HD LED Light - Lack of Daytime Brightness?
#12
I have the HD LED on my Scoot and ride with a few buddies and my bro. They all say it stands out really well during the day. It has a much more brilliant white and gives better contrast during the day. Bro and me will switch scoots and when he is behind me the LED stands out more than I notice the Halogen. I do keep mine on high all the time during the day, maybe this makes the difference. Night time is where this light really shins, it is just awesome.
Now if I had a bagger or a 7" bucket I would not buy the HD LED. The HID kits are not DOT approved but have a much superior light output than standard bulbs or LED's and cheaper. I think the Custom Dynamics kits are really good from what I have seen.
Now if I had a bagger or a 7" bucket I would not buy the HD LED. The HID kits are not DOT approved but have a much superior light output than standard bulbs or LED's and cheaper. I think the Custom Dynamics kits are really good from what I have seen.
#14
Everybody I ride with comments how bright my HD LED headlight and passing lamps are. When I was in the Black Hills I could always tell when an approaching bike had LED's because they were bright white with a slight blue tint. Originally I was concerned about daytime visibility, but not anymore.
#18
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Loudon TN. (30 miles from The Dragon)
Posts: 450
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
I sold my LED Headlight because i was concerned i wouldnt be seen in the daytime. It is bright if you stand directly in front of it and at night. However if you stand about 15 yards in front of the light and walk a few paces to the right or left you will see that the brightness goes away immediately.......very very dim light from the side. This concerned me that cagers pulling out from either side might not see me.
#19
I had the HD LEDs (All 3) installed when I PU my new 2011 RKC in June. As it was installed at the dealership they adjusted it as per factory instructions. As such, the right side had great light and the left was terrible. The factory specs have the left passing light adjusted under the main beam and the right light lighting up the right shoulder.
So, I ordered the Snap-on tool for adjusting the passing lights, laid out a straight line and target as per the service manual, and adjusted the beams better. Now I have better balanced coverage from the passing lights on the left and right side of the bike.
It is a frustrating process. Tedious. I would hope there must be a better way to loosen the allen head bolts on the passing lights. I just do not know how.
However, with the target set I was able to get better coverage without bothering oncoming traffic.
The LED has a horizontal cut off at the top of the beam. Which is no problem when you are driving straight and level. But when you are on the twisties at night and you lean into a turn this horizontal line dips below the road surface and it is as though a black curtain is placed over the road. It can be unsettleing the first few times you experience it. Eventually you learn to drive through it. And, with the factory beam alignment, the left passing light is of no help.
Knowing this now, I am not sure I would have bought them if I knew this before hand.
And, not having the TruckLight, or another one, I do not know if they similarly have the beam cut off.
Additionally, as the LED set up was installed prior to my first night ride I do not know how they compare to the stock lighting. Either in brightness or if the stock system has the beam cut off at the top of the beam.
In my distant past the headlights did not have this cut off. Which, on a car is great. On a bike??? Not so good.
So, I ordered the Snap-on tool for adjusting the passing lights, laid out a straight line and target as per the service manual, and adjusted the beams better. Now I have better balanced coverage from the passing lights on the left and right side of the bike.
It is a frustrating process. Tedious. I would hope there must be a better way to loosen the allen head bolts on the passing lights. I just do not know how.
However, with the target set I was able to get better coverage without bothering oncoming traffic.
The LED has a horizontal cut off at the top of the beam. Which is no problem when you are driving straight and level. But when you are on the twisties at night and you lean into a turn this horizontal line dips below the road surface and it is as though a black curtain is placed over the road. It can be unsettleing the first few times you experience it. Eventually you learn to drive through it. And, with the factory beam alignment, the left passing light is of no help.
Knowing this now, I am not sure I would have bought them if I knew this before hand.
And, not having the TruckLight, or another one, I do not know if they similarly have the beam cut off.
Additionally, as the LED set up was installed prior to my first night ride I do not know how they compare to the stock lighting. Either in brightness or if the stock system has the beam cut off at the top of the beam.
In my distant past the headlights did not have this cut off. Which, on a car is great. On a bike??? Not so good.
Last edited by Matt0987; 08-19-2011 at 10:44 AM.
#20
When the Parts Manager showed me the H-D LEDs installed bike, I bought the Truck Lites. I could not see the H-D LED headlight in daylight if I was more than about 10-15 degrees off the center of the beam. I'm sure riding buddies in front of you see your light as bright, but cagers pulling out of a side street or driveway won't see your headlight at all, IMHO. Honestly, I was worried that the beam was so narrow that opposing traffic wouldn't even see it, raising the risk of someone executing a left-hand turn in front of me.
I have the T/Ls in the headlight and the passing lamps, and I couldn't be happier. I've ridden 30,000 miles so far this year and a lot of that has naturally been at night. Night time brightness far outshines stock and halogen, but about on par with the HID when comparing headlight to headlight only. Add the T/L LED passing lamps and the HID/stock passing lamp combination pales in comparison.
FWIW, what Kury sells is the Truck Lite brand, I bought mine from Direct Harley Parts - cheaper of the two suppliers at the time.