Other than that, what's your opinion of the HD LED headlight?
Good?
Lousy?
The Most Wonderful Light ever?
Pie?
For those of you considering the LED lighting system. I want to tell you my observations.
I went for a ride recently on my new 2011 FLHRC. I just picked it up a couple of weeks ago. I had the LED main light and passing lights installed on it before delivery.
Admittedly I am “new” to riding. I gave up the bikes when I had two young girls and a third child on the way. That was about 24 years ago. So, today’s technology is, somewhat, new to me. It may be that the stock headlight may have the same issues of this LED system. I do not know. Not having used the OEM lights. But, here is what I observed during my ride with this new LED system.
As I drove down the road it performed as expected. The low beam, especially with the passing lights on, provides a tremendous amount of light right where you want it. Need it, really. The high beam does disconnect the passing lights and there is a definite need for them to continue to flood the area immediately in front of the bike. I have found a way to address this and plan to do so. But, that is another thread.
In a car with halogen or HID lighting there is a horizontal “cut off” line at the top of the beam. The idea being to provide as much light as possible without bothering oncoming drivers. A good idea. The car, being on 4 contact points with the ground (hopefully) maintains this cut off line, generally, horizontal to the road.
What I learned on my drive through the twisties at night is that as I drove on a mountain road I, of course, lean into the turns. By doing so the horizontal line dips to the right or left depending on the turn. The road above the horizontal cut off line is lost. My eyes were adjusted to the illumination of the light and I was not able to see the road ahead. The area beyond the beam cut off line. As we typically drive out in front I found that I had to slow to a crawl in an effort to see the road that has become above the cut off line.
In “the old days” my bike headlights threw light everywhere. To the sides, onto the ground, the road ahead, the trees above. Everywhere. When I would go into a turn and lean the bike the light that would, normally, be illuminating the tree branches now illuminated the road ahead.
I tried both the high beam and the low. Wondering if the high beam might lead the bike better as it was in a turn. It does not.
Again, all modern lights may have this cut off line at the top of the beam. I do not know. I have the factory light but have not used it. On my previous bikes, though they had halogen lights, they did not have the cut off to the beam and so this was not an issue.
Just a heads up to those considering the LED light system.
Author
Topic: Harley's New LED Headlight--A Mod Not to Do--Dual Beam Illumination (Read 17170 times)