HID conversion on an Airhead

[carockwell]

I don't know why Daniel Stern is still so against HID. Come on, put them on the bike and see the difference. Yes, I get some scatter with the HID that wasn't there with the Halogen, but the HID clearly puts more light here it matters and makes riding at night safer. "Dont believe my conclusions, repeat my experiments yourself and see if you get the same results" - Albert Einstein.

 

[krehmkej]

Another thought on illegal lighting.

Recently, I was REAR ENDED at a red light on my /7. The at-fault driver's insurance went over every aspect of my cycle, license, registration, insurance, etc. all looking for an "out" there weren't any and they paid up no problem. Just wonder if I had had a non-legal tail/brake light on there.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Tom, which HID system are you using?
-Mark M.

 

[tommcgee]

Tom, which HID system are you using?
-Mark M.

I bought the H4 Bi-xenon setup with digital ballasts from VVME -- takes about 3 days to arrive from Beijing via DHL and they require a signature. I put them on my Vstrom (which has awesome reflectors), and not on my K75 (round reflector).

My primary purpose in buying the HID set-up was to free up a bit of power for heated gear. According to Phillips, all 35 watt HID bulbs actually draw 39 watts and the digital ballast draws another 8 watts or so. This means I'm freeing up about 15 watts compared to the dual H4 setup. That's enough for heated insoles.

I just bought three more HID sets for my Scion xB to do the low, high, and fogs. I MIGHT get different results as far as light pattern goes on the xB because the HID lamp is not the same in physical dimensions as the H11 or 9005 bulbs on the xB -- but the HID lamp is almost the same as the H4.

 

[Ridealot]

Another thought on illegal lighting.

Recently, I was REAR ENDED at a red light on my /7. The at-fault driver's insurance went over every aspect of my cycle, license, registration, insurance, etc. all looking for an "out" there weren't any and they paid up no problem. Just wonder if I had had a non-legal tail/brake light on there.

If you where rear ended at a stop light the other drivers insurance would have a pretty tough time finding a valid reason to deny the claim. If you had both tail and brake lights just what would make it non-legal? I would consider it normal for the other insurance to look at your license, registration, and Insurance.

After "almost" being rear ended several times I have added P-3 taillights to all of my bikes. Now cars actually stop with space between me and them instead of constantly pulling to within a foot or two from me. Its amazing the difference BRIGHT flashing lights made to how cars react behind me.

Hope you or your bike wasn't hurt to bad and was able to be fixed easily.

 

[535IS]

I don't know why Daniel Stern is still so against HID. Come on, put them on the bike and see the difference. Yes, I get some scatter with the HID that wasn't there with the Halogen, but the HID clearly puts more light here it matters and makes riding at night safer.

Where is that? As Daniel points out (and that photo shows) and you admit, there is more scattered light. That means it is either going 1) into somebody's eyes or 2) onto the road immediately in front of you.

With #1, it is purely inconsiderate, as well as illegal, to blind oncoming drivers and it is dangerous for everyone else on the road for you to do so. With #2, you are inhibiting your own ability to see beyond the bright foreground. Seeing a long distance down the road depends on that part of your field of view being the best-lighted. If it isn't, you see it less well because it is darker. Instead, the stuff you don't need to see up close is brightly lit. My own experience with high powered H4s confirms this. A brightly lit foreground gives you the illusion of better lighting, but not the benefit of it.

 

[carockwell]

Okay, I can see the point about blinding oncoming drivers. I am pretty good with that because the additional scatter does not create a problem with my set up. BUT, this **** about lighting up the foreground too much and causing poor long distance night vision is ridiculous. Just put the HID on your bike and see for yourself. The HID gives you better night vision at any distance, period. In this case, seeing really is believing. IMHO Daniel Stern is not doing the world a favor with his anti HID articles. He should try selling some of the HID conversions that DO work instead of knocking the ones that don't. I think he just can't compete with the pricing in the high volume HID business so he chooses to stay with products that he can sell for a reasonable profit. What he does sell works well, but so do some HID kits on the market.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Tom that's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm reluctant to add any heated gear with the stock setup. I avoided using the heated grips on my RS because of the drain. Would be nice to not worry. I'm taking a look at LED stuff too. A little sketchier still pattern-wise but super efficient...

