• Ciao Guest - You’ve landed at the ultimate Guzzi site. NEW FORUM REGISTRATIONS REQUIRE EMAIL ACTIVATION - CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER - Use the CONTACT above if you need help. New to the forum? For all new members, we require ONE post in the Introductions section at the bottom, in order to post in most of the other sections. ALWAYS TRY A SEARCH BEFORE STARTING A NEW TOPIC - Most questions you may have, have likely been already answered. DON'T BE A DRIVE-BY POSTER: As a common courtesy, check back in and reply within 24 hours, or your post will be deleted. Note there's decades of heavily experienced Guzzi professionals on this site, all whom happily give endless amounts of their VALUABLE time for free; BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL!
  • There is ZERO tolerance on personal attacks and ANY HYPERLINKS to PRODUCT(S) or other competing website(s), including personal pages, social media or other Forums. This ALSO INCLUDES ECU DIAGnostic software, questions and mapping. We work very hard to offer commercially supported products and to keep info relevant here. First offense is a note, second is a warning, third time will get you banned from the site. We don't have the time to chase repeat (and ignorant) offenders. This is NOT a social media platform; It's an ad-free, privately funded website, in small help with user donations. Be sure to see the GTM STORE link above; ALL product purchases help support the site, or you can upgrade your Forum profile or DONATE via the link above.
  • Be sure to see the GTM STORE link also above for our 700+ product inventory, including OEM parts and many of our 100% Made-in-SoCal-USA GTM products and engine kits. In SoCal? Click the SERVICE tab above for the best in service, tires, tuning and installation of our products or custom work, and don't miss our GT MotoCycles® (not) art on the BUILDS tab above. WE'RE HERE ONLINE ONLY - NO PHONE CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED - DO NOT EMAIL AND ASK QUESTIONS OR ASK TO CALL YOU.
  • Like the new V100, GuzziTech is full throttle into the future! We're now running on an all-new server and we've updated our Forum software. The visual differences are obvious, but hopefully you'll notice the super-fast speed. If you notice any glitches or have any issues, please post on the Site Support section at the bottom. If you haven't yet, please upgrade your account which is covered in the Site Support section or via the DONATE tab above, which gives you full site access including the DOWNLOADS section. We really appreciate every $ and your support to keep this site ad-free. Create an account, sign in, upgrade your account, and enjoy. See you on the road in 2024.

H4 LED Headlights

SockMonkey

Tuned and Synch'ed
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
30
Location
Tucson, AZ, USA
I'm curious whether anyone has taken the plunge and tried replacing their stock H4 headlights with an H4 LED headlight? The 2 I've found from reading other forums are the:
- H4 LED Headlight Rev2 from ADVmonster (2800 Lumens Low/3000 Lumens High)
- 3800 Lumen H4 LED Headlight Bulb from Cyclops Adventure Sports

Interested to hear anyone's experiences or warnings.
 
Guys, always check the Store linked above. I only stock the best I can find and use myself. Info HERE or click the pic below.

Thanks for the business/support.

 
I have put LEDs on all my bikes since they came out. Light years ahead of HIDs. Crisp bright beam. the light pattern will depend on how the LEDs are set up. If its flat with LEDS on each side. it looks like a cat eye in the projector. Highbeam looks like the sun when turned on. I love them. I havent put them in my California yet. But I will soon. Go for it.
 
I bought Speed metal LED's from cycle gear for my Stelvio and really liked how much they improved my riding at night and how they were more visible during the day. After about a month one of them started flickering on low beam so I took it back to cycle gear and swapped it out for another. Another month goes by and the other side does the same thing, after replacing both sides twice I just returned them. Not sure what the issue was but manager at CG said mine were the only ones he had a problem with. I put my stock H-4's back in and no more issues. Wonder if it was the brand or possibly the vibes from the bike that also destroy the factory fog lights that's to blame.
 
Pleased you must have more room on the Stelvio
I bought one similar to Todd's LED item but there is not enough room behind the lamp to fit the headlight shell cover.....making it liable to water ingress.

using Philips Extreme Vision +130% lamp at the moment
 
Last edited:
Pleased you must have more room on the Stelvio
I bought one similar to Todd's LED item but there is not enough room behind the lamp to fit the headlight shell cover.....making it liable to water ingress.

using Philips Extreme Vision +130% lamp at the moment

I bought a low-beam one from Cyclops for my 1200 Sport which fit in the headlight shell but I don't think there was enough air space as the housing of the bulb melted.

I couldn't get a high beam that would fit.

I put halogens back in and like the light pattern better anyway.
 
Pleased you must have more room on the Stelvio
I bought one similar to Todd's LED item but there is not enough room behind the lamp to fit the headlight shell cover.....making it liable to water ingress.

using Philips Extreme Vision +130% lamp at the moment
Yes, lots of room and good air flow to area, just poor quality I guess.
 
A propely designed headlight with a standard bulb should have a clear and well defined cut off of light on low beam.
This prevents glare to on coming drivers while keeping the road in front illuminated.
Do these LED retrofits do the same thing?
Havs anyone done a direct comparison of the stock lamp to the LED replacement?
 
The H4 LED technology improve and I ordered these.

ebay.nl/itm/H4-HIGH-POWER-PHILIPS-LED-2x-3000-LM-40W-2ER-SET-12-24V-/381401915709?hash=item58cd53613d:g:BaQAAOSwFnFV9t09

I didn't test them yet but you can see by the shape that they are designed to reduce glare. There are good reviews on the internet.

Here is a pretty good review. tundratalk.net/forums/5515241-post120.html

I think its a solution for the space issue. However, when I've fitted them I'll give you a post.

