ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Low On Cash on February 28, 2017, 02:23:55 AM
-
Whiter - Brighter & Safer Headlights For Your Zero - Mike Mas
Hey Guys - living here in the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia, when it gets dark these narrow winding roads can be quite a challenge. I generally take a 25 mile ride to the “2 Wheels†Restaurant in Suches, Ga in the evening and hang out with the guys, so its not unusual for me to come home after dark. The one feature I miss most on my Zero is the lack of whiter and brighter headlights. In this overview, I’ll cover how I achieved this goal and I’ll talk about some basic Pro’s and Con’s of halogen and Lcd’s as a choice.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l0.JPG)
Headlight Choices - Since the Zero uses a standard H4 bulb, there are a hundreds of headlight options, some just a plug and play and others requiring some modification. Headlight lamps are basically broke down to three major categories:
Halogen - For economical cost reasons, a basic halogen lamp is what you’ll find in your Zero and most other manufactures bikes and vehicles. Halogen lamps are “Just OK†when it come to brightness and distance however have a fairly long life and are easily found and replaced. The draw back of the “Basic†Halogen lamp is its yellowish color and limited ability to light the road at night.
Halogen Xenon HID - This bulb has been my choice for my cars, trucks and a few of my bikes. The Halogen HID is manufactured by Sylvania which uses proprietary xenon halogen gas technology to provide the light and performance of a HID lamp (high Intensity discharge). The ZXE bulbs offer a nice white light and in most cases offer 50% more light than the standard Halogen lamp. Because of their easy ability to find, low cost, white light and increased brightness, this is the lamp I chose for my Zero.
LED - Or light emitting diodes are very popular since they offer pure white light and longevity, some Led’s are published to last up to 15,000 hours. In the past, LED lights have been reserved for higher end cars and bikes. The Indian Roadmaster comes with led headlights and fog lamps as does my Honda NM4 also has led lighting stock from the factory.
There’s even a so-called “Adaptive Led Headlight†for motorcycles from JW Speaker which retails for over $800. For the most part, adaptive headlights are a myth for bikes. No they don’t move the beams like some cars do but rather turn on and off different led’s, so as your bike leans over in a turn, a processor detects the angle and turns on different sets of Led’s on either the right or left side of the headlight lamp depending on how far the bike leans to “hopefully†look in the direction of travel. The problem is the headlight assembly is still looking only straight ahead so the additional light is just flooding the side of the turn. In retrospect - a good HID or led low beam light that floods the shoulders will accomplish the same thing without this outrageous cost. While its up to each guy to decide his spending, for me they are out of the question and would be painful to pay $500-$800 for a headlight up-grade.
Not all Led’s are Equal - While Led’s do last a long time, their associated wiring and circuitry may not! Don’t be fooled with some of the Internet “Life-Time†warranties on Led’s since I found many of these dealers only have a P.O. Box, and they know you’re not going to write a letter !
Keep in mind that some Led upgrades require special adapters, resistors and such. I’ve seen threads where guys actually cut their factory wiring in their bike to install them, don’t alter your wiring since it can lead to problems with the Zero's processor if it detects a different headlight voltage or load it could misinterpret the circuit as open or over-loaded and throw a code. Most important, when purchasing replacement lamps, make sure they are the same wattage as the original to prevent possible heat damage to the plastic headlight housing and lens.
Halogen HID Improved Distance over Led’s - A HID lamp will have improved distance when compared to a Led lamps display design. Many replacement Led’s have only two elements which radiate light on only two areas of the headlights reflector where a halogen & HID’s radiates a full 360 degrees, so more light is focused on the reflectors to project further down the road in an even amount of lighting, unlike LED’s which provide unwanted lobs of spilled light commonly seen when using them.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l1.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l2.JPG)
The Main Headlight - Since my high beam quit working on my Zero, rather than reinstall the same dull stock halogen H4 lamp, I researched what was available in both LED and halogen and opted for the Sylvania HID Attitude - Xenon Fueled Halogen lamps I’ve been using. These retail for around $75 for two lamps, my local parts dealer only charged me $46 with tax for the pair, so my cost was less than $25 for my upgrade. These lamps can be easily found at your local auto parts outlet, Amazon or at some larger Wal-mart outlets. These bulbs are rated at the same exact wattage of 55/60 watts so your electrical system is happy. These white and bright lamps are DOT approved and street legal for your bike. In addition, they are warranted for a full year at any parts store.
HID Attitude Performance - As I mentioned, these Xenon Fueled lamps will be around 50% brighter than the standard halogen bulb so there is an amazing difference in what you’ll be able to see after dark. In addition, the lamp is white in color with a 4200K temperature when compared to the 3000K temperature of the stock yellow bulbs.
Changing the headlight lamp on your Zero is a breeze - you simply remove 4 hex screws on the lamp assembly, place a rag on your front fender to avoid scuffing then pull the lamp forward to revel the power plug. Slide the rubber boot back then gently rock the power plug back and forth to separate it from the lamp. Next, there is a white nylon retaining ring which you’ll turn counter-clockwise and the lamp lifts right out of the assembly. Perform the reverse to install the new lamp being careful not to touch the glass surface with your hands since there is some contact grease on the pin connectors.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l3.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l4.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l5.JPG)
I would like to mention that when I went to change out what I thought was going be a defective lamp, I found the bulb was fine. Evidently when the headlight was factory assembled, one of the clips in the 3 prong plug had moved back making the connection intermittent.
Once you get this lamp on your Zero you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them. The beam is now super bright and as white as a LED lamp. On these two shots below I show both the low and high beam results. As you can see, the light is very white. In the high beam shot you could spot a deer at 200+ yards away with ease, note the mailbox reflector and the beam going much further down the road.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l9.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l0.JPG)
Check out these two images of my bike on my driveway. The reason I used this location is because my driveway is jet black and as you know the worst situation for lighting since there is no reflected light to take advantage of. The low beam is virtually flooding both shoulders of the road and the road is saturated in light.
The high beams are awesome, in the second image you can see way past the fence and road to the trees across the field in the back ground. This is where the Halogen HID lamp exceeds the LED because it has the ability to focus at longer distances, something the LED cannot achieve. Also keep in mind, this is; “high beam only†since the Zero shuts off the low beam, yet the shoulders are still perfectly lit.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l7.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l8.JPG)
For the same token these lamps will help you at night - so will they help you during daylight hours because you will certainly be more visible as well. In conclusion, for the economical price of $25 this lamp offers security plus it makes it night driving so much easier.
Before I wrap, I wanted to share a tip I found for carrying a small bottle of water on your Zero and have it totally concealed. This little canvas water bottle bag is available at Walmart for around $10 and will slip right in the void behind the headlight assembly. On the bottom of the bag there is a Velcro strap, just warp it around the brake line or a wire to secure the bag. This is really nice when you want a quick drink without stopping.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l11.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l12.JPG)
Headlight: 1- Sylvania H4 HID Attitude - Xenon Fueled ZXE 60/55W
Enjoy - Mike Mas
-
Just one observation: "Yellow" in a headlight is NOT a bad thing. It actually provides better contrast than blue or white and gives you slightly better depth perception as a result. France actually mandated amber headlights for that reason (I don't know if they still do, or abandoned it when they joined the EU).
