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LED Driving lights, Light up your life.

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  • #16
    Nothing gets dimmer. You can put whatever lights on you want.

    What happens is, if you have too much draw, the lights still light up ok, but eventually your battery goes dead, then the bike will quit.

    You can run big lights, if you are prepared to turn them off periodically to let your battery recharge.

    Derwat used to get about 160kms before his would die. Basically if you ran them out on the open highway, then shut them off for each town, you might be allright. Just keep your revs up in town.

    He had driving lights, hand warmers and a heated vest.

    In my experience, most driving lights light up about 50' in front, about the same place as low beam. They do very little for highway driving. People seem to think that thier high beam is dim because it isn't reflecting off the road right back at them. Truth is, high beam is not supposed to light up the road right in front of you, it's trying to show you what's way ahead, and if there is nothing there, nothing reflects.

    "If you wire in a load resistor you might as well just switch back to standard bulbs for the flashers"

    Only if you run with your flashers on all the time. Since the flashers are hardly ever on, run-time wise, you still get the power savings.
    Nice day, if it doesn't rain...

    '05 ST1300
    '83 502/502 Monte Carlo for sale/trade

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Crazcnuk View Post
      In my experience, most driving lights light up about 50' in front, about the same place as low beam. They do very little for highway driving. People seem to think that thier high beam is dim because it isn't reflecting off the road right back at them. Truth is, high beam is not supposed to light up the road right in front of you, it's trying to show you what's way ahead, and if there is nothing there, nothing reflects.
      Thanks Crazcnuk, I do most of my riding in the "back woods" and not so much in town. It would be nice to have the extra light aimed at the ditches while high beam is on. Last night I counted about 15~25 deer on a 10 mile round trip after dusk. Spot light wouldnt be a bad idea either... hmmm
      '79 XS11 F
      Stock except K&N

      '79 XS11 SF
      Stock, no title.

      '84 Chevy K-10 "Big Blue"
      GM 350, Muncie SM465, NP208, GM 10 Bolt with 3.42gears turnin 31x10.5 Baja Claws

      "What they do have is an implacable, unrelenting presence and movement that bespeaks massive power lurking behind paint and chrome. They don't wail like a screeching ninja, the don't rumble like a harley. They just growl like a spactic, stressed out badger waiting to rip your face off and eat your soul." Trainzz~RIP~

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      • #18
        Originally posted by Crazcnuk View Post
        "If you wire in a load resistor you might as well just switch back to standard bulbs for the flashers"

        Only if you run with your flashers on all the time. Since the flashers are hardly ever on, run-time wise, you still get the power savings.
        I'm not sure how that would work? Since the lights only come on when flashing, adding the load resister makes them take the same current when flashing as the regular bulb, so I'm not seeing where the savings comes in. Unless your talking about the marker light function often found on the front? That could be a point there, but then again, I find that the auto cancel is almost every time too quick anyways, so for me losing it is a plus, not a minus. Of course I have yet to replace the turns with LED bulbs, since as said they only come on when flashing, but it's in the plans. The brake light however (especially with the Vetter trunk and it's light array) is very well worth the savings. I'll be replacing those in the trunk on friday, cause man does the headlight dim when I apply the brakes, but at least the world lights up behind me when I'm stopping.
        Cy

        1980 XS1100G (Brutus) w/81H Engine
        Duplicolor Mirage Paint Job (Purple/Green)
        Vetter Windjammer IV
        Vetter hard bags & Trunk
        OEM Luggage Rack
        Jardine Spaghetti 4-2 exhaust system
        Spade Fuse Box
        Turn Signal Auto Cancel Mod
        750 FD Mod
        TC Spin on Oil Filter Adapter (temp removed)
        XJ1100 Front Footpegs
        XJ1100 Shocks

        I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.

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        • #19
          Overkill

          Very good information!! HID's may be an option, the ones i've seen ran
          $300-900 bucks. Way out of my limits.

          hmm, that has me thinking... dual headlights... HID....

          if the current draw is 35watts and standard bulbs run 55watts, that should be
          acceptable..

          but overkil...

          there's no kill quite like OVERKILL

          led gauge lights? hmm, I'll have to look into that!! What's the bulb Number?
          i'm allready using led's for the rear turns..

          i'm needing hard cases, I plan to add led turns and brake lights onto the hard bags

          You can NEVER have to many lights..
          (i ran a 200 amp alternator on my old chevy PU)
          1979 XS1100SF Special.78 E motor/carbs, Jardine 4-2 exhaust, XS Green coils, Corbin seat, S.S. Brake lines, Hard cases, Heated grips.

          2012 FJR1300 Gen 2. Heli bar risers, R-gaza crash bars, mccruise cruise control.

          (2)2008 WR250R. Because kids outgrew others.

          2007 Suzuki V-Strom 1000. (Just added 2024) pre-crashed.

          1975 Kawasaki S1 250. My first bike. Still have it. NO I'm not selling it!!

          Most bike problems are caused by a loose nut connecting the handlebars and the seat!!

          Comment


          • #20
            All the info is here:

            http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...highlight=LEDS


            Yes, Cy, we are not concerned about the current it takes to signal a turn. Just the lights that are on all the time.

            Both my front and rear turn signals are set up with dual filament bulbs, plus I have the 4 in the trunk, and 2 in the taillight.

            Putting the resistors in, though, would seriously cut into the time I can run my 4-way flashers, in an emergency.

            I haven't set my vetter turnk lights up as brake lights however.

            Making ALL the rear facing red lights into brake lights defeats the purpose of high mounted brake lights.

            I did consider making the outer two trunk lights flash with my signals, if I could find orange lenses, and making the center 2 come on ONLY when the brakes are on, but haven't actually done anything yet.
            Nice day, if it doesn't rain...

            '05 ST1300
            '83 502/502 Monte Carlo for sale/trade

            Comment


            • #21
              Thank you very much!
              I'm still a bit forgetful about searching threads...

              i believe the full LED upgrade + the HID upgrade will take care of the power
              issue's i'm looking at.

              Thank you Gents!
              1979 XS1100SF Special.78 E motor/carbs, Jardine 4-2 exhaust, XS Green coils, Corbin seat, S.S. Brake lines, Hard cases, Heated grips.

              2012 FJR1300 Gen 2. Heli bar risers, R-gaza crash bars, mccruise cruise control.

              (2)2008 WR250R. Because kids outgrew others.

              2007 Suzuki V-Strom 1000. (Just added 2024) pre-crashed.

              1975 Kawasaki S1 250. My first bike. Still have it. NO I'm not selling it!!

              Most bike problems are caused by a loose nut connecting the handlebars and the seat!!

              Comment

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