| Author | Message | ||
     Isham |
Are there any around? I hate my headlights. I want to be able to see 5 feet or more in front of me. | ||
| Diablobrian |
you could go hid. this is about as plug and play as hid gets. http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/HID-Headlight-Conversion-Kit-p-18322.html | ||
| Buelltroll |
Any good after market 55w H3 bulb is better than the stock ones. PIAA makes a REALLY bright H3 bulb If you haven't already take the shield out of your low beam housing too. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Be careful of higher wattage bulbs. They generate more heat and can damage either the plastic of your headlight housing, or the coating on the reflector, or even burn up the wires to the bulbs. I've seen reports of all of those things, then again I've seen reports of people getting away with it no problem. I guess whether you do it or not depends on how good your karma is, or how lucky you are. <clint> DO you feel lucky?....well....Do Ya? | ||
| Buelltroll |
55watt is stock | ||
| Fdl3 |
Check out this thread also regarding Hella 90mm replacements: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/41556.html | ||
| Jessicasdad |
I have had a 100 watt Sylvania in the low beam spot on my 04 12r and no issues. I am thinking that for winter riding I am going to go with a yellow 85 watt from Hella for the low. Currently, have a stock rated 55 watt for the high beam but will change that out this weekend .. heading down to northern California next week ... | ||
| Isham |
I dont think its the bulb its probably the reflector, I'll be taking it apart this weekend to see what's up. | ||
| Isham |
I know why my lights are dim. Because there is not reflective paint inside the housing. How do I fix this bs??? | ||
| Midnightrider |
I had a PIAA 55/100 H7 in my Uly (supposedly gives you the light of a "standard" 110W with the heat/current draw of a 55). It was a huge improvement over the stock. Unfortunately, it died last week while on a night time ride. The PIAA place was closed but I was able to get a Sylvania Silverstar for about half the price of the PIAA. I think it is at least as good, if not brighter (but who knows the PIAA may have been slowly fading) By the way - what a PITA it is changing those lamps on a Uly- no way I can get my hand in there without removing the whole headlight assembly first. Of course then you have to re-aim the whole thing | ||
| Isham |
My lights work again. I couldn't wait so I pulled the reflector out on the low beam. Went to the auto store and got some duplicolor Chrome Paint. Painted both light housings, after 3 coats of paint I assembled it all and it works pretty damn good, not as bright at my friends 06 r6 but it lights up the road pretty nice. I think if I were to get HIDs it would be amazingly bright. I noticed one problem My low beams dont get any power anymore I checked the volts from the wire and 0. I followed the wire as far as I could and didnt go further under the air box. So what I ended up doing was making a Y cable and i'm using the power from the high beam. So now it turns on with the flip of light switch. At least my battery wont get much of a drain during day driving. I dont understand how it can't be working now. btw fuses are all ok. | ||
| Xb9 |
I'm still enjoying my 90MM Hella units. It's a permanent fix, much better quality and much better lighting. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Isham, check your relays. the extra amperage could cause the high beam relay to fail too. | ||
| Buelltroll |
Lets see some pics of the Hellas installed. | ||
| Fdl3 |
XB9: Different pics! More angles! Too bad you never took a pics of the Hella 90mm unit side-by-side with the stock unit. | ||
| Buelltroll |
Or even installed... | ||
| Cruisin |
Well, the Hella 90mm lights are GREAT!!! I took XB9's suggestions and put them on my 12R...here's pics:     Brighter that any upgraded bulb in the stock light ever could be! | ||
| Buelltroll |
Got any pics detailing the install? | ||
| Cruisin |
Not really. Basically I used some JB Weld to beef up the stock bracket...drilled new holes for the new mounts (If I remember correctly, cut off and drill out the stock stationary mount, then measure 2mm up and 5mm over) - them measure the rest of the holes from there. I then took a dremel with a high speed cutting tool and honed out the holes in the faring - trimming where needed to make it slide over just right. It's not perfect but hardly noticable...almost looks stock! | ||
| Xb9 |
Pics aren't the greatest, but here they are on a white 9:    "Brighter that any upgraded bulb in the stock light ever could be!" That's an understatement. The stock units are junk, period. Here's a comparison of the stock: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=32777&post=216681#POST216681 (Message edited by xb9 on July 21, 2006) | ||
| Samiam |
I used this kit from Xenon Depot using this as a guide to help my install. Works great and I love how it looks! Sam | ||
| Tpoppa |
Dave, Do all those bugs make it any faster? BTW, How have you been? | ||
| Xb9 |
Like I said the optics in the stock units are crap. So you've got some really nice bulbs in subpar lamps that still will degrade with time, I'm sure the HID bulbs are a great improvement in the stock lamps, but I'd like to see those HID's in the Hella lamps! Now that would be the setup. | ||
| Xb9 |
Tpoppa - those are 130mph Nelson Ledges bugs! Last time I road it was at the track school, the day before I broke my hip. Haven't been able to wash it. But I think I'm going out, putting the mirrors back on it and see if I can sling my leg over for my first ride in 5 1/2 weeks - see ya  | ||
| Samiam |
Xb9, I was just thinking that. Now I've got something else to look into modifying... Sam | ||
| 99buellx1 |
My buddies bike. Before:  After:  Nice detailed install with alot of pictures: http://www.ifmracing.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=148 | ||
| Kevinfromwebb |
Isham, how did that chrome paint work out??? A couple of people have said they were going to get their 'reflectors' chrome plated, has anyone done it??? How did it turn out and how much$$$??? Kevin | ||
| Starter |
I went down the chrome plated avenue till I dropped the parts off and they refused to do it cause they were too small and fiddly. They also predicted the problem wasn't the coating but rather the plastic it was coated onto not being particularly heat resistant. | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
I had also researched plating. Turns out there are very few places in the entire country that even deal with plastic in anything less than production numbers. I found a place in So Cal and back east somewhere. By the time you pay $80 to get both housings done, replacing with the units discussed here seems like a more attractive option and is what I'll be doing... | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Oh, in the meantime, chrome spraypaint, while not a perm fix, did improve my situation... I had wiped out the reflector thinking it was dirty and all the reflective surface just wiped right off. The paint fixed it. | ||
| Gowindward |
Craig, Your friend is running the HID's in both lamps right? Has he had any problems with switching hi beam off and on? The HID's are on my next mod list. His before and after photos look AWESOME. | ||
| Isham |
I'm thinking about the HIDs also. Kevin: I ended up going to discount and picked up a (small) can of duplicolor chrome paint. The can doesnt say anything about heat rating but its designed to be put on interior pieces and I know the interior of a car on a hot day probably gets pretty damn hott so this paint should be ok. I rode for 2 hours a few days ago thinking I would have problems but they still work good. I believe the can cost me about 3 dollars. |
