When Fitting HID.....

[snavetrauts]

For those that have fit HID bulbs..... did you cut a large hole in the rubber cups at the back of the lights and then place the rubber grommet thingy in this... or did you just cut a small hole and pass the wires through??

And where is the best place for the ballasts??

Any help for this would be most appreciated.

Stuart

[Me-109]

I went for the larger hole in each, slightly off-centre so that the wires had room, to be filled by the grommet. Figured if I took them off to sell the bike I would find a suitably sized blank grommet to replace them.

Ballasts seem to vary in size depending on manufacturer. I struggled to get mine to fit alongside the long black relay boxes as wherever I put them they seemed to catch on the fork leg somewhere in the (turning) travel. I ended up with one on the underside of the fairing frame behind the oil cooler - far enough off not to be restricting airflow through it - and one between the small fusebox (right-hand, I think) and the fairing frame. This required removing the fusebox first to fix the ballast to the frame and then put the fusebox over it.

Of course this also depends on the length of HT leads you have which determine how far away you can get the ballast. Mine were not all that long. If they are longer and you don't have ABS you can get them under the tank where the ABS pump would sit.

I spent hours with mine trying to find the right place. I used to have them hanging off a bracket in front of the headstock, but found the brake hose used to rub the very bottom of it one I was sat on the bike. You could feel this resistance when riding as something trying to turn the bars slightly to one side. Almost as though there was a large weight high up at the front, in fact. So I moved them as above which is where they are now.

[snavetrauts]

ME 109..... Fantastic help.... thanks.

Oh I do like this site

I'll give it a whirl.... I bought them (as recommended by many on this site) from HID 4U.... got no mounting brackets in the kit but they made up a kit for the bike. The HV leads are about 15" long so the ABS space is not really an option.

Thanks once again

Stuart

[winger]

I originally put my ballast between the tank and headstock right,which worked fine,but was a pain when i wanted to move the tank, then put it ontop of the relay box on the right zip tied on.

[POB]

I'd be very interested in a review of these kits. One of the key mods I want to make to my bike before my banzai trip to Istanbul and back is to improve the lighting.

Rear and indicators are easy (thanks Nippy Normans) but the headlights are another matter. I did look at the aftermarket options (basically the touratech driving and 'fog' light set) but they're ugly and rugged. A built-in super-bright HID is a much better option.

I have been surpirsed when pressing on at night, the lights are the first limiting factor on this bike - even on an unlit stretch of 60mph A-road it can feel weak.

[soggybottoms]

I have the HID4U Hid's - main and dip.
Have never used the main in anger....yet
Ballasts - 1 * behind headstock, 1 * under tank (no abs)

Having had these fitted a few months now I see these as an essential mod.
It's not just about lighting the road; there's also the sheer presence that the HID's have.
They move the tin cans out of the way when you're filtering in tight conditions.

I'm seeing much cheaper HID's coming onto the market and am considering testing one of these on my old Viffer.
The bulbage on these is even more testicles than the Beemer original kit. Looking to do this in the new year as I'm busy until then. Will post results.

SB

[iandunn1100ss]

cable tied to the right hand relay box nice and neatly.
ian

[snavetrauts]

Clearly I have not fitted them yet.... but what prompted me to buy them (after first reading all on here about them) was my first trip in the dark.

For many reasons not really important here, I had had the bike for nearly a year before riding in the dark.... well I nearly shit myself.

I live in the campo in Spain... the countryside.... and while many roads in the more major parts are reasonably lit..... the campo is'nt. Coming from a well lit area where normal night riding speeds were achieved....I came into a totally dark area doing perhaps more mph than I should.....I was exactly like someone had switched the lights off in a darkened room.

I do not normally ride fast in the dark any way.... but i was forced to potter along.... I might as well have had a spanish scooter.... in fact their lights are far superior.

I will let you know the differences when thay have been fitted.... I will take some picks as I go along.

Cheers for all your help.

Stuart

[madman]

Funny, we had the same thing. We never ride in the dark and because we live in the south o France, I have a dark (black) visor. We were out a few weeks ago and ended up coming back in the dark. I had to stop too see if the headlight was working!
I ended up getting Jude to lead the rest of the way home so that I could follow her tail light. Not really a problem with the lights, but I will now put on a clear visor if there is any chance that it will be dark for the return journey.

[gus]

Madman
Carry a clear visor in a visor bum bag and you can then have the best of both worlds.
gus

[winger]

Clearly I have not fitted them yet.... but what prompted me to buy them (after first reading all on here about them) was my first trip in the dark.

For many reasons not really important here, I had had the bike for nearly a year before riding in the dark.... well I nearly shit myself.

I live in the campo in Spain... the countryside.... and while many roads in the more major parts are reasonably lit..... the campo is'nt. Coming from a well lit area where normal night riding speeds were achieved....I came into a totally dark area doing perhaps more mph than I should.....I was exactly like someone had switched the lights off in a darkened room.

I do not normally ride fast in the dark any way.... but i was forced to potter along.... I might as well have had a spanish scooter.... in fact their lights are far superior.

I will let you know the differences when thay have been fitted.... I will take some picks as I go along.

Cheers for all your help.

Stuart

Those that have fitted HID on this board,and i think there are a lot,had a mighty shock when first tried,i have to say that i haven't ridden over a 130 in the pitch dark with my HID but i was overtaken at the time by a gent off this board doing considerably more,don't bother with the main HID the dip must light the road up for the best part of a mile!!.

[Red Fokker]

I think Les Wassel from the UKGSER site is offering some pretty good deals on HID's and it's something I'm thinking about doing when money isn't quite so tight. From what I recall you buy a pair of the things and seeing as most people only do the dipped beam you can split them with a like minded friend thus halving the cost. Do a search on the GS site and see what it brings up.

[iandunn1100ss]

did hid on the bmw years ago when i used it everyday ,but have a cbr for that now and have just gone hid dipped for £42 posted for a h4 rated at 8k from china (ebay)and have had no issue with it at all.as good as i will ever need in the dark 100mph+ and no having to keep dipping when a car comes towards you.
ian

[winger]

I think Les Wassel from the UKGSER site is offering some pretty good deals on HID's and it's something I'm thinking about doing when money isn't quite so tight. From what I recall you buy a pair of the things and seeing as most people only do the dipped beam you can split them with a like minded friend thus halving the cost. Do a search on the GS site and see what it brings up.

Blimey never mind the GS site there's loads on here if you look for it,even in the days of e'm costing 200 pounds a pop,Gus and myself paid 80 quid curtesy of a certain gent on this board,that must be what??18 months, 2 years ago.

[Red Fokker]

who? Winger...