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+--- Thread: ADVmonster H4 R3 LED Headlight (/showthread.php?tid=9482)
ADVmonster H4 R3 LED Headlight - olekzap_imp - 01-14-2016
Just installed this LED headlight. It was a little tough to fit it in the headlight bucket with the heatsink and the external driver but I managed to get it in there. First impression is wow, much brighter and more intense white light, even more so than my high end bicycle LED headlight.
There is still a sharp cutoff as was with the old bulb, although this seems to shoot light up higher on low beam. I moved it behind a car in my garage and it didn't seem to go much higher than the back window so I think it will be ok and not blind others. Other reviews have said it was too low and needed to be adjusted so I'll have to see on my ride in to work tomorrow morning. Luckily most of my ride is in the city with plenty of ambient light so even if the adjustment is off it won't be dangerous. I should add that although it looks blinding in these photos, it's really not. The garage is fairly dark so the phone's exposure was long.
Flash to pass still does work FYI, I saw on a forum someone mentioned it didn't on their Yamaha.
Let me know if there are any questions; I'd be happy to answer. (photos in link below)
http://imgur.com/a/hLsL8
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - Jim21680_imp - 01-14-2016
Cool! Glad to see it worked out. I'm still thrilled with mine, the R2 version, but this R3 is a completely different design. From the looks of it, I'm guessing you didn't have to modify the retention spring like I had to, which is a huge benefit. That little modification wasn't the easiest thing to do, and although I wasn't too worried about messing up at the time...I should've been; replacements are hard to come by. The flexible heat-sink definitely has it's advantages over the bulky segmented design of the R2.
Were you able to use the rubber dust cap? I couldn't, but it doesn't seem to be necessary anyway...these things are apparently 100% dust and water proof. No problems so far.
I also noticed the R3's high-beam LED is on the bottom, whereas both of mine are on top. It'll interesting to see how that works in the weeks to come.
Anyway, I hope you have great luck with it...keep us posted.
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - olekzap_imp - 01-14-2016
(01-14-2016, 11:08 AM)Jim21680_imp Wrote: Cool! Glad to see it worked out. I'm still thrilled with mine, the R2 version, but this R3 is a completely different design. From the looks of it, I'm guessing you didn't have to modify the retention spring like I had to, which is a huge benefit. That little modification wasn't the easiest thing to do, and although I wasn't too worried about messing up at the time...I should've been; replacements are hard to come by. The flexible heat-sink definitely has it's advantages over the bulky segmented design of the R2.
Were you able to use the rubber dust cap? I couldn't, but it doesn't seem to be necessary anyway...these things are apparently 100% dust and water proof. No problems so far.
I also noticed the R3's high-beam LED is on the bottom, whereas both of mine are on top. It'll interesting to see how that works in the weeks to come.
Anyway, I hope you have great luck with it...keep us posted.
Correct, no modification of the spring required. It was literally plug and play. I could revert to a standard H4 bulb in 5 minutes if needed (I will still keep a spare one under the seat until I know the reliability of the LED).
To be honest, I completely forgot to try and install the dust cap. I know the unit itself is waterproof but it would be nice to have on there just because I commute to work daily rain or shine. This being Seattle, it's rain most of the year. When I have some time I'll probably pop it back open and try and fit it on.
I think the reasoning behind putting the LEDs on opposite sides is to more closely mimmic a standard bulb. The top LED is low beam which coincides with the low beam filament on a standard bulb with the little dish beneath it. The high beam on the bottom goes along with the lack of the dish beneath the filament on a standard bulb.
I'll update tomorrow after my commute in the dark and let you guys know how it worked. Taking some allen wrenches to work with me in case I really need to adjust angle at all.
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - olekzap_imp - 01-15-2016
Preliminary update: this thing is awesome. Everything lights up. Reflectors in the street are like lights themselves. Reflectors on vehicles make them more visible. Street signs glow. Low beam is definitely an improvement over stock but holy cuss the high beam is crazy. I think I do need to adjust it down a little because I could see a lot of light above me although nobody flashed their high beams at me. I'll update again after I make some adjustments this weekend.
