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[francifxs]

are there any viable replacement leds headlights for the fxs?

[togo]

I have FX style headlights on my 2014 SR now

These work:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MXSF2Z3/

but don't fit within the enclosure and its rubber cap, so you need to seal up the rear of the housing and the little driver box, at a minimum.

[BamBam]

Although I haven't personally used it, this LED headlight bulb from Superbrights seems to be a good choice.  Good price, highly rated, and no fan or bulky heat sink required.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/motorcycle-led-bulbs/motorcycle-h4-led-fanless-headlight-conversion-kit-with-compact-heat-sink-2000-lumens/3930/8566/

[Curt]

My KTM 500 kept burning out bulbs. I tried 10 different kinds of cheap LED bulbs (under $10) that all burned out quickly. I suspect the KTM has a noisy electrical system with spikes that kill LEDs. Maybe e-bikes wouldn't have such a problem.

Out of desperation I got a $65 one with 3600 lumen and a fan (from Cyclops Adventure Sports LLC). It has lasted since 2015 and seems bulletproof. It probably has its own power regulator. This thing is amazing and wonderful. It lights up the entire freeway into broad daylight.

The KTM one was BA20D connector but they have all sorts.
https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/KTMHusky-BA20D-LED-Headlight-Bulb_p_175.html

But I won't be putting one on the FX at this time since stock seems bright enough and reliable already.

I also have a SuperTenere, and one guy on the associated forum offers larger 3D-printed bulb housings to accommodate the big bulbs.

[gt13013]

I was wondering if it could be possible to replace the entire lights by these:
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/2-5-Inches-Bi-LED-Projector-Lens-with-Hi-Low-High-Brightness-5500K-for-Car-Headlight/32963109038.html

One interesting thing is that each of these lights can be used in low light, high light, or both low and high at the same time

So, instead of the stock lightning schedule
- low light: left one ON, right one OFF
- high light: left one OFF, right one ON
it could be great if we could use the replacement light with this schedule:
- low light: both left and right in low light
- high light: both left and right with low and high light

That would make a huge lightning difference compared with the stock lights 

[togo]

I don't think those are DOT-approved.

[gt13013]

I also realized that they are probably not waterproof...

[Curt]

I don't think those are DOT-approved.

That is true. The more night miles I ride, the more likely I am to be called out. But I think the wide beam doesn't bother other drivers because I have never been flashed. The brights are insane. The KTM used to be my main commute vehicle until the FX booted it right out to mostly dual-sport duty. The bulb base is BA20D.

Waterproofness -- I guess I've been lucky so far or water doesn't much get into the headlight assembly.

I'd only like to say that to avoid disappointment, one should choose an LED headlight that comes with integrated voltage regulator and cooling fan.

[togo]

> I'd only like to say that to avoid disappointment, one should choose an LED headlight that comes with integrated voltage regulator and cooling fan.

I just got some H4 without a massive external heatsink and I'm pretty happy with them.

About as bright as the original, whiter color, and much less power wasted as heat.

The cooling fan or heat sink is not an indicator of power, it's an indicator of power being wasted as heat.  Ideally you'd get the brightness you want without the externalities.  In the past, I've had lights with big heat sinks, and they are a pain.  I can just imagine how much of a pain it would be to fit a cooling fan.

[Curt]

It could be that the Zero's DC-DC converter generates a nice clean output without spikes to kill the bulb. Which H4 did you get that manages to covert voltages without generating excessive heat? I'm curious to see how long it lasts, and leery of that because of the high wattages and high heat sensitivities of the LEDs.

Certainly if two bulbs are needed, it would be a bummer to have two fans and two heat sinks and two controller dongles. Also, the strain of installation and the excess weight can damage the bulb socket as happened on my KTM.

Here's a current test/review of 7 bulbs. They are 20-50W, and correspondingly 50-80% as bright as 100W halogen. They all have fans and heat sinks.


This RGB bulb has some potential for fun and lawlessness :
https://www.motorcycleid.com/2016-zero-zero-fx-led-lights/lumen-rgb-led-headlight-conversion-kit-2068009667.html

[togo]

> Which H4 did you get that manages to covert voltages without generating excessive heat? I'm curious to see how long it lasts, and leery of that because of the high wattages and high heat sensitivities of the LEDs.

I apologize for bringing up h4, it's off topic to this thread.
But I will say that LEDs do not have high wattage requirements.  For the same level of brightness, LED has the smallest power usage. if your LED is requiring high wattage it is because you are expecting higher brightness or because it has poor quality step down circuit that requires a lot of heat dissipation.

Let's go to another thread if we want to discuss h4, since they are not used for FXS headlights.

[ESokoloff]

I’ll throw in my 2¢ and say that when I changed the halogen bulb on my DSR for a LED, I had difficulty securing the bulb.
The stock bulb base was thin stainless steel & the light assembly mounting ring was thick plastic. 

Unfortunately the LED base is thick plastic so I had to make a thin steel mount ring out of a tin can top.

[Curt]

I apologize for bringing up h4, it's off topic to this thread.

Well darn, I was fooled by BamBam and you, and by the misleading stuff one gets when searching for Zero parts on Google.

FX takes H3 55W halogen. It looks easy enough to find fanless LEDs (unlike H4), but
- will they fit inside the dust boot? my Yamaha Super Tenere requires special deeper covers
- will the beam pattern be correct? two-sided, not fog lights, not dim, without gaps
- will they last a few months? a few years?

Is LED worth the trouble? 15W instead of 55W burning for 2 hours would use up ~1.2% of the range (0.7 miles). Personally, it's never occurred to me that my FX needs more light, although it might be nice.

Does anyone know if the ground wire also terminates in a 1/4" spade connector? Otherwise, some lights may require splicing wires.

The ones below are 30W and 2750lm, $30/pair. They should be >2x bright, but reviews say they're dim and splotchy. Shopper beware!
https://www.amazon.com/VehiCode-Headlight-Bulbs-Conversion-Light/dp/B07P9Y6JP6