HID Xenon upgrade kits

[OutForADuck]

You need to be very clear here... a HID conversion i.e. one that replaces the bulb unit but not the reflector are not legal in NZ due to the spread of light (NOT due to the colour or intensity because HID lights 35w anyway are not going to blind you, they are equivalent to 55w halogens).

HID conversions that replace the entire head light unt ARE legal as long as they conform to the NZ light pattern spread.

Complete units are available and on most modern bikes the low beam will be on permanently (by law actually) and HID bulbs fail almost always on switching. i.e. not too much of an issue for bulb replacement and light failure.. you probably only going to loose one beam. They are available as fully sealed waterproof units.

Also Katman due to the light colour range they tend to be less blinding than halogen lights which is why they are becoming standard in places like europe (they are safer, whilst providing better light).

[Katman]

The aforementioned dipping 'issue' as actually a non-issue because you use them just like you use stock headlights. Usually, only High beam is converted to HID. Use low beam when someone is coming towards you or in town. Use high beam when you're out on some back roads that are deserted / not lit. When someone comes towards you, flick to low beam and be done with it, just like you would with standard lights.

That may be fine for a twin headlight set-up but what about a single headlight?

Also Katman due to the light colour range they tend to be less blinding than halogen lights which is why they are becoming standard in places like europe (they are safer, whilst providing better light).

It's my understanding that they can blind oncoming traffic due to the incorrect spread of light.

[CookMySock]

HID lights 35w anyway are not going to blind you, they are equivalent to 55w halogens).

Not so. 35W HIDs are more equivalent to 100W+ incandescent. They certainly make 100W halogen bulbs look flat, and the 6000K colour temp ones look like lit titanium flares.

The main safety aspect of HIDs, is just how far away you can see their nasty little pinprick of light. Even several kilometers away they are well into the "wtf is that?" category, and cagers note you as a serious hazard to them the instant you come into view. Even in the rear vision mirror six or eight cars BEHIND it is extremely apparent there is something really serious back there - such is the efficacy of them.

My fullbeam projector HIDs can't be used on overcast days as there are repeated requests to dip, which I will always honor. On bright sunny days there are zero requests to dip, even from the police - it is no brighter than a momentary reflection of the sun.

I think if you had H4 HID and used it with a large-reflector type headlamp unit you would not be able to use it fullbeam during the day into oncoming traffic - it would be dangerously and insanely bright, like looking into the sun. Projector HIDs just do not have this much forward energy.

If you use the same WOF guy every time, I doubt he will fail you for HIDs, unless they are so completely out of whack to be unusable.

Much of this is my experience and some of it is my best guess, but readers will of course choose for themselves.


Steve

[F5 Dave]

so basically if you want legal HID, this is the way to go, 295USD for a pair, . . .

One would of course have to be sure that when importing from countries that drive on the other side of the road you had the right cut off.

[bogan]

One would of course have to be sure that when importing from countries that drive on the other side of the road you had the right cut off.

good point, I have seen some photos showing the beam from different projectors, look symetrical to me but they aren't projected perpendicular to the wall so it's hard to tell, still waiting for the guy to give us some night riding pics...

[Pixie]

Use more lights




say you didn't see me now ya bastards

[CookMySock]

Use more lights




say you didn't see me now ya bastards

Looks bloody good, but is that even legal?

Steve

[FastBikeGear]

Also Katman due to the light colour range they tend to be less blinding than halogen lights which is why they are becoming standard in places like europe (they are safer, whilst providing better light).

Sorry scientific results show that HIDs are more blinding due to their spectral output and brighter light.

When you put HIDs in standard reflectors the situation gets even worse as reflectors designed for filament bulbs scatter HID light even on low beam.

Here's another good site I found today while doing further research on legal upgrade kits that we are hoping to offer shortly for N.Z. http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html

[Suntoucher]

Based on the above, I'd guess these would be legal in that case. If you have the money and an unfaired front-end.

http://www.futurevisionhid.com/produ...light-kit.html

Or what about something like the 7" round HID Jeep lights that are built specifically for Xenon bulbs?

[FastBikeGear]

Based on the above, I'd guess these would be legal in that case. If you have the money and an unfaired front-end.

http://www.futurevisionhid.com/produ...light-kit.html

Or what about something like the 7" round HID Jeep lights that are built specifically for Xenon bulbs?

There may also be a requirement for a self leveling headlight in New Zealand for any vehicle fitted with a HID bulb. I haven't had a chance to check if this is so in NZ yet. This requirement is common elsewhere in the world effectively making it illegal in many countries to have any sort of HID light on a motorcycle. I am currently exploring other lighting options (I've got some sample gear on order) and if I make any worthwhile discoveries I will post here.

[F5 Dave]

Based on the above, I'd guess these would be legal in that case. If you have the money and an unfaired front-end.

http://www.futurevisionhid.com/produ...light-kit.html

Or what about something like the 7" round HID Jeep lights that are built specifically for Xenon bulbs?

Again; - what side of the road do the 'mercans drive on?. . .

[Suntoucher]

Looking at my beam on the ground, I would have thought that motorcycle headlights fire straight, rather than off to the left slightly like a car(or right if you're American). And Jeeps are sold in left-side driving countries, so the second paragraph would apply in that case.

[FastBikeGear]

The manufacturer lists both left and right hand drive headlights for my bike in their parts list.

[Taz]

Re single older headlights - It's not about which way they point. In both of my road bikes the right side is diffused by the glass so as not to blind oncoming traffic on low beam. The original glass on the guzzi was the opposite since it came from a country that drives on the opposite side of the road. Hold them side by side and they are like mirror images.

[F5 Dave]

The manufacturer lists both left and right hand drive headlights for my bike in their parts list.

Ahh, I missed that in my skim of the site. Who would have thought they cared about the few countries (or even knew about them) that drove on opposing sides?