Sodium vapor lamps used to light streets are also yellowish, but I think the confusion they caused by drivers who didn't know if they were seeing a street light or a traffic light about to turn red killed those some years back.
It is also why so many shooter's glasses are tinted amber.
Thanks for a very interesting write-up. I'll keep an eye out for those Sylvania bulbs when it comes time to replace my headlight.
-
Super post and nice pics! I was recently in doubt of upgrading to LED, but found nothing good enough. But I will try these for sure! Here in Europe they are called Osram SILVERSTAR 2.0 64193SV2. 60% more light is what they say.
My order is on its way..
-
I'm just not crazy about the blue tinted headlamps. The coloring on the bulbs filters out other colors, reducing the total light output. But, simply replacing bulbs with brighter ones is a cheap and easy upgrade.
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
-
Oooooh, xenon magic! "Well, actually..." there's nothing magic about xenon. It's a halogen gas, plain and simple.
Incandescent bulbs are very simple devices. You run a fairly high current through a tungsten wire, and it heats up. Heat it up enough and it literally glows, to the point that you can light up a room. But there are problems with the concept. First, if you do it in air, even tungsten will oxidize and literally evaporate in just a few seconds (ask me how I know). So let's put a glass bulb around it, and evacuate the air. That works, but an evacuated bulb tends to implode, so let's fill the bulb with a neutral gas...there are many choices of neutral gases, and they're all good. That's your standard incandescent light bulb, and it's served us well for 100 years or more.
But the tungsten filament still decomposes, the extreme temperature causes tungsten to cast off ions, which deposit wherever, and that erodes the filament. That's why your standard incandescent light bulb has a dark spot on it when it burns out. That's the tungsten ions, cast off the filament, which have accumulated on the inside of the glass bulb. The hotter you run the filament, the faster it casts off ions, and the sooner it will burn out.
Cool trick: fill the bulb with a halogen gas, instead of a neutral gas. Due to an obscure chemical reaction, that causes the cast-off tungsten ions to preferentially plate back on the filament, rather than on the inside of the glass bulb. So, as the filament gets rid of ions, those ions are strongly encouraged back onto the filament. They don't go back in exactly the same place, so eventually you'll develop thin and thick spots, and the filament will fail, but it takes MUCH longer than without the halogen gas. We call these "halogen" bulbs. But instead of just making much longer-lasting bulbs, they design them to run much hotter, which gives them roughly the same lifetime as a regular incandescent bulb, but give a far better, whiter, brighter light. It's a good thing.
Back to xenon....google it, it's just a halogen gas, and it's the one everybody uses in their "halogen" bulbs. So there's no magic, in fact nothing special. This is just a regular halogen bulb which has been designed to throw out more light than most, with the standard tradeoff of much shorter life.
Some of the manufacturers go a step further, and as clay.leihy says, they dye their bulbs a light blue color. This is supposed to simulate a true HID lightbulb (which is a very different, much brighter and much more expensive animal). It's silly, really, as clay points out...design your bulb to run bright, but very short, and then dye the glass bulb blue to make it fool people into thinking it's a HID.
Look, buy whatever bulb you want, just understand what you're buying. These days, either it's a halogen bulb, it's a true HID (rare, expensive and getting rarer), or it's LEDs. I'd argue for my choice, LED, but I think the industry is making the argument for me. LED bulbs are the future just as EVs are the future.
-
Nice pictures and write-up! I've found the '16 DSR front lighting to be sufficient but I do think that high-beam draws a noticeable lot of power at slow speed longer duration riding just to get the visibility I'm looking for at night.
-
Consumer Reports has a brief write-up on premium bulbs.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/01/halogen-headlight-bulbs/index.htm (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/01/halogen-headlight-bulbs/index.htm)
Bottom line. Premium bulbs might be a good choice if you prefer a more intense or whiter light, but don’t expect big changes in the distance you can see compared with standard or new OE bulbs. For the premium bulbs we tested, shop by price.
-
Interesting, but is it really a HID as my HID globe comes with a box to boost voltage to 23,000 volts?
I see no mention of this driver box for this globe.
-
Jaime C made some really good observations about "yellow" lights and I would like to make a couple more. A yellow light and a white could both be illuminating the exact same amount of area but the white light will seem brighter because it actually irritates our eyes more. Since us Humans were raised on a planet with a yellow star, we are more accustomed to yellow light, go figure. Blue light is also more irritating to our eyes as well.
-
This is a great write-up, Mike.
I took some time to clean up the wiki's headlamp aftermarket section to accommodate some of this:
http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Zero_Aftermarket#Headlamp (http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Zero_Aftermarket#Headlamp)
A second pass would probably be able to work this in.
-
This is a great write-up, Mike.
I took some time to clean up the wiki's headlamp aftermarket section to accommodate some of this:
http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Zero_Aftermarket#Headlamp (http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Zero_Aftermarket#Headlamp)
A second pass would probably be able to work this in.
Thanks Brian! The manual has been a help to me numerous times.
-
Hey guys, while it does not pertain to the Zero (at least yet) the beautiful 6 Cylinder BMW K1600GTL offers a real working Adaptive headlight. To my knowledge it's the only “real†adaptive headlight on a motorcycle. Unlike the JW Speaker's fixed Adaptive fixture, The BMW uses a unique mechanical/electrical arrangement where the headlight fixture is stationary however it reflects its beam onto a rotating mirror assembly that is controlled by a processor which measures the bikes lean angle to moves the mirror the correct angle for light around a curve. What a super headlight system!
Regards - Mike
(http://www.com-pany.com/indian/lamp2/bmw3.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/indian/lamp2/bmw4.JPG)
-
Nice pictures and write-up! I've found the '16 DSR front lighting to be sufficient but I do think that high-beam draws a noticeable lot of power at slow speed longer duration riding just to get the visibility I'm looking for at night.
Thanks for the reply - While I have not confirmed it myself - I've read that once the Sylvania ZXE Xenon Fueled Halogen lamps warm up (gases) they reduce their current draw. Some have stated it goes down to 35-40 watts which would be a good thing for us on longer trips.
-
France actually mandated amber headlights for that reason (I don't know if they still do, or abandoned it when they joined the EU).
Just my 2 cent. France never "joined EU" because France was one of the EU founder nations (in 3 months we will elect a new president, hopefully it will not be that blonde shouting lady who wants a "frexit"). Yellow headlights were used until about 20 years ago. When the move towards "regular" color was announced, some motorbiker societies wanted the motorbikes to remain yellow, so as to be better distinguished from the "white" car crowd, but they were not listened at.
-
Oooooh, xenon magic! "Well, actually..." there's nothing magic about xenon. It's a halogen gas, plain and simple.
Incandescent bulbs are very simple devices. You run a fairly high current through a tungsten wire, and it heats up. Heat it up enough and it literally glows, to the point that you can light up a room. But there are problems with the concept. First, if you do it in air, even tungsten will oxidize and literally evaporate in just a few seconds (ask me how I know). So let's put a glass bulb around it, and evacuate the air. That works, but an evacuated bulb tends to implode, so let's fill the bulb with a neutral gas...there are many choices of neutral gases, and they're all good. That's your standard incandescent light bulb, and it's served us well for 100 years or more.
