HID installation. Help

[BiK3RChiK]

I went into town last night for a bit of late night shopping, and I'm glad I've got HID's! Flashed a few people in cars who didn't seem to care that there was a bike coming their way. Gives them the 'I'm here' message real quick!

[Tank]

I went into town last night for a bit of late night shopping, and I'm glad I've got HID's! Flashed a few people in cars who didn't seem to care that there was a bike coming their way. Gives them the 'I'm here' message real quick!

So you have them on your high beam - but ride on low beam?

I thought that they had a 'warm up time' and would not work well with flashing? (Pool of darkness or something like that DB mentioned)?

Edit: wouldnt flashing them with normal lights have worked as well?

[Tank]

Its illegal to fit HID kits into normal headlight units...

I keep hearing people say that, but my bike keeps getting a WOF no worries. Repeating things more and more loudly does not a fact make.

nope - a fact makes a fact.

High intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits

HID conversion kits (an HID bulb with a high voltage power unit or ‘ballast’ which fits into the original headlamp unit in place of the original bulb with no change to the headlamp lens, reflector or housing) are illegal on any vehicle being used on New Zealand roads.

Repeating things over and over again recommending them to people without saying that its illegal does not good advise make.

[BiK3RChiK]

So you have them on your high beam - but ride on low beam?

I thought that they had a 'warm up time' and would not work well with flashing? (Pool of darkness or something like that DB mentioned)?

Edit: wouldnt flashing them with normal lights have worked as well?

I had only just dipped coming into town and this car seemed intent on pulling out of a side street to wipe me out, so I flashed them up at him. They do 'flash' when you turn onto high beam but then seem to go out and come up slow. It's kind of like a flash from a camera that gets their attention very quick! I always use my pass to warm them up before putting onto high, cause I don't like the sea of blackness that greets me when they are cold.

And, yes, flashing normal highbeam would probably work as well... but have you seen the Hyo lights when on?

Mine passed the WOF too.

[vifferman]

Here's the deal, as I see it.
Before you rush out and buy an HID kit, there are things you can do to make sure you're lighting is as good as possible.
Firstly, make sure your headlight lens is as clean as possible, and your headlight is properly adjusted. See if a relay is fitted - even a standard headlight will benefit from having a reasonable gauge of wires from the battery to a relay situated as near to the headlihgt as possible, with the same gauge wires going to the plug on the back of the bulb.
Make sure the bulb plug contacts are clean and have no corrosion on them.
Even if this proves to make no real difference to the lighting, at least you've prepared things for an upgrade.

Many bikes (especially Hondas) have fairly wussy bulbs fitted, and it's relatively cheap to fit higher wattage ones. However, if the bulbs are not standard H4s, you will need to get an adapter ring. Alternatively, you can cut the two lower tabs of the H4 bulb off, or bend them over a small piece of stiff wire or nail so they fit the slots in the factory bulb housing.

DON'T buy blue bulbs: they look brighter, but this is because the human eye finds light in the blue part of the spectrum glarey. The actual useful light for the same wattage is therefore less, especially in rainy or foggy conditions.

If the reflectors or lenses are crap, you will still have crap lighting, even if you fit 300W bulbs! In this case, you will have to go for aftermarket headlamps. I had a 90/130W bulb in my VF500, and it was very good (glass lense, glass or metal reflector). The exact same bulb in the VTR (polycarbonate lens) wasn't anywhere near as good. Plus corrosion on the plug partially melted the plug, due to the increased resistance creating heat. Oops...

The VFR has dual headlamps, and they're great. They're fitted with Honda/H4 adapter rings, and (I think) are 60/55 bulbs, which are quite adequate. Standard is 45/45W which is not. Relays are fitted as standard.
If I was doing a lot of riding at night, I'd fit some slightly higher wattage bulbs, say 80W or 90W, and maybe a pair of small driving lights to fill in if I needed it. There's too much crap (dual Fiamms, speedo corrector, gargre door opener, extra relays) under the fairing already to fit an HID unit.

[CookMySock]

It's kind of like a flash from a camera that gets their attention very quick!

HID's look like just like a near lightning strike when they first switch on cold. Any signage in front of you, trees next to you, car number plates, etc etc all give a substantial hard blink when when you give the tiniest flick on the pass switch. Even with your back to the vehicle that strobed the area, it is still "WTF was that? - people turn around.."

They are funny as fuck to play with. Even without the added safety aspect (you look like a freight train with an insane magnesium flare on the front), they are just so out-there in daily use. You can always make someone look around them wondering where the lightning is.