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - the Ferret - 01-15-2016
Cool.. Its nice when you can light up the night. Back in the 70s we were putting 80/100 H4 bulbs in our bikes. Years later we found out they were illegal ( then why did they make them?) and that technically our bikes shouldn't have been able to handle them. I don't know... We just did it and they worked. But high beam would set dry leaves in the tress on fire lol
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - Bob Sdaman_imp - 01-15-2016
Well I'm sorry to say, mine is still in the box (thanks to an unusually hectic week at work), but I'm excited to hear this works well.
This job will definitely be done as soon as I get home today!
I was a bit uneasy about the aforementioned spring modification, yet from the looks of it, I was almost certain no changes would be needed. That's a relief.
Haven't had the pleasure of taking the bucket apart yet, but you say the external driver fit without a major issue. I'm sure my fingers will figure something out.
In other posts related to the subject, I've noticed a few people have mentioned rotating their buckets up slightly, but you're thinking of going the other way? That's interesting, I guess every bike is different. Well all, let's hope for good weather this weekend, I need me some riding time. Some very well-it riding time.
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - olekzap_imp - 01-15-2016
(01-15-2016, 04:19 AM)Bob Sdaman_imp Wrote: Well I'm sorry to say, mine is still in the box (thanks to an unusually hectic week at work), but I'm excited to hear this works well.
This job will definitely be done as soon as I get home today!
I was a bit uneasy about the aforementioned spring modification, yet from the looks of it, I was almost certain no changes would be needed. That's a relief.
Haven't had the pleasure of taking the bucket apart yet, but you say the external driver fit without a major issue. I'm sure my fingers will figure something out.
In other posts related to the subject, I've noticed a few people have mentioned rotating their buckets up slightly, but you're thinking of going the other way? That's interesting, I guess every bike is different. Well all, let's hope for good weather this weekend, I need me some riding time. Some very well-it riding time.
I bought my CB used so the previous owner could have adjusted the headlight, not really sure. All I know is that with the conventional bulb it was adjusted perfectly. It could honestly just be that the LED throws so much more light in general that it's making me think it's angled too high. I'll have to mess with it aimed at a wall. I had a friend stand across the parking lot today with it on and it wasn't blinding, but it is definitely brighter. He also mentioned that it makes the retro looking CB look a lot more modern, which I like.
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - the Ferret - 01-15-2016
Aiming at a wall is practically useless. Ok for a car, but not for a motorcycle. Take the allen, ride out to a straight flat road in the dark, stop in your lane, and adjust your bucket for high beam.
Re: RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - kmoney_imp - 01-15-2016
(01-15-2016, 08:03 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Aiming at a wall is practically useless. Ok for a car, but not for a motorcycle. Take the allen, ride out to a straight flat road in the dark, stop in your lane, and adjust your bucket for high beam.
Yup. This is the only way I've ever managed to get it right.
RE: ADVmonster H4 R4 LED Headlight - jedd_imp - 01-16-2016
(01-15-2016, 12:48 AM)olekzap_imp Wrote: Preliminary update: this thing is awesome. Everything lights up. Reflectors in the street are like lights themselves. Reflectors on vehicles make them more visible. Street signs glow. Low beam is definitely an improvement over stock but holy cuss the high beam is crazy. I think I do need to adjust it down a little because I could see a lot of light above me although nobody flashed their high beams at me. I'll update again after I make some adjustments this weekend.
Readjusting won't get rid of all that unwanted uplight.
(01-15-2016, 12:48 AM)olekzap_imp Wrote: Preliminary update: this thing is awesome. Everything lights up. Reflectors in the street are like lights themselves. Reflectors on vehicles make them more visible. Street signs glow. Low beam is definitely an improvement over stock but holy cuss the high beam is crazy. I think I do need to adjust it down a little because I could see a lot of light above me although nobody flashed their high beams at me. I'll update again after I make some adjustments this weekend.
That little dish that's absent from the LED lamp.... wanna guess what that cryptic looking thing does?