stu1969
Registered user
What are people's views?
I'm looking for some reasonably priced DIY lights that will light up the world
I'm looking for some reasonably priced DIY lights that will light up the world
Brightest most effective spotlights?
- Thread starter stu1969
- Start date
Beware LED spotlights ;-) The eye's night vision is most sensitive around 500nm unfortunately this is where most white LED's have a big 'hole' in there spectrum.
I am sure this will start an argument
Hella FF50 spots with 50w HID conversions 
RobertG
Registered user
Hella FF50 spots with 50w HID conversions
FF50's without the conversion arent too shabby either. Excellent reflectors hence people like them for conversions.
stu1969
Registered user
Hella FF50 spots with 50w HID conversions
Sounds very expensive
Myke Rocks
Registered user
Be careful what you wish for
Remember there are 3 kinds of Auxiliary lights.
1. Spotlights. Long, pencil beam. Useless for nearly anything. Must extinguish when dip is selected.
2. Driving lights. Nice spread. Brilliant for country roads. Must extinguish when dip is selected.
3. Foglights. 2 metre focal length. Just about useless for anything. Only legal for use in conditions of fog or falling snow when visibility is under 200 metres. Absolutely brilliant for blinding oncoming road users, but not much use for anything else.
You did not put a price on what you wish to install, so I will suggest a pair of Hella DE Driving Lights (HID) Note - Not foglights with a HID conversion.
Look up Ebay.de and be sure you are sitting down when you see the price.
Myke
Remember there are 3 kinds of Auxiliary lights.
1. Spotlights. Long, pencil beam. Useless for nearly anything. Must extinguish when dip is selected.
2. Driving lights. Nice spread. Brilliant for country roads. Must extinguish when dip is selected.
3. Foglights. 2 metre focal length. Just about useless for anything. Only legal for use in conditions of fog or falling snow when visibility is under 200 metres. Absolutely brilliant for blinding oncoming road users, but not much use for anything else.
You did not put a price on what you wish to install, so I will suggest a pair of Hella DE Driving Lights (HID) Note - Not foglights with a HID conversion.
Look up Ebay.de and be sure you are sitting down when you see the price.
Myke
Fanum
Toubab
Beware LED spotlights ;-) The eye's night vision is most sensitive around 500nm unfortunately this is where most white LED's have a big 'hole' in there spectrum.
I am sure this will start an argument
Still peddling your inaccuracies?
Fanum
Toubab
Yeah they're quite good in normal guise - I have them fitted to my K1100RS plus they're "instant on" as there's no HID delay.
I have an ON/OFF handlebar switch rigged for my Hella HID's on the GSA so they can be independantly switched from the OEM main beam.
Still peddling your inaccuracies?
It is not an inaccuracy, most not all white LEDs have a very low output at 500nm and this is where the eye is most sensitive to night vision. So if the headlight produces very little output around 500nm (blue/green/cyan) then it will be harder to see objects at night, HOWEVER as the eye is very sensitive in this region then too much light directly into the eye will cause saturation and temporary blindness.
Another downside to consider is the very fast 'risetime' of bright white LEDs - this has the potential do dazzle other road users because the eye doesn't have time to adjust to the rapid rise in brightness when flashed.
I am not knocking LEDS just pointing out their potential downsides.
Deleted account 211025001
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Yup, I agree - I run mine with PIAA's, wired into the main beam circuit and don't want for more
Andres
Is this a big hole? For a Cree XML-T6. Is this good or bad?
http://www.cree.com/led-components-...d Modules/XLamp/Data and Binning/XLampXML.pdf
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Is this a big hole? For a Cree XML-T6. Is this good or bad?
http://www.cree.com/led-components-...d Modules/XLamp/Data and Binning/XLampXML.pdf
Yes that's the 'big hole' that I am talking about, the light quality would be better without this hole but it is just the way LEDs are at present - I am sure they will improve with time. If you take a look at a typical halogen head lamp it has a completely different spectrum (less harsh, a bit warmer and more even spectrum)
Personally if I were to fit extra head lights (which I am not) I would go for a couple of extra H7s with a carefully tailored beam pattern.
The downside of halogens is that they consume more power, LEDs win hands down as far as power is concerned, but the GS has 650W alternator so a 100W extra at night ain't gonna be a big problem.
Fanum
Toubab
in the 'REAL WORLD' 
the current LED lights are way better than Halogen.
