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LED replacement bulbs

Mazo EMS2

Mazo EMS2

Active member
Has anyone found an acceptable match to replace the stock headlight bulbs with LED's? Care to share a link?
 
The key word is "acceptable".
An LED "bulb" projects light differently than any other type of bulb.
Because of that, a whole different reflector assembly is usually required to keep a good working headlight.

So I suspect the answer will be NO.
 
Easy Rider said:
The key word is "acceptable".
An LED "bulb" projects light differently than any other type of bulb.
Because of that, a whole different reflector assembly is usually required to keep a good working headlight.

So I suspect the answer will be NO.
Click to expand...

The normal bulb is a Halogen, which projects light in 360 degree's …. a two sided LED projects in 356 degree's … a three sided Led projects in 358 degrees..... a four sided Led projects in 359 degree's..... I can't see how this is the issue ……...jmho ….. Mike :ohyea:
 
BLUEKNIGHT911 said:
... I can't see how this is the issue ……...jmho ….. Mike :ohyea:
Click to expand...

If you really care, do some research.

While a halogen "element" might project light in a 360 degree "bubble", a BULB certainly does not......because the base gets in the way.
And how effective the reflector is depends, in part, on exactly where the concentrated light source IS in relation to the sides and base of the reflector.

Early attempts at an LED replacement were really BAD.
Recent changes to LED bulb designs have made it better but potential buyers need to be aware of the potential problem.
It affects some vehicles worse than others.
 
No need to trim anything. They work great and the locking ring works just as it did with the stock bulbs.
 
Hi Maso EMS2.

I am keen to see how it goes - I have a 2017 RTL like your picture.

I've been trying to get good lighting since I bought it 12 months ago and have learnt a few things - here down-under the hi and lo beams are separate. The highs under the Windshield, the lows in the lights aside the Frunk.
1. Are you looking for a wider spread - both low and high beams dont light much of the verge and none of the road side where critters like to sit and wait for my arrival.
2. Are you looking for more central light
3. Are you looking for improvements in general.
4. Some bulbs will improve one of the above
5. The reflectors in our case are the problem.
6. 1 up and two up provide drastically different outcomes with lighting - I wish the RTL's came with adjustable lighting like my car so that I could adjust them to suit who's on what at the time.

The opinions of many that I spoke with, all had suggested "awesome bulbs" but many were city dwellers - not in the country like me. When we rode out of the city lights onto rural highways they saw what I meant.

I communicated with a number of manufacturers to get their input and many suggested their LED product would not solve the problem - better spread. PIAA suggested one option - see notes below.

I have been experimenting with different bulbs from different manufacturers, and luck has it my car takes the same bulbs.

I tried a PIAA Extreme White Plus Halogen which has a 5 degree slant on the filament in the high beams. They improved it a bit but the dreaded spots of focused light remained. Fitted to my car it was "holy **** light everywhere". In the car they were great, RTL not work the cost.

I recently tried the Sylvania 9005's from my car (a 2012 model) with the Sylvania 9005's in the RTL - it was amazing how much the bulb improved the low beam spread and brightness - I can't find a difference in the markings.

I have tried a couple of different brand LEDS and none yet have given the improvement I want to the high beam or low - the reflector seems to be the limiting factor. Interestingly the BRP QUAD's have better headlight coverage than the RTL - go figure. I have seen another RTL with JB Speaker LED's which did give a better spread so they must sit ever so differently in the reflector.

I dont buy the argument that "bike headlights are always ****". I want headlight coverage like my old 1985 Honda VF1000 FIIF. It had a dual headlight and coverage was awesome at low and awesome spread at high beam. As a result I toured a lot regardless of the hour.
 
I was looking for LEDs for the Ryker my wife bought. Sorry, the RT is just in my signature. I went with LED's from Spyderpops on the RT and they're great
 
askitee said:
Hi Maso EMS2.

I am keen to see how it goes - I have a 2017 RTL like your picture.

I've been trying to get good lighting since I bought it 12 months ago and have learnt a few things - here down-under the hi and lo beams are separate. The highs under the Windshield, the lows in the lights aside the Frunk.
1. Are you looking for a wider spread - both low and high beams dont light much of the verge and none of the road side where critters like to sit and wait for my arrival.
2. Are you looking for more central light
3. Are you looking for improvements in general.
4. Some bulbs will improve one of the above
5. The reflectors in our case are the problem.
6. 1 up and two up provide drastically different outcomes with lighting - I wish the RTL's came with adjustable lighting like my car so that I could adjust them to suit who's on what at the time.

The opinions of many that I spoke with, all had suggested "awesome bulbs" but many were city dwellers - not in the country like me. When we rode out of the city lights onto rural highways they saw what I meant.

I communicated with a number of manufacturers to get their input and many suggested their LED product would not solve the problem - better spread. PIAA suggested one option - see notes below.

I have been experimenting with different bulbs from different manufacturers, and luck has it my car takes the same bulbs.

I tried a PIAA Extreme White Plus Halogen which has a 5 degree slant on the filament in the high beams. They improved it a bit but the dreaded spots of focused light remained. Fitted to my car it was "holy **** light everywhere". In the car they were great, RTL not work the cost.

I recently tried the Sylvania 9005's from my car (a 2012 model) with the Sylvania 9005's in the RTL - it was amazing how much the bulb improved the low beam spread and brightness - I can't find a difference in the markings.

I have tried a couple of different brand LEDS and none yet have given the improvement I want to the high beam or low - the reflector seems to be the limiting factor. Interestingly the BRP QUAD's have better headlight coverage than the RTL - go figure. I have seen another RTL with JB Speaker LED's which did give a better spread so they must sit ever so differently in the reflector.

I dont buy the argument that "bike headlights are always ****". I want headlight coverage like my old 1985 Honda VF1000 FIIF. It had a dual headlight and coverage was awesome at low and awesome spread at high beam. As a result I toured a lot regardless of the hour.
Click to expand...

Askitee, that's just my RT in my signature...I was looking for LEDs for my wife's Ryker, and I went with the ones being mentioned. I did upgrade the RT too, with LEDs from Spyderpops
 
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