Which is best HID or LED for headlights

[Dray]

I am toying with going to a better headlight and need experienced opinions.
I had the shutter type HID's on my VTX 1800R and they really did an excellent
job of lighting up the road. Rarely needed the hi beams. BUT, that was before
LED's came on the scene. Bear in mind that my decision will affect my F3S, my
truck and my Challenger. The vehicles have the can buss system with auto on
for lights and that may some special requirements. Also, I see LED'S with built
in fans to help keep the bulbs cool. Does that really work and is that system
reliable? So feel free to jump in hear with thoughts, opinions and experience.

Thanks in advance.

Dray :yes::yes::yes::yes:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

From everything I've read about both systems - good and bad ...... I would get Lamont's LED's .... they are the most powerful on the market that work for our headlight systems and I believe the least expensive ..... Check here LaMonster GARAGE .............. Mike :thumbup:

[Copperman]

I have Lamont's LED's for both my fog lights and headlights on my F3 Limited. The difference is like night and day (No pun intended.).

[armyspydervet]

I have Lamont's LED's for both my fog lights and headlights on my F3 Limited. The difference is like night and day (No pun intended.).
:agree:

[papanorm]

I second that emotion for Lamont's lights for fog, headlight and center light.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ravseren]

I have xenon depots which I got before Lamont was offering them, and I have nothing but praise for them and the service I have gotten from the seller.
Ravseren

[#1battchief]

I installed Lamont's LED headlights and LED fog lights with the LED fog ring lights on my 2015 F3S. You can see and other drivers can see you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yes::yes::yes:

[z_light11]

I have Lamont's LED's for both my fog lights and headlights on my F3 Limited. The difference is like night and day (No pun intended.).

:agree: and with Lamont's you can re-install the factory rubber boot around the headlights.

[Lamonster]

This is what we have for the F3. No moving parts to fail and come with a two year warranty.

http://www.lamonstergarage.com/h4-led-headlight-for-spyder-f3-st/

http://cdn3.bigcommerce.com/s-1dz5qu/products/224/images/1023/f3leds__74958.1462841481.1280.1280.jpg?c=2

[Tazzel]

I have xenon depots which I got before Lamont was offering them, and I have nothing but praise for them and the service I have gotten from the seller.
Ravseren


Same here with the xenon's. I don't know what the difference is between the 2. I asked once but got no reply. I have the feeling they are the same thing.

[Bob Denman]

I got my LEDs for my headlights and Foglights from TricLEDs. (I'd hate to have to choose between theirs, and Lamont's...:shocked:)

But I am completely 147% happy with the job that they do! :clap: :thumbup:

[lou49]

Go with led's they're super Brite! Got my head lights from tricled, and my fog lights from ebay, so far no problems with either one! Can't say that i didn't support the sponsors of S L.

[SpyderF3]

I have Lamont's LED's for both my fog lights and headlights on my F3 Limited. The difference is like night and day (No pun intended.).


:agree::2thumbs:

[Firefly]

There are now many choice for LED headlights. I'd stay away from anything that has fans on it for cooling. Good units can disperse the heat without fans.
Lamont's kit looks like a good option. I tried another vendors LED's on my RT and wasn't pleased.
I've used HID's from Xenon Depot and they were great.
The LED's are better now than ever, but still doubt they can put out the light an HID setup can... but then again HID's will burn out.. LED's basically won't.
I'll be going LED again soon for my F3.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fatboy]

i also have lamonts led head and fog lights problem is i can not listen to the radio due to interferance when i have the fog lights on

[cptjam]

Before Lamont,I tried Xenon depot LED. Fantastic light output. Did a few sets of Lamont's LED's. Fantastic light output! TRIC LED has a set - fantastic light output! Bottom line: get LED headlights! I can't tell the difference, but as a motorcycle safety instructor, I can say: get LED headlights!!!! The increased light output is fantastic!!!

[PMK]

There are now many choice for LED headlights. I'd stay away from anything that has fans on it for cooling. Good units can disperse the heat without fans.
Lamont's kit looks like a good option. I tried another vendors LED's on my RT and wasn't pleased.
I've used HID's from Xenon Depot and they were great.
The LED's are better now than ever, but still doubt they can put out the light an HID setup can... hit then again HID's will burn out.. LED's basically won't.
I'll be going LED again soon for my F3.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fan cooled LEDs are more efficient at disapating heat making the actual LED operate cooler, brighter and with greater longevity.

