Installed 7000 lumins Fog Lights on my 2021 F3 Limited
Today I installed a set of fog lights on my F3. I'm of the opinion that more lights and more visibility is good. I also didn't like to look of the empty places where they are meant to go. I looked around and ended up with 41-303A - CAN-AM F3 7000 LMNS FOG LIGHTS from Big Bike Parts.
Install was reasonable since the wiring, including the switch location, are all there already. I just got this bike a few weeks ago and this was the first time I disassembled the panels. Not too difficult. I probably spent a couple hours all total and they went in as easy as they were supposed to.
NOW ... my issue is that these are a nice bright white color and make the headlamps look extra yellow. So, any recommendations on headlamp upgrades?
Today I installed a set of fog lights on my F3. I'm of the opinion that more lights and more visibility is good. I also didn't like to look of the empty places where they are meant to go. I looked around and ended up with 41-303A - CAN-AM F3 7000 LMNS FOG LIGHTS from Big Bike Parts.
Install was reasonable since the wiring, including the switch location, are all there already. I just got this bike a few weeks ago and this was the first time I disassembled the panels. Not too difficult. I probably spent a couple hours all total and they went in as easy as they were supposed to.
NOW ... my issue is that these are a nice bright white color and make the headlamps look extra yellow. So, any recommendations on headlamp upgrades?
From the research I've done, it seems to me that these 'high lumen' lights rarely help much - sure, they might 'look' sexy to some, and they are usually a 'whiter' light, but there's a lot of peer reviewed research out there that suggests going anything much over 6000 Lumens is pointless for us Humans; and for the Human eye, 4000 ish Lumens might be smarter.... here's one quote I grabbed from the many saying much the same thing (my underlining):
...Indoors, the normal artificial light has an intensity of 400 to 600 lumens. If it is sunny outdoors, the brightness will fluctuate within a large range. Brightness in the shade is 1,000 lumens, while in places with large areas such as highways, the brightness is 6000 lumens. Below 3500 lumens, our eyes feel comfortable. When the brightness of direct or reflected light reaches 4000 lumens, the human eye starts to struggle to receive light. When we try to look at these very bright areas, we only see white flashes, which is glare....
Lighting isn't always about night time riding. I like my lights for day time riding. I want to be seen as much as possible to oncoming traffic. My brightest lights, lowest on the front bar, have amber covers that can be flipped open to clear at night.
2022 RT Sea To Sky
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I can attest to the visibility in daylight of Dave's . Bright and noticeable at distance. H4 lights help keep the price reasonable compared to the light for the RT.
Lew L
Kaos----- Gone but not forgotten.
2014 RTS in Circuit Yellow, farkle-ing addiction down to once every few months. ECU FLASH IS GREAT.
What headlights did you go with? Been looking to see if anyone has used Amazon LEDs and can't seem to find an answer.
I have LED's from a company called "FAHREN", very reasonable ... work well with our Spyder's ..... They have different levels of Brightness .... Mine are 16,000 lumen's and are quite bright, especially for night use .... They also make LED's that are more powerful .... Good luck .... Mike ...... PS.....I think I got them from Amazon, but I also buy a lot of lights from E-bay ....
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 11-15-2023 at 07:07 PM.
I have LED's from a company called "FAHREN", very reasonable ... work well with our Spyder's ..... They have different levels of Brightness .... Mine are 16,000 lumen's and are quite bright, especially for night use .... They also make LED's that are more powerful .... Good luck .... Mike ...... PS.....I think I got them from Amazon, but I also buy a lot of lights from E-bay ....
I bought the same as you Mike, they are great lights. Thanks for the suggestion.
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 11-15-2023 at 07:08 PM.
A friend that I ride with a lot has a pair of Clearwater Glendinas (these are their cheapest ones) with the yellow lenses. When we ride everyone rides at their own pace because we have predetermined all of our stops. From time to time he will stop and take some pics while the rest of us continue on. I can see him coming in my mirror from over a mile away even in the daytime. These suckers are bright, but don't affect oncoming traffic. I just wish they weren't so expensive.
Mine has the 2 Halogen Headlamps - 55/60 watts. I don't have the part number.
Also, it has built-in fog lights, I don't know the part number for those either.
But the headlamps are a bright white.
Deanna
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 11-16-2023 at 02:28 AM.
Current Spyder - 2023 F3 LTD Special Mineral Blue
Red LED NANO Saddlebag Marker Lights with Full Illumination
Sequential Fender LED'S (Amber/Red) with Safety Reflector
Dual Power Plate (12 V & USB ports)
Gremlin Bell
Rear Trunk Organizer (4 holders, 2 Elastic Holders)
Lamonster "Top Cuff" with adjustable drink Holder
SpyderPops Missing Guard Belt
Console Accent Trim (Carbon Fiber Domed Black)
Ultimate F3 Floorboards
Front Fairing Service Access Door Covers (Carbon Fiber Doomed Black)
Sway Bar with Links
Rolo Laser Alignment
Half Cover
A-Arm Daytime Dual Color LED Running Lights with Blinker Module
Hi-Viz DRL and Sequential Mirrors lights
Be mindful that the brighter the lights can get the cagers annoyed.
Actually, it's been my experience that properly focused/aimed lights don't annoy other drivers ..... Ever notice that the most annoying headlights at night are from pick-up trucks .... You know WHY??? ... It's because generally speaking, those lights are mounted TWO feet higher than almost all car headlights .... so even on low beams they are in your sight-line .... It's similar to folks that drive with their HIGH beams on ..... JMHO ... Mike
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 11-16-2023 at 02:26 AM.
