Headlight bulbs? What to use.

[Andrew Shadow]

The factory flasher is still installed on my bike, never changed, and no they don't blink any faster than the halogens did. Just buy the bulbs with the resister made in the bulb.

That is contrary to and defeats one of the reasons that you listed for switching to LED bulbs, which is to reduce the power consumption. Using LED bulbs with resistors does not reduce the power consumption. It draws as much power as the stock bulbs do. The point of the resistor is to increase the power draw to maintain the same load on the flasher relay otherwise it won't flash properly. Installing an electronic flasher relay allows the proper flash rate without increasing power consumption. This allows the use of LED bulbs without resistors so that the power consumption is reduced.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I guess we'll find out.

Let us know how they worked out if ever you think of it. They allow for a smaller and cleaner install. If they last just as long all the better.

 

[13ST1300PA]

Bulbs with resistors give you brightness, but don't save any power. The resistors use up that extra power savings to make the bike think it's got regular bulbs in them.

While that's true, it only happens when the lights go blinkity blink blinkity blink, and doesn't have anything to do with the driving lights (which don't have resistors) running the rest of the time. So an overall electrical savings over halogen which draw the same all the time. So unless your riding around with your blinker/hazard lights flashing all the time, less energy is being drawn.

 

[SMSW]

While that's true, it only happens when the lights go blinkity blink blinkity blink,

True, and indicator lamps tend to be fairly low wattage compared to headlight lamps. If your indicator is off 50% of the time (i.e. between blinks) then it is effectively running at half wattage from a load standpoint.

I think we have wasted more energy discussing this than is saved by LED lamps.

 

[Obo]

Canbus friendly LED's would normally have resistors on both portions. Yes, the 1100 & 1300's don't have Canbus, but the bulb makers make them to be as compatible as possible, including canbus vehicles.

 

[13ST1300PA]

I think we have wasted more energy discussing this than is saved by LED lamps.

Abolutely, I'm not trying to be argumentative or get an argument started. I'm just passing along information I know to be correct. Apparently, some people feel stronger about their LEDs than I do. I did me, ya'll can do you. So piece out, ya'll can have this.

 

[Al st1100]

And another point, if halogens are so great then why is everything automotive converting to LEDs....just sayin.

Why? Because they are trying to save electrical power. Electric power steering, transmission, windows, touch screens, navigation to name a few. Cars now a days have 30-50 electronic control modules, luxury models up to a hundred. Alternators can be up to 200 amp output. Thats why.

 

[Obo]

My 2 cents on why it's all going LED is simply $$$. You have a problem with an LED and you have to take it to the dealer or somewhere to be repaired. Almost all new vehicles had LED's built into the assembly. It's almost impossible for you to go buy a bulb (of any type) and change them out. I had an LED burn out in the side mirror that worked with the direction signal, and had to buy the whole assembly from VW as there was no bulby part to replace. Same as when you used to be able to buy a headlight and replace them yourself. Gone are those days. If you're lucky, it's still a bulb, but if you break the lens, it's almost always has to be the OEM fixture.

 

[SMSW]

LOL, It is all about efficiency. Halogen lamps convert a lot of the energy into heat. We could make most of the electronics in a car with relays (would be physically enormous), individual electronic components, or ics. The last are the most effficient - smallest, use and waste the least amount of energy, and cost the least.

We are all correct, just stating it different ways.

 

[wjbertrand]

No experience with LEDs in my ST1100 or ST1300, as they weren’t a thing when I owned those bikes. With my current Yamaha Super Ténéré, I tried a number of LED bulbs, including the expensive Cyclops kit. They all looked impressively bright looking at them but put less and more patchy light on the road at night in spite of looking blinding bright when viewed directly. This may be down to the projector design on the Yamaha’s headlights, dunno. I ended up installing a Morimoto HID system. Now I turn deer into venison jerky if they get in front of me!