The LED we've been waiting for!

[kumatae]

Anybody want to split a set with me? I'll pay for shipping to you.

[detours]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Does the Gennsi Elite LED bulb project the high beam as far down the highway as an H4 halogen bulb? My primary complaint with most LED headlight bulbs is the short forward projection of the high beam.

I haven't done a side by side road test between the silverstar and the GENNSI, but I believe so. I'm reluctant to put the silverstar into my 2015.5 headlight because of the heat and melting issues.

Looking back, when I had the 35W stock lamp in my original 2015 headlight, going down the canyons at night was scary. I had no light to the sides and could not see anything on the roadside. Even roadsigns were dim. The silverstar helped by providing more light overall, but the 2015 headlight design simply doesn't project light to the sides.

When I upgraded to the CREE LED with the 2015.5 reflector, everything got better. It projected at least as far as my previous silverstar in the 2015 reflector and provided an excellent wide beam. However, with the CREE on low beam, other drivers frequently flashed their high beams at me, but I couldn't aim it any lower without pointing the low beam at the pavement.

Now, with the GENNSI in the 2015.5 housing, the beam pattern is slightly less full than the CREE but just as wide. Thanks to the low beam cutoff, I can aim it straight ahead as intended by DOT, illuminating distant road much better than the CREE on low beam and just as well as the CREE on high beam.

The GENNSI in the old 2015 housing is better than the stock 35W lamp. But if you've already melted the housing with a 55W halogen, I don't know if it's worth switching to the GENNSI.

On the other hand, the 2015.5 headlight is such a huge improvement, I have to recommend it. It eliminates the shadows from the forward beam and extends light to both sides. It really makes a difference.

[detours]

Headlamp Summary

• The 55W silverstar halogen is an excellent lamp all around, but its heat will damage the upper part of the reflector.
• The CREE is superior to the silverstar and will not melt the housing. But it has no low beam cutoff and may blind or distract other drivers.
• The GENNSI is nearly as good as the CREE in the fullness of its light pattern on high and low beam, but just as good at distance on high beam. Its low beam cutoff makes it far superior at distance on low beam and will probably be an advantage if you're caught in rain or fog. Low beam also illuminates the roadside very well.

Reflector Housing Summary

• The 2015 reflector with 35W halogen is adequate for city streets and highways with at least some lighting.
• On the 2015 reflector, the LED strips on each side of the housing block light to the sides, making it difficult to see curves and roadsides.
• The 2015 also has a hump around the lower running light that creates a shadow in the center of the low beam.
• The 2015.5 reflector removes the side LEDs and lower hump, filling in shadows and projecting more light to the roadside. However, this only dissipates the stock 35W halogen light, making it less effective, in my opinion.
• The 2015.5 reflector is far superior to the 2015 for rural roads at night where it's important to see what's on the side of the road ... signs, animals, overhanging trees, unmarked shoulders, sand, etc.
• The 2015.5 reflector vastly benefits from a more powerful light source, like a 55W halogen (at the risk of melting the housing) or a cooler LED with the same or better light output.

[keithmaine]

[RedHawk47]

Detours - you have confused me a bit; in one of your posts you refer to the 2016 reflector. Is that referring to the 2015.5?


Point of clarification: CREE is a manufacturer of LED chips, I am pretty sure that they do not manufacture light bulbs. The various manufacturers of bulbs use the CREE chips and advertise that because the chips are one of the best. So, in identifying the LED that didn't work well, no low beam cut-off, we need a manufacturer's name.
BTW, the Genssi Elite bulb uses Philip LED chips.

[detours]

Hey redhawk,

Sorry for the confusion. The new headlight design came out in the 2nd half of 2015 when the bikes were first sold in Canada. This 2015.5 design has been continued into 2016. I've edited 2016 to say 2015.5 to keep my references consistent.

You're right about CREE being an LED chip maker, not a headlight maker. But since I forgot the brand name of mine, I just called it a CREE lamp.

