Mills94 Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 Evening all, So I've had my new to me Ducati multi 950 for nearly a week now, although I've not had it out I've been fettling and going over it getting it now I want it, the thing I'm very impressed with is the dipped headlight bulbs which are LED, white, and probably the best illumination I've seen on a bike I've owned. The side lights are LED but yellow but I'm not overly fussed about swapping, but the high beam is on the original OSRAM h11 halogen bulbs which to be honest are shite and yellow. Doing a bit of reading up online and although CMS have given me a fresh MOT for it the LED bulbs are apparently illegal. I've found the bulbs that are already fitted online and they seem to be some Amazon Chinese bulbs which I've no idea how long they've been on the bike but seem fine, question is so I go ahead and order the same ones for the high beam? They are apparently 80w which considering they are LED should surely be a lot less output in terms of watts from my basic almost none existent electrical understanding. Also no idea if they are suitable for main beam application as is doesn't specify but would welcome some opinions. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Headlight-12000Lumens-Conversion-Adjustable-Waterproof/dp/B0B28D65B7/ref=asc_df_B0B28D65B7&mcid=42c3872ec03e376eba87690f0598fd3d?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79920879569948&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583520401031066&th=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srad34 Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 Chinese aftermarket bulbs are generally shite…. It’s legal only if they are OEM fitment as the lens are designed for them (also why aftermarket stuff is shite). Just fit white/blue bulbs like Osram Nightbreakers or Phillips extreme instead 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills94 Posted February 26 Author Report Share Posted February 26 5 minutes ago, srad34 said: Chinese aftermarket bulbs are generally shite…. It’s legal only if they are OEM fitment as the lens are designed for them (also why aftermarket stuff is shite). Just fit white/blue bulbs like Osram Nightbreakers or Phillips extreme instead 👍 Cheers that sounds like the sensible choice and avoiding any issues in future 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssray Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 I've got osram h4 LEDs in the zzr11 I've had a few bikes in the past with led 'bulb' but these are much better, correct beam pattern not just flare everywhere 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 Just don’t ride in the dark. Problem solved for free. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srad34 Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 9 hours ago, ssray said: I've got osram h4 LEDs in the zzr11 I've had a few bikes in the past with led 'bulb' but these are much better, correct beam pattern not just flare everywhere Shame they are an MOT failure innit 🫣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills94 Posted February 27 Author Report Share Posted February 27 10 hours ago, ssray said: I've got osram h4 LEDs in the zzr11 I've had a few bikes in the past with led 'bulb' but these are much better, correct beam pattern not just flare everywhere Did look at them last night. I may put some nightbreakers in or equivalent and just keep the LED ones in the drawer but just admit they are mega bright 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 (edited) II had an LED low/high bayonet replacement bulb in my CBF250 and loved it. i rode into a dark area full of multiple depots where idiots would drive trucks without a care for anyone else. I use Calibre brand, from SuperCheap here in AU. It made a massive improvement, I did add an LED parker as the conventional one looked like dirty water and seemed to give the game away. I put a pair in my Transit along with LED parkers, Hell I have LED interior light bulbs and best of all, I replaced the reverse lights with them. They work great. I've never had anyone flash hi beam at me in protest. I did 400 klm at night in fairly busy Traffic from Bundaberg to home non stop, no complaints. New cars have bright arsed lights nowadays. I've had them in there for jeez, a couple years at least. I do keep a pair of conventional bulbs in the glove box just in case. One thing here, folk always want big driving lights, LED light bars. I've always wanted the best LOW beam I can have with in reason. It's where you are most of the time and with those night into day desert racing lights, you dim back to low beam and you're Mister Magoo. That's just my opinion though. Edited February 27 by Johnno 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills94 Posted February 29 Author Report Share Posted February 29 On 2/27/2024 at 9:43 AM, Johnno said: II had an LED low/high bayonet replacement bulb in my CBF250 and loved it. i rode into a dark area full of multiple depots where idiots would drive trucks without a care for anyone else. I use Calibre brand, from SuperCheap here in AU. It made a massive improvement, I did add an LED parker as the conventional one looked like dirty water and seemed to give the game away. I put a pair in my Transit along with LED parkers, Hell I have LED interior light bulbs and best of all, I replaced the reverse lights with them. They work great. I've never had anyone flash hi beam at me in protest. I did 400 klm at night in fairly busy Traffic from Bundaberg to home non stop, no complaints. New cars have bright arsed lights nowadays. I've had them in there for jeez, a couple years at least. I do keep a pair of conventional bulbs in the glove box just in case. One thing here, folk always want big driving lights, LED light bars. I've always wanted the best LOW beam I can have with in reason. It's where you are most of the time and with those night into day desert racing lights, you dim back to low beam and you're Mister Magoo. That's just my opinion though. To be fair mate you make very good points! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohawk Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 I've had them in my VFR for over 10 years. I had the rework the mounts so they don't glare & I rarely ride in the dark. Passed MoT up until they changed the law a few years ago, but my regular MoT tester, just gave an advisory. Problem is his garage has stopped doing bike MoTs so had to go to a new place & they failed it FFS. 🤷♀️ Back to H4's to get it passed them swap them again, just a PITA to have to do that, but so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coombehouse Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Aftermarket LEDs in bikes are not an automatic MOT failure, that's for cars only. The rules changed in 2021. As long as the beam pattern is correct the light source is now irrelevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssray Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 My mk4 golf has aftermarket projector headlights, passed with LEDs in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srad34 Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 53 minutes ago, ssray said: My mk4 golf has aftermarket projector headlights, passed with LEDs in Probably because the MOT tester didn’t know what they were looking at (or care which is a strong possibility too) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssray Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 3 hours ago, srad34 said: Probably because the MOT tester didn’t know what they were looking at (or care which is a strong possibility too) I do take them chocolate.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohawk Posted April 30 Report Share Posted April 30 Thanks for the info re Osram legal H4 LED's. Turns out since I added my "Cree" LED's over 10 years ago, which are all still working well after all these years. But newer compliant ones with better light control that throw patterns in reflector headlights just like H4. Got me bike MoT'd today with Halogen bulbs. I took a punt yesterday on Amazon H4 LED's & just fitted them & they throw a great pattern matching the Halogen's I just removed. These new ones don't have fans so take up the same space as Halogen units & I got 40% off 😁 If anyone is interested have a look for these;- Zethors H4 LED Headlight Bulbs, 2 PCS 50W 16000LM 6000K Mini H4 Bulbs 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David W Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 On 4/7/2024 at 1:06 AM, coombehouse said: Aftermarket LEDs in bikes are not an automatic MOT failure, that's for cars only. The rules changed in 2021. As long as the beam pattern is correct the light source is now irrelevant. On 4/7/2024 at 8:44 AM, ssray said: My mk4 golf has aftermarket projector headlights, passed with LEDs in Mine were a whole replacement unit and have ECE approval so no MOT problems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonk Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 I've always had HID bulbs (from hids4u surprisingly - a really good UK company) but then I had to fit LEDs to our motorhome which didn't have the room for 4 x ballast units. I bought Twenty/20 LEDs (from same company) and was so impressed I got one for my bike's dipped beam. It's passed the MOT no problem, and out of courtesy, I've adjusted the beam down slightly. No canbus problems either. With the fan and the little box it's quite a squeeze though, not sure if it would fit all bikes. I plan on doing the main beam too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohawk Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 That's why I went with these new ones, no ballast box & no fan 👍 So they should fit anything that has H4 as standard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybewan Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 Just poking my head in here as it looks like a much cheaper option to upgrade the (fucking woeful) dip beam on the F800GS. The ebay LED full units are apparently pretty good but also £160+, £25 for a bulb may just make a bit more sense. Also, the aftermarket lights do look pretty pants tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybewan Posted Tuesday at 07:36 AM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 07:36 AM Well, not much luck here. Got a "lamp" error code on the bmw. I don't have the diagnostics for it to reset and it turns the light off entirely as soon as it errors after a couple of minutes running 😑 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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