Driving Lights

[Water Warrior 2]

Looks good but a great way to drain a battery in a hurry. H3 bulbs are far too power hungry for the GZ. A reasonable alternative would be the $16 driving lights at Wally world. Take out the 50 watt MR-16 bulbs and install 20 watt bulbs. Still have the look and you can run them full time for better visibility to oncoming traffic. Not real great for added light on the road at night but you won't blind anyone by leaving them on either. As an added safety benefit you still have some light at night in case your headlight goes south all of a sudden. Flood light or spot light versions are available too.

[Easy Rider]

Looks good but a great way to drain a battery in a hurry. H3 bulbs are far too power hungry for the GZ.

Ahem.......
"They use an H3 bulb which could be replaced with an LED bulb. "

:poked:

[Water Warrior 2]

Cool. Those LED's would probably do the trick.

[Badbob]

Now you have my attention. LED replacements for halogen bulbs. This is very good news.

[mrlmd1]

How bright are the LEDs? They have to light up the road ahead to be of any use for night riding other than just illuminating the front of the bike like a Christmas tree as a more attention-getting device for oncoming traffic. Is there lumen or light output comparison somewhere that I am missing?

[Easy Rider]

How bright are the LEDs?

I haven't seen any specs. but I think it's a safe bet that they are nowhere near the H3's.
Any LED array with that kind of output would be relatively large and quite costly.

[Water Warrior 2]

How bright are the LEDs?

I haven't seen any specs. but I think it's a safe bet that they are nowhere near the H3's.
Any LED array with that kind of output would be relatively large and quite costly.

Pretty much my thoughts too. However if they do manage to create LED's that are viable for actually night riding they would have one dramatic advantage. You would never have to replace one.

[Badbob]

I have flashlights with 3 watt LEDs that will temporarily blind you if you look at them directly. Some of the LED replacements I looked at were 9 watts. My guess is that they are bright enough to get your attention. I don't see any spec sheets for these.

It would be nice to know how many lumen's or radiant flux these LEDs put out.

I'm going to look for some fixtures I can use.

[Easy Rider]

Some of the LED replacements I looked at were 9 watts. My guess is that they are bright enough to get your attention.

I second that guess. Might even be enough to be useful as floods (fog light) but I suspect still not quite up to a real headlight in long distance illumination.
Two of those 9 watters certainly would improve your visibility and would probably be enough for emergency use should the headlight go out.

Keep us posted!

[mrlmd1]

And the GZ electrical output will handle an extra 9 watts output, or will you wait 'till the headlight dies to turn those on?
You have to compare the lumen output with current draw, if any specs like that can be found, to see if the lights are viable for any real use and if they can be handled by the GZ.

[Easy Rider]

And the GZ electrical output will handle an extra 9 watts output, or will you wait 'till the headlight dies to turn those on?


Is that a serious question? Add a light bar and convert the bulbs to LED's, just to be used INCASE the headlight fails ??? I don't think so. :roll:

IIRC, the reserve capacity of the GZ charging system is ~ 30 watts. TWO of the 9 watt LEDs should not pose a problem, to run all the time........unless maybe all your riding is in stop-and-go congested trafffic at speeds less than 30 mph.

[Badbob]

I've had several headlight failures. High beam every time. Every time on a road trip. I gave up on the high output bulbs because of this.

GZ250s have dual element bulbs. It is highly unlikely that you would have them both fail at the same time. You would have either high or low beam.

I carry three spares. A one headlight and one of each for the front and rear turn signals. You need to know how to change these before you need to do it in the middle of nowhere at night. Even the turn signals can be a problem if you have never done it before. Try it at home first.

[Badbob]

Replacing the other lights with LEDs (turn signal, running, and brake) could free up a few watts.

[Easy Rider]

You need to know how to change these before you need to do it in the middle of nowhere at night. Even the turn signals can be a problem if you have never done it before. Try it at home first.

Well there you go.
That is exactly what makes this type of forum so valuable, IMHO.
Perfect advice from an experienced rider and the "school of hard knocks". :2tup:

Now, I am probably too stupid and lazy to actually TAKE the advice but it is good none-the-less! :cool:

[Water Warrior 2]

You need to know how to change these before you need to do it in the middle of nowhere at night. Even the turn signals can be a problem if you have never done it before. Try it at home first.

Well there you go.
That is exactly what makes this type of forum so valuable, IMHO.
Perfect advice from an experienced rider and the "school of hard knocks". :2tup:

Now, I am probably too stupid and lazy to actually TAKE the advice but it is good none-the-less! :cool:

Grab the screwdriver in the tool kit and have a go at it. One screw in the signal lense. Two for the headlight. Check your manual for the position/location of the headlight screws. Not to be confused with the adjustment screws. Five minutes or less in the light. Much longer after dark if you have never checked things beforehand. A small flashlight under the seat can be a life saver too.

[mrlmd1]

And the GZ electrical output will handle an extra 9 watts output, or will you wait 'till the headlight dies to turn those on?


Is that a serious question? Add a light bar and convert the bulbs to LED's, just to be used INCASE the headlight fails ??? I don't think so. :roll: .

Obviously not serious, the way you took it.

It should have been written as: And the Gz electrical system will handle an extra 9W output? Or will you wait...........(being factitious).
My point was there's no reason to install lights that the electrical system won't support and there's probably no reason to install lights that have no significant output, even as small floods, unless it's for show or perceived increased visibility.
My question was if the GZ could support these things and does anyone know the lumens or brightness of these compared to a headlight?

And, Badbob's ideas of trying it in daylight, carrying extra bulbs on a trip, and switching to LEDs at least for the running and brake lights (provided again that the output of these bulbs is at least as bright as what's in there now) is a good thing. Again, it's lumen output vs. current draw. You wouldn't want a dimmer, and therefor a less visible, bulb, in order to save a small amount of current. You might want LEDs so as to not to have to replace a regular bulb, but again how bright are the LEDs, and how often do the regular bulbs burn out? The regulars last quite a while.
Any of these LED bulbs would probably outlast the bike.

[Blackbird]

Speculation aside ... what are people who have these lights on their 250's experiencing? Are they running the battery down? No problems?
Running day lighters is a good idea. It helps to get the other drivers to notice you a little better.

[Water Warrior 2]

Lynda's GZ has one extra 20 watt halogen on the front (always on ) for added visibility for cages and heated grips. No power problems in 2 years.

[Easy Rider]

Speculation aside ... what are people who have these lights on their 250's experiencing?

This thread (like many) has wandered a bit so...........
What do you consider speculation and just exactly what lights are you referring to??
Some are OK and some are too much.

[Blackbird]

Easy says ...
What do you consider speculation and just exactly what lights are you referring to??
Some are OK and some are too much.

Speculation? You know what that is, it's a noun ...
1. the contemplation or consideration of some subject: to engage in speculation on humanity's ultimate destiny.
2. a single instance or process of consideration.
3. a conclusion or opinion reached by such contemplation: These speculations are impossible to verify.
4. conjectural consideration of a matter; conjecture or surmise: a report based on speculation rather than facts.
OR ... guessing about or thinking about what might be. Kind of like the Wright Bros. thinking that (speculating) a machine could fly.
What lights am I referring to? That would be any extra lights that one might hang on their bike. Light bars, etc.

[Easy Rider]

Speculation? You know what that is, it's a noun ...


Nice. NOT! :skull: