I can see the light!

[Dalemac]

I'm firmly of the opinion that LEDs are the future. Development is only in its early stages and already they're comprehensively outperforming every other lighting technology. Every year LEDs are produced which produce more power for less input wattage at a lower price point, and I believe this is set to continue for quite some time. It's truly disruptive technology.

I've never used HIDs because of a number of perceived drawbacks (that may not have been such a problem in real life), but LED's just tick all the boxes as far as I'm concerned. Whenever a bulb blows in the house, it gets replaced with an LED equivalent. I'm a convert.

I agree. If only LED dimmer switches weren't so ridiculously expensive, I'd have replaced all of mine by now.

I don't think the LED tech in atermarket bulbs is quite up to scratch yet for them to be able to match HID's, though.

Laser is the way forward, that's what we will have in a few years time.

[Falcopops]

Myself and Dalemac are on the same page here.

HID's will be up to full output before you've selected 1st, and there's no issue with heat. I've got a 35 watt HID in place of the 55 watt standard items, less power use less heat.

LED's would be my preference now, but I don't think they're good enough or affordable enough to compete with the HID's.

Here's an aged post where I wrote up my HID fitting experience with pics, scroll to post 11

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/show ... hlight=HID

[mangocrazy]

The LED bulbs I have in the van use even less power than HIDs - 25w as opposed to 35w. And the output is 4000 lumens per bulb. These are the 5th generation of LED headlight bulbs, which shows how rapidly the tech is advancing.

But you do need to be careful of exaggerated claims by some of the dodgy types pushing LED bulbs on eBay. Some of the claims are deep into fantasy land. I agree the price is high at the moment, but that will surely come down as (I hope) will the price of LED dimmer switches...

[fatboy]

HID,s are really nothing to be feared, they are no more fiddly to fit than a stock bulb.You are in effect only disconnecting the wiring from the loom to the bulb. I replaced mine late summer last year,could not believe how much of a crash diet the ballast box had been on, old one took the space of 40 B&H, new one space of a Rizla packet.
Hot burning ? No problems here in 5 years use.
For the enhanced light output and price compared to LED,this is the the way to see in the dark, I really only use full beam to let other vehicles out.
A fully comprehensive HID kit including any adaptors needed for CAN/BUS cost me just over £50, I fitted this when I did a fork swap, less than two hours work including removing fairing,swapping forks, fitting HID and chucking it all back together.
Warm up time ? HID will be at full retina scorching capacity while your dash still reads COLD
PS Falco does not employ CAN/BUS so no worries there,the first HID I fitted was with fairing in place, some swearing needed but done in sub 20 mins, more modern kit will be easier to fit

[mangocrazy]

I'm not trying to knock HID lights, far from it. I seriously thought about getting some for the woeful headlight on my VFR 750 a while back, But these days I do very little (if any) night time miles on the bike, so that kinda went off my radar.

However I often use the van to travel from SHeffield to Stafford in the dark, and the OE headlight on that van is dismal. A couple of mildly active glow-worms could probably do better. So I started looking at the options. I definitely considered HID, as they are clearly far superior to Halogen. Then someone mentioned the latest generation oF LED headlights and I started doing comparisons.

As far as I could see on every metric other than price, LEDs were better.

Input power - HID 35w, LED 25w
Output light - HID 2000 lumens, LED 4000 lumens
Working life (estimated) - HID 5000 hours, LED 30000 hours

The price of LEDs, I grant you is a lot higher than for HIDs (£70 for LED vs £30-£50 for HIDs depending on seller). But then you factor in the greatly extended lifespan and the higher output and for me LED wins.

If you've currently got an HID fitted there's no way you're going to rush out and buy an LED headlight. But when it pops its clogs an LED light would be the smart replacement, especially as by that time prices will have shrunk and output will have risen.

[Greg]

HIDs on main beam? Never again!

I fitted a set on my 950S and scared myself shitless too many times for comfort waiting for the light to get up to strength on main beam. It always took 3-4 seconds for them to come up, in which time I was usually back on dip.. Like a mug I believed Nippy Norman's claim that the 'new' slimline ballasts were instant - they weren't, so i went back to Nightbreakers..

[Dalemac]

I'd offer to take a photo of mine, but I've broken my phone today so I can't! :(

[fatboy]

LED is the future of lighting, no doubt about it, all my home lighting is now LED. Main thing is getting Katie seeing the dismal dark wet road, HID on dip, coupled to H4 enhanced bulbs is prop the fastest way round this.
As Greg says HID mains can be a problem, never been there as the HID dip is so bloody good

[mangocrazy]

Yes, I agree Paul. It's all very well sitting around debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but Katie's out there in the gloom and the murk trying to get home...

In which case a HID H7 bulb for the dipped circuit in place of the standard glow-worm fitting is the obvious answer. Then do the 'main beam on at the same time as dipped beam' mod and you should be good to go. Or see, at least.

Longer term, I've found some sellers on Alibaba (sort of Chinese eBay but without the bidding) who can (allegedly) supply top spec LED H4 and H7 bulbs for between a third and a half of the price UK sellers are knocking them out at. Delivery time will probably rule them out for Katie for this winter, but they've got my interest...

[D-Rider]

On the Falco it's HID on dip - with the wiring mod not to turn it off when you go to main beam. A very good solution.

My car has LEDs for dip beam - they are stunning .... hoping they fit them for main beam too on my next motor

[fatboy]

There you go Katie, a fair deposition of what works. HID is a vast leg up on the seeing stuff stakes. The choice lies with the pilot, It works for most, hope it works for you. Fitting HID aint that bad, honestly

[katie1]

Thanks all, appreciate your input.
Will make a decision when I get the bike checked out as, having had the coolant sight level tube replaced, it has now erupted from somewhere else!

[fatboy]

Thanks all, appreciate your input.
Will make a decision when I get the bike checked out as, having had the coolant sight level tube replaced, it has now erupted from somewhere else!

Mine does like to guzzle coolant but it's not spitting it out externally or internally. I am now resigned to it's cantankerous nature....
Right, if you want to get all Italian on me you can just fucking stay at home then you stroppy twat, I'll buy a jap bike then.
This almost guarantees compliance next time I stab the starter button.
I have not looked at the mathematical probability of my theory yet

[katie1]

Personally FB, I think the maths is sound :)


Just before I commit to expensive lighting options, I am going to try something slightly more low tech

Will adjust the beam angle...

Spent 5 minutes in the garage, industriously turning the adjuster, without seeing any difference.

Stopped, turned brain on, starting turning adjuster the other way...

Thought this morning would be a good test but was running a few minutes later and the daylight arrived before I left the house! So, just to make it entertaining, my lights will come into play about half-way up the motorway on the way home and then, not before, I will find out if I managed to adjust the beam:

a) all the way back to where it started,

b)up to where I need it or

c) to bath the front tyre in a warm glow

[fatboy]

I hope your twiddling achieves some sort of result.
My own opinion is sooper bright lights is good,wakes up them deaf,dumb and blind car drivers, even makes some of em let me by when they see my HID in the rear view thing that is good for checking your hair in