Magicshine Evo 1700SD Review: The Ultimate Lighting Solution for Your Motorcycle and Di2 Shifters

Worth: £89.99 / $99.99Max Lumens: 1700Weight: 153.4gBattery Lifestyles: 2-11hrs

There was one thing of a shift in the most productive motorcycle lighting fixtures just lately. Up to now it’s simply been a question of mounting a large battery tube in your bars with a gentle on the entrance of it and controlling the entirety with a button. In fresh seasons I’ve observed a rising selection of sensible lighting fixtures, with added automated options, and lighting fixtures with distant controls. 

I lately reviewed the Magicshine Ray 2600B, which got here with an on-bar distant keep an eye on, and whilst it wasn’t best – if truth be told the consumer interface used to be demanding sufficient to be virtually deadly – with the ability to keep an eye on the beam simply with out achieving beneath the stem used to be very useful from time to time. 

It’s now not the one distant keep an eye on gentle I’ve been the use of this wintry weather despite the fact that: Input the Magicshine Evo 1700SD, a gentle this is designed only to mount beneath a motorcycle pc’s out-front mount, and may also be managed the use of the auxiliary buttons on Shimano Ultegra, Dura-Ace, and GRX Di2 shifters. 

I’ve been the use of it fixed on the entrance of a Pinarello Dogma F for a chain of gloomy, darkish wintry weather rides way back to Christmas and usually I’ve been lovely inspired. It’s now not a gentle that’s going to paintings for many of you, given the groupset constraints for something, however for the ones it does paintings for, I feel it’s were given so much going for it. 

Design and aesthetics

The Magicshine Evo 1700SD is unquestionably one of the unusual-looking motorcycle lighting fixtures I’ve observed. For those who’ve spent any time with dynamo lighting fixtures the large, unmarried bulb can be somewhat extra acquainted and is paying homage to the likes of the Son Edelux II lamp. It’s vaguely cubic in shape, with a wedge-shaped higher face and a big orb-like perspex bulb at the entrance that makes the entire thing resemble a tiny antique tv. 

Within the large bulb, you’ll simply make out the principle beam LED strip, and the top beam additional lamp. Please don’t be tempted to show it on whilst staring into it despite the fact that – you’ll have a foul time. 

The Magicshine Evo 1700SD can handiest be fixed pendulously, i.e. placing down beneath a motorcycle pc mount. It makes use of a GoPro taste 3 prongs adapter, and whilst it’s now not in reality what it’s designed for that you must make it have compatibility any place with an M5 bolt (rack mounts, fork bosses and many others.) with the considered software of a protracted sufficient bolt and a few spacer washers. Finally, it’s a somewhat protected guess that anybody working Di2 at the moment is more likely to have an out-of-front pc mount, so it’s now not an excessive amount of of an obstacle to mount it underneath. In a pinch, a elementary GoPro handlebar mount may also can help you mount it to spherical bars simple peasy.

It wishes to head the other way up as it’s a fashioned beam, with an overly outlined cutoff. It’s now not StVZO compliant (the German device for licensed motorcycle lighting fixtures), however successfully achieves the similar factor insofar because it’s designed to light up the street forward with out dazzling different highway customers. You’ll mainly have it pointing at once at your face and so long as your eyes are under the cutoff line you gained’t get dazzled. In idea, that is more secure for different highway customers (as they may be able to see) and for you (they may be able to see you’re there, however aren’t so dazzled they only flatten you unintentionally).

The birthday party trick for the Magicshine Evo 1700SD isn’t the fashioned beam, or the mounting despite the fact that, however the truth that it eschews the distant keep an eye on that incorporates the ‘standard’ Evo 1700 and as a substitute uses the auxiliary controls at the Shimano Di2 shifter hoods. As soon as paired the Evo 1700SD will have its brightness modified with the left auxiliary button, and the top beam switched on/off with the precise auxiliary button. Those may also be configured within the Magicshine app, however on the time of writing there’s no technique to obtain the app so don’t fear about that for now.

Given it’s going to be subjected to numerous spray above the entrance wheel (until you’re the use of mudguards) it’s a excellent factor it’s IPX6 water-resistant, which means it may face up to water jets from any path. 

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The Magicshine Evo 1700SB unquestionably has an strange aesthetic. (Symbol credit score: Will Jones)The only large bulb covers two units of LEDs. One primary beam, and an additional top beam.(Symbol credit score: Will Jones)Fastened beneath a motorcycle pc by way of a GoPro mount – the one method it may be fixed – it sits very rearward, which means decrease rigidity in your out entrance mounting {hardware}. (Symbol credit score: Will Jones)Efficiency

In most cases with motorcycle lighting fixtures, there isn’t a substantial amount of setup rigmarole to head thru, and the entire procedure may also be summarised in two levels: 1) connect to the handlebar, and a couple of) flip it on. With sensible lighting fixtures, it’s somewhat extra complicated, however on this example, segment one used to be somewhat easy. The integrated GoPro adapter simply mounts to the feminine bit that used to be already beneath my pc mount and the lamp itself slides into and out of it, locking in position with the huge bar-shaped button at the entrance. This is a little sticky from time to time, but it surely’s very protected. 