But the tungsten filament still decomposes, the extreme temperature causes tungsten to cast off ions, which deposit wherever, and that erodes the filament. That's why your standard incandescent light bulb has a dark spot on it when it burns out. That's the tungsten ions, cast off the filament, which have accumulated on the inside of the glass bulb. The hotter you run the filament, the faster it casts off ions, and the sooner it will burn out.
Cool trick: fill the bulb with a halogen gas, instead of a neutral gas. Due to an obscure chemical reaction, that causes the cast-off tungsten ions to preferentially plate back on the filament, rather than on the inside of the glass bulb. So, as the filament gets rid of ions, those ions are strongly encouraged back onto the filament. They don't go back in exactly the same place, so eventually you'll develop thin and thick spots, and the filament will fail, but it takes MUCH longer than without the halogen gas. We call these "halogen" bulbs. But instead of just making much longer-lasting bulbs, they design them to run much hotter, which gives them roughly the same lifetime as a regular incandescent bulb, but give a far better, whiter, brighter light. It's a good thing.
Back to xenon....google it, it's just a halogen gas, and it's the one everybody uses in their "halogen" bulbs. So there's no magic, in fact nothing special. This is just a regular halogen bulb which has been designed to throw out more light than most, with the standard tradeoff of much shorter life.
Some of the manufacturers go a step further, and as clay.leihy says, they dye their bulbs a light blue color. This is supposed to simulate a true HID lightbulb (which is a very different, much brighter and much more expensive animal). It's silly, really, as clay points out...design your bulb to run bright, but very short, and then dye the glass bulb blue to make it fool people into thinking it's a HID.
Look, buy whatever bulb you want, just understand what you're buying. These days, either it's a halogen bulb, it's a true HID (rare, expensive and getting rarer), or it's LEDs. I'd argue for my choice, LED, but I think the industry is making the argument for me. LED bulbs are the future just as EVs are the future.
Enjoy - Mike Mas
Doug thanks for your reply - While I’m certainly no expert on Xenon technology, but from using them and everything I’ve read, puts them on the top of the food chain when it comes to their brightness, white color and their increased projected distance even over LED lighting. As you can see from my Zero street shots, this single lamp illuminates the street as far as you can see. Riding the Zero with Xenon lamps is a different world for night driving. I’m not afraid to drive in the dark any longer.
I don’t feel your reply is 100% correct - the Sylvania HID Xenon is really a different bulb than a basic halogen you made reference to which has a tungsten filament where the current heats the tungsten which glows to produce light. With the Xenon bulb instead of a filament heating up and glowing like standard halogen bulb, the Xenon use electrodes to charge the gas inside the bulb which is actually producing the light, so its totally different than standard filament technology. Another advantage is the lifespan - most halogen bulbs have a lifespan of 500-1000 hours where the Xenon bulbs are lasting 1000-2500 hours. In any case they are warranted for a year.
The only lamp that will outshine the Sylvania HID Xenon is Laser lighting which is 30-50% brighter than HID or Led’s. Laser lighting uses diodes to create three individual beams of blue laser light which are then directed through a prism, to form a single beam. The beam then has to pass through a phosphorus lens that which then makes it creates white light that is safe for human eyes. Some cars in Europe such as the BMW I8 are already outfitted with laser headlights, Audi has a space age laser headlight that uses a camera to prevent the beams from working when in the proximity of other vehicles either coming or going.
Regards Mike
This is the BMW I8 Laser headlight Lamp
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/laser.JPG)
-
The above referenced bulb certainly appears to have a filament that is clearly seen in the photos in this thread and in the photos at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-SilverStar-Performance-Headlight-Contains/dp/B005KDO9C2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488404491&sr=8-2&keywords=sylvania+9003+h4+silverstar+ultra+halogen+headlight+bulb (https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-SilverStar-Performance-Headlight-Contains/dp/B005KDO9C2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488404491&sr=8-2&keywords=sylvania+9003+h4+silverstar+ultra+halogen+headlight+bulb)
To create plasma (as in HID or other technologies that make the gas shine), one needs high voltage. These bulbs operate at 12V without any unconverter electronics.
Unless there is another bulb in question...
-
As I said in my first post, it's a plain ole halogen bulb, no more, no less. They color the glass a light blue and put "HID" on the box (while not actually claiming that it IS a HID) in order to confuse people, and as you can see, it works.
A true HID is an arc lamp (it stands for High Intensity Discharge), and as Kocho and someone else observed (and I thought I explained as well), it needs a high-voltage generator to strike the arc. You're not going to buy one for less than $300 or so, and if you do buy one, you'll have a separate "ballast" or "inverter" module to mount in addition to the bulb itself.
Also, the "laser light" you've described is nothing more than a white-light LED that's un-packaged. All LED chips emit coherent light; a "laser diode" is simply one with optics designed to maintain coherence of the light. A white-light LED is nothing more than a blue LED with phosphors integrated into its plastic optics, which down-convert some of the blue light into longer-wavelength reds and yellows. The BMW light you describe is simply a deconstructed version of the same thing. If it's any brighter, it's just because they've designed it to be brighter...it's not a revolutionary new technology.
-
As I said in my first post, it's a plain ole halogen bulb, no more, no less. They color the glass a light blue and put "HID" on the box (while not actually claiming that it IS a HID) in order to confuse people, and as you can see, it works.
A true HID is an arc lamp (it stands for High Intensity Discharge), and as Kocho and someone else observed (and I thought I explained as well), it needs a high-voltage generator to strike the arc. You're not going to buy one for less than $300 or so, and if you do buy one, you'll have a separate "ballast" or "inverter" module to mount in addition to the bulb itself.
Also, the "laser light" you've described is nothing more than a white-light LED that's un-packaged. All LED chips emit coherent light; a "laser diode" is simply one with optics designed to maintain coherence of the light. A white-light LED is nothing more than a blue LED with phosphors integrated into its plastic optics, which down-convert some of the blue light into longer-wavelength reds and yellows. The BMW light you describe is simply a deconstructed version of the same thing. If it's any brighter, it's just because they've designed it to be brighter...it's not a revolutionary new technology.
Doug thanks for your reply - but you’re incorrect in your assessment of the Sylvania lamps. The ZXE bulbs are totally different technology than a basic halogen lamp you mention. Its not just the tungsten on the element producing the light, its the Xenon gas in the bulb glowing because its charged and energized between two electrodes which causes the gas to create light which accounts for the extra 50-100% increase in brightness plus the whiter temperature.
The "HID Attitude" is only reference as to the brightness of the lamp. The ZXE is not a HID lamp because they require a ballast and much higher voltage of up to 20,000 volts to ignite then 80-100 volts to continue. The ZXE uses 12-14 volts.
Also the blue tint on the bulb has nothing to do with the color temperature of the light, you can’t just color a bulb blue and make yellow light turn white, it just won’t happen. Sylvania clearly states the blue tint color is added only for cosmetic reasons since car owners like the appearance of a blue bulbs in the headlamp fixture.
Many Thanks
-
Doug thanks for your reply - but you’re incorrect in your assessment of the Sylvania lamps. The ZXE bulbs are totally different technology than a basic halogen lamp you mention. Its not just the tungsten on the element producing the light, its the Xenon gas in the bulb glowing because its charged and energized between two electrodes which causes the gas to create light which accounts for the extra 50-100% increase in brightness plus the whiter temperature.
The "HID Attitude" is only reference as to the brightness of the lamp. The ZXE is not a HID lamp because they require a ballast and much higher voltage of up to 20,000 volts to ignite then 80-100 volts to continue. The ZXE uses 12-14 volts.
Also the blue tint on the bulb has nothing to do with the color temperature of the light, you can’t just color a bulb blue and make yellow light turn white, it just won’t happen. Sylvania clearly states the blue tint color is added only for cosmetic reasons since car owners like the appearance of a blue bulbs in the headlamp fixture.
Many Thanks
From Syvanias automotive website http://www.osram-americas.com/en-us/products/automotive/Pages/silverstar-zxe.aspx (http://www.osram-americas.com/en-us/products/automotive/Pages/silverstar-zxe.aspx) with BOLD used to highlight parts of the text.
SilverStar® zXe
Looking to add the style and attitude of an HID headlight to your vehicle? Pick up a pair of SilverStar® zXe halogen headlights from SYLVANIA. SilverStar zXe is made to turn heads, with a crisp white light that transforms and completes the look of your vehicle. On the road or at the show, zXe is the first thing they’ll notice.
HID Attitude. Xenon Fueled – 100% Street Legal.
SYLVANIA SilverStar zXe lights are made to compete with HID headlights in style and appearance. Our special mirror tip and cobalt blue coating gives these headlights a remarkable jewel-like shimmer for head-turning style. But it’s more than just attitude with these bulbs. You also get crisp illumination from a headlight that’s noticeably whiter than BASIC bulbs. (Check out our photo gallery.) On the road you’ll notice an immediate difference. SilverStar zXe headlights use a proprietary cobalt blue coating combined with xenon halogen gas technology to generate a color temperature that rivals HID. 100% street legal, they meet all DOT requirements.
Notice that Sylvania identifies this as a halogen bulb, and does not claim it to be brighter an a basic halogen bulb, only whiter and they do claim this is in part due to the blue coating. Also, if it actually illuminated the gas the whole bulb would become the light source and it would not focus properly as the reflector housing designed for a halogen bulb with both high and low beam focus the beam based on the physical location of the filament (light source for a halogen bulb) which is why many LED lights don't focus when used as drop in replacements. Everything I can find supports exactly what Doug S stated.
If you like the whiter light and the appearance of this bulb, then this is probably an excellent choice. Since it is still a halogen bulb, it should work great in the existing housing and you won't have any of the focus issues associated with HID or LED lights when used with reflectors designed for halogen.
Chocula
-
Everything I can find supports exactly what Doug S stated.
Thanks for the support, Count. I really do try to be a source of accurate information....I notice that the end of the political spectrum that frequently offers loads of misinformation is very quick to accuse the other end of being "low information". The reality is very much the opposite.
You may notice that I've never said the Sylvania bulb is a bad bulb. In my opinion, t's a GREAT choice. Osram has similar bulbs, other manufacturers do too. They're "hot-tuned" halogen bulbs which offer fantastic amounts of light at reasonable prices. It's a really good solution for people who don't want to spend a ton of money, but want very white, very bright lights. Just be aware that the downside is reduced lifetime, compared to a standard halogen bulb or an LED bulb.
My simplified analysis is that:
1) Standard halogen bulbs offer good lifetime, low price and much improved light output over old-school incandescent ("sealed-beam") headlights.
2) "Hot-tuned" halogen bulbs are more of the same...even better light output, nice white light. Downside is reduced lifetime. Pretty good compromise in my mind.
3) True HID is much brighter, very bluish but very bright light, very expensive but also very long life. Excellent high-end choice except for the price and very bluish light.
4) LEDs, which are a mixed bag at this point. The potential is for a good price point, very good light output, very low power consumption, and extremely long life, but some bulbs currently on the market fall short of the potential. The high light output required of headlights is difficult for LED technology to achieve today -- it's a fantastic technology for turn signals, brake lights etc. but it may not quite be there for headlights.
I left the stock bulb on my 2014 S in place until it burned out, then I replaced it with an LED bulb. The light output is about the same as the stock bulb (maybe a bit better), it makes a nice even pattern in front of the bike, the lifetime will almost certainly be better (unless the built-in fan stops functioning, a real short-coming of modern LED bulbs), and it draws less power so it runs cooler.
Again, just know what you're buying, and pick your point on the price/performance curve. Don't be fooled by "low-information" people, even if they insist on calling YOU "low information". These days it isn't hard to find out the truth; Google is truly your friend. And Count Chocula, that's the thing I appreciate most about your post. You went and figured out the truth, right from the sources. We need FAR more of that these days.
-
Doug without being redundant - I suggest you study Halogen ZXE technology - There is no comparison to the Zero's stock halogen to the ZXE bulb they are worlds apart and use totally different technology. I''m not making anything up here - Please Google Xenon headlight and you'll see I was 100% accurate in my post.
Secondly, the "expensive" LED lamp in your Zero will not even begin to provide the distance of the Xenon Halogen simply from the stand point of its design. Please re-read my original post were I explain.
Facts are Facts - Take a second look at these images the ZXE is clearly showing the road 250+ yards - go out tonight with your stock headlight or replacement Led - you'll be lucky to see less than half that distance.
I left these images large so they can be easily viewed - the first two photos are on the road - look at the unbelievable distance and the level of light even past the mailbox. If you look closely you'll even see a pole off the left shoulder. I have two bikes with Led's one stock from the factory and they have no where near this performance.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l9.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l0.JPG)
______________________
These two images show the performance without any reflected light since the blacktop is totally black - look at the field across the street!
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l7.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l8.JPG)
Having driven home in the dark on numerous occasions, I can assure you the stock Zero lamp was absolutely terrible and unsafe. Unlike Led's, the Sylvania Xenon lamps provide a low cost simple installation that does not alter or change the stock wiring on the Zero and offers excelled performance unmatched by Led lamps costing up to $800.
Best Regards - Mike
-
Doug without being redundant - I suggest you study Halogen ZXE technology - There is no comparison to the Zero's stock halogen to the ZXE bulb they are worlds apart and use totally different technology. I''m not making anything up here - Please Google Xenon headlight and you'll see I was 100% accurate in my post.
Secondly, the "expensive" LED lamp in your Zero will not even begin to provide the distance of the Xenon Halogen simply from the stand point of its design. Please re-read my original post were I explain.
Facts are Facts - Take a second look at these images the ZXE is clearly showing the road 250+ yards - go out tonight with your stock headlight or replacement Led - you'll be lucky to see less than half that distance.
