HID conversion on an Airhead

[Ridealot]

One thing no one has mentioned yet is the ability to choose HID kits with different colors of light. The sun is in the 5000 kelvin range. I have a 6000 kelvin light in my bike. The color is whiter than sunlight. I can now see perfectly on both sides of the road for about 30 yards in each direction. And the forward light is better on low beam than high beam with the old bulb ever was. I now see critters perfectly that I wouldn't have even known where there with a regular incandescent bulb.

I have never had a car flash me because of the light being to bright. I would NEVER even consider going back to the dark old days of crappy lights. I was having trouble seeing at night and had avoided riding at night time. I now actually enjoy riding at night again. The difference is absolutely amazing. I had no idea just how yellow appearing the stock light was until comparing it to the HID.

The site I bought my lights from had a great chart showing the color of light you would get with lights in different Kelvin ratings. When I get home I will try and find the link to it.

[535is]

Originally Posted by tommcgee

The naysayers have an interesting story, even if most of it is wrong. Install a kit for yourself and the misinformation quickly becomes bright as hell, you might say.

No way am I ever going back to halogen. HID makes it much easier to be seen during the day and throws light at least as far down the road at night. The pattern is exactly the same as my H4 bulbs, and why wouldn't it be? It's the reflector that determines it.

If you can find one single factual error in Daniel's analysis, I'd like to know what it is. Either that or you didn't bother to read it. If you choose to intentionally ignore it, that is your choice, but simply saying it is wrong because you don't agree doesn't fly. The sum total of knowledge of automotive lighting here doesn't add up to his.

If you think the pattern is the same, read this post. That's an H4 to the right and the HID conversion in the same H4 lamp on the left. Other photos in the same message show the excessive glare from the front.

[tommcgee]

I read it yesterday and I read it several months ago. I don't buy it based on my own experience. You can show me all the pictures you want, but that's not what the light pattern on my bike from Bi-xenon bulbs looks like. I get the same sharp cutoff from HID that I do from halogen.

You might also notice that anyone in this thread who's gone HID is not going back.

[Raceydog]

Since /5's didn't come with the H4 light, any idea which bulb base would fit in the existing plug? Can I replace the existing plug with an H4? I know the bracket that holds the exisiting plug/bulb is different than the H4, but I could probably fabricate one. I have considered the H4 upgrade, but with all the other work I have done, I am running on fumes (project money wise).

[skiteach]

As I remember, a H4 does fit the plug and reflector. I had to do something with the black "hood" that was in the reflector. I think it was drilling a hole so that tip of bulb would have room.

[carockwell]

I don't know why Daniel Stern is still so against HID. Come on, put them on the bike and see the difference. Yes, I get some scatter with the HID that wasn't there with the Halogen, but the HID clearly puts more light here it matters and makes riding at night safer. "Dont believe my conclusions, repeat my experiments yourself and see if you get the same results" - Albert Einstein.

[krehmkej]

Another thought on illegal lighting.

Recently, I was REAR ENDED at a red light on my /7. The at-fault driver's insurance went over every aspect of my cycle, license, registration, insurance, etc. all looking for an "out" there weren't any and they paid up no problem. Just wonder if I had had a non-legal tail/brake light on there.

[mmmalmberg]

Tom, which HID system are you using?
-Mark M.

[tommcgee]

Originally Posted by mmmalmberg

Tom, which HID system are you using?
-Mark M.

I bought the H4 Bi-xenon setup with digital ballasts from VVME -- takes about 3 days to arrive from Beijing via DHL and they require a signature. I put them on my Vstrom (which has awesome reflectors), and not on my K75 (round reflector).

My primary purpose in buying the HID set-up was to free up a bit of power for heated gear. According to Phillips, all 35 watt HID bulbs actually draw 39 watts and the digital ballast draws another 8 watts or so. This means I'm freeing up about 15 watts compared to the dual H4 setup. That's enough for heated insoles.

I just bought three more HID sets for my Scion xB to do the low, high, and fogs. I MIGHT get different results as far as light pattern goes on the xB because the HID lamp is not the same in physical dimensions as the H11 or 9005 bulbs on the xB -- but the HID lamp is almost the same as the H4.

[Ridealot]

Originally Posted by krehmkej

Another thought on illegal lighting.

Recently, I was REAR ENDED at a red light on my /7. The at-fault driver's insurance went over every aspect of my cycle, license, registration, insurance, etc. all looking for an "out" there weren't any and they paid up no problem. Just wonder if I had had a non-legal tail/brake light on there.

If you where rear ended at a stop light the other drivers insurance would have a pretty tough time finding a valid reason to deny the claim. If you had both tail and brake lights just what would make it non-legal? I would consider it normal for the other insurance to look at your license, registration, and Insurance.

After "almost" being rear ended several times I have added P-3 taillights to all of my bikes. Now cars actually stop with space between me and them instead of constantly pulling to within a foot or two from me. Its amazing the difference BRIGHT flashing lights made to how cars react behind me.

Hope you or your bike wasn't hurt to bad and was able to be fixed easily.

[535is]

Originally Posted by carockwell

I don't know why Daniel Stern is still so against HID. Come on, put them on the bike and see the difference. Yes, I get some scatter with the HID that wasn't there with the Halogen, but the HID clearly puts more light here it matters and makes riding at night safer.

Where is that? As Daniel points out (and that photo shows) and you admit, there is more scattered light. That means it is either going 1) into somebody's eyes or 2) onto the road immediately in front of you.

With #1, it is purely inconsiderate, as well as illegal, to blind oncoming drivers and it is dangerous for everyone else on the road for you to do so. With #2, you are inhibiting your own ability to see beyond the bright foreground. Seeing a long distance down the road depends on that part of your field of view being the best-lighted. If it isn't, you see it less well because it is darker. Instead, the stuff you don't need to see up close is brightly lit. My own experience with high powered H4s confirms this. A brightly lit foreground gives you the illusion of better lighting, but not the benefit of it.

[carockwell]

Okay, I can see the point about blinding oncoming drivers. I am pretty good with that because the additional scatter does not create a problem with my set up. BUT, this **** about lighting up the foreground too much and causing poor long distance night vision is ridiculous. Just put the HID on your bike and see for yourself. The HID gives you better night vision at any distance, period. In this case, seeing really is believing. IMHO Daniel Stern is not doing the world a favor with his anti HID articles. He should try selling some of the HID conversions that DO work instead of knocking the ones that don't. I think he just can't compete with the pricing in the high volume HID business so he chooses to stay with products that he can sell for a reasonable profit. What he does sell works well, but so do some HID kits on the market.

[mmmalmberg]

Tom that's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm reluctant to add any heated gear with the stock setup. I avoided using the heated grips on my RS because of the drain. Would be nice to not worry. I'm taking a look at LED stuff too. A little sketchier still pattern-wise but super efficient...

[criminaldesign]

ride it and see for yourself.

I've been flashed on 2 occasions by other motorist over the year I've had the HID on the bike, which I didn't even respond to, they can get over it.

I've asked other riders if it blinds them in the mirrors when I first installed them and the answers always been no.

Big response is: "I can tell it's you behind me, is it really better and where did you get them?"

I got more "flashes" from others with stock H4 high beams which I HAD to use cos it's nearly impossible to see at night.

[criminaldesign]

There the legal side, and the reality side...

The bike was inspected this morning and nothing was even said about the headlight other than "turn it on".

I was also pulled over by an Illinois trooper at 2am who was facing me and nothing was mentioned about too bright of lights, instead it was the speeding.

HID!