Passing Lamps - HD LED or ?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 14
From: Yokohama
Rubbing salt into the wound is the fact the cheap $100 Chinese leds I have don't fog up like these $385 Made in USA lights.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
I ended up going the complete LED route from HD, saved some bucks buying the mounting kit and lights from an online HD dealer site. I love how bright they are but still feel like the light path is to defined. When cornering I find myself slowing wayyyyy down because when I lean into it I can hardly see the ground on the inside of the corner. I have tried messing with the lights and adjusting them but not having much luck.
You can read about light quality here.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 14
From: Yokohama
I ended up going the complete LED route from HD, saved some bucks buying the mounting kit and lights from an online HD dealer site. I love how bright they are but still feel like the light path is to defined. When cornering I find myself slowing wayyyyy down because when I lean into it I can hardly see the ground on the inside of the corner. I have tried messing with the lights and adjusting them but not having much luck.
That's what I've done with my Road King.
And my Super Tenere.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
What we pay is mainly driven by our pride of ownership and acceptable profit objectives. In China I discovered high quality products that are not offered to us Westerners because culturally we will not invest in what others cannot see or recognize the value.
Times are changing: do you remember the days of low cost Japanese dolls and alarm clocks
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 14
From: Yokohama
I get what you mean. But actually the Chinese lights are definitely crap, I had a number of them stop working on my other bikes, stopped getting them when the year warranty ended, but for some reason they are surviving on the RK.
But the Piaas I have on my Super Tenere have been excellent. They're made in Taiwan. $191 for the LP530s, $265 for the 1100 LEDs on Amazon.
But the Piaas I have on my Super Tenere have been excellent. They're made in Taiwan. $191 for the LP530s, $265 for the 1100 LEDs on Amazon.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,524
Likes: 57,081
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
The old units used "sealed beams" ... The new units use halogen bulbs and therefore are prone to fogging ... The original passing lamps ( replaceable filament type ) use 25 watt form the factory ... I replaced them with 37.5 watt ( 50 watt are available also ) and am QUITE HAPPY with the results ... and a whole lot cheaper than the LED's .
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 429
Likes: 4
From: Massachusetts
Twinrider, I was thinking of doing something similiar. What kind of light did you use for that application? I run lower fairings year round so that is something else I have to contend with when or if I mount lights like you.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 32,851
Likes: 17,888
From: Newcastle, OK
I bought them in 2012. The box they came in says 73396-10A. I first noticed the problem this spring. The fogging only occurs after the lights are on for a while and heat up. The condensation forms a wide frosty looking oval shape on the upper half of the lens. Turn the lights off and after a few hours the fogging goes away completely. It returns again when the lights are turned on for a while during your ride. I am almost absolutely certain they did not this when new. So I believe it's a problem that grows over time due to moisture somehow developing inside the sealed lamp. Both lights show the same exact fogging pattern.
