H4 led bulb

[mophead]

Anyone added an H4 LED headlight bulb to a K1100RS with success?  Thinking the stocker could use some help.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

LED light sources do not have the correct propagation geometry to work with the optics that were designed for the filament in an H4 bulb. 

Using an LED would possibly be acceptable in daylight, but at night the scatter will greatly reduce the light being put where you need it while blinding oncoming drivers.

I have added a pair of inexpensive 10W LED spotlights to all my  bricks to increase my downrange illumination.

[RobP]

+1 on the LED spotlights - I added them to my K100RS.   They make a significant difference and well worth the upgrade. 

[johnny]

greetings...

my tribe prefers incandescent...

j o

[Laitch]

+1 on the LED spotlights - I added them to my K100RS.   They make a significant difference and well worth the upgrade.

Tell us about yours or link us to their birthplace.

[stokester]

Anyone added an H4 LED headlight bulb to a K1100RS with success?  Thinking the stocker could use some help.

In my state a vehicle will not pass inspection if the installed bulb does not match the labeling on the lamp.  While an inspector in VA I rejected a number of vehicles with HID bulbs installed in an H-series headlamp.  As Gryph stated, the optics have to match the lamp to give the proper and sometimes legal illumination.

[JPaganel]

I have a LED bulb in my R.

It was fine for a couple of years, but lately got very dim. I was kinda figuring they are supposed to last longer than that.

While it worked, it was pretty nice.  Bright, with a sharp vertical cutoff.

[RobP]

Tell us about yours or link us to their birthplace.

Search ebay or amazon for "10w cree led spotlights" - some have a plain black housing, others have raised white letters.  Mine are the same as this current link:

https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Headlight-Dirtbike-Offroad-Wrangler/dp/B00VL4H78W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538655701&sr=8-3&keywords=10w+cree+led+spotlights

I mounted mine on the front fender attachment using some SS bushing sleeves and longer SS socket head bolts from McMaster Carr to provide the necessary offset away from the fender.  For the electrical, I had a blank switch spot available in the center handlebar trim, so I ordered a matching switch from MaxBMW for the spots.  I used the circuit for the 'additional lighting' police lights.   Wiring was routed along the frame to a location under the fairing, with a Weatherpak connector to remove the spots if desired.

[Laitch]

Search ebay or amazon for "10w cree led spotlights" - some have a plain black housing, others have raised white letters.  Mine are the same as this current link . . .

Thanks for that link and description.  :2thumbup:

[natalena]

I'm tempted to buy a set based on the description clauses alone.

"If you throw it in the water by accident, don't worry."

Put's road rage in a whole new category..."damn electrics! Never should've cut the loop."

[mr_10brook]

https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/Cyclops-100-H4-LED-headlight-bulb_p_192.html

[BlitzenGruv]

Never tried one on the brick. Its alternator has plenty enough juice for a real H4.
But I do have an LED H4 on my Bonneville. Nice and bright with low power consumption. Lucas charging systems need all the help they can get.

[Filmcamera]

I have the 10w Cree LED lights installed exactly as Mophead has his and had gone with an LED H4 as well.  As mentioned by TMG and others above it gave a great amount of light during the day but the night pattern was only so so.  So when it died the other day I went with the Eastern Beaver relay option and a standard H4 instead.  Overall I feel it is the best of both worlds. I am very visible thanks to the cree LED driving lights and can see well at night thanks to the relay and driving light combination.  I am just waiting for a new H4 bulb which is supposed to be up to 30% brighter than standard.


Merry Christmas to you all.

[warmas]

I recently replaced the halogen 55/60w H4 bulb in my 1985 K100 with:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-HB2-9003-920W-138000LM-Fanless-CSP-LED-Headlight-Kit-Hi-Lo-Power-Bulbs-6000K/112562860026?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Price was right. Came with absolutely no instructions. I think there is a left and a right mount included.
The orientation of the filaments with respect to vertical and focal point is adjustable, if you can find a microscopic allen wrench to loosen and tighten the allen screw which is the size of one #8 birdshot. Vendor, in the interests of customer service, could have at no cost included a proper allen wrench or at least a mention of its size.

I thought the stock 55/60w H4 had good spread and cutoff, low beam was adequate, but needed more illumination for distance on high beam. The headlight fixture is a good one.

The led is brighter, after adjustment of the leds along their longitudinal axis, on high beam than is the halogen. The color is 6000k, which for me is too white/blue. I prefer the halogen's color.
The led low beam close-in illumination is barely equal to the halogen, and its color renders objects it illuminates less remarkable, to me, than the halogen. One of the first few times I rode the bike with the led on low beam, one car from a side street pulled in front of me, obviously didn't see me. A couple hours later at dusk, a pickup truck ran a stop sign to enter the four-lane highway, saw me at his last moment, and slowed. I had both tires skidding on the K100. I think the moral is to use high beam led during daylight hours. Low beam seems visible enough after dark.
The led bulb does fit in front of my fairing mount.

The K100 fixture which receives the bulb is some sort of plastic. I was apprehensive the 80/100w halogen I put in my R100 bike would melt the K100 fixture. The 80/100w bulb does a good job in the R100 fixture.

This bulb has received good reviews in H4 fixtures.
https://advrider.com/f/posts/36565431/