Headlight incandescent bulb, HID or Halogen bulb

[zzrrider]

What do you guys run? I want to put a HID kit on my bike more for the looks of the 6000k-8000k blue hue. I think i have to cut a whole in the dust/water proff cap thats behind the bulb to run the hid wires out.. :/...thats why im thinking a Halogen bulb maybe something with a blue hue if I can find something good. plz help. 06' zzr600

[golden chicken]

I run a bi-xenon HID. Color is unimportant to me as my own visibility at night.

[01xj]

What do you guys run? I want to put a HID kit on my bike more for the looks of the 6000k-8000k blue hue. I think i have to cut a whole in the dust/water proff cap thats behind the bulb to run the hid wires out.. :/...thats why im thinking a Halogen bulb maybe something with a blue hue if I can find something good. plz help. 06' zzr600

Do your research and do it properly please. You can't just wire up HID's and be on your way. It is more important (in my opinion) to pick a temperature that will give off the most light instead of one that looks cool. They need to have ballasts to control the power they require and projector bulbs, which is where your modification of the stock housing comes in. HID bulbs in a non projector housing will blind the hell out of oncoming traffic.

[JettaJayGLS]

Do your research and do it properly please. You can't just wire up HID's and be on your way.

Yes you can...there are plenty of drop in kits available for very short money that require absolutely no cutting or trimming. Just need to mount and power the ballasts.

Ya know, back when I cared about cars this was the biggest, dumbest debate ever. Yes, if you drop an HID (which is easily done) kit into a regular projector housing you will put off some glare. But if that makes you more easily seen on a motorcycle, I'm all for it.

The flip side is "blinding" opposing traffic and in someones rear view mirror with said glare. The honest to god truth is that the glare is not that bad. A Honda owner who runs both hi and low beams so both headlights are on is more blinding. What is even worse than that is xenon equipped car or motorcycle who's projectors are not leveled correctly that are throwing the light beam directly into your eyes.

Moral of the story is put what lights make you happy. If you run the HIDs in a non projector housing, you take the "risk" of getting pulled over for the glare, which probably won't happen. But at the same time your bike will be more noticeable to oncoming cars.

And if you want the blue, go for it. 8000k HID output will be much brighter than 4300k halogens.

Despite all of that, what I always suggest if you have a regular non-projector housing is to purchase a quality bulb, such as Osram Silverstars (not sylvania from wal-mart), and run those.

[zzrrider]

Do your research and do it properly please. You can't just wire up HID's and be on your way. It is more important (in my opinion) to pick a temperature that will give off the most light instead of one that looks cool. They need to have ballasts to control the power they require and projector bulbs, which is where your modification of the stock housing comes in. HID bulbs in a non projector housing will blind the hell out of oncoming traffic.

I dont know what your talking about research. I said i want color. Any HID color or not will provide more light than a normal bulb #1. And all HIDs have ballasts thats how they are powered. They work great in a non projector housing, they are probably more effective in a projector housing.

[SRTie4k]

Yes you can...there are plenty of drop in kits available for very short money that require absolutely no cutting or trimming. Just need to mount and power the ballasts.

Ya know, back when I cared about cars this was the biggest, dumbest debate ever. Yes, if you drop an HID (which is easily done) kit into a regular projector housing you will put off some glare. But if that makes you more easily seen on a motorcycle, I'm all for it.

The flip side is "blinding" opposing traffic and in someones rear view mirror with said glare. The honest to god truth is that the glare is not that bad. A Honda owner who runs both hi and low beams so both headlights are on is more blinding. What is even worse than that is xenon equipped car or motorcycle who's projectors are not leveled correctly that are throwing the light beam directly into your eyes.

Moral of the story is put what lights make you happy. If you run the HIDs in a non projector housing, you take the "risk" of getting pulled over for the glare, which probably won't happen. But at the same time your bike will be more noticeable to oncoming cars.

And if you want the blue, go for it. 8000k HID output will be much brighter than 4300k halogens.

