LED Headlight bulbs

[Chris Launders]

On e-bay I have seen H4 Led headlamp bulbs with up to 120 Leds, given our limited dynamo outputs these seem a good idea as i'm on 12v.
Has anyone tried these at all. To fit one to my twin I need an adaptor (Paul Goff has one for £3.60) as I have a Stanley reflector. The bulbs are about £7 a pair,so are not too dear to try if no one else has.
Chris.

 

[b'knighted]

I have bought H4 LED headlamp bulbs. I am confident that the main beam will provide adequate light to see where you're going but it is unfocused as the reflector and lens are designed to aim the light from a single source. I think it should adequately dazzle any oncoming traffic. The dip function comes from a single forward facing lensed LED which is not reflected at all and wouldn't provide adequate light in my neighbourhood. There are no street lights within about fifteen miles of my home. Dip may pick up cats eyes but I wouldn't aim to go out in the dark using these lights. I do not believe that dip or main would pass an MoT but I use them for daylight riding on our MoT exempt bikes. On a bike with an original Miller dynamo running 12v negative earth through a Vreg2 there is plenty of battery left to work the horn. I have one pre-war bike without a charging system fitted with one of these. It will run on main beam with a multiple led rear/brake lamp for about nine hours from a Li-Po 3000 mAh battery about the size of a cigarette packet. This is more than I ever need between recharges.

 

[highbury731]

There are various LED headlamps on offer on EBay, having several LEDs set into a round lamp with a small reflector around each LED. They have had bad reports for beam pattern.

eg this: http://www.bikermart.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=226-010

There's a two lamp 7" insert from HD:
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/7-led-motorcycle-headlight

Comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqrdNOyUewE
It looks like the LED has a good low beam but lousy high

The original 'Truck-lite' with several LEDs for low beam, and a few extra for high is used on US military vehicles, and got indifferent reviews. It seems to have been replaced with this:

http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/trucklite-phase-7-led-headlamps.html

It looks less odd, and has what seems a good beam pattern on both dip and high. It requires 12.8V, draws 1.8A (dip) and 3.6A (high) - that's 23W and 46W. I doubt you could run that off a 12V dynamo. Does an Alton give 13V? The price (£600 for a pair) is a bit steep, but will probably come down in time, or rival vendors.

 

[Chris Launders]

Thanks for that guy's,it obviously won't be worth trying LED's,my lights are pretty good as it is, I have a lucas dynamo with 12v armature and field coil, LED clock and tail lights and a honda cb250 reflector with an ordinary 45/45w p45t bulb which has much better main and dip patterns than the miller even with a halogen bulb.
Made the 45miles back from our section meeting in september down single lane A roads and back lanes in 45 minutes with no trouble.

 

[Alan J]

At £300 for a light I'll give them a miss! On my old A.J.S. on 6volt I use a " Goffey" q. Halogen 35 watt bulb,it is pretty good and his led. Rear light. Got to Switzerland and back with my lights on with no problems!