Anyone else dislike being on receiving end of LEDs

[Stig / Major Tom]

I really dislike all the vehicles running around with LED headlights!
Motorcycles, cars, trucks - at my age I'm not a fan of headlights normally - and the dam_ed LEDs on new vehicles are a real pain.
Can't they adjust the stupid things properly?!
We've even had a rider on here bragging about getting flashed by irritated drivers approaching his scooter's LED headlight.

Stupid innovation if they can't be focused better than that....and never a good idea to be a rider doing anything to irritate a driver. (...says Dennis Hopper...)

Stig

[rjs987]

It's really not the focus. LED lights are naturally very well focused. It's the aim that is the problem. Especially if LED replacement bulbs are used in lamps designed for incandescent bulbs. Those are just not designed to properly aim LED lights due the reflectors not being properly curved to correctly diffuse the light coming off LED bulbs. It is different if the headlight lamps are designed from the factory to use LED lights. And even those can be aimed properly to avoid undue intensity for oncoming drivers.


Of course, nothing can be done when ANY headlight, no matter how it's aimed, is agreeable to see coming at you. That needs to be handled the same as when the sun is really low just off the horizon and you have to ride directly into it.


I also dislike HID headlights on some cars where the owner has upgraded from the stock headlights. Those also are usually not aimed right. And this issue is one of the reasons I prefer to ride on side roads with very little to no traffic. I prefer to have MY headlights to be the only headlights shining down the road so I can keep them on high beam and still ride conservatively enough to ride within the light that is cast out.

[jermwars]

Stupid innovation if they can't be focused better than that....and never a good idea to be a rider doing anything to irritate a driver. (...says Dennis Hopper...)

I remember that guy...real shlubb 

Awfully proud of his new bike with all the fancy tech

I was joking about blasting the high beams and melting their windshields when it happened though. And its only happened a couple times...surprisingly

I think its just a matter of topographics...the beam cuts off pretty sharp and drops to either side nicely so i know they arent blinding to direct oncoming traffic, but if everything lines up just right im sure it seems like im high beaming.

I know they cant be that bright because people still pull out in front of me constantly

[jermwars]

It's really not the focus. LED lights are naturally very well focused. It's the aim that is the problem. Especially if LED replacement bulbs are used in lamps designed for incandescent bulbs. Those are just not designed to properly aim LED lights due the reflectors not being properly curved to correctly diffuse the light coming off LED bulbs. It is different if the headlight lamps are designed from the factory to use LED lights. And even those can be aimed properly to avoid undue intensity for oncoming drivers.


Of course, nothing can be done when ANY headlight, no matter how it's aimed, is agreeable to see coming at you. That needs to be handled the same as when the sun is really low just off the horizon and you have to ride directly into it.


I also dislike HID headlights on some cars where the owner has upgraded from the stock headlights. Those also are usually not aimed right. And this issue is one of the reasons I prefer to ride on side roads with very little to no traffic. I prefer to have MY headlights to be the only headlights shining down the road so I can keep them on high beam and still ride conservatively enough to ride within the light that is cast out.

Did the beam actually seem really short and constrained to you at first?

This is the first time ive used LED in a reflector that was designed for LED and i felt like i couldnt see anything outside the little cone of light projected right in front of me

Ive gotten used to it since...sorta but not really...i have to use the high beams a LOT

[rjs987]

Did the beam actually seem really short and constrained to you at first?

This is the first time ive used LED in a reflector that was designed for LED and i felt like i couldnt see anything outside the little cone of light projected right in front of me

Ive gotten used to it since...sorta but not really...i have to use the high beams a LOT

Maybe a little constrained but on low beam it did seem short distance. When you really think of it LED lighting has rather sharp "edges" to its beam and doesn't diffuse as much as incandescent lighting. That's what makes is seem shorter or possibly more constrained or shorter on low beam. I usually keep my lights on high beam when I can and slow down a little when I can't. But then I find low beams on any car to have the same limited lighted range and find most other drivers are keeping their headlights on low beams when they should be on high beams and they also drive WAY beyond the light provided by those low beams.


My CTX1300 had LED headlights from the factory so I was used to that effect from that bike. The high beams are really great though. I find the high beams to reach out farther and brighter than any other lighting I've used on a bike. The only exception is when I added LED driving lights with a 10 deg pencil beam to my CTX. And those were even better than the stock LED high beams. Couldn't use with oncoming traffic though so no good unless I'm alone on a country road at night.