I left these images large so they can be easily viewed - the first two photos are on the road - look at the unbelievable distance and the level of light even past the mailbox. If you look closely you'll even see a pole off the left shoulder. I have two bikes with Led's one stock from the factory and they have no where near this performance.
...
These two images show the performance without any reflected light since the blacktop is totally black - look at the field across the street!
...
Having driven home in the dark on numerous occasions, I can assure you the stock Zero lamp was absolutely terrible and unsafe. Unlike Led's, the Sylvania Xenon lamps provide a low cost simple installation that does not alter or change the stock wiring on the Zero and offers excelled performance unmatched by Led lamps costing up to $800.
Best Regards - Mike
I think the area we disagree on is whether or not Sylvania ZXE bulbs are HID. They are NOT, as Sylania clearly identities them as Halogen in their literature, therefore all of the information relating to Xenon HID lamps does not apply to the ZXE bulbs.
I appreciate the sample photos provided. It is important to control as many variables as possible when doing comparisons. The make, model, and settings of the camera should be posted with the images. Allowing the camera to automatically select its shutter speed, aperture, ISO, or even white balance can inadvertently provide very misleading results. Allowing a couple of extra stops of light into the camera can make a significantly dimmer bulb appear to perform much better, hence these variables need to be controlled when possible and always published. I would love to see a controlled comparison between these and the various other bulbs available.
Chocula
Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...
Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?
Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.
Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?
Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?
Marty DiBergi: I don't know.
Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?
Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.
Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?
Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.
-
Chocula thanks for your reply - I did mention previously the ZXE was "Not" an HID lamp here's my paragraph from a past thread:
"The "HID Attitude" is only reference as to the brightness of the lamp. The ZXE is not a HID lamp because they require a ballast and much higher voltage of up to 20,000 volts to ignite then 80-100 volts to continue. The ZXE uses 12-14 volts."
The images are true to life results of what anyone can expect when you install the lamp in the Zero - changing the stop in the camera cannot create light in an image if there is none to be had. As my images show - the ZXE's real advantage other than more light and white light, is its ability to focus light at greater distances than even an LED headlamp. As the images show, at great distances in high beam it is illuminating the road so you could easily see prominent dangers, i.e. curves, people, deer, etc.
Thanks
-
I will confirm Low On Cash' post on BMW K1600 GT/GTL adaptive headlight. It uses an HID lamp and a swivelling mirror controlled by gyroscopes and electronics. It works very well. However, nothing like throwing more lumens downrange so I always have the LED foglights on.
-
Today i decided to change my main H4 bulb against a stronger H4 bulb from Osram.
The process of doing this looks really easy - just 4 screws - unplug connector, remove rubber, remove bulb, insert new build....
Well i succeeded to remove the 4 screws but i was unable to remove the damn connector from the H4 bulb. It comes out, that one of the 3 H4 bulb pins was glued to the connector.
How come? Well, in some youtube videos you get some short insights at the factory of zero and how the workers put things together. In these videos you can clearly see that almost everything gets some glue on it. It seems that they also glue the wires for the H4 connector. In my case i guess the glue was also in contact with one of the H4 bulb connectors, holding it in place.
In the end i managed to change the H4 bulb, but i literally had to tear off the connector with a wrench. During this process i used a lot of f... words, sorry for my neighbours. Hopefully no kids around ;-).
The new bulb is now much better. The name of the bulb is "Osram Night Racer". They claim that it has 110% more light. Not sure if its sold in the US.
Anybody else has same experiences with glued components that should not be glued?
-
It is really confusing to research "xenon" bulbs. Most google results point to HID lights, which do seem to use xenon differently than halogen lights do. To be clear, in order for any gas to get activated to produce light it needs 2 electrodes and high voltage. There are *no* two electrodes in the zXe lights - just a regular filament. I do not think, from what I understand about that bulb, that the xenon gas in it is being excited to produce light - it is there as an inert gas to prolong the life of the hot filament, not as a light-producing substance as it is in a HID lamp.
As for the comparison photos, it seems to me they are clearly from differently aimed lights - one looks like low beam, the other as high beam. Is that the intention? If so, can't compare this way, the one clearly throws light higher and would be blinding oncoming traffic. If not, I would not want a light like that - it probably would not pass inspection...
-
Today i decided to change my main H4 bulb against a stronger H4 bulb from Osram.
The process of doing this looks really easy - just 4 screws - unplug connector, remove rubber, remove bulb, insert new build....
Well i succeeded to remove the 4 screws but i was unable to remove the damn connector from the H4 bulb. It comes out, that one of the 3 H4 bulb pins was glued to the connector.
How come? Well, in some youtube videos you get some short insights at the factory of zero and how the workers put things together. In these videos you can clearly see that almost everything gets some glue on it. It seems that they also glue the wires for the H4 connector. In my case i guess the glue was also in contact with one of the H4 bulb connectors, holding it in place.
In the end i managed to change the H4 bulb, but i literally had to tear off the connector with a wrench. During this process i used a lot of f... words, sorry for my neighbours. Hopefully no kids around ;-).
The new bulb is now much better. The name of the bulb is "Osram Night Racer". They claim that it has 110% more light. Not sure if its sold in the US.
Anybody else has same experiences with glued components that should not be glued?
LOL Scorpion I thought I heard some cussing the other night - glad it worked out for you.
On my bike the red wire was pushed out of the connector when she was assembled making it intermittent - actually its a good thing because it got me off my duff and made me change it for the better.
Regards
Mike
-
It is really confusing to research "xenon" bulbs. Most google results point to HID lights, which do seem to use xenon differently than halogen lights do. To be clear, in order for any gas to get activated to produce light it needs 2 electrodes and high voltage. There are *no* two electrodes in the zXe lights - just a regular filament. I do not think, from what I understand about that bulb, that the xenon gas in it is being excited to produce light - it is there as an inert gas to prolong the life of the hot filament, not as a light-producing substance as it is in a HID lamp.
I have to admit I've been reading up on the subject and I'm finding the same thing...I'm 100% certain what I was saying was absolutely true five years ago, but is there some new technique? Technology does always move forward. Unfortunately, there is far more marketing hype online than real information, and even the "technical articles" seem to be not much more than copy-and-pastes of the manufacturers' marketing information. Not a lot of physicists reviewing products in the automotive emags.
So...I'm an EE, and my chemistry knowledge is pretty limited. I do have a B.A. Physics degree, but it's 32 years obsolete and forgotten by now. If anybody can help "shed any light" (sorry), please help me think this through.
The filament in an regular incandescent light bulb I understand...as I said earlier, heat it up and it glows by emitting "blackbody radiation", just like an iron fireplace grate except much brighter because it's much hotter. An inert gas will stop it from oxidizing, and a halogen gas will keep the liberated tungsten ions plating back on the filament rather than the inside of the bulb.
One of the things I notice about these "hot" bulbs is that they seem to have a very small sub-chamber inside the normal bulb. Is that just a smaller container for the filament and xenon? That might help because there's even less likelihood of the tungsten ions depositing on the glass -- they just can't get very far from the filament. Also, since it's nearer the filament, it probably runs a lot hotter (so I'd imagine it would have to be made of quartz, not glass), which means it's even less likely to ATTRACT condensing tungsten ions like a cold drink can condensing humidity on a hot day. So you could just run the filament hotter without adversely impacting bulb life.
