JW Speaker Model 8790 Adaptive Motorcycle Headlamp

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
Looks like JW Speaker has done it AGAIN, this time with an adaptive low beam on a motorcycle headlamp, right now only available in the 7" round but with a 5.75" version coming soon.

Here's a little review of it:
http://www.gizmag.com/jw-speaker-adaptive-matrix-8790-cornering-headlight-review/41191/
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
I've seen this lamp in action. It works at least as well as that review says. It's much less complex, less bulky, less expensive, and without all the delicate moving parts of the ZKW BMW HID motorcycle adaptive setup from a few years ago. And it fits on pretty much any motorcycle with a7" round headlamp, which means all the "magic" (working parts) are self-contained within the lamp itself. It's a big, major design and engineering achievement (and also a nice round of ammunition for those who claim nothing good gets invented or made in the United States any more).

Because somebody's bound to ask: Yes, you could install two of these in a car or truck, but it wouldn't benefit you. This is specifically for the kinds of beam adaptations needed on a motorcycle. If a car/truck rolls anywhere near the amount required to trigger the adaptive function on this lamp, you've got a lot bigger and more immediate problems than where your headlights are shining. But it does make the idea of self-contained, retrofittable adaptive headlamps for cars and trucks a tiny bit less pie-in-sky.
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
I've seen this lamp in action. It works at least as well as that review says. It's much less complex, less bulky, less expensive, and without all the delicate moving parts of the ZKW BMW HID motorcycle adaptive setup from a few years ago. And it fits on pretty much any motorcycle with a7" round headlamp, which means all the "magic" (working parts) are self-contained within the lamp itself. It's a big, major design and engineering achievement (and also a nice round of ammunition for those who claim nothing good gets invented or made in the United States any more).
Many GOOD things get invented in the USA, but then they're MADE in [Foreign Land].

I'm happy we have businesses like JW Speaker and WeatherTech still fighting the good fight-- and in JW Speaker's case, it's a particularly important fight not only from a labor perspective, but a public safety perspective.

Because somebody's bound to ask: Yes, you could install two of these in a car or truck, but it wouldn't benefit you. This is specifically for the kinds of beam adaptations needed on a motorcycle. If a car/truck rolls anywhere near the amount required to trigger the adaptive function on this lamp, you've got a lot bigger and more immediate problems than where your headlights are shining.
It MIGHT make sense on a rock crawler. Or it could also be a way to build in a cornering light function (but would require additional signal wires) into a car, and obviously not all the lights will be lighting.

Then there's the power on self test that lamp does. I wonder if it's "smart" enough to not allow abuse (some jerk with one activating it all the time to get people to move).

But it does make the idea of self-contained, retrofittable adaptive headlamps for cars and trucks a tiny bit less pie-in-sky.
Sadly, until sealed beams make a huge comeback (maybe we could get a "New Beetle" version of the Karmann Ghia, 'cept VW is too busy being jerks for that sort of thing), the market is still pretty slim. Surely JW Speaker will work with H-D to make them available on a large scale. I've a mechanic friend with a smaller H-D with a 5.75" replaceable bulb headlamp that got super-excited about the idea of the lamp, but that $800 price tag on the existing model is... Yikes. You could replace that HB2 43 times for the same money!
 

jaycee88

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
175
Many GOOD things get invented in the USA, but then they're MADE in [Foreign Land].

Or invented and made in the USA.....at first. Then manufacturing is quietly moved overseas to cut costs, often with a decline in quality.


but that $800 price tag on the existing model is... Yikes. You could replace that HB2 43 times for the same money!

True, but actually being able to see into turns and not needing to worry about replacing a blown bulb at the side of the road in the middle of the night (I've had to do this more than once) are priceless. :D

If my bike had a 7" headlamp, I would buy this adaptive one in a heartbeat. Some motorcyclists don't ride much (or at all) at night so the cost might be harder to swallow for them.
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
True, but actually being able to see into turns and not needing to worry about replacing a blown bulb at the side of the road in the middle of the night (I've had to do this more than once) are priceless. :D
Good observation!

If my bike had a 7" headlamp, I would buy this adaptive one in a heartbeat. Some motorcyclists don't ride much (or at all) at night so the cost might be harder to swallow for them.
It's coming out in a 5.75"-- be sure to start a thread about how well they work :) (assuming it does have a 5.75" headlamp).
 

jaycee88

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
175
It's coming out in a 5.75"-- be sure to start a thread about how well they work :) (assuming it does have a 5.75" headlamp).

My bike doesn't have a 5.75" headlamp either - it has a proprietary 'styled' headlamp, so no easy drop-in plug-n-play replacement.


Strangely, the 8790 isn't listed on JW Speaker's site, or even mentioned on their blog, but it appears to be available for purchase here:

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/jw-speaker-8790-adaptive-led-7-headlight-for-harley-touring

The description says the startup sequence is programmable.
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
The POST has a very strong potential for abuse. It is my opinion that the sequence, especially being programmable, is definitely not in the category of an inconsequential noncompliance. Hopefully there's a timeout period or something to keep Joe Jeep from driving around thinking he looks all cool by repeatedly turning his headlamps off and on, and causing all kinds of mayhem.
 
Last edited:

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA
The POST has a very strong potential for abuse. It is my opinion that the sequence, especially being programmable, is definitely not in the category of an inconsequential noncompliance. Hopefully there's a timeout period or something to keep Joe Jeep from driving around thinking he looks all cool by repeatedly turning his headlamps off and on, and causing all kinds of mayhem.
commence prayer sequence now...