The fans utilized are not a brush type motor like a starter. The fans are brushless with the only moving part the armature, no brushes to wear or contact the armature.

When these fans are condemned as a failure item, consider these fans are the same type brushless design that have been used in computers to cool the precessor. It is obvious that these fans run for the entire life of the computer without failure in almost all cases.

Forced air cooling is superior for everything from LED headlights to lawn mowers.

Heat kills electronics, especially high performance electronics. A Diode, the lighting element of a LED, (light emitting diode) is electronic.

[PMK]

Go with led's they're super Brite! Got my head lights from tricled, and my fog lights from ebay, so far no problems with either one! Can't say that i didn't support the sponsors of S L.

LED and HID, even flourescent light bulbs in the garage are offered in various heat or color ranges.

The super bright colors like 6000k do give off the appearance of brightness.

The real test is to compare the depth the light beam is able to reach, while providing ample coverage to the sides or surroundings.

In simple terms, if on the outside of your home you had outside yard lights. In one fixture you install a spot light and the other gets a flood light, both are 100 watts.

The intensity of the spot light allows the false appearance of being brighter, but provides less coverage of area. Conversely, the flood light may appear dimmer, however the ability to see more is provided.

On the Spyders, depending upon the model, some use projector style housings while others do not. This too may effect how the light is diplayed to the driver.

[jcthorne]

i also have lamonts led head and fog lights problem is i can not listen to the radio due to interferance when i have the fog lights on


Did
you install the RF suppression chokes on the LED fog power lines?

We have the LED fogs on a number of customers F3-T and L and installed correctly the radio works just as it did before the install.

[M109Dreamer]

Did
you install the RF suppression chokes on the LED fog power lines?

We have the LED fogs on a number of customers F3-T and L and installed correctly the radio works just as it did before the install.
What are the suppression chokes? I just installed a set on our RT. I just plugged the LED's, very straight forward. Should I of installed something else to not have radio interference?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[PMK]

Did
you install the RF suppression chokes on the LED fog power lines?

We have the LED fogs on a number of customers F3-T and L and installed correctly the radio works just as it did before the install.

Interesting. Since an LED bulb itself is DC, which unless connected to a noisy item such as a motor, there should be no noise generated.

If chokes or filters are being installed to deaden noise, it sounds as if the LED driver circuits were not designed or provided with features.

The regulating circuit in the driver must be generating the pulse or noise.

Interesting that the circuits designed in the driver are not noise protected at the oem level.

[PMK]

What are the suppression chokes? I just installed a set on our RT. I just plugged the LED's, very straight forward. Should I of installed something else to not have radio interference?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

I suspect the noisy LED headlights or fog lights are either defective or low quality.

[M109Dreamer]

I suspect the noisy LED headlights or fog lights are either defective or low quality.
Ok, I havent ridden it yet. Finishing up the winter mods list. I will be a little ticked if there is feed back over the radio.

When my wife and I were dating yrs ago. She would always complain about the feed back our TV had when my Dad was on the ham radio. I just gave her the analogy on what to might happen. Let just say, she got a flashback and wasn't happy. But, I thought it was hilarious.....[emoji23]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Bob Denman]

, but as a motorcycle safety instructor, I can say: get LED headlights!!!! The increased light output is fantastic!!!

Since it's actually more about being seen; than seeing: :agree:

(But they do a great job at both! :D)

[PMK]

Since it's actually more about being seen; than seeing: :agree:

(But they do a great job at both! :D)

Both are valid and true. I suppose that for us, when the forward lighting was good for driving unlit roads at speed, the visibilty to oncoming traffic increased also and was good then too.

[Firefly]

Fan cooled LEDs are more efficient at disapating heat making the actual LED operate cooler, brighter and with greater longevity.

The fans utilized are not a brush type motor like a starter. The fans are brushless with the only moving part the armature, no brushes to wear or contact the armature.

When these fans are condemned as a failure item, consider these fans are the same type brushless design that have been used in computers to cool the precessor. It is obvious that these fans run for the entire life of the computer without failure in almost all cases.

Forced air cooling is superior for everything from LED headlights to lawn mowers.

Heat kills electronics, especially high performance electronics. A Diode, the lighting element of a LED, (light emitting diode) is electronic.

