Cyclops LED bulb system *UPDATE - New bulb installed!*

[ericpev]

Definitely picking one of these up next. The yellow of my headlight and whiteness of the auxiliary led is too much for my OCD

LOL mine too -- the aux bulb I put in (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NOZ4RI) is 6000K, and this one apparently is 5500K, so the colors are virtually identical

perfect! Did the rubber boot fit over the fan or no?

[so1102]

Had to cut it to fit

[fooschnickens]

Ok, I just had a very pleasant email exchange with the guys at Cyclops, and it turns out I have a defective unit.
 
It SHOULD work like @so1102 described above and how I described in my review with one LED on each side lighting up for the low beams. Long story short, they're sending me a brand new one tomorrow to swap out with mine so once that arrives I'll install it and redo my review. I'm very excited that it turned out to be a bad unit, everything about this setup was amazing except for that one issue with the LEDs.

[vodapas]

@so1102
@fooschnickens
 
What solution did you guys end up figuring out for the little box (ballast, regulator or whatever it is) on the bulb's power cable? I ended up just kind of sandwiching it between the bottom of the headlight assembly and the fork tube which seems to work well enough. The thing that makes me wary is that leaves the factory headlight harness kind of hanging out on the left side of the headlight which is kind of asking for it to get pinched when I'm maneuvering with the fork cranked like I'm parking or something.

[so1102]

I shoved inside the headlight housing

[vodapas]

I shoved inside the headlight housing

Like underneath the rubber boot? 

[she3pdog]

I had some space between the turn signal stem and the harness that holds all the wires in place to put mine. I zip tie it to a tiny little bar that is visible from the top of the headlight assembly if you look straight down into it. I'm pretty sure it isn't going anywhere. I can't even wiggle it.

[fooschnickens]

I shoved inside the headlight housing

This

[cjymiller]

In for the revised review. 
 
 
Also, I'm trying to understand the difference between why someone would choose and LED solution instead of an HID one?
 
Am I correct in assuming the following?
 
 
1. LED is brighter and has a different color temperature than standard bulbs and LED uses stock housing.
2. HID is far brighter, different color temperature that standard bulbs and requires modifying stock housing, rewiring and hiding ballasts.

[so1102]

In for the revised review.  
 
Also, I'm trying to understand the difference between why someone would choose and LED solution instead of an HID one?
 
Am I correct in assuming the following?
 
 
1. LED is brighter and has a different color temperature than standard bulbs and LED uses stock housing.
2. HID is far brighter, different color temperature that standard bulbs and requires modifying stock housing, rewiring and hiding ballasts.

3. LED will last a helluva lot longer than HID, and the "far brighter" argument with HID lights it not necessarily true.  I don't have any pictures to post, but I am very, very happy with the cyclops LED kit.

[Cruizin]

LED is plenty bright.
 
The problem with HID, especially on bikes is that they burn out so damn fast. One of my friends is on his third in the past two years. Screw that. Plus, LED draws way less power and costs less and is easier to install. I wouldn't even consider HID for a bike.

[so1102]

Yeah, it's going to take a while to burn through the 30 THOUSAND hour lifespan of the LEDs

[Cruizin]

Dirtbikers are loving the new LED lights. Stock dirtbike lights suck so badly and HID wouldn't last an hour on my trails.

[fooschnickens]

1) When compared to standard halogen bulbs, yes they are much brighter. LEDs and HIDs are available in varying color temperatures, though LEDs lagged behind a bit in this area until the last year or so when they were finally able to replicate more "natural" colors of light. Basically it comes down to which emitter the manufacturer decides to go with. The biggest detractor to LED technology is that they have an extremely narrow output pattern. Because of that, they really need purpose-built enclosures/projectors to make full use of the light they put out. So while they can get by in a housing made for halogen bulbs, you won't get optimal performance just like putting an HID bulb in a standard housing.
 
2) Either option is not really any "brighter" than any other bulb on their own. A 50W HID bulb will produce between 3000-3500 lumens depending on the quality and color of the bulb. LEDs are capable of the same and then some, but you have to start working with multiple emitters to reach that kind of output. This all goes back to the monodirectional nature of LEDs. There's a reason that you see projectors being used in automotive LED headlight applications. Just one LED emitter isn't enough, but just pointing several in the same direction isn't going to give you even coverage of the road. Just like how HID projectors collect and direct the light in a more usable (and safe) manner, LED projectors help smooth things out to get a wider output beam and work like a proper headlight.
 
It'll be great once single emitters are able to match the light output of high performance standard bulbs.

[fooschnickens]

Bump for updated review. Totally satisfied with the actual performance of this upgrade.

[Guru]

Thanks you for sharing @fooschnickens. I am sure a lot of us are eager to update their bulb.

[fooschnickens]

Thanks you for sharing @fooschnickens. I am sure a lot of us are eager to update their bulb.

Absolutely. It was one of those "right place right time" scenarios. Even with being delayed a bit and dealing with swapping out the defective bulb, it was well worth it in the end. 

[so1102]

I'm glad I didn't send mine back before trying it out or the two of us would never have found out yours was actually defective and not just designed poorly

[jerryv]

Now this is what I have been waiting for.  I tried installing another LED last year, but their was a clearance issue.   This will be on my short list as affordable and extremely useful.

[crazycracka501]

I think I recall HID having issues with temperature and melting plastics in the headlight. I that correct?

[fooschnickens]

I'm glad I didn't send mine back before trying it out or the two of us would never have found out yours was actually defective and not just designed poorly

You and me both! Couldn't be happier now. 

[Guru]

I think I recall HID having issues with temperature and melting plastics in the headlight. I that correct?

I have had HID since last summer and have had no issues. I'd still like to upgrade to a LED though. 

[cyclops]

Thanks for adding us to the forum Cruzen
Also thanks for the comments from everyone.
I see two different bulbs reviewed here. the 3600 and the 3800. both great bulbs but they offer very different beam patterns, the 3600 will be a bit narrower and usually a round light pattern, the 3800 is what I would recomend for the Fz-07.
 
We are happy to be part of the forum and will start a vender thread asap.

[hippiebikerchick]

 
We are happy to be part of the forum and will start a vender thread asap.

Welcome Cyclops! 
I'm glad you're (finally) here! I'm very excited about this mod and happy an expert can tell us which one is best for the 07.
 
I hope it isn't too tricky to install. (I don't want to have to bake my headlight housing) LOL

[so1102]

We are happy to be part of the forum and will start a vender thread asap.

Welcome Cyclops! 
I'm glad you're (finally) here! I'm very excited about this mod and happy an expert can tell us which one is best for the 07.
 
I hope it isn't too tricky to install. (I don't want to have to bake my headlight housing) LOL

Scroll to the first post in this thread -- install is plug and play