But IS there any possibility the xenon gas itself is radiating like it really does in a true HID lamp? I don't think it can emit much blackbody radiation; it's optically clear (at least at room temperature) which means its emissivity must be very low, so it's not going to make a very good blackbody radiator, unless its chemical properties change significantly when it heats up, which could very well be the case.
A related question would be "what does the arc discharge in a true HID lamp actually do to the gas?". If it's just a good way to heat up the gas to the temperature where it DOES become a good blackbody radiator, maybe heating the xenon with the tungsten filament could do the same thing. But if that's the case, I'd think the new style of bulb would have come out first, rather than the arc-discharge HID. I THINK what the arc does is electrically excite the xenon molecules up from their ground state, from which they quickly jump back down, emitting photons (light) as they do so...pretty much like a laser, but not coherent. If that's the case, having a tungsten filament there shorting out the arc wouldn't work, and in fact would prevent any of that from happening.
I'm absolutely not above admitting I could have been wrong. I also don't think I've really been convinced of anything yet, though. I STILL think the smaller sub-capsule just allows them to run the filament hotter, which will always cause it to emit more blackbody radiation, without decreasing the life of the bulb. I also haven't really changed my opinion of these bulbs...they're an excellent point on the price/performance curve. I went with LED because I wanted lower current draw (not that it's really draining the battery down much slower, but every little bit helps!) and longer life. But these are a great choice as well.
-
The Sylvania Xenon Halogen bulb "Out-Performs" Most LED Lamps Available.
Hello Guys - Aside from the fact the Xenon gas burns at a much higher temperature for up to 50% more light combined with their 4000 Kelvin temperature to make them almost as white as an LED's, now most car manufacturers are installing them as standard equipment. Another advantage of the Xenon lamp is it is rated at 10,000 hours compared to the standard 2.000 hours of a standard halogen bulb.
I would like to follow up my article on the advantages of upgrading your stock headlamp with a replacement halogen type bulb rather than replace the entire lamp as some riders do on other bikes and the advantages of using the stock light fixture.
Stock Zero Fixturee - Actually the Sylvania Xenon Halogen $23.00 bulb in your Zero’s stock fixture will have more distance and more light than most other bikes who use a LED replacement fixtures to include the $800-$1000 J.W. Speaker lamps here's why:
LED Performance - With a LED lamp such as the J.W. Speaker lamp, the LED's are mounted facing forward so the only light projected in front of the bike is what is actually produced by the element itself. I’m not saying the LED’s don’t provide a bright light, what I’m saying is; since they do not have reflectors with any depth, they have little ability to reflect and focus the light as efficient as the stock fixture.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/jw.JPG)
In Contrast - When you use the Sylvania Xenon bulb or even the stock halogen bulb in your stock Zero light fixture, you’ll now have the distinct advantage of the fixtures numerous reflectors which are built into the rear and sides of the stock housing. These reflectors are carefully designed to reflect and focus light at a greater distance than the LED's can achieve because the reflectors take the light from many angles of the bulb and combine it to focus at a more confined area at greater distance.
Fixture Depth - The Zero’s lamp fixture is well designed thanks to its depth allows larger mirrors. This is why there is such a concentration of light directly in front of the bike on high beam as shown in my images below. The depth with the stock fixture allows more reflection area and ability to focus the light.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/reflector.JPG)
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/l8.JPG)
Shoulder Light - Another advantage of the stock Zero fixture with its H4 Bulb is some of the mirrors or reflectors are designed at angles to divert light to the right and left shoulders, this is another advantage of fixture depth.
LED Replacements - Most Led’s bulb Replacements for the Zero will not work as well as the Sylvania Xenon Halogen since most LED’s only use two elements - so half of the reflectors in the lamp fixture are not used. Another drawback of these 2 sided replacement led’s is un-even lobs of light that spill in unintended reflectors of the fixture.
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/bulbs.JPG)
Regards - Mike
-
Aside from the fact the Xenon gas burns at over 4,000 degrees Kelvin,
Thankfully, that's​ not what colour temperature means and really isn't what happening inside the bulb.
-
Aside from the fact the Xenon gas burns at over 4,000 degrees Kelvin,
Thankfully, that's​ not what colour temperature means and really isn't what happening inside the bulb.
Cood point.
Is it just me, or are Low On Cash's posts starting to sound like they are driven by commercial interest (i.e. advertising).
-
Aside from the fact the Xenon gas burns at over 4,000 degrees Kelvin,
Thankfully, that's​ not what colour temperature means and really isn't what happening inside the bulb.
Cood point.
Is it just me, or are Low On Cash's posts starting to sound like they are driven by commercial interest (i.e. advertising).
Yeah I own Sylvania Xenon Halogen bulb company and I'm trying to drum up some extra business from Zero owners LOL!
-
You bring up an interesting point, Mike. I'd long ago seen reports that NONE of the direct H4 LED replacement bulbs were considered street legal and your post explains why. Simply replacing the bulb with an LED while still using the original reflector makes little sense and you explained why perfectly.
I'm still not convinced why I'd want a "whiter" or a "bluer" colored light (I pointed out in an earlier response that a yellowish hue would provide far better contrast at night and better depth perception) but this has been quite informative. Thank you.
-
Hey guys Its a proven fact that vision is improved at night with whiter light. You can take my word for it since I've changed my bikes driving at night is a breeze compared to what it was with the lousy factory bulbs.
Also there is no blue in this bulb, the blue tint is only there for a high-tech look so when the light is off it gives the lamp a blue tint. I have included an image below to help you visualize what I'm saying.
Enjoy - Mike
(http://www.com-pany.com/zero/lamp/tint.jpg)
-
Eye movements are improved with a broader spectrum of light.
Light sources with spectral spikes, omissions and un-natural curves compromise the eye's speed to track, focus and relocate.
Yes, bright light looks better and anyone who isn't an Optometrist will fight bear out of conviction they see better.
But that crisp white from a narrow spectrum causes delays when your eyes move from object to object or attempt to track a moving object.
Delays processing visual input means "Less Safe".
Energy Efficient Lighting can cause Biologically Inefficient Sighting.
I'm not saying I'll never have LED headlamps - They just need to do more than "appear brighter" for me to sign on.
The adaptive LED J.W. Speaker light, if it every becomes affordable to me is worth considering.
I'm not sure it going to save much power with all those processors.
-
Bright white LOOKS better on clear nights... but it absolutely SUCKS in the rain and fog. That's when you appreciate the difference light in the more yellow end of the spectrum makes.
-
Hey guys, while it does not pertain to the Zero (at least yet) the beautiful 6 Cylinder BMW K1600GTL offers a real working Adaptive headlight. To my knowledge it's the only “real†adaptive headlight on a motorcycle. Unlike the JW Speaker's fixed Adaptive fixture, The BMW uses a unique mechanical/electrical arrangement where the headlight fixture is stationary however it reflects its beam onto a rotating mirror assembly that is controlled by a processor which measures the bikes lean angle to moves the mirror the correct angle for light around a curve. What a super headlight system!
