Baja Designs: General Discussion Thread

XL80s rock!

 

@IPT when’s your 20” showing up? Did you go clear or amber?

 

Sorry to keep you hanging on a response! The LP9 boasts 4 of the domeless LEDs featured in our Racer Edition line, whereas the LP6 features 2.

As for awesomeness, it is subjective for sure and depends what you are doing. On a dirtbike on single-track, one XL80 is something to smile about for most people. I find my 30" Onx6 pretty darn cool in most situations and have felt the same about a pair of XL80s (comparable to a 20" light bar output) in the past. The LP6/9 are beyond awesome to just about anyone.

Really most all of our mid to high output lights are going to be pretty awesome to most people. That said, there is a difference between having an awesome pair of lights and having a complete lighting package. If you find yourself wanting more light, it is usually in a specific area. Remedy this with some supporting lights such as S1, S2, Squadrons for some extra peripheral lighting, or a Racer Edition Series for those with demand for distance and speed.

 

Or just get a 40” hi power that covers all areas and makes the rest of my Baja Designs lights useless.

 

For kicks, what would I notice comparing a bumper mounted 20" ONX6+ (driving combo) paired with a pair of racer edition Squadrons (A Pillar) (I'm assuming the racers will be better than a pair of XL-80s for distance) Verses a pair of LP9's at mid grill level? Particularly for use at highway speeds.

The complete package - yes, I've found at this point that is what I really want. I think all of the Baja Design lights I've used are amazing. It's obvious now to me though that one light isn't going to get me where I want to be . I'm now in search of the perfect (for me) combination.

 

Yesterday . I got clear, but I do have a set of amber lenses to play with. I think you guys are right though about the clear for contrast and intensity at distances. I did put the clear on my 10" and it did make a difference vs the amber I had. I think one would need a stupid amount of power to get good contrast and light intensity "out there" with the ambers. Though I still think for ice and snow covered roads the amber would be less fatiguing. Bummer you can't have your cake and eat it too .

 

Ok, am I missing something with the Squadron Racer vs the XL Racer? They seem to have the same Watts/AMP draw/and Lumen output. The XL is physically larger, but are their outputs and capability the same despite the difference in the housing size?

 

Makes me want to get a roof rack just to throw that sucker up there! Though then I think I'd go with an array of lights to be able to aim them a little bit. Though it would probably cost twice as much as the bar to get me there!

 

Both packages have about the same paper specs. While you lose a bit of the super wide beam angle from the LP9's integrated peripheral light, I think I'd put the OnX6/XL Racer combo at a slight advantage. Both due to the locations of the lights and the ability to individually aim and switch the lights per your needs.

 

This is a great example of something we have harped on for years. Lumens aren't everything. Reflector design, LED form factor, circuitry, lenses - all as important as the last. In this case, all of the paper specs are identical as you noticed, but the reflector design/size creates a huge difference.

The larger reflector of the XL/OnX6 Series is better suited for longer range applications versus the smaller reflector on the Squadron/S2/S8 is actually better in the near and midfield - offering a wider pattern.

 

Sweet, thanks so much for answering these questions! I wish I lived some where that I could just see this live!

So, with that info, is one be able to get the best of both worlds? Say an A Pillar XL80 with wide/driving combo (having two of the larger spot lenses) that would equal what the Squadron racer (with 4 smaller reflectors) would do at distance, and also get more mid field light too? Obviously the Racer XL would be the king for distance - but is there any comparison at all to be had with an XL80 wide/driving VS the Squadron Racer?

Oh wait, the XL80 is a totally different spec to XL racer. More power and lumens. Maybe not designed for outright distance?

 

The XL80s and XL racers use different led chips. In your onx6 the middle 2 chips are racers and the rest are the same found in the XL80s.

The 80s throw out a ton of light as you saw from my pictures, even with spot lenses there’s a lot of light to the sides. The racers will have a very tight pattern, won’t have the spill the 80s do but they’ll project light a good but further. Once you get your 20” on you can see what you’ll want from there. A couple grille mounted LP6 or LP9 pros or racers would be pretty awesome.

 

This is true, which is why it's surprising that theoretical chip lumens and amp draw are still the only measurement you list on your spec sheets. This dude probably wouldn't have to go back and forth sussing out minutia between lights if you'd spec candela or the furthest reach of 1 lux.

 

We are actually working on a project that will show ALL of the minutia for everyone to nerd out on, all in one place.

 

Nice

 

So the chips are the same with the Squadron and XL Racers, just the XL has a larger reflector? Now that I typed that I realize they probably are since the output and energy usage specs are identical. Hope they come out with the examples showing all the minutia soon! I'd rather go with the Squadron Racers due to size and expense, but not if they won't get the job done.

For sure what I want is more light "out there". Basically where it's hitting with the bar, just more of it . By they time I'm done I'll end up in the 100K lumen club . Actually I'd prefer not too and keep stuff smaller and inconspicuous but that may not cut the mustard .

 

I’d say squadron racers probably won’t reach the same distance the XL reflectors do. Buy once cry once, money spent on lighting is cheaper then an accident that more light could’ve prevented.

 

The XL Racers will noticeably outperform the Squadron Racers. I think the OnX6/XL Racer combo that you mentioned earlier is ideal from my personal standards...

I have a 4R with a 30" OnX6 in the bumper. It is more than enough for my needs, but if I were to succumb to the urge to pursue the perfect package, I'd go with a pair of XL Racer Editions on my A-pillar. Currently, I feel the midrange power from the light bar is washing out my perceived distance illumination. A dedicated spot, higher on the vehicle, and individually aimed... ya, I'd like that lol.

 

Update - 20" bar mounted and functional. WAY better, and more what I was looking for (amen). Currently has the clear lens. LOL, but of course I see it's limitations . Two things I certainly understand better now are the advantage of have lights higher (and a 4x4 Sprinter bumper is fairly high as it is) to minimize road shadows, and the versatility of having multiple lights to aim them a little more specifically.

I think what BD said above about "the midrange power from the light bar is washing out my perceived distance illumination" is the truth. The 20" bar gets way out there, but with the midrange brightness and falloff of course it's not quite as bright as I'd like at the far end (considering highway speeds of 60MPH+). Also, way out there the light beam is pretty centered. A slight turn of the steering wheel and I can see the brightest zone move side to side. I wonder if that's less obvious on the larger curved bars? I'm totally nit-picking though because the bar really illuminates a ton of the roadway, the sides and up the tree.

I'll probably rock this for the winter but I am curious what the Squadron Racers would do on my A Pillars . I wonder if they'd reach out to where the Bar is getting and help balance out the brightness at mid range, or if I'd need the XL racers to do it? Squadron racers over the XL racers because the wiring is there, gauged properly, mounts are there, they're a little less $$, and I feel the XL's would be a little large in that spot.

Thanks for all the input from everyone, and patience from everyone else . Looking forward to whatever Baja Designs is gonna release to make this decision process a little more straight forward - cheers.

 

This is my take, but the BD website says the Racer version (Squadron and XL) throw light 40% farther than their respective Pro versions. Seems to me 40% farther than my current Squadron pros would probably not quite get me as far out as the bar is reaching (though probably close). Though maybe I underestimate them. Is it possible the XL racer would outreach the bar, or since it's just more units of the same LED and reflector would it rather just throw more light to where the current reach is? That's what I suspect anyway in my (limited) armchair analysis.