LED headlamp bulb?

[Mikep328]

Is there an LED headlamp bulb that works well on these bikes?  Looking on various sites like Amazon and Ebay there are all sorts of allegedly 'workable' bulbs but I'd rather hear from folks who have found, or not found, anything suitable.  I don't intentionally ride at night...As Joseph Lucas commented, "Gentleman don't motor about after dark," I'm interested primarily in it as a daytime running light that is a bit easier on the charging system..

[Johnwebley]

I have tried LED BULBS

3 sided,they give a dispersed light,,but  H4 65 watt gives a longer beam, but with higher consumption,

I have gone back to H4

This time of year I ride in the dark alot



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[TrickyMicky]

If you are still using the original headlamp, then the bulb is a BA20D Bosch type fitting. These are available as LED's and are a straight swap. The heatsink is inside the reflector so there is no  space problem inside the shell.  I have replaced all my bulbs with LED's, gives the ancient wiring an easier time. A bright white 233 LED used in the front marker light makes a quite good daytime light. The pretty bit is replacing the speedo/rev counter bulbs with green LED's.  Classiccarleds do a vast range, not the cheapest, but very good quality.
   If you go the whole hog and choose LED's for the indicators, you MUST purchase orange bulbs and a replacement flasher unit, quite cheap, it's the size of a standard relay and fits into the original rubber holder quite nicely.

[Mikep328]

I decided to try LEDs and purchased them for the headlight/parking light.   I haven't actually ridden at night with the new bulb but it produces OK light on the garage wall.  It seems a bit brighter than the OEM incandescent bulb and uses about 1/2 the power.  On the downside, it is not as visible from the front quarter as the standard bulb so it's less effective as a running light.  ...https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08J3W2BTT?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

The "parking" bulb's diameter was too large to fit through the hole in the OEM headlight reflector.  It fits easily in the fitting where the bulb holder attaches to the reflector but the hole diameter at the reflector itself, where the bulb-holder fitting meets the reflector, is somewhat smaller.  I thought about trying  to enlarge the hole but that might damage the reflector coating/allow rust/corrosion, etc.  So don't buy these:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KTDD9YW?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
 I'll look for one that more closely matches the diameter of the standard bulb.

[TrickyMicky]

I use "classiccarleds.co.uk".   Not the cheapest, but very good quality, and they provide the dimensions of their bulbs. If you have a problem, when you phone them a real knowledgeable  human being answers!  Definitely worth the outlay to preserve ancient wiring etc.
     Just as an aside, bearing in mind that I am not an electrician, when I fitted LED's to the 400, all was light and joy, but for my sins I also own a JDM GB250 Clubman which also received the LED treatment. Did not realise that as this model has only one repeater lamp in the speedo for the indicators,  you have to use small diodes to stop all the bulbs flashing together!!  Apparently, with filament bulbs, if you are signalling left for example, the current going to the repeater bulb is earthed through the right hand indicator system, but does not retain enough power to illuminate the right hand bulbs. LED's need only a minute amount to work so are illuminated. Hence the need for diodes, (one way valves!).  The small digital fisher units are reasonably priced, and have a fixed flash rate no matter which bulbs you use, you can even mix them. Have fun, Mike.