Help on some mods please.

[djstormxx]

Hey guys, First of all could someone direct me to a link that sells good quality HID headlights for a 1999 Katana 600. And has anyone installed the LED Accent Lights from Joe Florida? I'm curious on getting purple for both the body and the wheels. And does this look like a solid buy?

Gauges: http://fatbikez.com/suzuki-katana-gs...ow-gauges.html
Hid Headlights: http://www.motorcyclehidlights.com/s...-hid-kit-p-195

[Wild-Bill]

Think hard before you start installing HIDs especially purple ones. First off, HID conversions are illegal in the U.S. Second, even if you're willing to accept the first issue, the radical color is bound to alert your local law enforcement officials to the fact that you've done an illegal mod.

If you're still determined to do this then do a bit of research (both on this forum and on the sellers' websites) before you buy. There's been a lot of discussion already and your questions will probably be answered pretty thoroughly by using the search function.

[djstormxx]

I thought HID headlights were legal, should had said that first XD

[sportbikemike]

The gauges I have installed and they work great, the only thing when you install them is that you will have to either color the needle so the it is not white on a white background. HID-- there has been discussions just look around but I would NOT get the purple ones, I think the highest you can get away with is 8000K which is the slight blueish/bright white MOD.

[smitty600]

Well, i got LED for Joe, shipped fast, instructions are straight forward, and the green set i have (for Joe Florida) is brighter then the Blue set I got form somewhere else..

[djstormxx]

Can you buy like red needles or orange ones instead of painting them? And I was probably gonna do the 6000k which is pretty much almost all white.

And thats good to hear. I'm going to pick up the Leds last once i get everything else done.

I need to get my bike tuned before anything else. Then I want to get the headlights and gauges next. then the accent light kit, and then I think im going to get an Ivan stage one jet for it and repaint the fairings.

[Suzukii600]

Think hard before you start installing HIDs especially purple ones. First off, HID conversions are illegal in the U.S. Second, even if you're willing to accept the first issue, the radical color is bound to alert your local law enforcement officials to the fact that you've done an illegal mod.

If you're still determined to do this then do a bit of research (both on this forum and on the sellers' websites) before you buy. There's been a lot of discussion already and your questions will probably be answered pretty thoroughly by using the search function.

it may be illegal, but it all depends on where you live and how anal the popo is... i run a Million Color led light kit on my bike everywhere i go... i have had it installed just over a year, i have ran into 1000's of cops and never had a problem... i even got a compliment from a state trooper at a gas station once... and the state patrol are usually super anal about the little things around here... if it is illegal there is obviously a consequence, you just have to be willing to pay that consequence.

[Wild-Bill]

Ultimate consequence is they could impound your bike as "unsafe for highway use". Biggest decider (from what I've been reading on some of the FOP forums) is whether or not you're lights are producing a lot of glare, blinding other drivers. Problem is that the reflector for a halogen beam isn't shaped right for the HID bulbs so they don't focus the same. Bottom line seems to be that if you're obnoxious about it they can mess with you pretty hard. If you're cool then they'll probably leave you alone.

[djstormxx]

Well when i get them is there a way to reduce the glare or anything? I drove my friends Triumph Victory which had HID and it seemed to work fine and not bother anyone. And could someone give me an opinion on the HIDs I linked? I just want to know if they look solid. And I really like the gauges but i don't know what to do with the needles.

[steves]

1) I never had any problems with the HIDs in my truck for two years, but I did take them out because of a moisture build up problem in the lens. Apparently most halogen lens housing take the heat the bulbs generate into account in their design and the heat is used to burn off any excess moisture in the lens from rain or temperature shift.

2) Everyone that I have talked to with a Joe Florida LED kit loves it.

[Enjay386]

I have the gauges, during the night they look awesome but sometimes it's hard to see your speed since the needled and background are both white. As for LED's I think purple would be cool, but I rarely have mine on... sort of a pointless mod in my opinion.

[Wild-Bill]

Well when i get them is there a way to reduce the glare or anything? I drove my friends Triumph Victory which had HID and it seemed to work fine and not bother anyone. And could someone give me an opinion on the HIDs I linked? I just want to know if they look solid. And I really like the gauges but i don't know what to do with the needles.

I would suspect your friend's Triumph came from the factory with HID lights and the proper reflector/lens. I've seen mod how-tos where they cut open the OEM headlight and installed an HID 'projector'. That included a housing with a focus lens. Problem is that a halogen bulb generates light from a filament - a fairly small wire. HIDs generate light by making a relatively largish volume (compared to a little wire) of gas glow really bright. Since you've got the equivilent of a filament the entire size of the bulb the focusing is different.

[scottynoface]

Im not so sure about the whole "HID conversion is illegal" thing. My last three cars were converted, as were many of my friends. There are two reasons that you will get pulled over for HID lights:

1.) Anything over 8000k is asking for it, it's asking for it hard.
2.) Putting HID's in the stock reflector housing produces anywhere from a tiny bit more glare to a full on blinding beam. That's why you should put projectors in, but everyone's too cheap to do it the right way.

Your call though, calculated risk.

[Wild-Bill]

Im not so sure about the whole "HID conversion is illegal" thing. ...

A bunch of info including legality issue: http://eel.st.usm.edu/~jmneal/tiburon/hids.htm#9
From a LEO forum: http://forums.officer.com/forums/arc...p/t-41131.html
And even a dealer's disclaimer: http://www.mobilehid.com/faq.htm#q12

Your call though, calculated risk.

Exactly.

[djstormxx]

Is there any way to properly get the headlights to make it legal? I seem to be gettin discouraged to get them now.