LED H11 Bulb Conversion for Base 1199/899

No fans on this one? Just one big heat sink. No ballast? Wow!

I wonder how they compare to the other LED alternatives.

Those are one piece units that use xml LEDs IIRC. You'll have to grind away a significant portion of your faring stays for those to fit. Otherwise if you get then let us know what you think.

Let me know how it works out for ya Jeff. Im a HUGE fan of HID lights (just put headlights and fogs on my truck) and had em on one Ducati but so afraid to do it to my Tri since my good friend informed me of MANY issues with the ballasts being mounted behind the dash messing up the ECU badly. He's a SERIOUS Master Tech who's been around a LONG LONG time in Ducati too so I take his word for it. However, if you mount em somewhere else I would do it.

Please let me know how things turn out. Nothing better than HID my man!

Gunny Fitz said:

Let me know how it works out for ya Jeff. Im a HUGE fan of HID lights (just put headlights and fogs on my truck) and had em on one Ducati but so afraid to do it to my Tri since my good friend informed me of MANY issues with the ballasts being mounted behind the dash messing up the ECU badly. He's a SERIOUS Master Tech who's been around a LONG LONG time in Ducati too so I take his word for it. However, if you mount em somewhere else I would do it.

Please let me know how things turn out. Nothing better than HID my man!

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Why even consider swapping the current LEDs? They perform great and look spectacular.

Agree. However, I think HID gives off much wider and brighter light at night though.

Gunny Fitz said:

Agree. However, I think HID gives off much wider and brighter light at night though.

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Not really... if the housing is not designed for HIDs what you get is a lot of light that is not focused on your path... The best real solution is to have the light housing designed for the bulb you are using.

LEDs bulbs seem to work better than HIDs in these types of applications... at least on the bikes that I have seen (a couple of friends have gone from HIDs in their bikes to LED aftermarket bulbs like the one on this thread, with much better results and better light pattern than what they had with the HIDs).

Just my 2 cents...

Duck41 said:

Why even consider swapping the current LEDs? They perform great and look spectacular.

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He has a base which doesn't have LED lights from factory. Looks like a cheap option than doing a full headlight conversion. Hope they fit.

Carl1199 said:

He has a base which doesn't have LED lights from factory. Looks like a cheap option than doing a full headlight conversion. Hope they fit.

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Just to clarify, my post was in response to Gunny's and not the OP's.

Upgrading the base incandescent headlights to compatible HIDs is an attractive option, but swapping the LEDs to HIDs seems like quite a hassle just to modify something that is already performing at a very high level (the 1199's LEDs are easily the best factory headlights I've ever had on a sport bike). Gunny did mention he was a huge fan of HIDs, though, so I'm inclined to believe him based on the fact he was even considering that modification.

Keen to know how you go with this?

Been looking at doing the LED conversation on my base for ages now

JeffD said:

Gunny - from what I understand the interference is much greater with a 55W kit vs. the 35W kit. All the previous threads on here strongly recommend the 35W kit because of this. Seems like lots of 35W kit owners don't experience any problems other than minor installation and trying to neatly tuck away the ballasts and wiring.

Guess I'm going to have to be the guinea pig on these.

Agreed that HIDs are the best. LEDs are more durable and have a longer life span but their output still can't match HIDs, not yet anyway.

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If i was you i'd go with the LED's i am also goiing to do this once i find reliable Cree LED that works. HiD's are great but a complete ....... pain when one doesn't work!! just fixed 2 sets on my truck... THANKS DDM YOU SUCK!!

My 2 cents

Zaid1199 said:

If i was you i'd go with the LED's i am also goiing to do this once i find reliable Cree LED that works. HiD's are great but a complete ....... pain when one doesn't work!! just fixed 2 sets on my truck... THANKS DDM YOU SUCK!!

My 2 cents

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Are you blinding on-coming traffic with you truck?

AlohaMark said:

Are you blinding on-coming traffic with you truck?

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hahaha yeah... so!? didn't bother to change headlight housing just the bulbs in headlights and foglights!! all i know is in severe down pours at night i can see, in bad snow storms i can see and in normal driving conditions i can see, but the people on coming CAN'T.

Have a nice DAY

Lol

AlohaMark said:

Are you blinding on-coming traffic with you truck?

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Not sure if this was for me or not, but very good question!
Since my truck sits much higher than the normal vehicles one would tend to think I would be burning the hair off the back of oncoming drivers heads!

I did have to angle them down a tiny bit and i do in fact get high beamed once in awhile too, but then I highbeam them back its VERY obvious I am not being rude by keeping high beams on. lol. I have no clue who makes the kits I have since my installer buddy ordered that I needed and did all the work himself on the side. His recommendation was to go with YELLOW fog lights which provide better visibility in rain and foul weather - now that I have experienced that I tend to agree with him after seeing it for myself.

I realize this is a bike forum and bike thread on HIDs but figured it has some sort of tie in? As stated, I am a HUGE fan of the HID performance being so wide and a "different" kind of visibility IMHO and I did NOT go for that cool blue look
( I went w 6000k colors on main lights. I did go with LED tail lights, 3rd brake light, and light bar on back though!
Not done much night riding on my Tri but wasnt overly happy with the LEDs at night. Like many other mods we all have done there is no true NEED for them I suppose, but quite often the WANTS outweigh the NEEDS on so many things in life dont they? Anxious ot see how things work out for Jeff here!

Zaid1199 said:

hahaha yeah... so!? didn't bother to change headlight housing just the bulbs in headlights and foglights!! all i know is in severe down pours at night i can see, in bad snow storms i can see and in normal driving conditions i can see, but the people on coming CAN'T.

Have a nice DAY

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It would be a real shame if a tractor trailer accidentally ran you over because he was blinded by your hack. At least others on here have attempted to minimize the effect but maybe its because they are "considerate", whereas you are..what's the word I'm looking for?

OP, I used the lifetime LED kit on my 899. I don't know how it will compare to what you have linked but I can say that they look just as big as the Lifetime LEDs where the heat sink is.... unsure on LED placement.

H11 LED headlights

Notes for the Lifetime LED kit:

-Must trim aluminum fairing stay a somewhat considerable amount, and also trim the little plastic hoops on the headlights
-Color output is VERY white, the OEM parking light LEDs are actually more blue than these LEDs
-LOTS of light, but not as focused as the OEM halogens (I don't think the LEDs are in the same place as the halogen filaments)

In all, I'm pretty happy as long as I don't try to ride with my mirrored visor at night. It seems they throw light as far as the OEM high beams do, but are not as focused (much more light going upwards). I would like it better if they threw the light about 10-15 feet further in front of the bike. I have a hard time seeing the road in front of me, but they will illuminate anything reflective for a LONG distance in front of you (signs and such).

Warlord has a how-to on this forum and the 899 forum. I have a general info thread on the 899panigale.org forum as well with pictures.