H7 LED Main Beam

Wreford Miles

Wreford Miles

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I've found that time spent setting the lights on my Hexhead ADV pays big dividens.

My current setup used daily down unlit country back roads is ensuring the dip beam is set at the right height which is just on the limit of being too high for other drivers, adjusting the fog lights to match the cut off and adding a decent 50% plus halogen bulb in the main beam.

With this set up I've never really had an issue with the lights and always made reasonable progress at night.

Seeing as LED bulbs are getting better and so simple to fit I thought I'd try one of these: http://www.sol2.be/Visibility/LED_ENG/Headlight/page.html

My impressions...

Upside
Very simple to fit
It's a neat installation
Lots of extra light

Downside
Maybe I'm getting old but I quite like the soft light you get with halogen which is what I have with the dip and floods on. When I now add the main beam not only do I get good range but I also get a lot of bright white light in the foreground. This can draw your eye closer to the ground in front of the bike when you want to keep looking far into the distance.

It's only a small downside which I expect I'll get use to.

The bottom line for me is a lot of extra light in a very simple, neat and cost effective way.
 

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I meant to add, the way it works in the main beam reflector seems fine, I'm not detecting any wayward light pattern

It's a neat package with great installation instructions which you can find on the website

I fitted these with the headlight unit in place
 
What would you think it would be like with the LED in the dipped and also the fogs (H11 LED) ??
 
younger06 said:
What would you think it would be like with the LED in the dipped and also the fogs (H11 LED) ??
Click to expand...

As I like my halogen dip and fog lights I think you'd find it a lot brighter but in my opinion it would be to much bright white light where you don't really need it. This can cause you to look at the road in front rather than into th distance.

If you are doing it to be seen it might be worth doing.

My reasons for doing this are to enable decent progress at night on unlit roads
 
I have an LED replacement kit on my KTM from Cyclops that replaces the dip and main beam.

It's an amazing difference with massively increased vision using the standard reflectors.

Like many other 1190 riders who've fitted them I can't see the need for fogs unless just for visual presence on the road.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have HID 50 burners in main and dip. I don't find the foreground is over lit but I do find that main beam is now able to compete with the dip beam. I can also set the dip a little lower than just low enough to avoid dazzling others and still have a good main beam distance penetration. The last thing I need on a narrow back lane is an older driver going into even more of a panic (than normal) simply because my dipped lights are too bright for them.

The HID downside is cost (though I bought used) and the dip beam cutoff is not as sharp as a filament bulb. The dip does not dazzle (no untoward scatter) but the cutoff is a fussy line rather than sharp shadow. It's passed the MOT for two years with no issues.

Will I convert to LED? Probably, but the HID does a good job.
 
My hid is great. Got it from hid 50.Got the main and dip but I'll be replacing them with these leds.

Same light output, but no messy wiring and boxes to stash away.
No slow heat up time.(I know it's marginal, but on the main beam even with the fast light ballest/burner kit which I have when you flash main beam people don't see it).
no lampf warnings. Mine sometimes does, but mostly it doesn't.
 
andy79 said:
... no lampf warnings. Mine sometimes does, but mostly it doesn't.
Click to expand...

Mine only gives a lampf warning when the dip bulb connector to the main wiring loom is not contacting properly. The headlamp angular separation between dip and main is too narrow (whatever type of bulb is used), so I have two long range LED spots to back up the main beam. These will light the tree tops 1/2 mile away so have to be carefully aimed.
 
...due to the minus 4 temps on my daily commute I've been avoiding the back lanes and using the Motorway.

I've found that the LED in the main beam has been very effective at giving drivers an awareness flash - it's instantaneous and the bright white is a contrast to the halogen, the quickest of a flash seems to have drivers register that I'm coming through.

I've now got use to the brighter white foreground and found that on more open roads I don't notice it so much - It was the narrow country lanes where the light lit up everything including the banks that I found it a little distracting
 
Delboy777 said:
Mmmm, might just try these out, both dip and main.:thumb:D
Click to expand...

I have my lights set quite high, I think if I had one of these in the dip it mean I have to lower them.

Another reason for just getting the main was the heat, it looks like these things are designed to dissipate the heat generated but a dip beam is on all the time so I thought I'd try in the main beam first.
 
Wreford Miles said:
I have my lights set quite high, I think if I had one of these in the dip it mean I have to lower them.

Another reason for just getting the main was the heat, it looks like these things are designed to dissipate the heat generated but a dip beam is on all the time so I thought I'd try in the main beam first.
Click to expand...

You could of course fit the matching DRL and switch the dip beam off ;)
 
PokenH00D said:
You could of course fit the matching DRL and switch the dip beam off ;)
Click to expand...

I set my lights up to improve what I can see, not to improve how I'm seen....

If you are running an LED in your dip how do you find that? Have you had to adjust it to avoid dazzling others, does the main beam make much difference?

My thinking is having to adjust the lights down will mean the foreground with dip and then with main beam would be flooded with bright white light and then be a distraction from looking ahead
 
Wreford Miles said:
I set my lights up to improve what I can see, not to improve how I'm seen....

If you are running an LED in your dip how do you find that? Have you had to adjust it to avoid dazzling others, does the main beam make much difference?

My thinking is having to adjust the lights down will mean the foreground with dip and then with main beam would be flooded with bright white light and then be a distraction from looking ahead
Click to expand...

The light on the LED dip really doesn't seem to need the addition of a full beam.
When I road tested it the was good enough for me to ride on unlit country roads well in excess of the limit without the discomfort of that "what's beyond the light" feeling and my lights aren't set particularly high.
I ride with the DRL on as the photo below, it plugs into the 501 sidelight socket.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a...00GS/6F4AAC28-E53F-410A-971F-304796903EFA.jpg
 
PokenH00D said:
The light on the LED dip really doesn't seem to need the addition of a full beam.
When I road tested it the was good enough for me to ride on unlit country roads well in excess of the limit without the discomfort of that "what's beyond the light" feeling and my lights aren't set particularly high.
I ride with the DRL on as the photo below, it plugs into the 501 sidelight socket.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a...00GS/6F4AAC28-E53F-410A-971F-304796903EFA.jpg
Click to expand...

How do you stop your dipped beam being on all the time??
 
younger06 said:
How do you stop your dipped beam being on all the time??
Click to expand...

Dead easy

The procedure is as follows:
1. Turn the ignition on and allow the startup-check cycle to complete. The headlights will be off (this is normal).
2. Hold turn-signal cancel switch for 4-5 secs.
3. Hold right turn-signal switch for 4-5 secs.
4. Start engine.
5. Lights should remain OFF.

I have a 2009 and if the dip beam is off, as above, and I turn on or flash full beam, the dip comes back on. You can then repeat process on the fly if needed.
One thing to note, it will show a light error on the dash while the dip beam is off.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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