HID kits

[Jim]

for you guys with HID kits on your bike, where did you get them, what brand do you use, and how much did you spend?
I'm looking on eBay for an 8k dual beam motocycle kit, and not finding much other than single bulb kits.

[ZX-12R]

8K is a blue poser color. Look for something in the 4-6K range.

[Jim]

my friend's CBR F3 has 6k, and my friend's CBR RR has 8k. I like the blue tint much better. but i've seen the 10k and 12k kits, and i think that's just obnoxious

[ZX-12R]

If you are buying the lights for looks, then the 8K bulbs are fine. If you intend on doing any serious night riding, you will have much better contrast using bulbs around the 4.3K range and your eyes will thank you.

[Jim]

I have H4 PIAA Xtreme White Bulbs now, which I've ran in my truck since they came out. I've gone riding with that CBR F3 with the 4k, and CBR RR with the 8k. The 8k seems to look brighter for some reason. I know blue lights suck in the rain, but the color looks is the least of my concerns.

[Jim]

this is the 8k kit. does this look too blue?
Attachment 9198

[ZX-12R]

8K light appearing brighter is an illusion. They actually throw less usable light than lower temperature bulbs as your eyes are more sensitive to yellow tints. If you use 8K lights for extended periods of time at night, your eyes are far more likely to fatigue than with lower temp bulbs.

For optical performance the 4.3K bulbs are the smartest choice. It is also the bulb that comes stock on most luxury cars. I absolutely would not go with anything over 6K.

[ZX-12R]

this is the 8k kit. does this look too blue?
Attachment 9198

Looking at them head on in the day time through a photograph doesn't tell you anything. You really need to view them at night on a dark road. 8K bulbs are not a smart purchase if your intent is to have the best night illumination possible.

[Jim]

ok, I know I might sound like a bone-head, but can someone explain the eye problems from long term visibility on 8k bulbs?

[978chris]

this is the 8k kit. does this look too blue?
Attachment 9198

it does.

you ever seen that movie tron?

[Jim]

tron? never heard of it

[978chris]

[13]

I have a single bulb conversion I scored for $45 on ebay. Expect to spend at LEAST $100-$250 on a kit. I have a 10k bulb in mine and it's too blue for me, but I don't ride on the street much anyway.

[ZX-12R]

ok, I know I might sound like a bone-head, but can someone explain the eye problems from long term visibility on 8k bulbs?

Have you ever been in a really bright room and then when for a spin in your car around dusk only to have a really hard time focusing on things off the side of the road? Your eyes begin to hurt because you are concentrating so hard in order to not miss anything important.

The same scenario is more likely to occur with 8K bulbs than a lower temperature one. 4.3K bulbs emit light the excites a larger portion of receptors in your eye which gives you much better peripheral vision and depth perception. Since you are not working as hard to keep track of what is around you, symptoms of eye fatigue take significantly longer to present themselves.

8K bulbs will not damage your eyes. They will just cause them to fatigue significantly faster due to their lower content of useable light.

[Jim]

that would make a bad-ass halloween costume. when the hell was that movie made?

[Jim]

what's the pure white, or closest to it? 4k or 6k?

[978chris]

that would make a bad-ass halloween costume. when the hell was that movie made?

the 80s, can't you tell?

haha

[Jim]

yea, but I cant tell if it's early or mid 80's...not that it makes a big difference. I was born in 1980, but I've never heard of that movie.

[978chris]

i cry a little on the inside when i think of people being born in the 80's.

it makes me feel old.

[Jim]

I believe the H4 bulbs I have said the color looks like 4k HIDs

[ZX-12R]

what's the pure white, or closest to it? 4k or 6k?

Without getting into a serious physics discussion, 4500K is considered the middle of the white range with 2.5K (yellow/white) and 6.5K (blue/white) being the extremes.

One of the most common HID bulb temperatures is 4.3K which is pretty close to the middle white range.

[Jim]

ready for some "when I was your age...." stories

[978chris]

Without getting into a serious physics discussion, 4500K is considered the middle of the white range with 2.5K (yellow/white) and 6.5K (blue/white) being the extremes.

One of the most common HID bulb temperatures is 4.3K which is pretty close to the middle white range.

So wait are you a doctor or a physicist? Did I speel that right?

Why do you know so much?

I demand an explanation.

[Jim]

maybe he asked Jeeeves
Attachment 9199

[978chris]

If you said wikipedia I might believe it.

I look up some shit on there, next thing I know I turn around it's been like 2 days and I've followed countless links to some topic totally unrelated to my original search. I learn more on there in half a day than I did in all the years I went to school.