works so well, i can see everything very well with low beam. Plus when I want to light it up, flip the switch and the cars move outta the way.

Really glad I made the upgrade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotD
#49 ·
Sort of on the topic a friend of mine had a misshap while waiting in a divider cut of a rural 4 lane.. Seems the on coming traffic turned into him because even today MC have a hard time being seen from the side, sorry collection of reflectors is all we have. The damage was confined to some repair work and a stiff knee to deal with. It started me thinking if the wig wag light is a good idea for the headlamp why not some small strobes bouncing off of everything. Im not talking the rainbow color stuff all the rage now but good old fashioned John Law random flashing white strobe effect. I found some modest priced stuff at the local Auto zone and I must say have gotten some looks, but then again isn't that the point. Its legal and effective because it is white light and the codes actually mandate white light. Find a place to point them slightly downward and watch them light up the night.
 
#50 ·
What type of device and where did you install it? Curious.
 
#53 ·
Ha .. reading this thread reminded me I had some little LED lights I used on my KLR 650. They are actually bicycle LED's that I installed on the bottom side of my rear turn signals. They are black in color and have some quite bright red LED's that can be used in full on or two flashing modes. They use CR2032 batteries. I'll try them on the Scout rear signals. I also have a pair with clear lights for the front. Hmmmm :)
Black Waterproof Red LED Light Silicone Rear Wheel for Bicycle Bike Cycling | eBay
 
#55 · (Edited)
LED BULB:
Well I took the advice of some of you and decided to purchase and install an LED bulb for my headlight. I do a lot of night driving during the week coming home from work, so upgraded lighting was important to me. I've had poor luck with HIDs in the past on my Dyna so LED upgrade seemed most logical.

This is the unit I purchased, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RE8J368/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 comes with two bulbs for a car. Figured I could use the second one if the first burns up or whatnot. If it works well then I guess I could just sell this for half my total cost.

THE INSTALLATION:
The install was almost seamless, basically plug and play. Took five minutes for the replacement. The light comes with a small ballast the size of a matchbox, which most the time I would install outside the headlamp enclosure but is so small it fit inside. The rubber seal would not stretch past the cooling element so I had to do a little cutting to enlarge the hole. I'm concerned that there is not enough airspace in the enclosure to keep the light cool. We'll see.

THE OUTPUT:
The light is much whiter in color, and at high beam is WAY BRIGHTER. I would say the low beam is a bit brighter than the standard bulb, and has a much sharper look. I'm hoping that it will get drivers attention better at night. The high beam is pretty amazing, it will definitely get everyone's attention. That is the real goal to show people I'm coming.

PICTURES:
I wish I had taken better before and after pics, sorry about that. I was in a hurry to just check it out and make sure everything worked properly. Maybe more when in the future. I wish I had taken same perspective before and after, I know, I wasn't thinking.
I took SDBobbyt's advice and purchased Amazon.com JDMBESTBOY 9003 HB2 H4 High Low Beam CREE LED Headlight Conversion kit - A pair 60W 6000LM Xenon - Daylight 6000K Waterproof IP-68 Replace Halogen HID bulbs Automotive for my 2015 Classic. I'm selling the second bulb. NIB. Let me know if you're interested.
 
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top