JWS LED Headlight kit for monsters (now with pictures)

[victor441]

FWIW trucklite also makes a 7" LED headlight, but no idea how it compares to the JW Speaker unit  http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=64057&langId=-1
Both should connect directly to the stock headlight plug since H4 and 7" sealed beam plugs are the same, but both would need a new shell since the Monster shell is 8" or so and these two are 7" (very common on trucks, old cars, British bikes, etc)

[Duc796canada]

Cool, I would like to make a dual headlight set up like the Triumph/Buell XB with the trucklite.  [moto]

[victor441]

was curious and did some Googling....learned that Harley sells the JW Speaker unit as an accessory and they have a demo video at http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/gma_product.jsp?WebLogicSession=MlRPlgK8iuJZFMIqb2N21Gm2GFsG9HQPGK0JjQf712HXLKYSnqTJ%21-308922545%21hiwpbmsp02.ihd.hd%217005%218005&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524448775792&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302491563&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302491563&bmUID=1290097040120&bmLocale=en_US

and several buyers say the demo is realistic comparing stock vs. LED....the LED is impressive if so.  The Trucklite unit seemed to get mixed reviews when I researched it a few months back and FWIW is negative ground only (was considering it for a British bike)...it is cheaper though...

[stopintime]

^^^^

I think that's all I need


(except for the part where HD owners will come up to me, point and
tell everyone I bought a HD accessory )
 

[OT]

"....HD LED Lamps..."   

If HD wants $400.00 for it, it'll be about half that from a generic vendor....

[Privateer]

if it is the JWS 8700, i wonder how these specs compare to the OEM headlamp.

Product Specifications:
Output:   Raw: 1050 Lumens; Effective: 570 Lumens (12V & 24V High)
                Raw: 1050 Lumens; Effective: 500 Lumens (12V & 24V Low)
                Raw: 1350 Lumens; Effective: 760 Lumens (12-24V High)
                Raw: 1350 Lumens; Effective: 650 Lumens (12-24V Low)

Current Draw:  2.5 Amps @ 12V; 1.3 Amps @ 24V

[victor441]

if it is the JWS 8700, i wonder how these specs compare to the OEM headlamp.

Product Specifications:
Output:   Raw: 1050 Lumens; Effective: 570 Lumens (12V & 24V High)
                Raw: 1050 Lumens; Effective: 500 Lumens (12V & 24V Low)
                Raw: 1350 Lumens; Effective: 760 Lumens (12-24V High)
                Raw: 1350 Lumens; Effective: 650 Lumens (12-24V Low)

Current Draw:  2.5 Amps @ 12V; 1.3 Amps @ 24V

it is indeed the JWS 8700.  The specs I've seen for a standard 55/60W H4 bulb (monster OEM) are 910/1580 lumens...the LED light draws waay less power though, low beam is only 30W, probably not a significant difference on a Monster but a 25W savings is a BIG deal on a vintage bike but am holding off on an LED conversion for mine as it looks like there will be better and cheaper lights fairly soon  http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2010/01/22/47855/led-headlights-beam-beyond-premium-cars.htm  Since the Monster uses a  zener diode for regulation IIRC there would be no improvement in mileage w/ LED lights

[sbrguy]

so would this kit help out the older monsters more? as the older headlights basically suck.

[Duc796canada]

Neat, thanks for Harley linky....it gave me some ideas, just have to look into bracket fabrication, hmmmm..aluminum or carbon!! Folks if anyone is a good fabricator, we can bounce around ideas for the newer monsters(696/796/1100), make the bike look the way it should have looked from Ducati. I thought of even a dual headlight set up using the 6130 HI and LO, real streetfighter like!!! Great winter project.

[junior varsity]

Did the kit come with the headlight bucket?

If so, it looks like a straightforward install for pre 696 body Monsters (<2008)

[monsta]

interesting...

because of the lower current draw, would this overcharge the battery?

[Drunken Monkey]

interesting...

because of the lower current draw, would this overcharge the battery?

Nope. Your bike's voltage regulator is there to expressly deal with this sort of problem. If anything it'll lead to a healthier, always topped off battery.

[junior varsity]

contacted the Speaker Corp. Without any special brackets, it runs about $567.

Do I want it? Yes.

Do I want it bad enough to pay nearly $600?  Probably.

Do I have $600 that I spend without the wife noticing? Definitely not.


So I must patiently wait until something else shiny catches my attention... hooray adhd

[Artful]

My opinion (read: don't take it personally) is that the housing is visually too damn complicated, the light output is likely no better or worse than OEM, and that when the lights burn out it will cost far too much to replace the LEDs.

Pass.

[junior varsity]

light output should blow away oem 94-08 monster headlights with standard h4 bulb.

i put an HID kit in mine for awhile and blinded everyone on the road (not focused light as it should be), but at last I could see at night!