Today I installed a set of fog lights on my F3. I'm of the opinion that more lights and more visibility is good. I also didn't like to look of the empty places where they are meant to go. I looked around and ended up with 41-303A - CAN-AM F3 7000 LMNS FOG LIGHTS from Big Bike Parts.
Install was reasonable since the wiring, including the switch location, are all there already. I just got this bike a few weeks ago and this was the first time I disassembled the panels. Not too difficult. I probably spent a couple hours all total and they went in as easy as they were supposed to.
NOW ... my issue is that these are a nice bright white color and make the headlamps look extra yellow. So, any recommendations on headlamp upgrades?
I'm a little apprehensive to take my new Spyder apart, but it looks like from your posting and pics installing was not bad. Did your LEDs have the braided heat sink or the newer metal heat sink? I'm hoping for the latter on my kit and that the Amazon image is outdated. Show Chrome/Big Bike Parts show the metal heat sink type currently.
I bought a similar bulb (same brand, different model) for my wife's Ryker and they have been great so far. Installing those will be a bit more tricky than the fog lights though, more to remove.
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 12-03-2023 at 11:18 PM.
Reason: removed unnecessary/confusing spaces after /
2023 Spyder F3-S, Manta Green
2023 Ryker 600 ACE, Black on Black (The wife's toy )
2020 Kawasaki Z900, Candy Plasma Blue
I do not turn on my fog lights at all because I hate LED's. They are way too bright, blind me when I ride down the road. Basically, I would like to get my back to the yellow color. They are just as good and do not hurt my eyes.
I do not turn on my fog lights at all because I hate LED's. They are way too bright, blind me when I ride down the road. Basically, I would like to get my back to the yellow color. They are just as good and do not hurt my eyes.
6000K is (for me) about the max I would go in color temperature. Anything above that and you start to get some blue in there and I believe visibility actually drops. I typically prefer somewhere between 5000K and 6000K, or what some companies call "bright daylight".
Perhaps you can find some replacement LED's closer to 5K and improve visibility, or maybe some lower lumen output bulbs that are not as bright.
The older I get, the brighter the light I need to see clearly. There are several advantages to LED's such as longevity and beam pattern (if in a suitable lamp assembly) that are much better than older halogen. Just my 2 cents.
2023 Spyder F3-S, Manta Green
2023 Ryker 600 ACE, Black on Black (The wife's toy )
2020 Kawasaki Z900, Candy Plasma Blue
[I'm a little apprehensive to take my new Spyder apart, but it looks like from your posting and pics installing was not bad. Did your LEDs have the braided heat sink or the newer metal heat sink? I'm hoping for the latter on my kit and that the Amazon image is outdated. Show Chrome/Big Bike Parts show the metal heat sink type currently.]
It's been well over a year since I purchased & installed the fog lights and headlights. I believe the headlight had the braided heat sink. But I don't remember about the fog lights. Since they came in a whole assembly instead of a bulb, I don't recall any sort of external heat sink.
I was quite nervous about taking all that plastic off etc. But done carefully with much help from a youtube video, it was tollerable. A set of the T-type torques drivers and the y shaped tools to pull the plastic fasteners are certainly a help as you probably know by now.
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GR Horst - Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
It's important to note that when replacing headlight bulbs with LED, there is much more to the equation than lumens. Bulb configuration is more important than how much light they throw out. Headlights have a reflector designed to properly apply the light to the desired area in a specific pattern. Get a bulb that does not have the same radiation pattern as OEM and you may find yourself hunting raccoons 40 ft up in the trees that line the road. Not a helpful application of the light generated.
Go with a proven bulb that puts the beam where you want it. For example, a 3000 lumen bulb properly applied will far outperform a 7000 lumen bulb that is throwing light all over the place. Not to mention infuriating oncoming drivers.
The correct LED headlight replacement bulbs are well worth the money and effort. You will be amazed at how much better and further you can see with them. And they are more noticeable than OEM to other drivers in the daytime as well.
It's important to note that when replacing headlight bulbs with LED, there is much more to the equation than lumens. Bulb configuration is more important than how much light they throw out. Headlights have a reflector designed to properly apply the light to the desired area in a specific pattern. Get a bulb that does not have the same radiation pattern as OEM and you may find yourself hunting raccoons 40 ft up in the trees that line the road. Not a helpful application of the light generated.
Go with a proven bulb that puts the beam where you want it. For example, a 3000 lumen bulb properly applied will far outperform a 7000 lumen bulb that is throwing light all over the place. Not to mention infuriating oncoming drivers.
The correct LED headlight replacement bulbs are well worth the money and effort. You will be amazed at how much better and further you can see with them. And they are more noticeable to other drivers in the daytime as well.
Hey Ron, do you sell the correct beam pattern replacement LED bulbs ? 2023 S2S and 2019 RTL
LMK please
2024 RT SEa To Sky ( back ahome after screen issues fixed looking forward to the BajaRon event May 1-5 )
2023 RT Sea to Sky Shadow Green ( guess what NO errors at all in 8 months of owning....)
Installed 7000 lumins Fog Lights on my 2021 F3 Limited
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Originally Posted by GRHorst
. Bright and noticeable at distance. H4 lights help keep the price reasonable compared to the light for the RT.
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