There is also a smaller Inverter unit that is about half the height of a pack of cards. It's much easier to mount this.

Steve

[bsasuper]

You wont get the full benefit of hid's putting them in non hid reflectors, and if you cause a accident at night because of your super bright hid's illegilly fitted, it lights out for you.

[Gremlin]

DON'T buy blue bulbs: they look brighter, but this is because the human eye finds light in the blue part of the spectrum glarey. The actual useful light for the same wattage is therefore less, especially in rainy or foggy conditions.

Good point Viff, I was thinking I should make that point.

I go to Autostop for my +50% bulbs...

[CookMySock]

You wont get the full benefit of hid's putting them in non hid reflectors, and if you cause a accident at night because of your super bright hid's illegilly fitted, it lights out for you.

Ya rolls ya dice and ya pays ya money!

Steve

[LBD]

It does depend how good the stock reflector housing is, with a normal bulb. My preference is just to swap the bulb, and replace it with a Philips/Hella +50% bulb. I've normally had fantastic results.

Hella make a =90% now, I have that in my bike an no complaints at all, I have an HID I was going to fit before that but then learnt of ?legalities...still have it

I have seen the HID conversions on T/me, some come with the low beam dip/
done mechanically,so no delay/loss of light...
.

This is the best HID low/hi set up, only one filiment that only needs to warm up once

I've got some Philips X-Treme Power H4's on order from the UK as reviews seemed pretty good. I hope I don't end up regretting it, but I'm desperate for better lighting.

These will be the +90% now available in NZ get the thumbs up from me.

I thought that they had a 'warm up time' and would not work well with flashing? (Pool of darkness or something like that DB mentioned)?

See earlier comment about single filiment HID globes

Last thing, the globes come different Hz,s from 4100 to 6300 and up....8000 and 12000...something like that. Opt for the lowest 4100 or 6300...they are closest to natural light, the higher numbers are blue and harsh, are are diminishing in value but increasing in pose power....

[CookMySock]

This [mechanically dipped H4] is the best HID low/hi set up, only one filiment that only needs to warm up once

You are right, but then you don't get to play with them, and thats half the fun. Also, the flasher is much slower.

Last thing, the globes come different Hz,s from 4100 to 6300 and up....8000 and 12000...something like that. Opt for the lowest 4100 or 6300...they are closest to natural light, the higher numbers are blue and harsh, are are diminishing in value but increasing in pose power....

Yes. 4,000k is honey gold, 6,000k is more like burning magnesium, 8,000k is deep blue. I prefer 6,000k but 8,000k would be fun to play with. Search youtube for "HID color temperature".


Steve

[Gremlin]

Hella make a =90% now, I have that in my bike an no complaints at all, I have an HID I was going to fit before that but then learnt of ?legalities...still have it

Why o why did you have to say that... right... I'm off to order one from Autostop on Monday...

Part code is XD1260/55UP if anyone is interested

[Tank]

Someone ask what happens if you cause an accident because of the illegal bright lights:

You wont get the full benefit of hid's putting them in non hid reflectors, and if you cause a accident at night because of your super bright hid's illegilly fitted, it lights out for you.

DB says you pay ya money

Ya rolls ya dice and ya pays ya money!

Steve

He normally says if you cause an accident - run and hide:

Right, any damage to anyone else ? Any liability ? If so, deny everything and refuse to discuss the accident with anyone. Disappear into the long grass, and say nothing. Fix your own bike with your own money, and let your sore knee mend itself etc. If anyone wants to knock on your door and talk about the incident, tell them they are at the wrong place. If the feds turn up, tell them u dunno jack about that, and shut the door and go back to what you were doing. Letter from some insurance company demanding payment? bew hew hew, chuck it in the bin. Life goes on. Dont FFS admit the whole thing to the feds in the hope things will be better..

DB

Basically - thats why you need to have insurance - there are uninsured people (like DB) out there who believe that despite being in the wrong - they would leave you high and dry.

[Owl]

Basically - thats why you need to have insurance - there are uninsured people (like DB) out there who believe that despite being in the wrong - they would leave you high and dry.

That would be fookin funny if it wasn't seriously disturbing!

[ynot slow]

.
www.powerbulbs.com
I guess I'll find out in the next week if I've cocked up.

Thanks for info Al,have just ordered phillips extreme H7,based on GB25.00POUND so works out reasonably priced at maybe $70NZ.Haven't been able to find them here,and the 2 main outlets(not auto sparkies)when I ask them about give me blank looks,can get +80 for the car H4,but H1,H7 perplexes them.Thanks again for the link,after tonight need something a little bit better than stock.