LED headlight

[Steve]

... I'm ordering the light .. but not the good trucklight. I'm gonna try the Chinese knock off adaptive light..

By "adaptive", you mean the one that lights up more elements in the turns? :-k

If so, I am looking forward to a report.

Even if you are getting the Chinse knock-off version of the TruckLite, I would be interested in a report on that, too. :encouragement:

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[Wingsconsin]

Got the Truck-lite from Amazon. Uninstall/install only took about 1/2 hour and I took my time. It did, indeed, bolt right up. No modification needed. First impression on a short ride tonight was, well, impressive. Pattern is kind of strange and there are some weird dark spots right out in front but overall, though, I don't know why I've waited so long to do this. I will now have much more confidence riding at night, especially on the dark, rural roads in my area. I thought I'd share some before and after shots. I was very careful to use the same exposure settings for every shot.

OEM-inside-low beam

OEM-inside-hi beam

OEM-outside-low beam

OEM-outside-hi beam

LED-inside-lo beam

LED-inside-hi beam

LED-outside-low beam

LED-outside-hi beam

SO MUCH BETTER -- I AM doing MY bike soon !

Steve -- ? Did you read that ?

 

[Steve]

Steve -- ? Did you read that ?

Yes, I did.

You gonna do it before the snow flies, or is it already too late for that?

It was 48? here this morning, but about 50 miles north, it was 37?.

You are a bit farther north than that, how's the weather?

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[Wingsconsin]

Yes, I did.

You gonna do it before the snow flies, or is it already too late for that?

It was 48? here this morning, but about 50 miles north, it was 37?.

You are a bit farther north than that, how's the weather?

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Today ---
34 degrees in the early AM - 68 mid-afternoon
Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday call for similar temps and conditions -
Friday the bottom drops out and snow flurries are forecasted overnight into Saturday --
The season is very short now for the 850 -
The Wing has better wind protection and a great alternator for my electric jacket liner and gloves -
So it extends my riding season into late-November...

I need to measure my headlight size I think ...

 

[Steve]

I need to measure my headlight size I think ...

Keep your tape measure in your toolbox, look for a box in the mail in a few days. :-\\\

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[Wingsconsin]

Keep your tape measure in your toolbox, look for a box in the mail in a few days. :-\\\

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I don't know if this matters anymore...but

 

[garyS-NJ]

chinese knock off adaptive headlight.

chinese knock off adaptive headlight.

Yes, I already received the Chinese adaptive light and tested it in my kitchen. I had found reports that the adaptive beams did not light sequentially proportional to tilt (one side or the other lights depending on the tilt) and also that the lights were erratic as if they were driven by a simple switch with bounce. My light did light sequentially proportional to tilt but it was erratic and faulty and eventually one side went out altogether.. Total POS and I returned it but ordered ANOTHER ONE with hopes it will work. I also looked into designing my own controller with Arduino and if this light doesn't work well but is bright and with bright side beams, I might go Frankenstein on it to externally control the adaptive section.. My other idea is to mount just two individual beams on each side aimed up and out and control them..

The trucklight pics here are impressive in the garage but I don't like the black bars on the road. Has anyone tested a Chinese knock off to compare??

By "adaptive", you mean the one that lights up more elements in the turns? :-k

If so, I am looking forward to a report.

Even if you are getting the Chinse knock-off version of the TruckLite, I would be interested in a report on that, too. :encouragement:

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[Steve]

The trucklight pics here are impressive in the garage but I don't like the black bars on the road.

I have never noticed any black bars in any of our lights. Besides the three in our stable, I have ready access to lights from cowboyup and his daughter, as well as Dogma. None of us has ever commented on black bars.

In another post ( click link, scroll to post #20), I showed pictures comparing a few lights. Unfortunately, the foreground is patchy grass/gravel, which might mask the presence of any black bars, but they are not seen there, either.

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[Rich82GS750TZ]

I may have to aim my light down a bit, and move those black spots closer to the bike. But my aiming point on the garage wall seems correct. At 25’, I have the low beam cut off line at 2” below the lamp center of the light as I sit on the bike. Anyone feel free to tell me if that’s not proper. I’m still learning. I’m going out now and will be coming home in the dark. I’ll play with it a bit.

 

[Steve]

As visible as a garage (or any other) wall might be, I only use that for coarse adjutments. For fine-tuning, I would rather ride in the dark for real-world situations. I adjust the cut-off so it is about tail light level on cars ahead. Yeah, tail lights are all over the place on newer cars, so let's say "below window level".