Looks like a very very cool light and can potentially save many a life. My old CB750C and GS1200G could have both benefited from it.
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
Looks like a very very cool light and can potentially save many a life. My old CB750C and GS1200G could have both benefited from it.

A friend of mine and I are probably going to go in on one of the 5.75" models as a gift to the mechanic friend mentioned above. Sure, it's an expensive lamp, but my wallet will refill before the world sees a guy like him again.

(That friend really doesn't read this forum so I didn't spoil any surprises for him.)
 

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA
A friend of mine and I are probably going to go in on one of the 5.75" models as a gift to the mechanic friend mentioned above. Sure, it's an expensive lamp, but my wallet will refill before the world sees a guy like him again.

(That friend really doesn't read this forum so I didn't spoil any surprises for him.)
You're a good friend, Alaric.

Did I ever mention that I don't have any driving lights on the Jeep.....?
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
You're a good friend, Alaric.
If you met him you'd know why everyone loves him so much.
If I had my 'druthers, I'druther he not even ride a bike....

Did I ever mention that I don't have any driving lights on the Jeep.....?

Is that a HINT? :D

Or is it that your JW Speaker lights are so good that auxiliary high beams aren't high on your radar?
 

jaycee88

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
175
It's now listed on JW Speaker's site:

According to the specifications PDF, it looks like the low beam isn't quite as good as the 8700 Evolution 2's, but I guess some compromise shouldn't be too surprising.

What's interesting, though, is that there is a new 5.75" model the 8690 M, which at first glance looks like a smaller version of the 8790, but instead of being Adaptive, it has what they're calling a 'ComfortLite' which 'provides added illumination above the horizon....offers enhanced visibility to both riders and other drivers'.
 

JTMcC

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Messages
57
It's a great thing.

I've got hundreds of hours behind the H-D version of the JW Speaker lights and man did they need improvement for moto use. Tight turns left or right are just a crap shoot 'cause you certainly can't see more than a few feet in front of the motorcycle. After that....total black.

I DO have a 7" on my daily driver and will be looking at this replacement. The Peterson, in my limited experience, is a pretty decent 7" moto light. I'd really rather have 3 of them crossing the mohave desert all night tho : ) Not to mention the big honkey elk that like to get on the roads at night where I live.
Sharp cutoff on a motorcycle just isn't groovy.
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
What's interesting, though, is that there is a new 5.75" model the 8690 M, which at first glance looks like a smaller version of the 8790, but instead of being Adaptive

The new 8690M is 5.75" fixed-beam. The (even newer) 8690A is 5.75" adaptive.
 

gipsyman

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
8
The new 8690M is 5.75" fixed-beam. The (even newer) 8690A is 5.75" adaptive.


I purchased the 8690M version 3 weeks ago. It mounts easily in a par46 bucket assembly. The amount of light above the horizon is more than my original halogen lamp. It is not as even above the horizon as the halogen but puts out way more light. I didn't measured the kelvin temperature of the leds but it looks like 4500-5000 kelvin as specified by Jw Speaker is correct. I measured the brightest part of the low beam at 12600 lux at one meter. That is well above manufacturer's specifications. I ride with the low beam on most of the time so I am glad it exceeds specifications. The high beam doesn't quite meet the specs of 60000 lux but measured 52800 lux at one meter. On high, there is a lot of throw in the middle of the beam. The low beam leds and all the other leds remain lit when on high. The amperage ratings are exactly as specified by Jw Speaker. The lamp is fully current controlled maintaining the same wattage draw whether at 12 volts or 14.5. Very impressive headlight with a lifetime warranty. My old H4 bulb burned out a few months ago so that was one of the reasons for the upgrade. Now cruising down interstate 10 in Texas at the posted legal speed limit of 80 mph doesn't have to be a roll of the dice anymore whether I will see that deer running across the highway.
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
Now cruising down interstate 10 in Texas at the posted legal speed limit of 80 mph doesn't have to be a roll of the dice anymore whether I will see that deer running across the highway.
Just because there is now no nighttime speed limit in Texas doesn't mean you should drive 80mph at night-- no matter how good your headlamp's high beam is, 80mph (about 117fps) is pretty risky. You're still rolling the dice!
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
Anyone care to guess what the maximum safe speed for correctly-aimed, very good-performing low beam headlamps is? "Safe speed" is the speed above which you cannot stop in time to avoid hitting something that appears at your headlights' farthest reach.

(Hint: it's 40 to 45 mph)
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
Anyone care to guess what the maximum safe speed for correctly-aimed, very good-performing low beam headlamps is? "Safe speed" is the speed above which you cannot stop in time to avoid hitting something that appears at your headlights' farthest reach.

(Hint: it's 40 to 45 mph)

Man, I was gonna answer correctly but you gave out the answer already!

The worst part is so many roads have just enough traffic to prevent high beam use at all, but still flows at 65-75mph. At least you get some benefit of headlamp range overlap with other cars. Use your high beams whenever you can do so safely, folks! And if you can't use them, slow down!

(And remember, that 40-45mph figure refers to a means a correctly-aimed, very good-performing set of low beam headlamps that aren't hidden behind a millimeter of yellow cracked haze nastiness, which not only shortens your own seeing distance, but greatly increases glare. Once your amazing Koito single-LED projector lamps headlamps have hazed over, they are no longer "good-performing".)
 

sadtimes

Enlightened
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
491
I thought it was around 53mph...at least that what I learned somewhere in the 5 weeks of accident reconstruction classes.

Tell me what the visibility requirements are in feet for seeing hazards (you know, like pedestrians). (I'm thinking that I have read a SC law somewhere that says your low beams have to illuminate a pedestrian at 75 feet at 35 mph....but I could be wrong)
 
Last edited:
Top