| Author | Message | ||
     Ft_bstrd |
Write-up located in XBoard: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/233088.html?1160488440 | ||
| Reepicheep |
I am looking at this now as well. Are there differences in the "thrown light" pattern between the different HID kits? Or does this come from the headlight lens? Fats post above shows a fairly sloppy horizontal pattern relative to corporate monkeys pattern... (Let me try image links) http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/233088.html?1160488440  versus http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=3842&post=671699#POST671699  The difference could easily be distance and camera exposure artifacts as well... I am just wondering if there is really a difference. I definitely looking for a nice clean horizontal line. I want to be peeling paint for a half mile for everything 3 feet and below, and not hurting other drivers eyes when they are 3 feet and above. That will require a fairly aggressive gradient at headlight level (which Corporate Monkeys looks dead on). Thanks! | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Yes there is definitely a difference in which kit you choose. A little history lesson helps: OEM HID bulbs have a unique bulb base, they are not compatible with any halogen (h1, h3, 9007, etc...) socket. In the late 90's when the first aftermarket kits showed up (most from stolen Acura CL/TL's) they used a adapter plate to fit the HID bulb into a halogen socket. What happened is the light beam was in an incorrect spot within the light housing, causing glare and misalignment. Later one they started manufacturing after-market HID bulbs with halogen bases. Most of these were constructed by removing the original base, then reattaching a new halogen base. Frankly they were not much better than an adapter plate. Finally they start to make HID bulbs with real halogen bases. To do it right it is time consuming, they must use a laser device to properly base the bulb. How much effort a manufacture puts into re-basing bulbs effect your light pattern. My personal experience is stick with the more well known HID kits. In my case I used xenondepot. Their kit produces a nice cut off with my factory cityx lights. The photo that you used I took at a distance of ~60ft. So this should give you a good idea of what it looks like on the road. The only thing I will caution is make sure you re-aim your lights carefully after installation. I had my a little high the first night, and I pissed off a lot of drivers... After I lowered it to a realistic angle I haven't had any complaints (flashes, or people dimming their mirrors while infront of me) I found a good rule of thumb is lower the beam until it is below the trunk lid of an average car at a distance of 10ft. This way when you pull up behind a car at an intersection you will not blast them out of the way. I hope this helps. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Exactly what I was looking for... Thanks! | ||
| Samiam |
When I ride one up on my 'bolt none of the cars seem to mind my low beam. If I have a passenger it never fails, I always get flashed at if it's dark out. Oh well. Sam |
