Do these look legit and will they fit ok?

[odemode]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Honda-CBR600RR-04-09-HID-H7-Headlamp-Conversion-NEW-/380226960965?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item58874afe45
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If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun!
CBR RR5 - Kawasaki Z1000 - GSXR K7 750

[69.9mph]

From the listing:

'Please Note that we do not claim to be legal experts and can give no advice as to the legality of operating any HID conversion (35 watt or 50 watt) or any other lighting modification due to the widely varying road regulations in different regions and countries. Anyone who does claim to be able to give you any definitive answer is talking through his/her hat. As with any aftermarket accessory, its up to the buyer to determine how he uses the HID kit. For the record, we sell HIDs for show or off road and farm use, underwater lighting, photographic and film lighting.'

What they're saying is that they're not road legal.

[colin1]

What you have to bear in mind is, that the reflectors on your bike are designed to work with normal bulbs, so if you fit an HID kit, yes you will get brighter lights, but anyone coming the other way will get glare from you as if you were riding with full beam all the time.

I doubt you would have a copper query the road legalness, but you may be being a bit anti social, and risk dazzling someone coming the other way.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[owl10]

Legality aside (they arent btw), there are a few points you should be aware of / perhaps consider....

Admittedley, I am speaking from my experience of having similar sets of these HID's installed in my old car, but the points raised are likely to be just as valid:

You will need to find somewhwere to mount the Ballast unit.

They are liekely to be made in china somewhere, and the ballast housing is likeley prone to rust, So it'd be worth waterproofing somehow (My car ones I covered in plastic)

They take a while to warm up, maybe 10 seconds to come on full brightness, which can cause issues with flicking from dipped to main beam (I had 2x sets of H1's so cant comment on this bulb type)

Its a big charge needed to get them going, something like 25,000v iirc, then they settle down to run at a low current. (okay i dont know much about electricity...) Anway, the point is they draw more than 35w (im assuming they are 35w?) at start up before settling down to the stated figure, which can cause issues with some bikes electrics. Also if the ballasts are mounted too close to other electrical components they can screw them up through some kind of interference (on my car they fried the headlight adjuster motors)

the beam pattern cut off becomes very noticeable with 6000k -i.e very bright in the beam pattern area, and you can see a line almost where it is dark outside the beam pattern (first pic in the ebay ad shows this, look on the garage door top and bottom), so that due to the contrast you may miss some things such as signs etc outside the beam, unlike a normal bulb which tends to fade away to the edges

6000k is about as blue as you'd want to go, above that the fuzz wont be happy, although 4600k -5000k is supposed to actually be the brightest (dont sell so well as they dont give that 'cool-expensive-HID-ice-blue-look'.....!!! (yet check out new merc's etc - they dont look as blue as most the copies!!!))

6000k should go through the MOT fine though, unless you've a particularly picky MOT-er!


A lot of people experience problems with ballasts (on 'aftermarket' kits from ebay and the like anyway, probably not an issue on a proper £500 PIAA set...) ,I dont think they particularly like being banged around / vibration. Mine on occasion would turn off then on occasionaly, flickering away.

As said, I had them on a car - a fiat coupe 20vt. to be brief the standard lights are like candles in jars hence the upgrade was needed. Doing it agin i would have only done dipped beam, as it wasnt really worth all the hassle.

As a personal opinion only, I think the blue-er versions as seen on the nearest 50cc ped or 1.0l corsa look a bit chavvy, but each to their own.

Best thing to do would be to use the interweb to see how people have got on with them on your model of bike, wiring /electrical problems etc or whatever and ideally go to a bike meet to see a bike which has some to decide if you really want to go for them, Im not saying dont, beacuse the light output is good, but just be aware of any potential problems!

Hope it helps, and Good luck!

edit- oh and as colin says you will get glare, and people think you have full beams on when you dont, so they will stick theirs on to piss you off because you are blinding them (not particularly helpful getting dazzled mid corner on a wet road!)

[iooi]

You can actually buy twin hid systems from £89 if you search online from UK based retailers. Or with the slimline ballasts with a 2 year guarantee for £110.
So that £59 don't look so cheap, for one.
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