Despite all of that, what I always suggest if you have a regular non-projector housing is to purchase a quality bulb, such as Osram Silverstars (not sylvania from wal-mart), and run those.

Bullshit it isn't that bad. Every time I see someone on a bike or in a car who installed HID's into a stock incandescent housing, it blinds the almight hell out of me.

It's also illegal depending on your state laws. My brother-in-law has been pulled over in his RSX and given tickets for improper modification of headlights or some such thing. I hate to see him get tickets, but his headlights are blindingly bright.

HID lights are NOT made for halogen housings. If you're going to install an HID kit, at least have some common courtesy for everyone else and do a full retro. Otherwise just stick with Silver Stars or some other brighter halogen.

[zzrrider]

JETTAJAY.... I was thinking these.. http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/DD...rcycle-HID-Kit. But i beileve i still need to cut the back of the dust cover... Ill have to check them out.

[golden chicken]

Bullshit it isn't that bad. Every time I see someone on a bike or in a car who installed HID's into a stock incandescent housing, it blinds the almight hell out of me.

It's also illegal depending on your state laws. My brother-in-law has been pulled over in his RSX and given tickets for improper modification of headlights or some such thing. I hate to see him get tickets, but his headlights are blindingly bright.

HID lights are NOT made for halogen housings. If you're going to install an HID kit, at least have some common courtesy for everyone else and do a full retro. Otherwise just stick with Silver Stars or some other brighter halogen.

I rode behind you for quite a ways with an HID in a halogen reflector on Ray's ride. What did you think?

Yes, actually I do own a retrofitted headlight and I decided that the light pattern was no good for motorcycling. With the sharp cutoff, you have to switch to hi before tipping in to any curve. There was no illumination into the woods where deer like to hide unless I was on hi. The "glare" puts just enough light above just the road surface so that I can see animal eyes and pedestrians without flashlights from far enough away that I feel more comfortable.

Which would you rather face? A 7" round headlight with an HID bulb, properly aimed, on low beam with a distinguishable difference between the brightest part of the beam, but with a little glare, or someone with a projected HID bulb on hi because he can't see at night with it on low?

Actually, tbh, I don't care. I need to see first. I do change my line if I can to avoid pointing the headlight at any oncoming traffic as much as possible.

@Zzrrider: I have a ddmtuning 4500k kit and it's a lot more blue tinted than I expected it to be. I don't know if you'll need to cut anything, I didn't on mine. It's almost as blue as my 8000k car HIDs, which are some other brand.

Food for thought: if you go TOO blue, then anyone with a regular white MA plate looks like a cop with a blue plate.

[marshdrummer]

The kit I just purchased for my cruiser has a 'shield' around the top part of the bulb that blocks the beamfrom bouncing off the top part of the reflector....bulbs are awesome with a great field of view. I was riding behind my wife (haha!) and she said she could see the lights, but the beam didn't hit her mirrors....the kit was from xenonmarket on ebay...6k super slim ballasts for $30 shipped.

[I8A4RE]

What do you guys run? I want to put a HID kit on my bike more for the looks of the 6000k-8000k blue hue. I think i have to cut a whole in the dust/water proff cap thats behind the bulb to run the hid wires out.. :/...thats why im thinking a Halogen bulb maybe something with a blue hue if I can find something good. plz help. 06' zzr600

I just bought 6000k HID lights on my k6 gsxr1000 and I had to drill a whole in the cap and also had to cut wire but it is COMPLETELY worth every single minute i spent working on it and all the money I spend (which was only $80 for both high and low)

You can see SOOOO MUCH BETTER !!!

I am installing it to every single thing i ride or drive now.

GO GET HID. it's the best $80 you will spend

- - - Updated - - -

btw, even 6000k still has a slight blue tint to it.

[Wanderer]

Please, please don't just throw a HID bulb into a standard housing. Sure *you* may be able to see, but other road users - myself included - find it totally blinding. People like me are affected by glare more than most anyway - and add in an oncoming retrofit HID at night - there are times I literally *cannot* see.