Regards - Mike
I made a self leveling LED headlight for my Zero a while back. The entire assembly fits inside the stock Zero headlight housing. I wanted to patent it and continue developing it but I don't have the money for that.
https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU
-
I made a self leveling LED headlight for my Zero a while back. The entire assembly fits inside the stock Zero headlight housing. I wanted to patent it and continue developing it but I don't have the money for that.
https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU (https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU)
Would you be open to describing its construction for DIY'ers to build it? Zeromanual wiki (http://zeromanual.com) could be a good place to do such a write-up.
-
I made a self leveling LED headlight for my Zero a while back. The entire assembly fits inside the stock Zero headlight housing. I wanted to patent it and continue developing it but I don't have the money for that.
https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU (https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU)
Would you be open to describing its construction for DIY'ers to build it? Zeromanual wiki (http://zeromanual.com) could be a good place to do such a write-up.
I want to but I also want to protect the idea first. I'm a broke college student and I spent a lot of time and money getting that headlight to where it is. It's really clever the way it works; it doesn't use a moving mirror like the BMW one does. It's essentially better in every way than the BMW one. (cheaper to make too) I fully intend on producing a handful of them and selling them to Zero owners since it would be a direct swap with the stock headlight. This would help me raise money to secure a patent and then I would be happy to share how to build one yourself.
-
I want to but I also want to protect the idea first. I'm a broke college student and I spent a lot of time and money getting that headlight to where it is. It's really clever the way it works; it doesn't use a moving mirror like the BMW one does. It's essentially better in every way than the BMW one. (cheaper to make too)
Is there a reason you haven't considered crowdfunding it? Add in the cost of obtaining the patent (which isn't cheap), and you can get that done as well, with your first group of satisfied customers supplying the bux.
I'm hoping the design isn't based on a pendulum, though. If so, it's not going to work when you're riding like it does when you're stationary in the garage -- the g forces on a cornering motorcycle pass directly from the center of gravity of the bike through the contact patch of the tires on the ground (that's why bikes lean in the first place). So it's going to lean exactly the way the bike does when you're cornering at speed.
-
Is there a reason you haven't considered crowdfunding it? Add in the cost of obtaining the patent (which isn't cheap), and you can get that done as well, with your first group of satisfied customers supplying the bux.
I'm hoping the design isn't based on a pendulum, though. If so, it's not going to work when you're riding like it does when you're stationary in the garage -- the g forces on a cornering motorcycle pass directly from the center of gravity of the bike through the contact patch of the tires on the ground (that's why bikes lean in the first place). So it's going to lean exactly the way the bike does when you're cornering at speed.
Crowdfunding is definitely an option but I will need to make a video presentation demonstrating the benefits of this headlight. I fully intend on doing this also but keep in mind I'm one person and a video presentation like the other ones you see on kickstarter and such take a lot of time and effort to put together. But I'm working on it.
And no, it's not based on a pendulum. I tested it on my bike for a few weeks and was amazed at how much more of the road you can see during a turn. It's almost as if the headlight points itself into the corners. You can see the difference in this video... The first clip is the stock Zero headlight and the second clip is my LED self leveling one.
https://youtu.be/twQBMGPxTi0
Keep in mind, the camera just doesn't do it justice. It's much more impressive in real life.
-
I made a self leveling LED headlight for my Zero a while back. The entire assembly fits inside the stock Zero headlight housing. I wanted to patent it and continue developing it but I don't have the money for that.
https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU (https://youtu.be/YS765_nLPJU)
Would you be open to describing its construction for DIY'ers to build it? Zeromanual wiki (http://zeromanual.com) could be a good place to do such a write-up.
I want to but I also want to protect the idea first. I'm a broke college student and I spent a lot of time and money getting that headlight to where it is. It's really clever the way it works; it doesn't use a moving mirror like the BMW one does. It's essentially better in every way than the BMW one. (cheaper to make too) I fully intend on producing a handful of them and selling them to Zero owners since it would be a direct swap with the stock headlight. This would help me raise money to secure a patent and then I would be happy to share how to build one yourself.
I'd certainly pay for instructions and vector files (svg for lasercutting, stl for 3-d printing or CNC, enough to make the items for myself at my local Techshop). Not patent protection, but at least copyright. You don't have to pay anything for copyright protection, just put the copyright (c) year by name notice on your work. You can register with the copyright office, but you don't actually have to do that until you want to sue someone for infringement.
-
Thanks very much for the nice write-up. I'm taking delivery of a 2017 DSR in a few weeks and will be using the bike primarily for commuting. I'm going to switch out the bulbs right away as I need all the visibility (to see a and be seen) I can get.
-
I got creative with my FX. The stock headlights, IMO, are pretty bad. I replaced the low beam 35w with a 55w and aimed it a tiny bit on the high side and it is my light for when it's actually dark. The high beam got a cheap LED and modulator and is my DRL. I ride very little at night and live in the well lit burbs. Thinking of maybe auxiliary lights next.
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
-
I went with LED because I wanted lower current draw (not that it's really draining the battery down much slower, but every little bit helps!) and longer life. But these are a great choice as well.
But then you added weight with your led setup vs. the stock bulb so there's your efficiency gain neutralized! Now, someone do a comprehensive analysis of the range gained over stock by the more energy efficient LED against the range lost by the additional weight. Report back to us with your findings. [emoji12]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Haha Wolfsbane! I got a pair of serious LEDs and love them for their bright, white light (not blue). They are definitely heavier, with their little attached boxes and copper cooling braids. The trick with the projectors is to use bulbs that are the correct length so they focus properly. (Yes, a full redo from my previous post, it's like night and day.)
LED at night:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170523/558a10d657bfd8a4d1bba810afc12100.jpg) And by day:(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170523/1077b9007b501a4a7c4697cc5ef42fd9.jpg)
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
-
Personally I'd like to break the fingers of the people who allowed these bright white lights on cars. >:(
Even dipped I find they tend to blind me at night almost as if they are on full beam. Great for the driver, terrible for every poor sod who has to approach them.
I've taken to switching on main beam when they approach just so I get a little bit of vision.
-
Personally I'd like to break the fingers of the people who allowed these bright white lights on cars. >:(
Even dipped I find they tend to blind me at night almost as if they are on full beam. Great for the driver, terrible for every poor sod who has to approach them.
I've taken to switching on main beam when they approach just so I get a little bit of vision.
90% of the time, its not because the beam is bright... it is because they are aimed improperly.
-
Should campaign to have law enforcement enforce
safety matters like headlight aiming more, maybe.
-
Many states used to make that part of the annual inspection. Now all they care about is emissions.
Sent from my Z982 using Tapatalk
-
Personally I'd like to break the fingers of the people who allowed these bright white lights on cars. >:(
Even dipped I find they tend to blind me at night almost as if they are on full beam. Great for the driver, terrible for every poor sod who has to approach them.
I've taken to switching on main beam when they approach just so I get a little bit of vision.
90% of the time, its not because the beam is bright... it is because they are aimed improperly.