Gerrit
 
Excellent review and clearly shows the "light scatter" problem with retrofit light sources.
If they are very similar to some of the Phillips high output, high colour temp halogen bulbs, then why spend more money and not get as good an optical result?
Seeems like a lot of "it's cool to do" rather than an actual better solution.
Headlights designed with LEDs are great but these retrofits...not so much.
Where I see LEDs as a practical solution is on older bikes that have poor charging systems and need a brighter headlight.
Thanks for posting the review.:)
 
Keith,

You clearly see in the photo (me driving up the Stelvio pass this summer) the cut off at dipped beam. This is normal H4 halogen at my bike. Those LED replacement lamps can never be as OEM halogen and besides that in Europe Switserland and other Countries they are abloslutely forbidden based upon National law. The reason is the possible glare and blinding of upcoming traffic. Especially in the Rain and dark weather it even gets worse.

Another point might be that being different (having somewhat other color) than the passenger cars might be safer. A bit yellow light between all those HID and LEDS is sometimes safer for a motorcycle. In France there was a National law introduced in 1936 that Car lights should be yellow. This was because of military strategists who demanded that French cars could easily be distinguished form German Cars. Smart hey!


Upload 2015 11 21 21 41 49

Upload 2015 11 21 21 59 12

Good old DS.
 
Also, as I understand it, when taking a car from England to France, the headlights need to be modified (with tape or something) to stop the glare from what would be, shoulder of the road, light spill.
In Ontario they let drivers put in these POS HID systems that splatter light all over and the law doesn't seem to care. :(
I find the glare, especially in the rain, to be very distracting. Maybe it's my age...
 
I put HID bulbs in my Stelvio, and I think the cutoff is better than the original H4 bulbs. One of the HID bulbs was going bad, and the replacement that I got didn't have half of the shielding on it, and it had a really poor cutoff. I moved the bare HID bulb into the housing with the better shielding, or I wouldn't have used it.
LED replacement bulbs are the same. Some have a crappy cutoff, some are great.
 
I think light scatter from aftermarket bright lights, whether HID (illegal in the UK) or LED, is the problem. No point in being able to see further down the road if the guy coming the other way can't see the road for your light blinding him and ploughs into you.

In the UK all HID lights must also have a self levelling system built in and a screen wash system, which is why aftermarket HIDs are technically not allowed.

Yes, when going from the UK into Europe, effort should be made to stop glare (depending on the low beam cutoff), but I have rarely seen anyone check.
 
Here is some update

Covered the lights with some cloth to see the cut off. Right is LED and left is H4 OEM. You can clearly see the bad cut off.

Upload 2015 11 25 14 30 56


Without cover

Upload 2015 11 25 14 33 9

Right is LED Left is OEM low beam

Upload 2015 11 25 14 34 35

Left and right Halogen low beam

Upload 2015 11 25 14 35 33

Left and right LED low beam

Upload 2015 11 25 14 37 2


Leeft and right Halogen low beam.

Upload 2015 11 25 14 38 22


The light is much Brighter with LED for sure but and as you see much more scatter/glare but LED is more blinding for other traffic. So I keep the H4 Philips Halogen.
 
That's an excellent display of the problems with these aftermarket light sources. More light for you but at the expense of oncoming drivers.
Thanks for taking the time to document your results.
For bikes with a standard round headlight, maybe someone will procuce and LED source ,complete assembly, that has the correct optical properties.
As I have noted around Toronto, most of the HID installs produce terrible light splatter to the point of illuminating overhead bridges!
Also, people install LED tail lights that are harder to see than stock bulbs.
I just don't get it.....cool factor I guess.
 
For bikes with a standard round headlight, maybe someone will procuce and LED source ,complete assembly, that has the correct optical properties.
Also, people install LED tail lights that are harder to see than stock bulbs.
I just don't get it.....cool factor I guess.
Those I offer are well proven in round headlights, so much they are hard to keep in stock; https://www.guzzitech.com/store/product/led-headlight-bulbs-usa/

LEDs are being mostly being used these days, even by OEMs, for headlights and tail lights (as observed on most newer Guzzi) for the sole reason of better/brighter light, far less power consumption and cooler bulb temps as an added plus. Many of the H4 bulbs I'ved pulled (new or older Guzzi) have melted the plug at the bulb, especially those who run on high beam during the day.
 
"LEDs are being mostly being used these days, even by OEMs, for headlights and tail lights (as observed on most newer Guzzi) for the sole reason of better/brighter light, far less power consumption and cooler bulb temps as an added plus."

That's true but they are designed to work properly as LED light sources, with the fixture optics, and work very well while conforming to government standards set oput for aoutomotive lighting specifications.
The LED light source is not in question here. It's the application as an aftermarket "better" solution where the problem arises.
A lot of the aftermarket H4 (etc) replacement lights, LED or HID, don't work as well in the stock light fixtures, as clearly shown in the above example. That is a very revealing test.
It's extremely difficult to accurately replicate the correct light pattern with a light source the optics are not desiged for.
I would be very interested to see a direct comparison of the LED you sell and the stock H4 halogen in a standard round headlight.
I'm willing to be convinced , and would make a purchase, if provided real test data such as provided by Gerrit58.
They may work just fine but forgive me if I don't link the fact you sell a lot to the "fact" they work properly.
 
They may work just fine but forgive me if I don't link the fact you sell a lot to the "fact" they work properly.
When I find any extra time I'll try to do a comparo like above, but there are many posted on other websites like ADVRider.
Note that I personally don't sell a lot, but I do use them and my distributor has a hard time keeping them in stock.
 
Back
Top