Ok.. who has done an LED Headlight Conversion on a 2000 R1100RT or similar model range? You can never have enough light.

Where did you source the LED kit? Was it plug and play or was there more modifications needed.

If so, is there a link on here that addresses this?

Will the one in this link from SuperBrightLEDs work? https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/motorcycle-back-up-light-bulb/motorcycle-h4-led-fanless-headlight-conversion-kit-with-adjustable-color-temperature-and-compact-heat-sink-2500-lumens/4444/9994/

I fitted them to my 1150 and was very pleased indeed with the results. I used the type that uses a braid to cool it (not an electric fan).

The major difference is that all the lamps on my bike were dedicated low or high beam unlike your bike. However, don't let that deter you because the lights on your bike are really poor.

One last tip. Don't buy the cheapest lamps you can get your hands on as they are often poor quality LED modules, poor positioning geometry and generally built down to a price.

All the best.

Andy

Intriguing. I upgraded my '99 R1100RT to HID (pre LED availability) and it surely made a huge difference.

Not sure if an issue to watch out for is the same with LED as it is with HID conversion kits, but you had to avoid some of the cheapest kits to get one with the bulb with the emitting element correctly oriented to the reflector and lens, or it will be difficult to get a crisp cut off line on low beam which is needed to not blind oncoming traffic.

When you get he project done let us know what kit you used and the results

yes, please let us know when you make the change and how you like it. Been considering the same change on my R1100R.

I replaced all of the bulbs over to led on my 2002rs, much improvement over the stock bulbs, again don't go with the cheapest, check the reviews. I believe all the ones I used were from the same manufacturer. One down side is occasionally I'll get the tail light out fault on my display but after shutting the bike off and restarting it it goes away. This has to do with the much less current draw from the leds, load equalizers would probably solve this issue but it's not really been a big issue.

In May of 2018 I installed:

9003 H4 LED Motorcycle Headlights - SEALIGHT Hi/Lo Beam CSP Head Replacement Conversion Light Retrofit Kit Headlamp Single Bulb 6000LM 12V HID White 6000K

I am completely happy with it.  The  only modification I needed to do was cut a bigger opening in the rubber seal that slips over the back to seal out the weather.  I did not need to adjust the throw as it was pretty much plug and play.   I ride with my brights on during the day and have yet to be "flashed". 

I ride a R1100RS.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XHD78DQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are the ones I used on my Tiger.  They were a great improvement.  These LEDs did a very good job of providing useable light on both high and low beam.  On my R1100RT I used the HID and had to trim the rubber boot, but it was never a problem.  The HIDs were never great at both high and low beam.  You might have to trim the boot for the LED.  

The Cyclops brand is the brand I would use , IF. I would do the LED thing on my '99 RT.

They have a good reputation .

Im toying with the idea as apparently that dern Puddles ain't gonna be the first to jump. 

I jumped!  I jumped!

Working on a report right now.

On 1/26/2019 at 1:05 PM, Puddles said:

I jumped!  I jumped!

 

Working on a report right now.

Can you add the report here?

I had some years ago put a HID kit in my '99 RT and it worked well but the ballast finally burnt out, so I decided to pull all that out and go LED.  I wanted to stay in the 4500 to 5000 Kelvin color temp range but that seems to be near impossible with LED headlight.  I finally settled on a SOLCAL-LED H4 kit. with a color temp of 6000 Kelvin.  It installed easily enough and so far works well (~ $40 on Amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LA5UNT6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I chatted online with a guy from SuperBrightLEDs, for my 96 R1100RT he recommended this one. Have not installed it yet. Dave

On 12/30/2020 at 4:54 PM, Dave P said:

I chatted online with a guy from SuperBrightLEDs, for my 96 R1100RT he recommended this one. Have not installed it yet. Dave

Following this post.  Please give an update when the y are installed, and any changes you had to make to stock equipment.

I installed an LED headlight in my R1100rt 3 years ago.  It was the newest design at the time. I got it on Amazon.  Pretty much plug and play. Stock connector is now outside the rubber boot, easy.  It has the cooling fan on the back of the bulb. All i had to do was to cut the rubber boot a little wider. Its a hi/ low beam type. Been it there for 3 years and no issues. Pattern is good and absolutely much brighter that the incandescent bulb. 

I considered an LED replacement on my 1999 RT, but instead opted for a high-capacity relay (which also bypassed the problem of high current through the headlight switch). I also put in a Hella 55/100 Watt incandescent bulb. The OEM headlight had no problem with heat from the higher-power bulb. Light was noticeably brighter, and less yellow, and high beam really punched a hole through the darkness.

See: 1100RT Headlight question on watts & color

The only problem with this approach is that since it uses an incandescent bulb, the envelope will darken over time, cutting the output. A replacement 55/100W bulb runs about $8 on Amazon.

Hi Selden, it also puts a bigger strain on the already under-spec'd ground wire. It is well worth uprating or adding an additional ground wire from the headlight connector. This comment isn't applicable for LED headlights as the current draw is MUCH less than stock.

