HID install

[yellow_kitty_kat]

Hey everybody,

I ordered a set of 5000K HID headlights on WED off off eBay, from a dealer in CA - price was $72.00, BIN, NIB, w/ 2-3 day shipping:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/H4-Hi...0194QQtcZphoto

I got them today (SAT):







Since I have my bike apart doing the mesh mod, I figured that this would be the ideal time to get them installed, along with the heavy duty headlight harness I bought a few weeks back. I will let everybody know how it goes, and try to bust a few pictures as the job goes along.

DP

[Nero]

You're gonna LOVE those HIDs. You'll see a hundred times better. I went with the 8Ks, because my bike's blue and I wanted some more of the bluish light effect. All the guys that I ride with love riding around me when we ride at night because they can see too!

BTW, my bike has projector beam head lights which are great for HIDs. I've heard from people that have normal headlight housing/HID setups that people get really pizzed at them coming from the other direction because it doesn't focus all of the light forward. Let us know if you experience that.

[yellow_kitty_kat]

Hey Nero,

Yeah, I can't wait to see how this turns out. Well, Ihave to, because I am waiting for my mesh mod adhesive to harden...

Especially for the price, I am absolutely positive that this is going to make me a happy rider.

When did you retire from the USAF? I was a gunner with the 20th up at Hurlburt. Got out in 95, but man the fun we had up there (when we weren't TDY) makes me think it was yesterday!

[BarMatt80]

two bulbs in each setup? is that to handle hi and low beams?

[yellow_kitty_kat]

two bulbs in each setup? is that to handle hi and low beams?

Yes, that is correct.

[BarMatt80]

that is great! I knew HID bulbs were not hi and low bulbs(single filament). I might have to try them on my bike. Sylvania silverstar ultras are sold in pairs for $50, and you got yours for $72, so I might buy a set and sell the other one to a pre98 kat member. ( I only have one headlight).

document the install, take pictures and let us know what it is like.

[yellow_kitty_kat]

No prob.

It looks like easy money so far: The biggest hassle was getting my light housing out. As far as the wiring goes, you would have to be so incompetent as to able to destroy an anvil to mess this up. I am actually doing the install as I write this.

[Nero]

Hey Nero,

Yeah, I can't wait to see how this turns out. Well, Ihave to, because I am waiting for my mesh mod adhesive to harden...

Especially for the price, I am absolutely positive that this is going to make me a happy rider.

When did you retire from the USAF? I was a gunner with the 20th up at Hurlburt. Got out in 95, but man the fun we had up there (when we weren't TDY) makes me think it was yesterday!

I retired last February. I'm at Tyndall right now, but I'm about to head North. I did my first 7 years as a PJ, but, due to back/knee issues, I cross-trained to computers a really long time ago.

The whole beach bar thing is worn out on me, but I'm 41, not 20. FWB is a nice area but if you ever came to PC during the time you were in this area, you know it's pretty much a sh**hole.

[yellow_kitty_kat]

if you ever came to PC during the time you were in this area, you know it's pretty much a sh**hole.

Yeah, the only constant is change... EXCEPT in PCB.

It just stays schitty!

[Nero]

Yep, you've been here.

[The CyberPoet]

two bulbs in each setup? is that to handle hi and low beams?

But note that one of the two beams (traditionally the high-beam) is a filament bulb and not a true HID -- there's only one HID beam in that set-up he has pictured.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[tnvatdreamland]

Looking at the Ebay add, you paid $19.00 for the bulbs, and $52.00 to ship?? WTF!!??!

...and then it is only a low beam HID. To me that seems to be allot of work, conversion, and shipping cost to only be getting a low beam HID. Is there any (kits) out there that are and H4 shape and are both low/high beam?

[The CyberPoet]

Is there any (kits) out there that are and H4 shape and are both low/high beam?

There are, to the best of my knowledge, no source of dual-true-HID-in-a-single H4 format system available on the planet. There are some rather pricey solutions that use a servo to move a single bulb between two (or more) positions (certain EU-markets require beam-leveling, so the low-beam doesn't shoot skyward as you load up the trunk & back-seat).

Part of the problem of trying to put two HID chambers into a single bulb designed for an H4 fitment is the focal length vs. the required bulb size. If you look at the filaments for an H4 standard bulb, the filaments are only 5 or 8mm apart (something like that). That spacing isn't big enough to put two separate HID-gas-arc chambers into the spacing correctly. So, those HIDs offering dual-beam H4-compatible plug-ins have a filament bulb as the secondary system. The nice thing about his set-up is that the filament bulb appears to be replaceable separately -- the earlier generations, if the filament went bad, you replaced the whole thing (HID + filament) at the same time.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[hardlydangerous]

Would it not be better to wire it up so the HID are on highbeam?

I'm thinking I do a lot of back road riding and night riding and use my highbeams a lot and only the low beams in town and when cars are coming towards me.
It sure would be nice to have some wicked bright high beam deer spotters.
I'm wondering would the filament bulb in the HID be bright enough for use as a low beam?

I've often though about just going with a higher wattage headlight bulb set up and just run then via a realy so I don't overload and burn up the wiring harness. something like a 55/80W

[yellow_kitty_kat]

Looking at the Ebay add, you paid $19.00 for the bulbs, and $52.00 to ship?? WTF!!??!

...and then it is only a low beam HID. To me that seems to be allot of work, conversion, and shipping cost to only be getting a low beam HID. Is there any (kits) out there that are and H4 shape and are both low/high beam?

Regardless, I paid $72.00 shipped for a decent set of headlights that:
- A. Did not cost me a ton of money
- B. Give off hella light
- C. Look cool as all hell!

The shipping is so "high" so the seller is not paying a ton of $$$ to eBay in listing fees. If I paid $52 for the bulbs, but only $19 for the shipping fees, would that give you the warm and fuzzy feeling you are looking for? Why are you so confused? This seller, like anyone, is trying to make a few extra bucks skirting around some eBay regulations. Additionally... It is only $72! That amount does not even register on my discretionary funds radar.

As far as "conversion", the only thing I did was remove my headlight housing, pop out my old bulbs, install the new bulbs, reinstall my housing, and mount up the ballasts. In addition, I put in a new wiring harness, which SHOULD be done because of the headlight upgrade anyway. Plus, I had my plastics off anyway to do the mesh mod - QED do the things that require having the body off WHEN the body HAS to be off.

The low beams HID's are bad, and I mean BAD - I only have one in right now, because I had to get ready for the party we were having for the game on Sunday - and it pretty much lit up my block. The high beams give off the standard "non-HID, but still only $30 more than Sylvania Silverstars" yellow tint... But any headlight would when you put them next to set of 5000K HID's.

I stand by my purchase. And I don't mind playing Guinea Pig for the other folks on the forum. So far, I think it is well worth the $72.

Also, knock on wood, I hope to be joining up with "The Cyber Poets Merry Band of Kat Riders" as they make their way through Orlando on their way to Daytona for Bike Week. It would be a pretty good chance to have him give us a professional opinion... Though I do admit I am a little nervous having "The Man, The Myth, and The Legend" digging too deep into my "less than professional/potentially dangerous/highly explosive" Katana modifications...