HID lighting conversions

[Nick_Giles]

.
Are they all they profess to be and a worthwhile upgrade.

Yes / No.?



Nick
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Peter Cook: "I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly".

[AlexW]

In a projector headlamp, they are awesome, In a normal style bowl, they are pretty poor from a beam pattern angle.

[dragstaar]

[AlexW]

I completely agree, in projector headlights they are fapping fantastic, or in normal reflective bowls for high beam.

I have to admit I wasn't aware of capped ones, other than for H4's due to the switching. Learn something new every day

[Nick_Giles]

Cheers for the replies guy's.

Has anyone got a link to a good H4 conversion kit for a 2001 Hornet S

Thanks, Nick
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Peter Cook: "I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly".

[guile]

I was looking into this and it seems they are illegal (unless you upgrade the reflector unit) and from what I can see the conversion bulbs don't work with the stock head unit on my bike. They don't light up the road properly because the reflector unit was not designed for that and it ends up blinding drivers and having poor beam.

So I just ordered some extra bright halogen bulbs which are supposed to double the brightness of stock bulbs.

[MCW]

I've been looking into this as I won't go out at night on the Varadero, (Verydearo Rogerborg, if you're reading this), as it's lights are shittier than a shit thing being shitty on a shit day.

I found this thread:

https://www.125varadero.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=249&p=1553&hilit=hid#p1553

All looked promising until the penultimate post, where he's given up. Did he do something wrong, or is this likely to be a problem?

[mysterious_rider]

i used a capped one with high beam for a car. It's been fine, they can be tempermental though.


They are extremely bright, other road users will notice you a LOT more. I've NEVER had anyone pull out on me with one. Also very cheap to buy. £32 as a kit of x2. So sell one kit to a friend.

Mine just fitted straight into the h4 pins slot thing. Then you just slap the ballast somewhere where it doesn't look ugly.

The problem I have is sometimes it won't turn on when I start the bike. You just switch it to high beam, wait a few seconds, then back to normal beam and it switches on. Or if that doesn't work, turn ignition key off, then back on.

Also worth noting, they run on a single beam, and use magnets (electricity??) to switch it to high beam mode. If it dies, you won't be able to switch to a different beam to get home (pretty sure of it).
So it makes sense to have a standard bulb under the seat, just incase.

[keggyhander]

[mysterious_rider]

[keggyhander]

[mysterious_rider]

[tom_m]

i tried a hid conversion kit on my ybr, but it was dazzling other drivers and i couldnt see much more lol. instead i got on fleebay an bought a pair of osram nightbreakers delivered for £12.
used to have a hid kit in my peugeot 207 and it was fantastic, but for a bike it seems pointless imo
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Current: 2005 Kawasaki Er-5 C5P
Past: 2012 Yamaha Ybr 125, 2004 Yamaha Neos 50, 1994 Suzuki Gn 125, 2005 Aprilia Sportcity 125, 1988 Yamaha Tzr 125
Theory: Passed... Mod 1: Passed 22/08/12 Mod 2: Passed 22/10/12

[owl10]

Im not sure how I feel about HIDS on bikes

For cars....

legally, they have to be self leveling, which usulaly requires some gubbins linking the level to the suspension. Of course none of the ebay kits are.

It really annoys me when some chav in a shitty clapped out corsa has 100w HIDs in a standard non projection light shining striaght into my fucking eyes.

FWIW 6000k + = chavvy as hell IMO (though im sure many will disagree)

Best / most efficient light output is somewhere around 5000k... 6000K and over tend to sell more 'cos dey is blu so mak us looks like da big boss innit

For bikes.....

Im kind of leaning toward them being a bit more useful because

a) Most drivers are fucking morons so being able to see you coming is a good thing
b) Most bikes headlights might as well be a sodding candle in a jam jar - however for me the ZX6R J1 has EXCELLENT standard lighting, with Dual H4's

I saw someone made a J1/J2 headliamp into a projector headlamp once, Id be tempted to get HIDs if i did this.

Without projectors still look a bit chavvy tbh.

Please guys, if you fit them remember to level your lights properly - if nothing else when at the road at night if you blind the other driver there is a risk of them running into your lane.

FWIW i had some on an old car of mine (with a projector...) If you are fitting them its an idea to waterproof the ballast - I wrapped in some plastic. Cheap chinese ballasts will last maybe 3 months otherwise before rusting to hell if exposed to the usual british weather through the winter.
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Yet I still end up reading crap like that"

[snikks]

[oldenuff]

The self-levelling issue is going to get you into problems with the police sooner or later. They are not legal unless they are self-levelling. I find that my Osrams get an angry reaction on dip going uphill so you will probably get caught with fixed HID's.
You can get as much usable light without the expense and hassle with Osram Nightbreakers (£12.20 for two)or Phillips Extreme bulbs. Certainly the Osrams have a better spread and throw on dip than any of the alternatives.

[Alpha-9]

HIDs piss me off, they blind me on dark roads and i'm left dazed for a few seconds, then you get dicks who sit up your arse with them on and I have to reangle my mirrors to stop being blinded in the reflection
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Fzr-600 1999

[Acemastr]

Be careful of your battery, they take an almighty amount of power to start, but when running use less than a conventional bulb, so turning the ignition on on your bike causes them to come on they will be draining a fair chunk of power without the engine making more
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[Walloper]

[Walloper]

[Kris]

I'm not after HIDs but do those extra bright bulbs work at all?

The dipped beam on the bandit is shockingly poor...


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[Walloper]

[Kris]

[snikks]

[oldenuff]

Ride did a test a short while ago and the outcome was iirc that the most lumens came from Phillips Extreme - about the claimed 100% over the standard halogen - with the Osram second ( 90%+). The writer did note that the Osrams gave a longer throw and seemed better on dip. I have just made the switch and the difference is very noticeable. The downside to all this is that changing the bulbs is very awkward on my VFR. One of those ten minute jobs that takes all morning.