[RedHawk47]

Detours,
I'm in the process of installing the Gennsi LED and am struggling a bit.
1. where did you install the "power supply"? Your photo in an early post looks like you fitted it inside the shell. I have not been able to find room for it inside the shell; however I cannot see in there as well because I cut a 2.5" hole with a holes saw.
Comments:
2. I was unable to unscrew the set screw holding the heatsink; I finally looked in the hole with a flashlight - there was no set screw. Figured out that the heatsink was screwed on.
3. Before I figured out the heatsink I removed the tri-tab mounting plate so I could put the rubber seal and locking ring on. One set screw had not been tightened at all, and both stripped in the hex socket when I snugged them up, and I was being gentle.
4. The wide tab at the top of the mounting plate is not as wide as the OEM and the locater in the reflector shell. This allows some rotational movement of the lamp.
5. Where did you set the lamp in the mounting plate, rotation wise. Mine came at one mark from the last mark.


Edit: Does the power supply get hot/warm. That might be a problem if it is inside the shell.

[detours]

Originally Posted by RedHawk47

Detours,
I'm in the process of installing the Gennsi LED and am struggling a bit.
1. where did you install the "power supply"? Your photo in an early post looks like you fitted it inside the shell. I have not been able to find room for it inside the shell; however I cannot see in there as well because I cut a 2.5" hole with a holes saw.
Comments:
2. I was unable to unscrew the set screw holding the heatsink; I finally looked in the hole with a flashlight - there was no set screw. Figured out that the heatsink was screwed on.
3. Before I figured out the heatsink I removed the tri-tab mounting plate so I could put the rubber seal and locking ring on. One set screw had not been tightened at all, and both stripped in the hex socket when I snugged them up, and I was being gentle.
4. The wide tab at the top of the mounting plate is not as wide as the OEM and the locater in the reflector shell. This allows some rotational movement of the lamp.
5. Where did you set the lamp in the mounting plate, rotation wise. Mine came at one mark from the last mark.

Edit: Does the power supply get hot/warm. That might be a problem if it is inside the shell.

1. I had to remove the backplate of the headlight to fit the power supply in there. I don't know how hot it will get, but it rests between the back of the reflector and the rear shell. With the hole I cut in the back, I think there's enough airflow. At least the main heat sink is fully ventilated.

2. Yeah, the whole heatsink screws on and off. The set screws are to lock the lamp in the desired rotation.

3. My set screws were ok. sorry yours stripped out Yes, the order of installation is LED lamp (without heatsink), locking ring, headlight boot, heatsink.

4. I didn't notice any rotational movement once installed. I'll check my installation again tonight. FYI, I have the 2015.5 reflector ... which one do you have?

5. I used the stock rotation and it was correct, but I don't know if they are all set the same at the factory. I'll check my rotation when I get home and try to get a pic.

[RedHawk47]

Originally Posted by detours

1. I had to remove the backplate of the headlight to fit the power supply in there. I don't know how hot it will get, but it rests between the back of the reflector and the rear shell. With the hole I cut in the back, I think there's enough airflow. At least the main heat sink is fully ventilated.

2. Yeah, the whole heatsink screws on and off. The set screws are to lock the lamp in the desired rotation.

3. My set screws were ok. sorry yours stripped out Yes, the order of installation is LED lamp (without heatsink), locking ring, headlight boot, heatsink.

4. I didn't notice any rotational movement once installed. I'll check my installation again tonight. FYI, I have the 2015.5 reflector ... which one do you have?

5. I used the stock rotation and it was correct, but I don't know if they are all set the same at the factory. I'll check my rotation when I get home and try to get a pic.

I solved my power supply mounting by putting it on the back side of the headlight bracket at the bottom using some zip ties. By unplugging the turn signal wires from the harness I was able to get the H4 light connector outside of the housing. Had to route the light harness around the back of the right side of the bracket to get everything together.