There may be a theoretical gap in the spectrum in some makes and models, but A) nobody in 'the real world' has actually commented on it or will notice it objectively and B) the effective lumens per watt produced exceeds any other form of lighting available for a motor vehicle.
Add to that the size, ease of use and decreasing price of LED technology and it's a bit of a no brainer......no wonder Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Lexus, Ferrari and nearly every other car manufacturer, closely followed by Bike manufacturer are all going LED.
the current LED lights are way better than Halogen.There may be a theoretical gap in the spectrum in some makes and models, but A) nobody in 'the real world' has actually commented on it or will notice it objectively and B) the effective lumens per watt produced exceeds any other form of lighting available for a motor vehicle.
Add to that the size, ease of use and decreasing price of LED technology and it's a bit of a no brainer......no wonder Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Lexus, Ferrari and nearly every other car manufacturer, closely followed by Bike manufacturer are all going LED.
Coincidence as I was looking for the same for my RT.
I had decided on 'Clearwater Krista's'.
Mounted under the mirrors on custom brackets and had what I thought was a really good idea in as much as they come on with the main beam but dim to an adjustable preset amount when you dip the bikes main beam.
Having read the legislation however I don't think it is lawful as they don't 'extinguish or dip'....only 'dim'!!!!
Shame really as although they are expensive they look really good.
I had decided on 'Clearwater Krista's'.
Mounted under the mirrors on custom brackets and had what I thought was a really good idea in as much as they come on with the main beam but dim to an adjustable preset amount when you dip the bikes main beam.
Having read the legislation however I don't think it is lawful as they don't 'extinguish or dip'....only 'dim'!!!!
Shame really as although they are expensive they look really good.
in the 'REAL WORLD'
There may be a theoretical gap in the spectrum in some makes and models, but A) nobody in 'the real world' has actually commented on it or will notice it objectively and B) the effective lumens per watt produced exceeds any other form of lighting available for a motor vehicle.
Add to that the size, ease of use and decreasing price of LED technology and it's a bit of a no brainer......no wonder Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Lexus, Ferrari and nearly every other car manufacturer, closely followed by Bike manufacturer are all going LED.
I disagree - it is far from a no brainer, fashion and marketing has a lot to answer for - lumens/per watt is irrelevant in the automotive world, the energy saving compared to the inefficiencies of the internal combustion engine pale into insignificance.
Efficiency is only relevant to static lighting, in buildings for example, where LEDs have a huge advantage.
Car manufacturers are always looking for new selling points and realise just how gullible and fickle customers are - if they can get sales through selling bling they will do it in order to get an advantage over their competitors.
As far as price goes LEDs currently are at a huge premium compared to normal bulbs - try getting a quote for your failed Audi headlight!!!!! don't tell me that LEDs don't fail, ideally they should last for ages but they do fail.
P.S. when I first commented on LEDs in another thread I had no idea that you sold the things - if I had I would have charged you for all this publicity that you are getting free of charge!
I disagree - it is far from a no brainer, fashion and marketing has a lot to answer for - lumens/per watt is irrelevant in the automotive world, the energy saving compared to the inefficiencies of the internal combustion engine pale into insignificance.
Efficiency is only relevant to static lighting, in buildings for example, where LEDs have a huge advantage.
Car manufacturers are always looking for new selling points and realise just how gullible and fickle customers are - if they can get sales through selling bling they will do it in order to get an advantage over their competitors.
As far as price goes LEDs currently are at a huge premium compared to normal bulbs - try getting a quote for your failed Audi headlight!!!!! don't tell me that LEDs don't fail, ideally they should last for ages but they do fail.
P.S. when I first commented on LEDs in another thread I had no idea that you sold the things - if I had I would have charged you for all this publicity that you are getting free of charge!
I disagree!
Efficiency is very relevant to those who don't ride a big GS, who don't have several hundred watts floating spare, and to whom lumens/watt is very much the point. Also very relevant to anyone with a campervan, changing interior lighting from halogen to LEDs can be very worthwhile.
When I asked if the graph I posted was good or bad I meant in relation to all LEDs, rather than suggesting all LEDs are evil. There is a bit of a dip but not a big empty hole, so as far as top output Cree LEDs go these can't be bad?
I'm also looking at dimmable high output LEDs. As far as legality I would think most bike running lights sold don't have a cut off like a fog light? But cheap and Chinese will be my first try I think. I've had "proper" LEDs go pop at first use in my camper, so I know they may not last forever
kirky1298
Registered user
Hows about a pair of Cibie Super Oscars .
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