| Author | Message | ||
     Itchybro |
OK, last night was my first experience with the Lightning coming from the mountains. It git dark up there! Is anyone running HID lights? Not the blue bulbs but the real deal (which requires the ballast etc...)? I found it way too easy to outrun the lights. Luckily I was showing a guy from Honda the cool way home from Deals Gap to Knoxville so his Demo Interceptor helped me out big time. I'm going to the Honda Hoot today and hopefully I can find something that won't cost a fortune. I'd planned on getting some motolights but I'm not so sure that will be the solution I need. "PLEH!" Cried Professor Backwards... | ||
| Jaimec |
Adjusting the lights properly helps a great deal. So does replacing the stock bulb with a Sylvania Ultra White bulb (which I did inadvertantly because the local dealership did not have the necessary bulbs in stock when mine burnt out... I had to go to the Auto Parts store next door). | ||
| Mr_gto |
Hey, go talk to Dennis at In The Wind Cycle Parts in Knoxville off Parkside Drive. He will hook you up on lights and anything else you need. He rides a Buell great deals on tires too. | ||
| Ejiii |
Next week I am going to order the Aerostich HID conversion kit. I have tried various bulbs, etc. but nothing seems to have really improved anything. When it's dead dark out I don't think much can compete with HID. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Look here http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/384 2/249273.html?1167815874 | ||
| Tork |
I just switched to HID with the 35W bike kit from hidfoglights.com (http://www.hidfoglight.com/productsAndServices/ret ro/hidSlimHeadLightOrderPage.html). The install was easy and the lights are alarmingly bright. Results will of course be better if the reflective coating in your headlight housing is in good shape. The price for this kit isn't bad, either. It's on sale right now, and includes required parts for both lights. The kit also comes with the slim-line ballasts, which makes mounting in tight spaces a little easier. -Tork | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Tork, Very interesting. Could you provide a few more details? I would like to know where you put the ballasts? How do you run the lights? Both on all the time? Doesn't it take a while for the lights to come on? Did the Bulbs fit right in, or did you have to modify lights? Got any idea how they would work on a Lightning? Thanks | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Take a look at the treadmarks death ray in the ULY big and dirty section. THEY are bright. Gives me headlight envy. | ||
| Fullpower |
I have been running an HID low beam on my Lightning for 3 years, works quite well, particularly late at night, and well into a thousand mile day when eyes are tired.... I think I may have posted some installation details some where hereabouts. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thats a good price for two lamps. | ||
| Roro |
I've been pretty happy with my HID from xenon depot. Hardest part like everyone else was where to put the ballast. | ||
| Kedo |
Does any or all of this apply to firebolts? I don't ride much at night but I PREACH the VISIBILITY RULES thing. Not necessarily for me but to be seen by cagers and RV'ers and the like. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Only difference for firebolts is you have someplace easy to put the parts... it's tough on a lightning. Xenon Depot had a very high quality kit, with long enough wires to have a lot of flexibility on what gets mounted where... but cost that much for one lamp (where that has two). If you have a lightning, I would pay attention to the details of the kit. If I had a firebolt, you probably don't have to worry so much about wire lengths. The projector lenses on the R's will probably work better with HIDs also (lack of reflection notwithstanding...) | ||
| Tintin74 |
I read on the french Buell forum an advice that seemed very sound: The way to go when your reflective coating goes bad is both to get a new one AND convert to HID. This way you make the new reflector last longer by lowering the power and thus the heat of the bulb and its consequences. Now I read that it probably doesn't make sense to convert the High beam to HID unless you are prepared for extensive work. In fact, it would REQUIRE the coupling of both lights as the HID bulb is said to take up to 3 seconds to start properly. This lead some of the french Uly owners to install a stroboscope module just for the "pass" switch. More over I read that Hella's high beam isn't DOT approved anyways, it might be the same for others. So since simple is beautiful, I guess just converting the low beam could be the way to go! | ||
| Tork |
Like Roro said, the most challenging part was figuring out where to mount the ballasts. My bike is a Firebolt and I mounted the ballasts on the outboard sides of the fuse box and relay box using supplied mounting brackets which were bent and secured using a simple bolt and nut through the hole on the bottom of the fuse and relay boxes. This location made it really simple to mount everything up underneath the fairing. Pretty much plug and play. I run only the low beam unless I'm out at night on a twisty, unfamiliar road where I like the extra "reach". Honestly, I think the HID low beam is so bright, it will significantly reduce my need to use the high side torch. The lights need a minute or so for the initial fire and warm up to full brightness. I turn the key and hit the run switch, let the HID fire, and wait a couple of seconds before I start the bike. Corporatemonkey left his high beam as a halogen to retain the ability to flash it for attention as necessary. This is something to consider. Flashing isn't good on the ballasts. However, I do notice that once my high beam has been lit once and turned off, subsequent firing is almost instantaneous, so flashing is possible, if you have to. I just don't know how much it affects overall ballast performance/longevity. The Firebolts use H3 bulbs and the bulbs that came in my kit fit right into the stock mounts just like the original halogens without any modification. A Lightning with HIDs will need to chime in with their experience on ballast location and usability. Sorry I don't have installation pics. (Message edited by tork on June 22, 2007) | ||
| Hkwan |
Tork, there is no way you can take a pic of how you've mounted the ballast? | ||
| Treadmarks |
You don't need no stinkin ballast. All you need is a little bit of pinkeye:  A legal low beam that is really bright, and a high beam thats ...well a DeathRay.  See the light  | ||
| Deton8r |
Treadmarks - What exactly are you running there? How much and where can you get them? | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Yeah, details please. | ||
| Disturbed |
Soltek Fuego racelights Per his profile  | ||
| Itchybro |
DING DING DING!! I think we have a winner. Yo Tread. Do you have more shots of the install? How much (if any) fabrication was required for this set up? Were you able to use any of the OEM stuff to park em' in there? Also, how do they react when using the "pass" switch? Thanks for the tip. My research is pointing in that direction. | ||
| Treadmarks |
All hail the DeathRay!  http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/257385.html | ||
| Nickcaro |
OK, who will be the brave soul to install those Fuego lights on a Lightning? Last night I rode in total darkness with no streetlights and no other traffic. I have to admit, it was very peacefull and serene to look up at the stars with the moon...it was beautiful. Then the reality of nailing a hole in the road scared the pants of me and got me thinking that more light would be nice next time. | ||
| 07xb12scg |
I don't think that putting them on a Lightning would be much different than putting them on a Uly. |
