Softail Models Standard, Custom, Night Train, Deuce, Springer, Heritage, Fatboy, Deluxe, Rocker and Cross Bones.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Daymaker/LED headlight for a slim

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 3, 2017 | 10:50 PM
  #21  
FurryOne's Avatar
FurryOne
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 953
Likes: 127
From: Rome, NY
Default

Originally Posted by Gordon61
Well done Revzilla, not!

The 8790 is a 7" adaptive only.

The 8690 is an "8790 lookalike" but is 5.75" and the extra lenses are what they call their "comfort light" (but, no, it's not adaptive ...or 7")
Leave it to Speaker to confuse the issue...

8790 (7") is available in both Adaptive and non-Adaptive (same part number)
8690 (5") is available in both Adaptive and non-Adaptive (same part number)

8791 (7") and 8691 (5") pedestal mount lights are both available in Adaptive and non-Adaptive versions that use the same part number.

...So my advice is to triple check what one you're ordering before you pull the trigger, because right now it's a mess. Why Speaker did this is anyone's guess.
My extra advice is if you're night riding in twisties, get the Adaptive version, but I'd go for the EVO2 if I wasn't buying the Adaptive.

Pic: 7" Adaptive & 7" EVO2
 
Attached Thumbnails Daymaker/LED headlight for a slim-img_1353.jpg  
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 02:04 AM
  #22  
Gordon61's Avatar
Gordon61
Road Warrior
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
Default

Originally Posted by FurryOne
Leave it to Speaker to confuse the issue...

8790 (7") is available in both Adaptive and non-Adaptive (same part number)
8690 (5") is available in both Adaptive and non-Adaptive (same part number)

8791 (7") and 8691 (5") pedestal mount lights are both available in Adaptive and non-Adaptive versions that use the same part number.
lol, well that is the most Mr Bloody Stupid thing I have ever seen. You could be right, buried on their website I found in an FAQ...

Q: My adaptive motorcycle light does not function properly.
A: Our Adaptive Series headlights (Models 8790 Adaptive, 8690 Adaptive and 8691 Adaptive) require forward motion to remain ON and operate properly. A “lean test” in the garage is not a sufficient test. Optics may not respond to the static lean and require forward motion to test correctly.
If the light does not operate properly when driving, double check that it is indeed an Adaptive Version. We manufacture both adaptive versions and non-adaptive versions, so you may have purchased a non-adaptive version.


And they don't exactly explain what this "Comfort lighting is" in comparison to the actual adaptive bit. other than lighting the sides ...and probably in the face of oncoming traffic...??

Given some of the chinese lights are putting out more light than JW I wonder if they have lost their bleeding edge.

Anyone wonder if maybe adaptive was not all it was cracked up to be ...I mean I'd rather see the corner before I get to it, than have to lean over to find the blooming thing ...just my 2c, and certainly not at those prices.
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 08:11 AM
  #23  
hspring03's Avatar
hspring03
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,891
Likes: 54
From: Mansfield, MA
Default

Headwinds LED bulb. Direct from Headwinds Ebay site.

Stock

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/23964945@N06/, on Flickr

Headwinds LED

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/23964945@N06/, on Flickr
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 03:35 PM
  #24  
FurryOne's Avatar
FurryOne
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 953
Likes: 127
From: Rome, NY
Default

Originally Posted by Gordon61
lol, well that is the most Mr Bloody Stupid thing I have ever seen. ...And they don't exactly explain what this "Comfort lighting is" in comparison to the actual adaptive bit. other than lighting the sides ...and probably in the face of oncoming traffic...??
I didn't even know they'd produced the "Comfort" versions until I read this thread. Hell, they didn't even have a 5" version when I bought mine.

Given some of the chinese lights are putting out more light than JW I wonder if they have lost their bleeding edge.
There's lots of misconceptions out there as to what makes a great light. I've seen Chinese bulbs quoting ridiculous output levels. Speaker has done the research to put light only where it's needed. The output of a light can be given in "raw" lumens or "effective" lumens. Most likely the cheap lights are listing their "raw" lumen outputs. Speaker's 8790 "raw" numbers are 2,250/2,025 (hi/lo). Their previous ads only listed their "effective" lumens, which were 1,150/850, so other lights spec'd out higher, but really weren't .

