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HID Low Beam/LED High Beam Mods


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I purchased a HID Low Beam and LED High Beam Conversion kits from a seller named LED Light Street which they stated as kits compatible with the 2012 VFR1200F. These Conversion kits are FAR from compatible and usable on the VFR1200. I have seen here on the forums other postings of HID and LED conversions with links to sellers. None of those links work anymore so I am asking if anyone knows of a reputable source for the aforementioned Headlight conversion kits for the 2012 VFR1200. Any information is welcome and thank you in advance.

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I don't know what the VFR1200 has for OEM bulbs, but if the OEM Honda ones used on ST1300, etc. they are a hybrid.  One can fit H4/9003 by cutting the two lower tabs off.

I wouldn't go HID, that's old school now.  Have had excellent luck with LED's and recommend these either from Ebay or AliExpress... although stuff will be slow coming from China these days...

These were developed with the help of a lighting engineer on the ST forum, to make them as close as possible to DOT compliant, and no LED is certified to be yet.  I'm on my fourth set in four bikes so far.

There are other LED's as well..... all are getting there these days.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-9003-F2-LED-Headlight-72W-12000LM-Cree-Chips-White-6000K-Driving-H-L-Bulbs/143055112163?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

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Thank you for the information. I will look into the source you suggested. I have been rethinking the HID mod and instead going with straight LED. Were the LEDS you linked straight plug and go, or did you have some extra modification to do? Thank you in advance.

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The LED bulb and fan pull out of the mounting base, and have a wire with a driver (power supply) which stays external (tie wrap it somewhere).  Install the mounting base and clip it in with the wire bail, then your headlight's rubber boot, then insert the bulb into the mounting base through the hole in the rubber boot.  Makes sure the reflector shields on the LED are pointing/reflecting up....... the wire will be then pointing down.

But before you order, make sure of the type of bulb you have.... if it looks like an H4/9003 then order that kit.  IF you have the standard Honda halogen of the past, then you'll have to remove the two lower tabs off the mounting base of the new bulbs.... practice on an old H4 bulb if you like.  You will see the lower two tabs won't quite fit where Honda put theirs.  No worries, it isn't going anywhere.... I'd expect you'd likely have to do similar to put in HID.

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What I think would be incredibly sweet is to run an H4 led bulb like was linked above in one position and then bi-led projectors in the other position, maybe with an independent switch. Projectors are great for reaching out there, but they aren't that great in the twisties because when you lean over, that nice sharp cutoff is pointing all your light to the outside of the corner, meanwhile, non-projector led bulbs like the one linked, generally speaking tend to lack the distance. I've been thinking about it for a while now, but haven't had the ambition to rip apart a functional system yet. I think if I could find a spare set of lights for my 6th gen, I'd give it a try.

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  • 1 month later...
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On 3/6/2020 at 11:32 AM, raYzerman said:

There are other LED's as well..... all are getting there these days

Terry and VFROz have also offered sound advice on the site here from their own experiences. There are variations on cooling and emitter strength and tint (color?). Apparently you want only top and bottom emitters. Not on the sides. Plus the incorporated shielding to eclipse the emitter from shining into oncoming traffic, as raYzerman also writes.

 

I have a set from C7 that I've yet to install so I can't recommend them, but they seemed okay when I plugged them in just to make sure they function. A Christmas gift that would have cost less than $20.  They shipped through EBay from California. 

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On 3/5/2020 at 10:28 PM, SSNOWDEN77 said:

I purchased a HID Low Beam and LED High Beam Conversion kits from a seller named LED Light Street which they stated as kits compatible with the 2012 VFR1200F. These Conversion kits are FAR from compatible and usable on the VFR1200. I have seen here on the forums other postings of HID and LED conversions with links to sellers. None of those links work anymore so I am asking if anyone knows of a reputable source for the aforementioned Headlight conversion kits for the 2012 VFR1200. Any information is welcome and thank you in advance.

Member Tightwad used to make an HID kit for 6th gens (I believe no longer). His website is "wiremybike".    If you PM him he could possibly offer some advice that could help you.

 

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I converted my 1200 to HiD low beam several years ago when LEDs just weren't available in either fitment or power. There wasn't a conversion 'kit' as such, I just bought 2 bulbs that were powerful enough without the driver being too big. With a driver-based bulb, there is insufficient room inside the headlamp unit to mount it (at the time, they may be a lot smaller today) so I cut the power wire and spliced the driver outside the rubber seal.

 

I recently bought and fitted 2 LED bulbs to the high beam, which were just plug and play, no external drivers or anything and they work perfectly, at least in daylight. I'll have to wait until the winter to find out just how good they are in the dark, but I have ridden with the HiDs in the dark and they are excellent, with very good cutoff so don't dazzle oncoming vehicles.

 

As has been said, I don't believe LEDs are certified to replace OEM bulbs that are not already LED, at least over here they're not but that hasn't stopped my 1200 passing its annual test (MoT) for the last 3 years.

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