 

[criminaldesign]

ride it and see for yourself.

I've been flashed on 2 occasions by other motorist over the year I've had the HID on the bike, which I didn't even respond to, they can get over it.

I've asked other riders if it blinds them in the mirrors when I first installed them and the answers always been no.

Big response is: "I can tell it's you behind me, is it really better and where did you get them?"

I got more "flashes" from others with stock H4 high beams which I HAD to use cos it's nearly impossible to see at night.

 

[criminaldesign]

One more note on this

There the legal side, and the reality side...

The bike was inspected this morning and nothing was even said about the headlight other than "turn it on".

I was also pulled over by an Illinois trooper at 2am who was facing me and nothing was mentioned about too bright of lights, instead it was the speeding.

HID!

 

[miairhead]

Modulator

Anyone use a Modulator with HID?

 

[jbcollier]

For me the big problem with HID is the lag time for full output. I'd rather run much higher wattage halogen bulbs as I get instant full output.

 

[Manfred]

For me the big problem with HID is the lag time for full output. I'd rather run much higher wattage halogen bulbs as I get instant full output.

I've not seen any lag time on the HID kits I've installed. I've used HID kits from two vendors. No log at start-up or high-beam switching.

 

[tommcgee]

For me the big problem with HID is the lag time for full output. I'd rather run much higher wattage halogen bulbs as I get instant full output.

This is one reason why you need a digital ballast. The other reasons are that it draws less power than an old-stlye ballast, and the digital one is MUCH smaller.

 

[535IS]

Okay, I can see the point about blinding oncoming drivers. I am pretty good with that because the additional scatter does not create a problem with my set up. BUT, this **** about lighting up the foreground too much and causing poor long distance night vision is ridiculous. Just put the HID on your bike and see for yourself. The HID gives you better night vision at any distance, period. In this case, seeing really is believing. IMHO Daniel Stern is not doing the world a favor with his anti HID articles. He should try selling some of the HID conversions that DO work instead of knocking the ones that don't. I think he just can't compete with the pricing in the high volume HID business so he chooses to stay with products that he can sell for a reasonable profit. What he does sell works well, but so do some HID kits on the market.

*Sigh* Daniel can source anything that's out there (I know this from getting some near-unobtainium BMW OEM lamps I needed through him.) and sell it at a profit. However, he has more integrity than that. He won't sell anything he doesn't consider to be the best solution to the issue, and his reasons here are both soundly grounded and clearly explained. His approach is highly intellectual as well as ruthlessly analytical. His knowledge is encyclopedic, from esoteric governmental lighting standards around the world to human vision physiology. If you'd sit down with him and talk for a few hours (as I have), you'd understand. Until then, enjoy your trendy lights.

 

[carockwell]

I don't get the Daniel Stern thing. Seeing is believing, what else is there? I am no stranger to the Cibie textured reflector lights sold by Daniel Stern. IMHO good HID's are better, at least for my eyes.

 

[Rinty]

...enjoy your trendy lights...535is

And you won't have to plead qualified privilege for that remark.

P.S. I just had aftermarket HID's installed in one of my cars. But they say the housings are appropriate for them.

 

[83014]

http://www.alpha-bid.com/XenonBuyingGuide.html#q11

This link is to the info page of the vendor used by Manfred. No one on this thread has yet addressed the issue of legality for street vehicles. Whether it's a better light or not is moot if its use compromises accident claims or causes your dealer/inspector to lose its inspection certificate. Even this vendor says that its product and all his competitors cannot sell this technology for street-legal use in the US. How do you users get around this?

 

[Rinty]

...if its use compromises accident claims...

As in, say, a motor vehicle accident, after which the driver pleads that he was momentarily blinded by an "illegal" HID unit, just before the crash.

As to the likelihood of this coming out during discoveries/interrogatories, I would think it remote.

But maybe there are some p.i. specialists here, who can comment.