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My road king had smoked LEDs in it when I got it. I think the LED lights are ugly, but the smoked (while still giving up that classic look) hides some of it. My girlfriend hates them and wants me to swap them out for stock ones, but it's dark when I ride to work in the morning and being able to actually see has me pretty well sold on keeping these. I hit a deer with my truck on my way to work not that long ago and it has me pretty paranoid on the bike. The deer was dead before it even knew what happened, but had it been my bike it could have gone a whole different way. For that reason alone I think the LEDs are worth it.
Before you go to far, check to see what the voltage at the headlight is. It is is below 12.5, I would run relays and a hotwire from the battery to power the halogens. I've done this in many bikes. The wires are fine when new. But as they age, the wiring now is too small.
The LED bulbs make a world of difference in daytime visibility to oncoming traffic, or those inclined to pull out in front of you. Sure...that's may not help with morons texting while driving. But just because it doesn't protect against everything doesn't mean it's not worthwhile. But then...I'm just not that big a fan of the dim old yellow headlights.
Thanks everyone! Really appreciate all the replies; the photos/comments help a lot. I do ride at night in a few densely wooded areas. I need to do a bit more thinking and research, but I'll probably go for just bulbs at first, and take it from there. Thanks again and safe travels, all.
I like the classic look too but flipped out my lights (2008 softtail) exclusively for safety reasons some 3-4 years ago. To the average person they are not looking at the headlamps when they see a classic harley.
The LED bulbs make a world of difference in daytime visibility to oncoming traffic, or those inclined to pull out in front of you. Sure...that's may not help with morons texting while driving. But just because it doesn't protect against everything doesn't mean it's not worthwhile. But then...I'm just not that big a fan of the dim old yellow headlights.
My thoughts exactly. In my opinion LED bulbs are one of those things that are just better, period. They help people see you during the day and at night the difference is well, night and day. Plus I think that they look better than the old-style lights, although I certainly acknowledge that this is a matter of opinion. The way LEDs light up your view at night is downright remarkable and the first thing I did to all three of the Harleys that I have owned was to put LED lights on bike. Love my Road King with the LED nacelle plus the two passing lamps. Very authoritative at night, and helps me be seen during the day.
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Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
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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.
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.
