HID lights

[Bob Tosi]

Has anyone converted their lights to HID?  I'm wantingore light because I commute at might mostly.

[Sin_Tiger]

Waste of effort and money on Streamers in my opinion. I cleaned the lenses, reflectors and that alone made an amazing difference.

[JetdocX]

I think the headlights work better than any other bike I've owned or ridden.

HID's isn't just popping the new arc bulb in the hole.  They need the proper reflector to work correctly.

It can be done, but you'd have that hideous gaping hole where the headlight reflectors used to be.

[metalguru]

Has anyone converted their lights to HID?  I'm wantingore light because I commute at might mostly.

These are quite good for the money depending on where you are.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H4-100W-XENON-SuperWhite-Halogen-Car-Headlight-Bulbs-x2-/150653106789?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item23139ffa65

Any more powerful you will be pushing the limit of the generator.

[FoothillRyder]

H4's get dimmer over time, especially noticeable when they're always on. As has been mentioned, cleaning the lenses will help some. I also have Xenon bulbs; but not the 100W guys. Even a 55/60W Xenon gives you more perceived light than a standard 55/60W H4 because of the color of the light.

[Bixxer Bob]

High power Xenon will test your generator, whilst HIDs are kind to it as they pull only 35w and are brighter than the sun  . I have them in my Blackbird; would I go back to ordinary bulbs?  Not likely! 

BUT!!!   they can be voltage sensitive.  If your battery is getting tired they won't always fire up first time.  In the 'Bird if I left the lights on, then started the engine, the HID went out and wouldn't refire until the battery had recovered.

Also, due to brightness, you have to ensure your lights are properly set so you aren't blinding oncomers.   And it's no good saying you don't care, it'll help them see you;  go stare into one if you think it doesn't matter.  They're so bright you'll only antagonise people - or the law enforcers.

[rybes]

i was talkin to an mot tester about fittin HIDs into my bike and he said that cos of what they are when the lights get checked with that beam aligner, it can cause an irregular pattern so can fail the mot cos of them. i think i also remember seein somewhere that its illegal to retro fit bikes with em cos of this (?)
find out first ya wouldnt wanna waste ya money on em

[London_Phil]

I believe that for us in the UK, HID lights have to have  beam height adjusters, due to the high brightness, so cheap kits are not a good idea. As already mentioned, beam pattern differs, so you would need new reflectors for correct operation. I suspect ancillary lighting is probably the way to go.
I got some extra lights with 55w bulbs, but the alternator prefers the LED bulbs fitted in there place. Depending on what you need the LED lights give a good illumination around the  short distance, showing kerbs and the like, so may be worth considering.

[Bixxer Bob]

Corect, HIDS fitted as standard eqipment have to have automatic self-levellers to avoid dazzle.  Retro fitting is not illegal because - at the moment - the law is a mess.  It still talks in terms of wattage which, with the advent of HIDs, Xenons and LEDs is nonsense.  It does not yet say you can't retrofit fit them however, it can get you a ticket for a re-mot if you are stopped for dazzling oncomers.  The reflector pattern issue only arises if you fit HID bulbs of the wrong length (they come in three lengths that I know of). The ones I have arc at the exact point where the filament was in the old bulb so the beam pattern is unaffected.  I've had them for 6 years and NEVER had a problem with getting through an MOT.

Mine are adjusted so that when following a car, the horizontal upper edge of the beam - which is much more pronounced than with ordinary filament lamps- is just below the bottom edge of the rear window of an average family car when following at a safe distance.  This ensures I'm not dazzling the car in front or anyone coming the other way. 

I asked my new MOT guy this year did he want me to change the bulbs before the test and he said the type of bulb isn't part of the test, or the brightness, just the beam pattern.  This only UK law of course.....

[John Stenhouse]

Retro fitting is not illegal because - at the moment - the law is a mess.  It still talks in terms of wattage which, with the advent of HIDs, Xenons and LEDs is nonsense.  It does not yet say you can't retrofit fit them

Nothing to do with wattage or retro fitting, which as you point out isn't illegal, the law states they may only be fitted to vehicles with a self levelling device, that is the car or the lights. Last time I looked Blackbirds don't have them. 

Now the other side of that is as you also pointed out and before Chris jumps down my neck, the likelyhood of being stopped for it is virtually nil.

Still don't agree with it though

[Bixxer Bob]

Thanks for picking that up John, I should have checked before I posted as its a while since I read the regs.  And they have changed.  And it's worse than you describe.  The whole lamp has to be changed for a type-approved model, retro fit HIDs are not allowed. 

But it doesn't stop there, there are checks for "ECU chipping" coming as well, which will make it illegal to have a modified map installed.   Although once the ECU log files are deleted, unless they check actual map values, I can't see how they'll know.  I'm guessing my 'Bird's Power Commander will be a no-no as well....

[Sin_Tiger]

Self levelling suspension and powered lens washer, for cars anyway, if my memory serves me today.

I agree with BB, most effective lights I've seen, the XC's are damn good too. Which is strange considering the H4 arrangement was always understood to be a compromise between dip and main.

I also have nothing against HID's as such, I converted the dip on the Roadie long ago, just not safe to ride at night and I tried all I could think of. Just a crap lens reflector design.

When I said clean the lens, I meant the inside of the lens and the reflector, I was amazed at the dust coating. Use surgical alcohol or the like, nothing stronger for fear of damaging the silvering and the adhesive joining the lens to the reflector. Those long Q tops or make your own bendy ones from stiff wire, coated cost hangers are good, and some lint free cloth.

I started on a three stage program for best light output with minimal outlay but haven't got past stage one, this might spur me to finish the job and post it up.

1 - Clean lens and reflector
2 - Rewire with heavy gauge cable direct from the battery through a solid state relay
3 - Replace the, God knows how old, H4's that were in it when I bought her, with Osram night breakers, these are seriously good for the money, draw no more current than a standard H4 and are robust, I've used them in my old Rangies.

Start with the simple cheap bit, clean one and marvel at the difference.

[Bob Tosi]

High power Xenon will test your generator, whilst HIDs are kind to it as they pull only 35w and are brighter than the sun  . I have them in my Blackbird; would I go back to ordinary bulbs?  Not likely! 

BUT!!!   they can be voltage sensitive.  If your battery is getting tired they won't always fire up first time.  In the 'Bird if I left the lights on, then started the engine, the HID went out and wouldn't refire until the battery had recovered.

Also, due to brightness, you have to ensure your lights are properly set so you aren't blinding oncomers.   And it's no good saying you don't care, it'll help them see you;  go stare into one if you think it doesn't matter.  They're so bright you'll only antagonise people - or the law enforcers.

where can you buy these xenon bulbs?

[TripleTragic]

Sorry for the bit of a delayed reply, been a while since I have poked my nose in here.

I would NOT go for the HID globe in the standard reflector ever again. I had one in a 7" round (speedTriple) and initial thought it was great: heaps more light and way bright but as I used it more (lots of night riding on country roads) I realised the spread of light was all wrong. If I hadn't blown the engine on it I was about to remove the globe and go back to the halogen.

I am currently running Philips +100% halogens in the Tiger and am very impressed with those. Note these are not the "Arctic Blues" or any other colour done for aesthetic value, they are an improved output. Apparently there are now +120% or similar as well(it seems to be ever increasing).

However...  now that I am rebuilding the half dead speed triple I have gone down a different route:

(Yes I know it is not a speed triple headlight,  is Daytona)

[Bixxer Bob]

Go on then, what are they?