Pathfinder LED DF Series H7 LED Bulb
I have been looking around for the best/easiest LED headlight upgrade for my 2021 V-Strom 650 and came across the Pathfinder LED DF Series H7 LED Bulb. It looks to be designed to be a direct replacement for a stock H7 with no fans or external boxes or anything like that.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find much info about it and was wondering if anyone knew if this would be a suitable solution or had any experience with this product.
I would also be grateful for any suggestions of what LED solutions worked well for you.
This is my first bike and I am excited to see that it has such a great community built around it. Thanks.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find much info about it and was wondering if anyone knew if this would be a suitable solution or had any experience with this product.
I would also be grateful for any suggestions of what LED solutions worked well for you.
This is my first bike and I am excited to see that it has such a great community built around it. Thanks.
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I have Supernova H7 low beam & & H11 hi beam leds on my 2017. It took some MacGyver-ing to the headlight housing to install, but the result is stable very bright and well defined beams.
Having done a little research beforehand, I found out that, unlike household or smaller automotive led bulbs, led headlight bulbs create a lot of heat powering the diode(s) to the brightness required. Different mfr's use different methods to cool the leds, large heat sinks and/ or small fans on the bulbs base are the most common.
I tried to find out if the Pathfinder bulbs would fit, and they won't on my 2017 DL650 according to J&P's fitment guide. They also don't even list Suzuki when you select "2021" in the drop-down menu.
J&P caters mainly to American and Metric Cruiser Motorcycles, but these bulbs also don't fit a few of the HDs and Indians I tried.
But the biggest turnoffs for me were:
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Having done a little research beforehand, I found out that, unlike household or smaller automotive led bulbs, led headlight bulbs create a lot of heat powering the diode(s) to the brightness required. Different mfr's use different methods to cool the leds, large heat sinks and/ or small fans on the bulbs base are the most common.
I tried to find out if the Pathfinder bulbs would fit, and they won't on my 2017 DL650 according to J&P's fitment guide. They also don't even list Suzuki when you select "2021" in the drop-down menu.
J&P caters mainly to American and Metric Cruiser Motorcycles, but these bulbs also don't fit a few of the HDs and Indians I tried.
But the biggest turnoffs for me were:
- The claimed 1600 lumens- twice the rating of my Supernovas?
- The very small, almost nonexistent fanless heat sink. I would be concerned with how they manage heat in an enclosed plastic housing; an led bulb transfers output heat to the base of the bulb where there is usually a large heatsink and/or fan. If the 1600lm rating is accurate, these probably get quite hot.
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1,098 Posts
& thats why I used the Auxito fanless (w heatsink) H7 & H9 in my 2014 1000
It took a little bit of fitting the electronics case on the H7 low beam.
BUT ABSOLUTELY NO MODIFICATION TO THE BIKE
Everything fits inside the headlight housing with the low beam twist off cover installed.
The H9 high beam is a non issue install.
It took a little bit of fitting the electronics case on the H7 low beam.
BUT ABSOLUTELY NO MODIFICATION TO THE BIKE
Everything fits inside the headlight housing with the low beam twist off cover installed.
The H9 high beam is a non issue install.
I've been doing a lot of research as well and found a VERY informative website/You Tube channel called "Headlight Revolution". HR does actual testing of every LED bulb they sell. They also claim to have tested a whole bunch of different LED designs and brands. They are automotive-centric but their findings still apply to motorcycles.
HEADLIGHT REVOLUTION
The gist of it is, LED bulbs require fans AND a separate driver. Any LED bulbs that is fan-less means the heatsinks are going to be large AND inefficient at moving heat away from the LED emitter, which eventually leads to early failure.
The positioning of the LED emitter and the size of the emitter must also be similar to the size of a Halogen coil. Otherwise you get scattered light. The website above is very informative.
HEADLIGHT REVOLUTION
The gist of it is, LED bulbs require fans AND a separate driver. Any LED bulbs that is fan-less means the heatsinks are going to be large AND inefficient at moving heat away from the LED emitter, which eventually leads to early failure.
The positioning of the LED emitter and the size of the emitter must also be similar to the size of a Halogen coil. Otherwise you get scattered light. The website above is very informative.
So who can you trust? Auxito? And how do you know they're lights will last? Because Auxito told you? Amazon reviews? Watch some of Headlight Revolution's videos before you judge. Think about it for a minute. You have a heat sink without a fan and the heat sink is INSIDE the dust cover. How well do you think the heat is going to move from the LED emitter to the heat sink? And assuming it does move to the heat sink...where does the heat go from there if it sits inside a cover? It's same principle as your Voltage Regulator. Note how Suzuki mounts it where there is maximum ventilation. Just saying. You don't have to believe what anyone is saying but just analyze the hardware and how it should work.
Unless they actually tested the lights themselves and who has done that? I'd like to know myself. Because if I go to Cyclops they say they have the best. If I go to Morimoto, they say they have the best. And so on.
Most sellers don't even get their hands on the products. They just resell. Amazon is of no help, neither is Ebay. And there are literally dozens and dozens of manufacturers and sellers out there.
Unless they actually tested the lights themselves and who has done that? I'd like to know myself. Because if I go to Cyclops they say they have the best. If I go to Morimoto, they say they have the best. And so on.
Most sellers don't even get their hands on the products. They just resell. Amazon is of no help, neither is Ebay. And there are literally dozens and dozens of manufacturers and sellers out there.
This is just a comment. There are GOOD plug and play LED bulbs available. With a GOOD inverter design they don't produce more heat than a standard bulb, don't need fans and don't need separate drivers. They can dissipate the heat they generate without problems and they do just plug in, no cutting holes required.
There is also a lot of crap around.
These work for me, the lights did need adjusting slightly. They also come in H4, H11 etc. Note the same company sells other LED bulbs which aren't the same.
There is also a lot of crap around.
These work for me, the lights did need adjusting slightly. They also come in H4, H11 etc. Note the same company sells other LED bulbs which aren't the same.
Pair LIGHTFOX 6000LM H7 LED Headlight Kit Hi/Lo Beam Driving Globe Bulbs 9356307000245 | eBay
A decent headlight matters a lot especially when you are driving at night, and now, consistent and bright driving light is secured when the LIGHTFOX LED headlight in installed for your vehicle. This LED light is able to emit 6000 lumens of 6500K pure white brightness to illuminate extremely dark...
www.ebay.com.au
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