headlight

[David Langford]

anyone have advice on putting led bulbs in the 14 r1200rt, I am not impressed with the output of the old school halogens.

[Alfred02]

I haven't seen anything yet.

It might take a while for the aftermarket manufacturers to work out how to get around the compatibility problem.

[AndyS]

Hi David, you are the first person I have heard bemoan the stock lights. Genuine question, could you explain what you don't like about them?

[David Langford]

I have a 07 fz1 and a 2013 vstrom, the RT's lighting is equal and not better. I have ridden several other bikes that have hid that throw a much brighter and better light. I prefer between 5000 and 6000, a Whiter light that helps with clarity and depth perception (for me) The RT's is pretty yellow

 

The RT's is not bad, its just not up to my expectations. For a bike that is portrayed to be cutting edge-this bike is lacking in several areas,one of them is lighting. For example with the adjustable suspension this bike has -I have noticed it really keeps a great level stance as long as you click on the right setting (two up with bags, single without bags-etc) they could very easily put out a brighter and more precise low beam that doesn't blind on comers,my 09 370z has this as well as 05 m3 etc nice projection lights. The rt has 30 year old halogen tech and I feel they could do a lot better with very little expense.

 

Don't get me wrong,I like this bike and am working the bugs out and enjoying doing so. I think a bulb change will do the trick, I'm just looking for input as to what others have tried.

[realshelby]

I have a 07 fz1 and a 2013 vstrom, the RT's lighting is equal and not better. I have ridden several other bikes that have hid that throw a much brighter and better light. I prefer between 5000 and 6000, a Whiter light that helps with clarity and depth perception (for me) The RT's is pretty yellow

 

 

I find the "yellow" comment interesting. The low beam on my RT seems quite "white" for a halogen bulb. Especially when I flip on the high beams which seem quite "yellow" in comparison. I wonder if there is a running change in the bulbs installed on the assembly line?

 

All that said I find the low beam just adequate. I also worry about having just one bulb in the position that will get used 98% of the time the bike is operating. Having also owned V Stroms ( the earlier models have outstanding headlights! ) I find the low beams lacking. But, I don't ride all that much at night so on this bike I am not planning on adding auxiliary low beams at this time.

 

I don't trust the aftermarket HID conversions, especially with only one bulb in use, and I don't think the aftermarket LED's are any better yet. OEM stuff is one thing, but my experience with HID and LED in vehicles and RV's shows they are NOT reliable.

[mneblett]

I don't trust the aftermarket HID conversions, especially with only one bulb in use, and I don't think the aftermarket LED's are any better yet. OEM stuff is one thing, but my experience with HID and LED in vehicles and RV's shows they are NOT reliable.

Interesting -- I've installed several HIDs over the years, with no failures at all.

[realshelby]

Interesting -- I've installed several HIDs over the years, with no failures at all.

 

I cannot think of a singe installation where I have not had to replace a ballast...or two!

 

I spent a sack of money converting some lights in the RV to LED. Mainly to cut down heat output. Seemed like several had failed over a seasons use. The new RV has LED lighting in most of the fixtures ( not headlights ) and so far none have failed. I think it is mostly a quality issue. OEM stuff has to pass some pretty high standards. Aftermarket stuff...not so much.

[David Langford]

My bike was a shock buy back, so maybe an earlier bike ? but both high and low beams are more yellow than I'm used to, I would try HIDs or just brighter whiter light if I got good feedback- I have no clue whats good and whats not

[Freedom Outlaw]

I've had people tell me the RT lights were the brightest stock lights they've ever seen. Perhaps, their vision is fading. Night riding is something I try to avoid, but the stock lights are perfectly acceptable to me.

 

Ymmv.

[WBinDE]

I like the RT lights better than the GTL I traded. OTOH neither was as good as my 2010 Goldwing. The RT light seems to do a better job of lighting up the road than the HIDs on the GTL although I miss the adaptive headlight. That didn't stop me from putting Clearwater Darla's on, though, and now I can see just fine. I commute to work in the dark (both directions now the days are short) and am about ready to put my bike away for the winter. Cold I can deal with but ice not so much.

[AlanS.]

I went with Clearwater Darlas for extra light. They work great and integrate with the CAN bus system.

 

Alan

[racer7]

The use of a single low, dual high is a step backward in both adequate output for most situations and conspicuity.

Not what one expects from a firm that touts safety advances.

 

If I had a 14, I'd immediately go HID on the low (35W ballast, Philips tube 4300K bulb) and supplement with LED accessories- probably using the smaller Clearwaters (6000 lumens per pair and adjustable output) to get enough for safe low beam operation at night. (I consider 8-9000 lumens a decent low/mains output for older riders whose light sensitivity is inevitably diminished compared to younger riders). The hexheads/camheads with dual low/mains can gt by with dual HIDs supplemented with lower output LEDs like the Denalis.

 

The low/mains and what runs with them as always on are by far the most important lights on a bike. Few live where the highs, accompanied by long range driving lights can be on for more than a few per cent of riding time.

 

Guess they've killed all the wildlife in Germany. A single low can get you dead where I live. A single stock halogen is only 1500 lumens- way inadequate though H-7s can be easily bumped to 2100 lumens by use of the Osram H-7 Rallye bulb ($21 approx), still way behind the 3200 lumens of a 35W HID.

[WBinDE]

racer7, the 6000 lumen Clearwaters (Ericas) are not the "small" ones, they're the brightest they sell. I have Darlas, Clearwater claims 2000+ lumens each. I generaly have them set at about 40% and can barely tell I have the low beam on, they're that much brighter. Probably fry the eyeballs of an oncoming driver when they're at 100%.

[Kitsap]

I run that configuration. The Darlas are at full tilt when the high beam is on, amazing amount of light output. Switching to low beam the Darlas drop to 40 percent. Clearwater does a nice job of integrating the lights into the canbus system allowing for output adjustments via the wonder wheel. I cringed at the initial expense but have no buyers remorse.

[tlc]

The use of a single low, dual high is a step backward in both adequate output for most situations and conspicuity.

Not what one expects from a firm that touts safety advances.

 

If I had a 14, I'd immediately go HID on the low (35W ballast, Philips tube 4300K bulb) ...................................................................

 

I thought I heard somewhere that the '14 low beam cannot run a HID bulb, because the light dims when the bright lights are engaged. I have a '14, and I have Clearwater Darlas.

[David Langford]

The thing I worry about with HID bulbs is turning them off and on all the time, when switching from high to low beams, the low beam does dim each time the high beams are on

[AndyS]

If that is the case, why nit use a relay so that the low stays on all the time.