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[Rich82GS750TZ]

I seem to be in the ballpark. Driving behind cars tonight, the bright spot of my lo beam seem to fall just below rear window level of the car in front of me. The dark spots on the ground in front of me, I can live with. The overall improvement of nighttime visibility is fantastic.

 

[kochic]

This is the light I have on my GS.
I don't have any complain for the price,
https://www.easternperformance.com/...-led-headlight-harley-yamaha-jeep-178294.html
Marc

 

[Steve]

That is one of the Chinese knock-offs we are wanting a review on.

Any chance you can get some pictures of the pattern on a wall and shining down the road, similar to others in this thread?

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[Guest]

I just put one in my Suzuki. I was waiting till I needed to pull the fairing off and I did that when messing with my turn signals. Nice and bright!

 

[garyS-NJ]

chinese knock off of the trucklite or JW Speaker adaptive light or a real truck-lite?

chinese knock off of the trucklite or JW Speaker adaptive light or a real truck-lite?

which one did you install and can you share before and after beam pattern on road? I did some pictures with my Yamaha venture on a dimly lit road behind a parked tractor trailer. I took pictures of stock headlight and then same pictures with the aux beams turned on. the pictures tell the story.

I just put one in my Suzuki. I was waiting till I needed to pull the fairing off and I did that when messing with my turn signals. Nice and bright!

 

[garyS-NJ]

I use the parallel cutoff at 30' I think it is here in NJ but also agree it's seeing while riding that's important.. at a reasonable distance, your beam shouldn't be in the rearview mirror of the driver in front of you.. I don't need to see that good immediately in front of me because at speed when it matters, what matters to me is whats in front of me

 

[garyS-NJ]

I haven't thought much about this until just now but the Truck-lite and this knock off are reflective lights driven by an LED but many motorcycle headlights now famously from JW speaker and all the Chinese knock offs are projection lights.. I'm betting the Harley daymaker (made by JW Speaker?) came out with the projection optics that allow for a sharp cut off. Any thoughts here on LED projection lights vs the truck-lite style LED reflective light?? I just bought a pair of AUX 4" LED amber fogs (and first received by accident the 4" LED white lights) and these lights are projection style with the three vertical shaped bar lenses and these lights have a fantastic cut off. the ambers draw almost 1 amp at 12V (true 12W each) but the clears draw almost 2amps at 12V and are bright AF with a sharp cut off. Also, the first chinese adaptive light I received, also an LED projection light but it was malfunctioning in the adaptive section, had a very sharp low beam cut off. when the next one comes in I'm going to compare it to some regular lights..

This is the light I have on my GS.
I don't have any complain for the price,
https://www.easternperformance.com/...-led-headlight-harley-yamaha-jeep-178294.html
Marc

 

[fastbysuzuki]

I asked them if they sold one of these that conforms to uk ( drive on left) they replied "this light is non specific" so would that be a projection light?

 

[Steve]

I just put one in my Suzuki. I was waiting till I needed to pull the fairing off and I did that when messing with my turn signals. Nice and bright!

You have pictures you can share?

which one did you install and can you share before and after beam pattern on road? I did some pictures with my Yamaha venture on a dimly lit road behind a parked tractor trailer. I took pictures of stock headlight and then same pictures with the aux beams turned on. the pictures tell the story.

Please share your "story".

I haven't thought much about this until just now but the Truck-lite and this knock off are reflective lights driven by an LED but many motorcycle headlights now famously from JW speaker and all the Chinese knock offs are projection lights.

The key point here is that both of those lights were designed from the start to work as a complete unit. My issues have been with LED replacement 'bulbs' that replace an H4 halogen bulb. LED elements are not (yet) small enough to precisely replicate the size and position of the tungsten filaments they are emulating. That difference shows up as a failure to put a proper pattern on the road.

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[Steve]

I asked them if they sold one of these that conforms to uk ( drive on left) they replied "this light is non specific" so would that be a projection light?

Some stock motorcycle lights have a rather flat top to the low beam, with only a slight dip in the center so you do not shine into the car ahead of you. Most automotive lights have a bit of a 'flare' to illuminate the shoulder of the road on the side away from oncoming traffic. THAT is what makes the difference between American (and European) lights and British lights. The TruckLite is available in a British version. Not sure what the part number is, but these guys might be able to help you.

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