Not on every Merc and BMW they are not... >:(
Plus the MOT here in the UK is pretty strict about headlight alignment, it's something that will have your car off the road until fixed.
-
I just replaced the headlight bulb on both my new 2017 DSR and my 1997 Honda Valkyrie with the Sylvania Silverstar ZXE bulb. I know there's been a lot of debate on this thread about the technology and whether it's anything new or not, but all I can say is man, what an improvement over the stock bulb.
The difference on my Valkyrie was especially dramatic. You don't realize how much your old bulb has degraded over time until you compare it to a new bulb. If you haven't replaced your headlight bulb in a few years you should definitely consider doing so.
The improvement on my DSR was also quite noticeable and that bulb was almost new.
I am completely sold on these bulbs and would like to thank the OP for providing the information.
-
Personally I'd like to break the fingers of the people who allowed these bright white lights on cars. >:(
Even dipped I find they tend to blind me at night almost as if they are on full beam. Great for the driver, terrible for every poor sod who has to approach them.
I've taken to switching on main beam when they approach just so I get a little bit of vision.
Like
-
Just one observation: "Yellow" in a headlight is NOT a bad thing. It actually provides better contrast than blue or white and gives you slightly better depth perception as a result. France actually mandated amber headlights for that reason (I don't know if they still do, or abandoned it when they joined the EU).
Sodium vapor lamps used to light streets are also yellowish, but I think the confusion they caused by drivers who didn't know if they were seeing a street light or a traffic light about to turn red killed those some years back.
It is also why so many shooter's glasses are tinted amber.
That's really interesting. I've always felt that white headlights just simply don't give me the same degree of depth perception. But everywhere I read the marketing bumph saying the opposite so I assumed it was just as a result of my tungsten habits. What you wrote fits in perfectly with my experience.
Of course nice, yellow, tungsten lighting at home is generally softer on the eyes too. Even the "warm" coloured LEDs don't come close.
-
Thanks for the post OP, very good write up.
-
I've been running the Sylvania ZXE bulb for a couple months now with no issues. Nice bright, white light. Love them.
-
Do these Sylvania ZXE lamps work for the FX/FXS motorcycles? The unofficial manual suggests things are different:
https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Aftermarket#Headlamp (https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Aftermarket#Headlamp)
The only "H3" version I can find on Amazon are the fog lamps, and I don't know if that'll work (or is even recommended).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DO3JLYK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_znFUDb6MS81FV (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DO3JLYK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_znFUDb6MS81FV)
-
> Many states used to make that part of the annual inspection...
In California you don't even have to do that for the first how many years. It's crazy.
-
Most western states have removed inspections as a cost saving measure. I remember getting my first car inspected in Washington, but then they closed them down and privatized the system.
-Crissa
-
During my 57 years of riding motorcycles, I can't recall any time when California required any sort of a vehicle inspection except for emission equipment for automobiles once every other year, four years after buying a new car. But there has never been any inspection program for motorcycles. Not safety, not emissions, not noise, nothing. There has been talk about such things for years, but no action to set up any sort of an inspection program. Probably because the infrastructure just isn't there.
Once you buy a motorcycle it is up to the owner to obey equipment and safety laws. Needless to say not every owner does that. And then there is the wild west resale market. When you buy a used motorcycle in California (and likely other states, too), let the buyer beware.
-
The only "H3" version I can find on Amazon are the fog lamps, and I don't know if that'll work (or is even recommended).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DO3JLYK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_znFUDb6MS81FV (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DO3JLYK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_znFUDb6MS81FV)
I found this on the internet so it would appear that the Sylvania ZXE H3 bulb can be used in your headlight, but you should do your own research before buying them.
"What are H1 and H3 bulbs?
Before we get into the differences between H1 and H3 bulbs, let's discuss what exactly these bulbs are and their uses. H1 and H3 bulbs are both a type of halogen bulb. They're both approved for general use in the European Union, US, and Japan. This means that they can be used as headlights as well as for other purposes, such as fog lights, turn signals etc."
-
New York is the only state I recall having a motorcycle inspection. They more or less just checked that you had lights.
(d) Headlamp.
1. Check presence/condition. NOTE: Certain motorcycles may have a head lamp system that "modulates" between high and low intensity. This is an allowed modification only if the system can be switched off for normal operation. Reject if: 1. Not equipped with at least one approved, operating motorcycle headlamp. Lamp is not operational; not properly and securely mounted, lens is cracked, broken, covered, discolored or obstructed (such as shields, paint, etc.). Light is not white or does not operate properly in all switching positions. Lights do not have high and low beams.
(e) Other lights.
1. Check tail, number plate, stop and turn signal lights, reflectors. NOTE: No lighting other than the headlamp(s) referenced in subdivision (d) of this section may be modulated; they must emit steady light. Reject if: 1. Vehicle is not equipped with at least one tail and number plate light. If manufactured after October 1, 1968, one stop lamp. August 1985 and newer motorcycles must have turn signals. Does not have at least one Class B red reflector on rear (may be part of light lens).
I'm interested in lighting up the road better, but there seems to be such a wide array of opinions about what works well that I feel I'd end up buying and installing a few different options before I found something I was satisfied with. The S7 that Clay used is the only one that made it into the wiki for the X platform. Has anyone else used this?
-
California does inspect your vehicle that you do the Driving Skills Test on for all safety features, lights, registration, insurance.
But how often do you take the skills test? Like, once, ever, or maybe again if you let yor M endorsement lapse?
-Crissa
-
I took my skills test at age 15 in Santa Cruz, CA. It consisted of slaloming through a few traffic cones, turning around and doing the same thing the other direction, as slowly as I could without touching a foot down. 42 years later, they have yet to make me take another. Or even the written test.
-
When I started riding there was no motorcycle license. You had to have an automobile license in order to drive a motorcycle. So I applied for a temporary learner's license permit as I didn't own a car and kept renewing it every year until the state finally was forced to devise a motorcycle license as the "Nicest People" were clogging the roads on their Honda step-throughs and that got the attention of the state's legislators. The test was to make a figure-8 in the DMV parking lot. I easily did that and passed.
-
Zero doesn't usually rate on web sites for replacement parts, but this place has them listed.
https://www.motorcycleid.com/2018-zero-zero-fxs-headlight-bulbs/ (https://www.motorcycleid.com/2018-zero-zero-fxs-headlight-bulbs/)
I don't know how well these fare compared to the ZXE bulbs but they do list themselves as "better" than stock. Maybe I'll give these a whirl on my FXS.
-
Zero doesn't usually rate on web sites for replacement parts, but this place has them listed.
https://www.motorcycleid.com/2018-zero-zero-fxs-headlight-bulbs/ (https://www.motorcycleid.com/2018-zero-zero-fxs-headlight-bulbs/)
I don't know how well these fare compared to the ZXE bulbs but they do list themselves as "better" than stock. Maybe I'll give these a whirl on my FXS.
Well, these Putco bulbs are definitely not brighter than stock. That was money wasted. I ended up destroying the old one as I pulled it out, so I need to buy something new ASAP. Recommendations for an FXS?