Anyone wonder if maybe adaptive was not all it was cracked up to be ...I mean I'd rather see the corner before I get to it, than have to lean over to find the blooming thing ...just my 2c, and certainly not at those prices.
You seem to misunderstand how the light works. You see a corner the same as any regular light until you start to enter it. As you enter the corner and the bike leans, the normal DOT cutoff zone causes a blind spot because the side illumination is now pointing down on the inside of the curve. The adaptive electronics senses the lean angle and adds elements to fill-in that blind spot. Does it work?... "F'ing A" it works! Is it 100% fill-in?... no, but it's the best thing out there right now.
 

Last edited by FurryOne; Apr 4, 2017 at 03:36 PM. Reason: fat fingered
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 03:44 PM
  #25  
FurryOne's Avatar
FurryOne
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 953
Likes: 127
From: Rome, NY
Default

Originally Posted by hspring03
Headwinds LED bulb. Direct from Headwinds Ebay site.
I hope those LED pictures were taken in Hi-beam mode.
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 04:23 PM
  #26  
Gordon61's Avatar
Gordon61
Road Warrior
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
Default

Originally Posted by FurryOne
There's lots of misconceptions out there as to what makes a great light. I've seen Chinese bulbs quoting ridiculous output levels. Speaker has done the research to put light only where it's needed. The output of a light can be given in "raw" lumens or "effective" lumens. Most likely the cheap lights are listing their "raw" lumen outputs. Speaker's 8790 "raw" numbers are 2,250/2,025 (hi/lo). Their previous ads only listed their "effective" lumens, which were 1,150/850, so other lights spec'd out higher, but really weren't.
I've seen those youtube reviews, lol It's like a lot of things ...smoke and mirrors. As you say the actual numbers that everyone (including JW) quote are horribly misleading. What the numbers are in the middle of the little hotspot shown on a garage door are pretty irrelevant to getting a unit outside and having a proper look. That Wrangler forum seem to have tried in real life quite a few of the different types of unit and have some really good pictures.

I must admit I quite fancied a JW "because that was what HD were using" but the demos I've seen are not really all that impressive ...hence the new Comfort lights ...with extra illumination to light up the sides ...just as their customers asked for ...was what the website said I think.



Originally Posted by FurryOne
You seem to misunderstand how the light works. You see a corner the same as any regular light until you start to enter it. As you enter the corner and the bike leans, the normal DOT cutoff zone causes a blind spot because the side illumination is now pointing down on the inside of the curve. The adaptive electronics senses the lean angle and adds elements to fill-in that blind spot. Does it work?... "F'ing A" it works! Is it 100% fill-in?... no, but it's the best thing out there right now.
Nope, not at all. Peripheral light helps tremendously to see what is coming up. A lot of the LED headlights are rubbish at that ...hence the new Comfort light apparently.

This Chinese jobbie I have though does really well, exactly as the Wrangler guys said. Problem with Chinese though is they copy their own stuff, but if you find the real manufacturers that make stuff for the auto trade, you do get some really good stuff.

As for seeing into the corner once you are leant over, great stuff and I'm not denying it isn't a step forward ...but how many years have we been riding bikes? Do you really want more light so that you can go tanking into corners ...in the dark ...with poor peripheral vision?? Me? I hardly ride the bike at night, nowhere near as much fun as day time, but if I do ...I ride to the conditions. You do know there are more animals at night btw, yea?