The Cyclops (like Tri750 suggested above) headlight went my '99 R1100S four years ago.  No problems.  I have various other LED bulbs in several other bikes with outcomes varying roughly proportional to the price.  The installation on all of them is the same as replacing the bulb with an OEM, if you can afford one of those.  No rewiring or anything like that,  just take the old one out and put the new one in.  Well, almost.  Actually it's easier.  Most LED headlight bulbs now come with a mounting flange that attaches to the bulb with a bayonet or twist lock action.  This does two things: 1) makes it easier for them to make several different mounts for the same bulb, and 2) makes it WAAAAY easier for us to install the bulb in the bike: remove the mounting flange from the bulb, install the mounting flange (under the very aggrevating wire spring clips), then insert the LED bulb and twist to lock.

LED's in general produce much less heat than incandesent, halogen, and WAAAAY less than HID bulbs.  That's why they draw so much less current.  They do make some heat that's not good for the diode which is why they have the cooling fans on the back side.  Even with the LED chip and a cooling fan they draw much less current from your system, plus give you more lumins of light down range..

4 hours ago, AndyS said:

Hi Selden, it also puts a bigger strain on the already under-spec'd ground wire. It is well worth uprating or adding an additional ground wire from the headlight connector. This comment isn't applicable for LED headlights as the current draw is MUCH less than stock.

My post was in 2014, based on 2014 technology. While the Eastern Beaver wiring harness remains a good idea because it reduces the current going through the contacts of the light switch, LED technology has evolved. If I had it to do over, I would probably go with LED in 2021. Three years ago, I replaced the H-4 incandescent bulbs on my Honda HR-V with LEDs, and the difference has been dramatic. Only a slight realignment of headlight aim was needed.

I'm going to forward this discussion to my neighbor who bought the RT. When he rode behind me, I noticed that the headlight was dim, indicating that the envelope had clouded up with tungsten deposits. As far as I am aware, LEDs also dim over time, but to a lesser degree than halogens.

Sorry to jump in on the late side.  These LED's have worked well in my '86 Moto Guzzi and my '00 Toyota Sienna Van.  Amazon.com: HIMA4X4 H4 9003 Motorcycle LED Headlight Bulbs 6500k Fanless LED Headlight Bulbs Replacement Conversion Kit Xenon White Pack of 1: Automotive   The only potential mounting issue could be that the mounting flange is slightly thicker aluminum than the normal H4 Halogen steel one.  Also the bulb plug in is slightly longer than the Halogen as well (between flange and plug).  Barring an extremely close fit shouldn't be a mounting problem.  Also this LED is a 1:1 which means that the light elements match the stock H4 pattern for proper High/Low beam placement.

Sardineone,

This bulb looked very promising at first.  Super easy install, no fan to get in the way of covers, no pigtails to deal with.  But then when you dig into it there are some details that are hidden, or at least not obvious.

In the details on the bulb, provided to Amazon by the supplier :

But then in the Customer Reviews, one buyer says:

Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2020

Then:

"About this item

• 【300% Brighter Than Halogen】HIMA 4X4 H4/9003 motorcycle LED headlight bulb equip LED chips, provide 1pc 30W 4000LM bulb. "

"4000 LM" (Lumen) is on the low side for LED headlight bulbs.  Google says: "A lumen is a measure of visible light energy. More lumens equals a brighter light."  IF you can believe the manufacturer's claims about their light output, there are many H4 LED bulbs making more, much more light than this bulb, even when you consider the marketing trick most use, showing the total combined Lumens for a PAIR of bulbs (most headlight bulbs are sold in pairs for cars).  4,000 LM per bulb is more common for "Fog Lights".

This low output makes sense with the "fanless" design.  This bulb makes less light and therefore less heat so they don't have a fan.  Don't know about you, but I want MORE LIGHT.  

I've tried several "Fanless" LED headlight bulbs.  They work - for a while.  There isn't much, if any, air circulation around the rear of any of my motorcycle headlight with the dust cover on and that may be the problem.  And LED's are very sensitive to heat.  Heat is usually what kills them.

I don't buy LED headlight bulbs without integral fans because I want more light (lumens) than this bulb makes.

Thanks for the review. Caveat emptor. The H4 LEDs in my car have the copper braid heat sinks, rather than fans. Simpler, no moving parts to worry about. I think there is enough airflow behind the fairing on an RT to provide enough heat dissipation, but I don't see how the copper braid would be compatible with the rubber cap over the back of the headlight. The Cyclops H4 sounds like it remains the best choice.

I've been using the Cyclops 10K lumen LED for several years now on my 2001 R1100RT. No problems. I was skeptical of the fan-based LED but the mechanic I purchased it from services all the local authority devices and says he's been installing the Cyclops in them without failures (there are still a fair number of R1100RT-P in use with 180K-200K miles on them) . The Cyclops is available on Amazon as well. As I remember, I needed to modify the rubber boot on the H4 connector. Also, there is a small controller that needs to be attached to something. I zip-tied it to the metal strut that supports the front fairing. 

Miguel