Installed HIDs
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 291
Likes: 3
From: buffalo, NY
Installed HIDs
I just installed a cheap chinese special HID ballast and bulbs that was much needed for my bike. I couldnt see **** with the factory bulb or even a silverstar bulb. I bought the ballast off ebay for ~$10 shipped and 2 6000k bulbs for ~$12. Even if the bulbs go once a year its still pretty cheap. I think in the spring I'll look for a different headlight assembly, with better reflectors inside. Anyone recommend a headlight assembly that works well with HIDs? I'd love to get a HD LED Headlight but the price is kinda steep.
The ballast I bought was a micro/mini, only about 2 1/2" long and wide so it fit nicely inside the headlight. I didnt want to mount the ballast under the tank and run and extension.
The ballast I bought was a micro/mini, only about 2 1/2" long and wide so it fit nicely inside the headlight. I didnt want to mount the ballast under the tank and run and extension.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 291
Likes: 3
From: buffalo, NY
I'll post pics of the light output. I was gonna take a pic of the ballast installed inside the light but its quite a tight fit so I didnt have an extra hand to hold the camera. If you guys want I can post the link to the ballast that I used that fits inside the headlight assembly.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Good luck.
Those cheap Chinese HID ballasts and bulbs are notorious for high failure rates, both the bulb and ballast.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we weren't legally required to run a headlight in the daytime, but I'd sure hate to get stuck on the road with a burned out ballast.
Those cheap Chinese HID ballasts and bulbs are notorious for high failure rates, both the bulb and ballast.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we weren't legally required to run a headlight in the daytime, but I'd sure hate to get stuck on the road with a burned out ballast.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 291
Likes: 3
From: buffalo, NY
I used these cheap ballasts and bulbs on my car and old bike and only had the fog lights fail for 3 yrs ++. The reason the fog lights failed is because when I'd hit my key fob it would make the fogs blink/flash. HIDs arent meant to be flashed or flicked on and off, that is one of the biggest causes of premature failure.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
I used these cheap ballasts and bulbs on my car and old bike and only had the fog lights fail for 3 yrs ++. The reason the fog lights failed is because when I'd hit my key fob it would make the fogs blink/flash. HIDs arent meant to be flashed or flicked on and off, that is one of the biggest causes of premature failure.
The non-digital ballasts (converted power ballasts) don't like this and will lock up if this is done a lot. A good quality set of HIDs with a fully digital ballast and hot re-strike protection will not do this. Just wanted to clear that up for people.
Most higher end HID systems have protection against hot re-strikes.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 7
From: Seattle, WA
If you couldn't see with the stock headlight, you didn't have it aimed anywhere close to properly. The stock bulb throws a LOT of light and taking 5 minutes to aim it properly gives fantastic vision at night.
All you've done by throwing a HID bulb into the stock reflector is created an illegal beam pattern and caused problems for oncoming drivers because the stock reflector is not designed for the HID light source (a different shape and a different location, even with re-based bulbs, than the OE H4 bulb).
All you've done by throwing a HID bulb into the stock reflector is created an illegal beam pattern and caused problems for oncoming drivers because the stock reflector is not designed for the HID light source (a different shape and a different location, even with re-based bulbs, than the OE H4 bulb).
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 291
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From: buffalo, NY
If you couldn't see with the stock headlight, you didn't have it aimed anywhere close to properly. The stock bulb throws a LOT of light and taking 5 minutes to aim it properly gives fantastic vision at night.
All you've done by throwing a HID bulb into the stock reflector is created an illegal beam pattern and caused problems for oncoming drivers because the stock reflector is not designed for the HID light source (a different shape and a different location, even with re-based bulbs, than the OE H4 bulb).
All you've done by throwing a HID bulb into the stock reflector is created an illegal beam pattern and caused problems for oncoming drivers because the stock reflector is not designed for the HID light source (a different shape and a different location, even with re-based bulbs, than the OE H4 bulb).
Also the ballast I'm using is a digital dc type. Like I said I've been running these cheapo for 3 yrs+ in my car and my other bike. And they look great and gives better visability and isnt too bright or blinding to on coming traffic. Im not a 18 yr old that thinks blue lights = cool and running a 30k hid just cuz its the highest number.
Last edited by Davemac122383; Sep 20, 2012 at 05:38 PM.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 7
From: Seattle, WA
If your high beam was putting more light on the ground than out in front with the low beam OK, then the only explanation (other than a horribly defective reflector) is that you had the reflector upside down. In either case, you've got a very wrong beam pattern and simply throwing more lumens at it doesn't fix the problem.
It's like having the rear brake stuck on and addressing the problem by hot-rodding the engine so that it makes enough power that you don't notice the sticking brake anymore. The real problem isn't fixed, it's just being masked.
I'll say it again, if you can't see well enough with a properly-aimed OEM headlight, something is very wrong. Hell, the ancient OE sealed beam on my 30-year-old Honda is fine at night as long as it's aimed correctly and those old sealed beam bulbs were never considered to be terribly good.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
If you couldn't see with the stock headlight, you didn't have it aimed anywhere close to properly. The stock bulb throws a LOT of light and taking 5 minutes to aim it properly gives fantastic vision at night.
All you've done by throwing a HID bulb into the stock reflector is created an illegal beam pattern and caused problems for oncoming drivers because the stock reflector is not designed for the HID light source (a different shape and a different location, even with re-based bulbs, than the OE H4 bulb).
All you've done by throwing a HID bulb into the stock reflector is created an illegal beam pattern and caused problems for oncoming drivers because the stock reflector is not designed for the HID light source (a different shape and a different location, even with re-based bulbs, than the OE H4 bulb).
The whole HID legality thing has been beaten to death. Is it technically legal? No. HID bulb technology has come a LONG way in the last few years, though. Your chances of blinding oncoming traffic unless you're using a simple reflector housing with no bulb shield is slim to none when aimed properly. You don't get the full desired even flood pattern of the HID or the "correct" cut off, but the stock bulb shield and reflector housing is designed to cut off the beam no matter what and it does in fact do this, even with HID bulbs. Telling people that they're just blinding oncoming traffic is just not correct information if the headlamp is aimed properly. Yes you are throwing more light in more places, no you should not be blinding people unless you have it aimed at them.
Using a non-halogen based bulb in our scoots is a day and night difference in not only overall brightness but the reach of the light as well. There are people that do things incorrectly all over the place, but there are also a small group of us with extensive first-hand experience with the subject and know how to achieve the desired result safely and effectively.
Last edited by AwesomeIndeed; Sep 20, 2012 at 09:17 PM.