My view is that LED's are brighter in the daylight, but drivers do not pay attention.

I would say LED's are better, but that will only make a few more people notice you.

The summer time has more idiot drivers.

Look, it does not matter if you ride a motorcycle with a loud exhaust, or drive a bright pink and orange van with flashing lights all around it, some drivers will not see things as they are focused on something other than driving.

The deal is on a bike we have a greater risk, we are smaller and harder to see, and we do not have as much protection. Its good to take steps, but nothing will work 100%.

Yesterday I went on a ride from the Killeen TX area on Hwy 195 (AKA Death Highway) to the Austin area so we could eat at Bone Daddy's. We were all first responders and had on all our basic safety gear (other than a bright colored vest). We get passed by a nice new BMW that tailgates us, and about runs us off the road, as it passes us. A few minutes up the road where 195 meets up with I-35 we roll up to two vehicles that wrecked, both tossed to the sides of the road, air bags have gone off, 4 people hurt in the BMW. A lady in a Ford Taurus failed to yield right of way to a stop sign, and hit the BMW. Was the BMW speeding then? I do not know. What I do know is the lady in the Taurus should have seen the BMW speeding or not as the BMW could not have been going that fast to make the turns to the different roads. We did what we could till EMS and Police showed up and we left. Once at Bone Daddy's we had a chat about how lucky we were it was not one of us. On a bike we would have been hurt bad, if not killed.

I am a police officer and every day I see vehicles crash into each other. There is nothing you can really do, other than have your head on a swivel looking out for others and having your own plan of action. You name it and I have see it most likely. I do not know how many times people stop for a stop sign and then have a wreck as they take off after they looked bothways, where those that run stop signs have less wrecks. I have seen many people stopped at a red light, only to have a vehicle rear end them. How they could not see the stop light or the big truck that was stopped on the road is beyond me.

I can say that LED police lights are much better than the old strobes, but people still dont seem to see our marked cars with LED lights.

Ride like everyone is going to do something dumb, and be ready for that idiot driver, as they come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors.

 

Well said Cav Cop. I'm from Canada but appreciate all that Law enforcement does for us....except stop me for doing 60 in a 50 zone at 2am in the morning with no other traffic in site I know I know...just doing your job. Fortunately it was under 15 km/hr so only a fine.

 

ddm tuning HID 35 watt will fit behind bucket i bet...its tiny and 28.00.....mines great.

 

Like I said it's not you lights, it's the idiots. You've got to defend yourself all the time. Be careful out there.

 

I haven't seen an increase or decrease in the amount of people that pull out in front of me...it happens with either the stock light, or the LED.
I can say that the LED is MUCH more directional though, that's how they can use such a small wattage to get such a bright light. It's focused more, just like a laser may not use a lot of wattage, but is so bright.

Just figure that everyone is trying to kill you, and you may survive.

 

Please share your setup with your Brothers here ...

 

I was on my way to work today when I noticed two bikes comming towards me. One the light was really bright and the other seemed really bright but less noticable. When we meet across from each other at the intersection one was a new bagger the other an old fatboy. I can say I say the old fatboy before the new bagger that had the black led lights on it. Head on the baggers light was brighter but with a little curve in the road and sun glare I would say he was less noticable. But do agree doesnt really matter how bright you have the lights idiot drivers are out there. Just today two cars decided to pull out right in front of us (ladder truck) and acted like the never heard or saw us. But those leds do light up the road in the dark.

 

The best defence is a good offence. It seems it gets worse as time goes on, this year is worse than last it seems. People are driving with their head up their butt so far they can't see. Just watch out for anything and everything. I pulled over last week to let an idiot go and get far enough ahead, I could hear his car behind me, he was that close

 

sure....you will need at least the newer clear lens harley headlight IMO...but i ordered 2 of the 55 watt kits and 2 of the 35 watt kits from here. The single bike kit is ok but for a little more money buy the car kit and get an extra ballast and bulb in case of failure...yes they are cheap but i have followed these kits for 4 years and they are by far the best out there without paying 400 for OEM stuff.

http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/DD...ast-35W-or-55W

i am running a 100.00 chopper headlight off ebay but played around with the 35 watt kit in my stock housing and i could make it all tuck behind the light. the 55 is bigger for sure...and brighter.

i also run just the low beam kit as the high/low uses a magnet to move the bulb and adds extra wires and really IS NOT needed once you see the low you never need the high.

5k is totally white...if you want that touch of blue go 6 or 8...higher the number the more color and less actual usable light....

as you can see, my bucket is huge...but it will fit with patients behind the smaller ones.

 

The cheap HID light I got off of eBay years ago still works great. It also has the Hi/Lo ability. Online reviews say these kits can throw a lot of scatter light, but that might be a good thing for motorcyclists (like this thread is concerned about).

I've had one of the headlight modulators on one of my bikes before, and people definitely notice you. That might be an option for one of these LED headlights if you are concerned.