| Author | Message | ||
     Drkside79 |
So i want a brighter headlight. I was thinking about a xenon/halogen bulb. Is H7 the correct base. | ||
| Froggy |
For a Lightning? Yes. DDMtuning.com has the best kits, quick and easy install. I recommend 4500K color, it has the most light output. Your call on the 55w upgrade, its hellabright even at 35w. Skip the wiring harness. | ||
| Ratfink |
^ Use that idea. But I personally used the harness. I just don't like the amount of power running through the stock harness. Had a problem where sometimes it would fire the HID. Sometimes it wouldn't. And I'm sure Greg e will be in here telling you about how HID is illegal and how his Hellas are brighter. But I have over 30k on an 09 bolt and have ridden in 14 states and have never had an issue with cops. But Greg e has an awesome setup if you want to invest the time and money. | ||
| Ratfink |
And I just saw you live in the Chicagoland area like myself! If you want to see what the HIDs look like OR need a hand, I'm more then willing to ride to you or meet you somewhere. I'm in oak forest. | ||
| Greg_e |
Nope, until you summoned me I was going to ignore this thread. I still think my set up is best and provides a light pattern that the stock fixture just will never be able to provide no matter how many lumens you can shove through that lens. And mine is way more cool because NO ONE has this same mod. on their bike (yet). The next thing I would have wanted to try are the Hella 50mm series of SAE/DOT lights, they now have a halogen version of both high and low which will reduce the price considerably. Four of these might fit in the R plastic if you cut out the eyebrow (more thinking and measuring would be needed). The 90mm series with HID in them (again SAE/DOT version) look absolutely wicked and I'm surprised they are legal anywhere, they reach out for more than a quarter mile looking at the charts. That's a long damn way down the road to have bright usable light. | ||
| Froggy |
Greg, you aren't the first to put Hella lights on a Buell https://picasaweb.google.com/mackay.steve/HellaLig htsForXB12XRSTT?fgl=true&pli=1#5069200943358474018 But anyway, dropping HID bulbs in the stock housing is a fantastic improvement, and the best bang for the buck and no custom custom brackets or anything else crazy. Obviously HIDs in a HID designed housing will blow that away, but they cost quite a bit more, and will require some effort for mounting. | ||
| Greg_e |
Not the first with Hella, but the first with the Bi-Halogen version because they were not available when he did his conversion, or Pete down in Australia or New Zealand (I forget where he is). Both those guys used the 90mm high and low which were about $60 each. So mine is still a first in a Buell, and unique. I'll let Pete and Steve pick up the fight and go back to ignoring this thread like I originally intended. Be more careful calling out demons, they usually do show up when you call their name. I've really given up trying to convince anyone that there are better ways to handle this than just sticking an HID kit in the stock fixtures. I wish there was a drop in fixture upgrade, but there really isn't anything that I have found. (Message edited by Greg_E on June 20, 2011) | ||
| Drkside79 |
OK thanks all! One more question as i have never done this. Are these plug and play or is there much rewiring? | ||
| Terrys1980 |
The HID kit from DDM tuning is pretty much plug n play but does require some basic knowledge of wiring. The hardest part would be trying to stuff the ballast and igniter behind the flyscreen. | ||
| Drkside79 |
Rat i didn't know you were local. We should get together for a ride sometime. | ||
| Ratfink |
Yes sir. I'm obviously on the south side, but ill ride anywhere. Seriously though, if you want to jump to HID, hit me up in a pm and we will get the right stuff ordered. Then when you get them in, ill help with the install. | ||
| Syonyk |
I went with a set of the high end Silverstar halogen bulbs, and they're pretty nice - much whiter than the stock lights. But, yes, HIDs are a ton brighter still. | ||
| Andymnelson |
I have a DDMTuning HID kit on both of my Buells...and I can't wait to take them off. As has been eluded to above, yes they are many times brighter. But our headlight housings/lenses simply do not control the light. at all. It's all over the place, and quite honestly does more to blind oncoming traffic than it does to light the road. I will consider just throwing them into the high beam housings, since I rarely need to use them anyway. I had Silverstar bulbs before, I will use them again when I remove the HIDs. | ||
| Buford |
Got the Xenonrider HID set-up using the mini ballasts. 3000K (very bright yellow) for the low beam and 6K for the high. Did the wiring mod that allows both to be on when the high beam switch is activated. Like night vs day compared to the stock lights. | ||
| Syonyk |
The only problem I have with HIDs in the high beam side is that HIDs don't "flash" well - you can't rapidly cycle them to get someone's attention. Or, if you do, it's really quite bad for the entire HID system. They also can reduce your night vision range by flooding the close pavement with light. I have HID lows in my 1125, and they're absolutely *worse* at night than the stock bulbs. It's too bright, so I can't see as well far, even with 55W highs. I have mine because I typically ride in heavy traffic, and they're highly visible, but if you're expecting better night vision range with them, I'm not convinced that's the case. That said, the Silverstar bulb upgrades are totally worth it. As is the "run both lights on high beam" mod. | ||
| Mluds0379 |
Just installed a HID from ddmtuning 35w k4500. WOW, soo much more light coming out. Didn't have to cut one wire. EAsy install. They have step by step install directions. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
DDM Tuning is the way to go. As others have said, go with the 35W. I didn't listen, and went with 55W. The 3000k low beam isn't too bad but with the 6000k high beam on, I get flashed even in the middle of the day. | ||
| Nono443 |
Do any of you guys have any pictures of the light output (shining down the road) of both the stock and the hella Bi-xenon's (and other HIDs) for comparison? |
