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Old 02-05-2018, 12:32 PM   #1
Cartman_tp   Cartman_tp is offline
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Vaquero headlight

So am changing out the headlight and (I’m sure this has been beat to death here) I’m on the fence regarding HID vs. LED. I have HID on my truck and am very pleased with them. I’ve read pro’s and con’s of both on the line; with as many different opionions as there are posts. So I figured why not offer myself up to even more opinions. Main reason for not going LED without question is the “dead/dark areas” & illumination distance. Thoughts/opinions?

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Old 02-05-2018, 02:07 PM   #2
rick6375   rick6375 is offline
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Are you thinking just a bulb change, or the whole light assembly?
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Old 02-05-2018, 02:21 PM   #3
Cartman_tp   Cartman_tp is offline
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Keeping the stock lense, so just bulb and whatever ballest/driver required for it.
 
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Old 02-05-2018, 03:40 PM   #4
556ALPHA   556ALPHA is offline
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Across many different forums you will get many different opinions. Ranging from “dont put LED or HID bulbs in a housing that was not designed for that specific application, if you do you are a horrible person for doing so because you will blind people” etc. Then you will get opinions stating that if properly aimed its perfectly fine.

My opinion after reading is that if you can afford it a Daymaker would be your best bet. If you have neither the skill or money to perform the mod something like this LED has been used and highly recommended by several motorcyclist. OPT 7 FluxBeam Motorcycle LED Headlight. I have changed Halogen Bulbs for LED and properly aimed the bulb causing no issues on other bikes. When I rode the Voyager home after the initial purchase I hit darkness and found the stock Halogen worthless on 2 lane back roads.

The LED lighting is much more visible to oncoming traffic and provides better light for me. Every bulb will be different. On the Voyager I will probably so a Daymaker mod but in the meantime may try the OPT 7.

At the end of the day I recommend testing it with a friend to guarantee you are not blinding oncoming traffic.
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Old 02-05-2018, 04:08 PM   #5
Cartman_tp   Cartman_tp is offline
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Thanks for the input Alpha. I had read about a day maker mod, not worried about the fabrication/mods required to make it work, just personally haven’t seen it. As far as blinding other motorists, I think I read somewhere, the only person you have to worry about offending is yourself or person sitting behind ya.



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Old 02-05-2018, 04:11 PM   #6
556ALPHA   556ALPHA is offline
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There are lots of youtube videos for the Vaquero getting the Daymaker. There is some info here as well. If you go that route please post up the details. Im interested. Thanks
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Old 02-20-2018, 09:38 AM   #7
BobBear   BobBear is offline
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Installed one of these in my 15 Vaquero over the weekend. Fits perfect without any modification, light output is great, and build quality appears quite good.

https://www.amazon.com/4000LM-Korean-Motorcycle-Headlight-Conversion/dp/B01M0DY6GA/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1519137383&sr= 1-1&keywords=1Pc+36W+4000LM+Korean+Seoul+Y19+CSP+LED +Chip+Motorcycle+Headlight+High+Beam+Dual+Hi+%2F+L o+Conversion+Kit+-+Cool+White+6000K+6K+Bulb+-+H4+%2F+HS1+%2F+HB2+%2F+9003

Or search this on Amazon:
1Pc 36W 4000LM Korean Seoul Y19 CSP LED Chip Motorcycle Headlight High Beam Dual Hi / Lo Conversion Kit - Cool White 6000K 6K Bulb - H4 / HS1 / HB2 / 9003
 
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Old 02-20-2018, 02:07 PM   #8
BonVoyager   BonVoyager is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobBear View Post
Installed one of these in my 15 Vaquero over the weekend. Fits perfect without any modification, light output is great, and build quality appears quite good.

