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Interesting New Driving Light

racer7

New member
Because I am a customer of VisionX and have used several sets of their SP lamps on bikes, I got an e-mail notification from them announcing a novel driving light that appears potentially useful to motorcyclists.

The lamp is a 4" diameter round LED that uses the new 25W "engine" to power a single forward facing LED. It has a narrow long range beam rated at 2500 lumens (that in theory about splits the difference between a 65W Osram H-7 and a 35W HID) and the beam shape can be modified to euro beam or flood with clip on lenses. The light appears to be off Korean manufacture though I do not know that with certainty.

Like any LED, this lamp can be used where frequents dimming is needed. Living in the east, I wire my driving lights trigger directly to my high beams so the bikes built in switch dims both. HIDs can suffer reduced lifespan if dimmed frequently and some need 5 seconds or more to come up to full output after dimming; neither problem occurs with LEDs.

These lamps would seem especially suited for bikes with lower output alternators (not a problem with with BMW current R and K bikes, however) where conserving wats matters. I would still prefer to see makers develop LED lamps with rear-aimed into the reflector LEDs as PIAA has done with a lower output design- to minimize glare to oncoming traffic.

I have not installed a set of these, yet. They are a couple hundred dollars a set less expensive than the multiple LED Clearwater designs that are rated at higher output.
Has anyone installed a set that can provide comments from personal experience?

visionXwholesale is the website for more info.
 
I'll piggyback on this "light thread" as it is stagnant so far, anyway. "My lights" of interest are the "Cree" LED's from China sold cheaply on ebay & other web sources. Anyone reading this that knows what the "Cree" means? I saw on another forum where someone asked if a light was thermally protected & got no answers. Seems to me that many of these lights are grossly overpriced? Not trying for a light war just want to hear more of specifics about them. Where is the definitive source about LED driving lights? The ones mentioned above are not going to happen from my bank account...
 
My Kids;

F700GS and F800GS my kids own and they just added the 200$each set, driving LEDs on theirs. Sorry, I forgot name, but price is right at 200$ per bike. These are TINY, maybe 1" lense diameter in size and extremely BRIGHT, drowning out standard BMW headlamp when you see them coming. Very well made of aluminum and highest quality materials, they seem made:). Got the lights at BMW Dealer in Modesto,CA. Pricey, yes! Bright, NOTHING brighter I've ever seen. Randy
 
I'll piggyback on this "light thread" as it is stagnant so far, anyway. "My lights" of interest are the "Cree" LED's from China sold cheaply on ebay & other web sources. Anyone reading this that knows what the "Cree" means? I saw on another forum where someone asked if a light was thermally protected & got no answers. Seems to me that many of these lights are grossly overpriced? Not trying for a light war just want to hear more of specifics about them. Where is the definitive source about LED driving lights? The ones mentioned above are not going to happen from my bank account...

Cree is the company that manufactures the actual LED chip used by many lamp manufacturers. It generally does not mean that Cree made any of the other circuitry, housing, lenses, etc.
 
The LED light pair for sale in vendors of the F650 Forum is $119 with a club discount for pair of lights & switch,brkts. The ones I see on ebay from China are all aluminum housings & SS brkts. & way less money than the "magic lights" for more.
 
Denali!

"Denali" is the model or brand name of these lights. I'm sorry no more from me on this name thing, but I remember that much. The BMW Dealer, "Cycle Specialties" in Modesto,Ca., sold them to the kids. We put them on ourselves. Google the name too, Denali's LEDs? Good luck, Randy
 
There have been a few versions of the Denali which is Korean manufacture. VisionX is also Korean and sells a similar model among many others.

There are plenty of good LED lamps made in China but there are some compromises at their low end- like flimsier brackets or less rugged sealing or soft plastic lenses, etc. Buy carefully.

Also, re LEDs, don't confuse glare with brightness. Pretty much any modern LED is great for daylight conspicuity because of the high glare from what is basically an unshielded point source.
The same property makes them problematic at night where there is oncoming traffic- hence the need for dimmers on them. But what is really needed is improved, shielded designs to avoid the inherent glare problem. Smaller LEDs like the Denqali / SP can fill in and supplement a low beam but lack the output to serve as longer reach driving lights- that takes at least twice the power in a proper reflector..
 
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