Bonnie America Headlight Upgrade

Lyles124 · Oct 21, 2019

If this has been asked before I apologize as I couldn’t find a thread on it.

For a 2006 America, can you replace the headlight halogen bulb with a LED bulb (plug and play)?

Or is there a LED insert (plug and play) to put into the housing?

Thanks gents!

Wire-Wheels · Oct 21, 2019

They DO make LEDs that plug right in to your H-2 socket. I tried one for a.year or two on my '02 America. My complaint was that it did not seem to work well with the stock Triumph lens. When it failed prematurely I went to a yellow H-2 bulb. I do not ride at night much so my priority is not so much to see better. It is more an issue of BEING SEEN by the crazy drivers around here. Motorcraft makes a bulb that is very yellow and stands out in traffic like a sore thumb. If you really want to go LED, I would recommend you change the whole light assembly. The look is different, but a LED seems to need a lens that is made for it. ...J.D.

Lyles124 · Oct 21, 2019

Wire-Wheels said: ↑

They DO make LEDs that plug right in to your H-2 socket. I tried one for a.year or two on my '02 America. My complaint was that it did not seem to work well with the stock Triumph lens. When it failed prematurely I went to a yellow H-2 bulb. I do not ride at night much so my priority is not so much to see better. It is more an issue of BEING SEEN by the crazy drivers around here. Motorcraft makes a bulb that is very yellow and stands out in traffic like a sore thumb. If you really want to go LED, I would recommend you change the whole light assembly. The look is different, but a LED seems to need a lens that is made for it. ...J.D.
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Thank you sir! That is what I was thinking as well. I have heard of LED bulbs throwing light out in weird directions vs. using the standard halogen bulb. I may give the LED a shot and see how I like it. My only concern that it would flicker from the bike thinking the halogen was out.

Wire-Wheels · Oct 21, 2019

Excuse me. I called these an"H-2". The proper designation is H-4. The bulb I used is a Motorcraft #48885 yellow H-4. You can pick them up on Ebay for under $20. H-2's are the small ones used in some fog lights. I get them mixed up sometimes. ...J.D.

bob1 · Oct 22, 2019

I think wire wheels is right about having the proper lens I put led bulbs in my fireblade and it failed the mot it was throwing the wrong beam on there machine