https://www.amazon.com/4000LM-Korean-Motorcycle-Headlight-Conversion/dp/B01M0DY6GA/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1519137383&sr= 1-1&keywords=1Pc+36W+4000LM+Korean+Seoul+Y19+CSP+LED +Chip+Motorcycle+Headlight+High+Beam+Dual+Hi+%2F+L o+Conversion+Kit+-+Cool+White+6000K+6K+Bulb+-+H4+%2F+HS1+%2F+HB2+%2F+9003

Or search this on Amazon:
1Pc 36W 4000LM Korean Seoul Y19 CSP LED Chip Motorcycle Headlight High Beam Dual Hi / Lo Conversion Kit - Cool White 6000K 6K Bulb - H4 / HS1 / HB2 / 9003
Any pics at night with it lit? Curious if you have a dead spot in the light pattern like many of these do.
 
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Old 02-21-2018, 12:10 AM   #9
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It's too complicated to go into here, but based on the way LEDs work, I would recommend one like BonVoyager linked to. It has 3 faces. The more faces the better, but typically they only have 2 or 3. The more faces it has, the more the light pattern will be like an incandescent bulb which is what the stock reflector was made for.

I have a 3 sided bulb that gives a very nice pattern with the stock reflector. Very bright, 6000K. I have it properly adjusted and have asked folks that I know that I have passed on the road and no one has ever complained or said it is blinding. Unfortunately it is no longer available, but is very much like the one BonVoyager linked.

This does not apply to the Daymaker type lights as they are designed completely different including their own special reflectors.
 
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Old 02-21-2018, 06:25 AM   #10
BobBear   BobBear is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BonVoyager View Post
Any pics at night with it lit? Curious if you have a dead spot in the light pattern like many of these do.
Haven't had a chance to ride at night yet. I'm away from home all week for my job but plan to give it a night test this weekend. Manufacturer claims a 360 degree pattern.
 
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Old 02-21-2018, 11:06 AM   #11
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I have one of these in my Vaquero:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WVJR0D8

No complaints, install was easy. It isn't obnoxious but produces a whiter light than the standard bulb which I believe catches a bit more attention from cagers.
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Old 02-26-2018, 06:08 PM   #12
Ken Vega   Ken Vega is offline
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Did mine a couple of months ago. Came out awesome and Man it lights up the road. The LED bulbs I had in the stock housings are no comparison .
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Daymaker Mod.jpg (53.4 KB, 27 views)
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Old 03-07-2018, 11:03 PM   #13
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http://home.llens.net/daymakerauxlightmod.mp4
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Old 03-09-2018, 01:45 PM   #14
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So just to be clear, are there three options going from halogen to LED?

1. Just replace the halogen bulb with an LED bulb.
2. Replace halogen bulb with LED bulb and driver like the Opt 7.
3. Replace the whole halogen light assembly with and LED one like the Day Maker.

Are these options like "good", "better", "best" in terms of brightness, depth and width of projection, and beam pattern?
 
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Old 03-10-2018, 06:57 AM   #15
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Greetings Toku,

The GOOD-BETTER-BEST may not line up that way. And the opinions are probably subjective to begin with. :)

Yes, you can replace the stock bulb with a LED, with or without the external "driver". There are many who say that the reflectors inside any headlamp are designed for the type of bulb the headlamp came with. The focal point where the light emits from the bulb, the direction of the light emission, etc.

As LED technology is improving the external driver will be less and less required. The driver is designed to change the incoming voltage to the voltage needed to power (“drive”) the LED. As with all things electronic, as time goes by, these components get smaller and better. So, the need for an external driver package will be reduced. Read: Generation two or three of a LED may no longer have an external driver as its predecessor did.

<-This is 30 minutes of “what to look for in LEDs”, however, do feel there is some good information about LED’s as REPLACEMENTS…

I opted to go with a replacement LED lamp. This project is not completed yet, so cannot speak to the results. At this moment, all the fiddling with the brackets is PMO . Will do a separate write up when done and why it was done the way it was.

My two cents…

Ride safe,
Smokier
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Last edited by smokier; 03-11-2018 at 08:45 AM.
 
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