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Honda V Kwakker Headlight
Ride Date 22 February 2025
My 2018 CB500X has an LED headlight. And it's blummin' rubbish.
Having ridden the CB500X all year round now for over 5 or 6 years I've never been at all impressed with the headlight. Heck even the CBF125's 30/35 watt incandescent bulb provided better illumination on those dark winter nights.
It's LEDs innit. They provide a most peculiar kind of light. They seem to shed light on the road ahead without actually illuminating the road ahead. That... doesn't make sense I know but that's how I feel about them. It's like a Zen thing - singing without a voice, doing while being still, emptying your mind while concentrating, lighting things up without seeing them... dude.
A light without much light.
I can follow the beam pattern on dipped and see that it reaches 2 feet up that tree - but the lower 2 feet of the tree is not lit. On full beam I can see there is more light but I can see next to nothing extra. Admittedly with LED reflective road signs POP out brightly - to the point of not being able to see the road. It's all rather poor this LED lighting.
Or so I thought.
I need to take Sharon's shiny new Z500 out for a spin, a shakedown ride to ensure I haven't cocked anything up after fitting the lowering kit and the crash bars. It's dark and I'm aware the Z5 has LED headlights as most bikes do now.
Initially I'm on lit streets but I'm immediately aware of how crisp the Z500's beam is to my left. I then enter a dimly lit road to find a clear, cleanly defined dip beam stretching out in front of me. The dip angle is correct - a few degrees down - with a surprising level of visibility in a say roughly 130 degree arc. This clearly defines both edges of the road while also showing me what is on the surface as I approach. Perfectly acceptable at 30mph and good enough for more.
Onto a dark lane this time. I hit the main beam and WOW! I CAN SEE!!! The road opens up ahead of me and while I still find the bright white light from LEDs somewhat jarring compared to the softer yellowish light from a bulb - I can see!! I can see trees and hedges and lane markings and potholes and gravel and THINGS. It's a revelation - it's illuminating!
Size doesn't seem to matter - or so I'm told.
With cars oncoming I dip the lights. Of course all the other cars are blinding (a theme that seems to be making the news recently) but with Sharon's light I can look to my left and still see the edge of the road and a little ahead. Once again this is another illuminating revelation.
So it seems LED lights can work and work effectively. This means this is a Honda CB500X problem not an LED problem. I have read on several forums that the CB500X (and CB500F and CBR500R) lights are pretty poor, it has been suggested it's almost as though Honda want you to buy "adventure spotlights" to make this damn thing usable at night.
It did cross my mind that it might be my eyesight too, I'm getting old see. But the Z5's lights have given me hope for the future. Now - if they can just make the LED white just a little less WHITE?
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Reader's Comments
ROD¹ said :-
Don't worry too much about the future Ren.
That bright white lighting that you see now will become increasingly yellow with the growth of cataracts.
02/04/2025 13:23:00 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
The VSTrom is bulbs innit, halogen like.
But as I've never ridden it in the dark other than an enclosed car park I have nothing.
You need some lights on it, although if you've lived this long you'll probably be OK.
Upt.
02/04/2025 16:17:02 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Sheez! Thank you ROD for that cheery outlook.
03/04/2025 07:56:14 UTC
Bogger said :-
I reckon you should have bought a Kawasaki Ren. Seems like Sharon is the only one with any sense?
I believe Kawasaki used to produce two strokes. Get one of those, it'll be a lot better than the Honda.
You know it makes sense.
Bogger
03/04/2025 14:02:01 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Bogger - stick your comment up your... erm. Stick it in your pipe and smoke it!
I just don't need such negativity in my life maaaaaaan.
03/04/2025 15:07:32 UTC
Bogger said :-
The Kawasaki is better looking as well.
Just saying like.
Bogger
03/04/2025 16:05:34 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
My personal (and probably minority) opinion is that the Kawasaki is grotesque. But I know some people love that style.....
03/04/2025 16:42:52 UTC
Bogger said :-
Good grief Ian You've just p***** Sharon right off. Get your hard hat on pal, pronto.
Bogger
03/04/2025 22:52:50 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, but it's obvious her taste is flawed. Just look at who she picked as a boyfriend / partner......
04/04/2025 12:11:00 UTC
Bogger said :-
Point taken.
Bogger
05/04/2025 15:40:01 UTC
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