I had your #3 figured out - that was logical.
I noticed that the locater on the reflector for the top tab was a bit to the right from vertical. I did a bit of a web search to try to figure out if that was normal - did not find any info. My suspicion is that my reflector (2015.5) was designed for left side of the road driving, dipping the right side of the low beam to keep it out of oncoming driver's eyes. That's why the left side of your low beam (and mine too) is higher than the right. Fortunately we can adjust that - by taking the unit completely apart again.

[RedHawk47]

While searching the web for H4 bulb mounting specs I ran across another version of the LED bulb that Gennsi sells - the same except black instead of blue, and the same price for one that we paid for two.
Their beam pattern photo, low beam, installed in a CanAm Spyder, had the same above the cutoff scatter to the left that Detour and I have.
Probably not worth trying to twist the bulb.

[detours]

Originally Posted by RedHawk47

While searching the web for H4 bulb mounting specs I ran across another version of the LED bulb that Gennsi sells - the same except black instead of blue, and the same price for one that we paid for two.
Their beam pattern photo, low beam, installed in a CanAm Spyder, had the same above the cutoff scatter to the left that Detour and I have.
Probably not worth trying to twist the bulb.

Nice to know we got a good deal

If I have another reason to open the headlight, I'll try rotating it, but otherwise I'll leave it as is. I'm very happy with it.

[NoVa Rider]

Originally Posted by detours

On the other hand, the 2015.5 headlight is such a huge improvement, I have to recommend it. It eliminates the shadows from the forward beam and extends light to both sides. It really makes a difference.

Detours, many thanks for the great review of the new headlight design.

I am considering getting the new version from CSC. But before I call them, can you tell if the new headlight "lens" can be fitted to the old style bucket, or is the entire assembly different?

[detours]

NovaRider, when I bought the 2015.5 headlight, I had to buy the whole assembly. The reflector and internal wiring harness is different, plus the running light is incandescent instead of LED. So rather than try and retrofit, it's easier and probably cheaper to get the whole thing.

It won't come with turn signals, so you have to transfer those over.

The rear plate is actually identical between the 2015 and 2015.5 versions. So if you've cut a hole in your 2015, you can move it over to the new assembly without having to cut the new one.

[woodlandsprite]

Originally Posted by detours

It won't come with turn signals, so you have to transfer those over.

The rear plate is actually identical between the 2015 and 2015.5 versions. So if you've cut a hole in your 2015, you can move it over to the new assembly without having to cut the new one.

I take it moving the signals over is intuitive and straight forward?

[detours]

Originally Posted by woodlandsprite

I take it moving the signals over is intuitive and straight forward?

Yes. It was straightforward, but move one turn signal at a time to keep track of which signal and which wire you're working on.

I would follow pretty much these steps to install the LED and torn signals on the 2015.5 light at the same time. Sorry if the steps are over the top. I'm a software tester and I can't help myself when I start writing procedures

1. Place both new and old headlights on a towel or piece of carpet to protect the lens
2. Remove the backplate from each headlight (9 screws each. Don't lose any!)
3. Orient both headlights, lens down, the same way in front of you (up, down, left, right).
4. Follow the wires from each turn signal to see where they connect on the 2015 light.
5. Undo the nut on one of the signals and disconnect its wiring from the main harness. (Do one turn signal at a time)
6. Move it to the corresponding side of the 2015.5 headlight and connect to the same color wires in the new wiring harness. I think the colors were the same.
7. Disconnect the second turn signal and move it over in the same way.
8. Reattach the cover on the 2015.5 light with 3 or 4 screws. Plug it into your bike and test the turn signals.
9. If the left and right light up correctly, congratulations!
10. Now would be a good time to install the GENNSI LED. Otherwise, put in all 9 screws and install the headlight on the bike.
11. Use Loctite blue on the headlight bolts.