Pairing could also be somewhat easy. I’ve had era power me to this point up the wall at this level that I start to imagine changing into Amish, however you get up the Di2 with a press of any of the shift buttons, lengthy press the ability button to show at the Magicshine Evo 1700SD in pairing mode (it’ll flash blue), and dangle it subsequent to the rear derailleur. Press the auxiliary buttons to test it labored – in my case, it did straight away – and away you cross. 

In a lot the similar method as with the Ray 2600B the controls the use of the Di2 buttons don’t seem to be the similar as at the gentle itself, which handiest has a unmarried button. You’ll cycle the modes at the gentle the use of the button in a pinch, with a unmarried press to switch brightness and a double press to toggle the top beam, however with the shifters the left button cycles depth and the precise cycles top beam on/off. Double-tap the left button and also you additionally toggle the top beam, double-tap the precise and you’ll cycle the flashing modes. It’s, on this case, mercifully easy. 

The sunshine beam makes excellent use of the 1700 lumens, and because it has this kind of harsh cutoff it’s brighter than chances are you’ll be expecting at complete energy as there aren’t any wasted pictures spilling out into the outer edge. It’s going to then again flip with the bars, so on sharp junctions it’s possible you’ll lose sight of items that had been up to now forward of you when you flip. 

I haven’t any factor with the brightness or the setup, and in use, I in reality loved with the ability to keep an eye on the beam depth with out ever having to take my fingers off the bars. Slap on top beam for a descent, cut back the brightness whilst you undergo a well-lit space to preserve the battery, you’ll even flash your beams to thank different highway customers in the way in which automobiles do.

The place issues get tough is that if, like me, you even have your Di2 device paired in your pc. With the Wahoo Ace and Bolt pairing the pc with the groupset lets you see on display which tools you’re in, an information box I very just like having, in addition to battery existence. It additionally routinely assigns the shifter buttons to switch the knowledge displays. For those who then pair the Magicshine Evo 1700SD with the Di2 device, whilst you press the auxiliary shifter buttons you each exchange your knowledge display AND exchange the sunshine settings, so you must both select one or set up some additional satellite tv for pc shifters into the device, which is a much less life like prospect for many customers. 

Throughout the check, I switched my pc controls off, however I leave out them, and if push involves shove I’d reasonably have the pc controls, and with it the power to keep an eye on my track by way of the shifters than my gentle. For those who aren’t fussed about controlling your pc then I feel it’s an excellent choice, however for everybody else the less expensive choice with the wi-fi distant is most probably the simpler selection. 

Quoted runtimes range between 2 hours on the absolute best depth and 11 hours on the lowest. I didn’t see any explanation why to doubt this. In additional real-world situations than a managed rundown, the benefit of adjusting the modes way I generally caught it within the lowest depth after which simply cycled up for the quick instances once I wanted extra. This makes the battery use way more environment friendly than it will be with a gentle you simply transfer on and omit about for the period and hope it lasts. 

Finally, it does depend on having shifters with the auxiliary buttons inbuilt. Whilst the Magicshine web page states that it’s appropriate with 105 rear derailleurs, you’d want to set up satellite tv for pc shifters on this case as 105 hoods don’t have the additional buttons as of but. 

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All in all it is a very neat aesthetic, and intensely consumer pleasant if the setup fits your wishes. (Symbol credit score: Will Jones)With the sunshine got rid of the mount could also be lovely unobtrusive, despite the fact that it used to be somewhat sticky in my revel in. (Symbol credit score: Will Jones)Worth

Say what you favor about Magicshine lighting fixtures, however the emblem does effectively at the price entrance. Taking into consideration the beam shaping, and the combination of Di2 controls, in addition to an overly first rate construct high quality, the RRP of £89.99 / $99.99 for the Magicshine Evo 1700SD is lovely cheap. It’s unquestionably a extra specialist lamp, and gained’t go well with everybody, but when you need an overly neat setup and excellent keep an eye on over your lighting fixtures with out ever having to take your fingers off the bars then I feel it makes an excellent account of itself. 

Whilst I did in the long run revel in my time with the Magicshine Evo 1700SD, I feel maximum of you (and most probably myself integrated) could be higher served by means of the less expensive, distant operated Evo 1700. (Symbol credit score: Will Jones)Verdict

If you wish to keep an eye on your lighting fixtures by way of your Di2 shifters, and also you don’t have your pc paired along with your Di2 device, then the Magicshine Evo 1700SD is a smart choice. 

Unfortunately despite the fact that I don’t in truth suppose there are that many riders available in the market who’ve a Di2 groupset and aren’t applying the pc integration, which means that the less expensive ‘standard’ Evo 1700 is most likely the simpler selection if you need a remote-operated, neat, cutoff-beam motorcycle gentle. 

Swipe to scroll horizontallyTesting scorecard and notesDesign and aestheticsA very neat design, and effectively accomplished, however so explicit a use case to the detriment of versatility.7/10Light qualityI cannot fault it right here, I’m a large fan of the cutoff beam, and the top beam modes are helpful on descents.8/10Control SchemeReally excellent and really intuitive, bot provided that you do not have already got your pc paired along with your groupset.8/10Battery existence and chargingDecent, however now not global beating. 7/10ValueIf it suits your wishes then I feel it is a excellent purchase, however for those who simply need the similar taste of sunshine with extra versatility then purchase the less expensive one with a standalone distant integrated. 7/10OverallRow 5 – Mobile 1 74%