Add in 8000k bulbs which shift the light output far into the non-visible spectrum and this induces even more eye strain. Additionally, they actually illuminate the road less effectively than any other HID temperature, and depending on the bulb may be putting out about the same amount of visible light as a regular halogen!

Sure, it might look 'cool' - but it'd be an interesting case. Retrofitted HID causing total blindness in an oncoming driver resulting in the rider becoming a hood ornament. A risk you want to take?

[zzrrider]

Some of you guys kill me lol. I gotta figure something out

[Wanderer]

Some of you guys kill me lol. I gotta figure something out

If you really want more light output - a proper self contained projector lamp retrofit, properly aligned at 4300K light temperature will be hugely more usable.
Alternatively, under-fairing or fork mounted fog lights can be great for both visibility and illumination. PIAA make a good range of lamps for bikes, as do Hella. Heck, they even do do some self-contained HID lamp units.

[JettaJayGLS]

Bullshit it isn't that bad.

It just isnt.

There are other variables at play, such as some people remove the shields that go in front of the bulb. A stock f350 or 18 wheeler or any big truck with halogen lights will be far more blinding than a drop in HID kit just because of the height of the car. Should they have to point their headlights straight at the ground to not blind us? Nevermind something like one of the big luxury SUVs with projectors and HIDs, a lot of the times their beam-pattern is right eye level with to regular sedan.

I've never done it. I have ran good bulbs in halogen housings, and I've retrofitted projectors into my old jetta. I just don't find it a big deal when people do it.

Honestly, I think most OEM bulbs are excellent these days, and problems occur when you replace em with cheap wal-mart ones.

[OreoGaborio]

People... It's simple...
Some reflector lenses work okay with HID's & put the light mostly where it needs to go.
Some reflector lenses suck with HID's & throw the light all over the place.
Are projectors better? Yep. But not always practical.

I put a DDM tuning kit (5500 55w) in my Tuono's reflector housing. It fuckin rules. Love the color (or lack thereof... damn near pure white.)

[SRTie4k]

I rode behind you for quite a ways with an HID in a halogen reflector on Ray's ride. What did you think?

Yes, actually I do own a retrofitted headlight and I decided that the light pattern was no good for motorcycling. With the sharp cutoff, you have to switch to hi before tipping in to any curve. There was no illumination into the woods where deer like to hide unless I was on hi. The "glare" puts just enough light above just the road surface so that I can see animal eyes and pedestrians without flashlights from far enough away that I feel more comfortable.

Which would you rather face? A 7" round headlight with an HID bulb, properly aimed, on low beam with a distinguishable difference between the brightest part of the beam, but with a little glare, or someone with a projected HID bulb on hi because he can't see at night with it on low?

The few times you were directly behind me it was way too bright that I couldn't see anything in my mirror.

The headlight on my bike has a projector, and I have never had a problem with not being able to see enough at night. Sure there is a definite cut-off, but I don't lean over so far at night that I can't see anything. And FWIW, a good projector is supposed to be "stepped", working upwards from left to right. Lowest point being on oncoming traffics side, highest point being in the tree line.

[golden chicken]

This projector does have the step from left to right. It's quite nice, except it doesn't work for me. Anyone with a naked SV who wants to buy it or try it is welcome.

[WordTooYoMamma]

Pat. The center is a proper hid retrofit.

If you put Hid's in a reflector housing, like the 2 on the outsides, you light up trees, piss people in front of you off.

I used them for flashers, passing, and daytime "hey dont run me over" traffic riding.

These were 8000k I believe.

[zzrrider]

Yeah Chris, but what about your two outside lights? What did you have for bulbs in Thoes?

[WordTooYoMamma]

Yeah Chris, but what about your two outside lights? What did you have for bulbs in Thoes?

They were all the same bulbs... Just different housings. The middle was a projector and the outsides were reflectors.

IMO the best looking GSXR headlights ever.