Matt0987
Member
For those of you considering the LED lighting system. I want to tell you my observations.
I went for a ride last night on my new 2011 FLHRC. I just picked it up yesterday. I had the LED main light and passing lights installed on it before delivery.
Admittedly I am “new” to riding. I gave up the bikes when I had two young girls and a third child one the way. That was over 20 years ago. So, today’s technology is new to me. It may be that the stock headlight may have the same issues of this LED system. I do not know. But, here is what I observed during my ride with this new LED system.
As I drove down the road last night it performed as expected. The low beam, especially with the passing lights on, provides a tremendous amount of light right where you want it. Need it, really. The high beam does disconnect the passing lights and there is a definite need for them to continue to flood the area immediately in front of the bike. I am going to have to investigate this further and see how I can make the decision mine rather than the bike's.
The reason for taking the time to write this thread is because of one issue in particular.
In a car with halogen or HID lighting there is a horizontal “cut off” line at the top of the beam. The idea being to provide as much light as possible without bothering oncoming drivers. A good idea. The car, being on 4 contact points with the ground (hopefully) maintains this cut off line, generally, horizontal to the road.
What I learned last night is that as I drove on a mountain road I, of course, lean into the turns. By doing so the horizontal line dips to the right or left depending on the turn. The road above the line is lost. My eyes were adjusted to the illumination of the light and I was not able to see the road ahead. The area beyond the beam cut off line.
In “the old days” my bike headlights threw light everywhere. To the sides, onto the ground, the road ahead, the trees above. Everywhere. When I would go into a turn and lean the bike the light that would, normally, be illuminating the tree branches now illuminated the road ahead.
I tried both the high beam and the low. Wondering if the high beam might lead the bike better as it was in a turn. It does not.
Again, all modern lights may have this cut off line at the top of the beam. I do not know. I have the factory light but have not used it. On my previous bikes, though they had halogen lights, they did not have the cut off to the beam and so this was not an issue.
Just a heads up to those considering the LED light system.
I went for a ride last night on my new 2011 FLHRC. I just picked it up yesterday. I had the LED main light and passing lights installed on it before delivery.
Admittedly I am “new” to riding. I gave up the bikes when I had two young girls and a third child one the way. That was over 20 years ago. So, today’s technology is new to me. It may be that the stock headlight may have the same issues of this LED system. I do not know. But, here is what I observed during my ride with this new LED system.
As I drove down the road last night it performed as expected. The low beam, especially with the passing lights on, provides a tremendous amount of light right where you want it. Need it, really. The high beam does disconnect the passing lights and there is a definite need for them to continue to flood the area immediately in front of the bike. I am going to have to investigate this further and see how I can make the decision mine rather than the bike's.
The reason for taking the time to write this thread is because of one issue in particular.
In a car with halogen or HID lighting there is a horizontal “cut off” line at the top of the beam. The idea being to provide as much light as possible without bothering oncoming drivers. A good idea. The car, being on 4 contact points with the ground (hopefully) maintains this cut off line, generally, horizontal to the road.
What I learned last night is that as I drove on a mountain road I, of course, lean into the turns. By doing so the horizontal line dips to the right or left depending on the turn. The road above the line is lost. My eyes were adjusted to the illumination of the light and I was not able to see the road ahead. The area beyond the beam cut off line.
In “the old days” my bike headlights threw light everywhere. To the sides, onto the ground, the road ahead, the trees above. Everywhere. When I would go into a turn and lean the bike the light that would, normally, be illuminating the tree branches now illuminated the road ahead.
I tried both the high beam and the low. Wondering if the high beam might lead the bike better as it was in a turn. It does not.
Again, all modern lights may have this cut off line at the top of the beam. I do not know. I have the factory light but have not used it. On my previous bikes, though they had halogen lights, they did not have the cut off to the beam and so this was not an issue.
Just a heads up to those considering the LED light system.