Fan cooled LED's have more parts to break down and when the fan fails you'll have a meltdown on your hands. The cooling can be handled in other ways without moving parts.
Lamont's kit doesn't works fine without fans, as does Reggies. None of the most popular kits have fans. I've only seen them on a few cheaply built kits for the Spyder.
None of my led home bulbs use fans either.... and modern computers are now liquid cooled.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PMK]

Fan cooled LED's have more parts to break down and when the fan fails you'll have a meltdown on your hands. The cooling can be handled in other ways without moving parts.
Lamont's kit doesn't works fine without fans, as does Reggies. None of the most popular kits have fans. I've only seen them on a few cheaply built kits for the Spyder.
None of my led home bulbs use fans either.... and modern computers are now liquid cooled.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How frequently have you seen a computer fan fail? Not often for the end user.

If radiating fins were best, why would a computer company install a fan to force cool the processor?

Granted liquid cooled is newer tecnology, not sure that these LEDs are ready for that yet.

[Firefly]

How frequently have you seen a computer fan fail? Not often for the end user.

If radiating fins were best, why would a computer company install a fan to force cool the processor?

Granted liquid cooled is newer tecnology, not sure that these LEDs are ready for that yet.

How often have I seen computer cooling fans fail? Oh.. I don't know... only on EVERY computer I've ever owned.
It's overkill and not needed for LED headlights. You're comparing cooling a few diodes to cooling 2 billion transistors in a CPU. Apples to oranges.
Harley had been using LED headlights for years now without cooling fans.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bob Denman]

It probably is best to follow the "K.I.S.S." Principle, and eliminate unnecessary complexities. nojoke

[PMK]

How often have I seen computer cooling fans fail? Oh.. I don't know... only on EVERY computer I've ever owned.
It's overkill and not needed for LED headlights. You're comparing cooling a few diodes to cooling 2 billion transistors in a CPU. Apples to oranges.
Harley had been using LED headlights for years now without cooling fans.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You win, as I have never had a fan failure on a computer in my 20 plus years using computers of various brands and complexity.

As far as cooling a few LEDs or 2 billion transitors, failure is failure, so it does remain apples to apples.

[Firefly]

Since it's actually more about being seen; than seeing: :agree:

(But they do a great job at both! :D)

Isn't that why you have the disco ball Bob?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dray]

Gosh People, thanks for all the great input!! I have a lot to consider as what I will choose
will not only affect my scoot but also my truck and my challenger. I never even gave a
thought to noise on my radios.

Thanks Much

Dray:yes::yes::yes::yes:

[Bob Denman]

Isn't that why you have the disco ball Bob?

The N.S.A. took it away from me; it played havoc with their surveillance satellites! :D

I think that I'll try this one! :roflblack:

143226

[Corsacreek]

So feel free to jump in hear with thoughts, opinions and experience.

Thanks in advance.

Dray :yes::yes::yes::yes:

When you say "The Best" do you really mean it or are you really asking what is among a sea of cheap imitation the best of the crap out there????

Because if you want the best then you would buy the genuine product made by Philips which is the 12953BWX2 series type that run from $250 to $300 and they are made in Japan. They are bar coded and can be verified in Philips website as the real deal. Anybody here claiming they have the best are taking you for a ride. You'll find plenty of cheap imitations on ebay running from $18 to $45 with the Philips logo and they are all 100% FAKE and violation of copy right infringement. Philips has already sued several Chinese factories over this.

Most people are naive and don't take the time to properly research what's being sold as snake oil. There are differences in quality among cheap imitations but the bottom line is that they are ALL made in China with very little quality assurance. What you pay someone $100 for a pair of LED headlight bulbs will have the same quality assurance as the $40 one you bought on ebay straight from China.

Now if you really were interested in maximizing the potential of your headlight power you would start with the obvious, who made the headlight enclosure/assembly and that would be Hella. The assembly was made for a halogen bulb which projects light 360 degrees so right off the bat you have reduce your lighting power by using an LED bulb. An HID bulb would be a better candidate because it projects light at 360 degrees and with a higher color temperature. The HID covers ALL of the headlight reflectors and projects the light correctly. My old 95 Prius which I sold several years back is still has the original HID bulbs with the original ballast and still kicking. I can't say the same for any LED kit I have bought.

Look at the new Ducatis and BMW bikes that have LED headlights and you'll see the difference in the assembly. You certainly wouldn't put a halogen bulb no matter the price on the bike with LED reflectors would you???