Anyways, great stuff, I'm sure they will sell a gazillion. They are a bit fugly tho (just my thought obviously)
 

Last edited by Gordon61; Apr 4, 2017 at 04:32 PM. Reason: rubbish spelling and quote in the wrong place, sorry
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 05:06 PM
  #27  
bikerlaw's Avatar
bikerlaw
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,193
Likes: 494
From: Richmond, VA
Default

Originally Posted by FurryOne
You seem to misunderstand how the light works. You see a corner the same as any regular light until you start to enter it. As you enter the corner and the bike leans, the normal DOT cutoff zone causes a blind spot because the side illumination is now pointing down on the inside of the curve. The adaptive electronics senses the lean angle and adds elements to fill-in that blind spot. Does it work?... "F'ing A" it works! Is it 100% fill-in?... no, but it's the best thing out there right now.
What...... Um, No.
Lots of aftermarket LED lights have ZERO blind spots in corners, and make stupid bright light. Since it's the complete LED units that have the blind spots, and NOT the standard Halogen light, people like me who stick with the stock housing and use a drop in bulb like the OPT7 have NEVER encountered the blind or dark zone in corners, and we throw tremendous amounts of light. Certainly MORE than the Daymakers..... as seen in this side by side comparison of my OPT7 vs. the Daymaker. No sir, not EVERY LED has the issue you describe. Not by a long shot. Just ask anyone using the Fuel Moto H9/H11 dual drop in bulb headlight assembly if THEY have a blind spot in a corner. Cause they do not. And I can attest to that setup being crazy bright.

Oh, And the drop in HID's that use the stock housing also don't have this issue...... Just sayin'.

Name:  led1_zps880vovyi.jpg
Views: 800
Size:  154.6 KB

Name:  led2_zpsav2n2ti7.jpg
Views: 880
Size:  179.6 KB
 

Last edited by bikerlaw; Apr 4, 2017 at 05:13 PM.
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 06:19 PM
  #28  
DieselDoc103's Avatar
DieselDoc103
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 253
Likes: 32
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Default

Ive heard really good things about the Sunpie LEDs on Amazon. bout 130 bucks for headlight and spots..... guy I know is running them on his RK and loves them.. lots and lots of great reviews on Amazon. makes me wonder if theyre probable made in the same factory as the HD ones
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 11:05 PM
  #29  
FurryOne's Avatar
FurryOne
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 953
Likes: 127
From: Rome, NY
Default

Originally Posted by DieselDoc103
Ive heard really good things about the Sunpie LEDs on Amazon. bout 130 bucks for headlight and spots..... guy I know is running them on his RK and loves them.. lots and lots of great reviews on Amazon. makes me wonder if theyre probable made in the same factory as the HD ones
The Daymakers are made for HD in the USA by Speaker. Not too likely since the Sunpie is most likely made in China.
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2017 | 11:30 PM
  #30  
FurryOne's Avatar
FurryOne
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 953
Likes: 127
From: Rome, NY
Default

Originally Posted by bikerlaw
What...... Um, No.
Lots of aftermarket LED lights have ZERO blind spots in corners, and make stupid bright light. Since it's the complete LED units that have the blind spots, and NOT the standard Halogen light, people like me who stick with the stock housing and use a drop in bulb like the OPT7 have NEVER encountered the blind or dark zone in corners, and we throw tremendous amounts of light. Certainly MORE than the Daymakers..... as seen in this side by side comparison of my OPT7 vs. the Daymaker. No sir, not EVERY LED has the issue you describe. Not by a long shot. Just ask anyone using the Fuel Moto H9/H11 dual drop in bulb headlight assembly if THEY have a blind spot in a corner. Cause they do not. And I can attest to that setup being crazy bright.

Oh, And the drop in HID's that use the stock housing also don't have this issue...... Just sayin'.
Oh boy, where to begin. No compliant, non adaptive headlight doesn't have a blind spot when leaning into a curve, period. It's a physically impossibility because compliant lights are required to have a cut-off zone, and when you lean into a corner you start to drive into that zone. If you ride like my Grandfather you may not notice it. If your light actually doesn't have this well defined cut-off then it's not a DOT compliant light. The most common reason for that is substitution of an aftermarket LED bulb in the original lens, resulting in the wrong light focus. (OEM H4 headlights tend to have pretty poor optics.) Same for those dumb "drop-in HIDs".
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:44 PM.

story-0
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-2
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-3
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-4
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-8
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE
story-9
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025

Slideshow: A clear-eyed look at what actually worked for Harley this year, and what quietly undermined its progress.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-29 17:10:48


VIEW MORE