So I gets these cheap HID lights off eBay and finally got them installed and tonight was the first time I have had a chance to run around with them in the dark. I LOVE the color of the light just pure white, not yellow, not blue - very clean. That's the low beam. The high beam is another matter. It fires up a yellow color, goes almost the same color as the low beam and then settles into a yellow tinge - doesn't look right.

The eBay seller was very responsive and gave me instructions for returning them getting replacements etc. I think I'll probably go back to halogen or get some super halogen bulbs. Another issue was that the high beam's beam was way off.

BTW - how do you adjust the low beam? Even with halogens it was always way off, pointing too low.

On a good note the $19 Hellas driving lights work great. I found a cool way of mounting them, not original, will post pics once I get my panniers mounted. They are meant to arrive tomorrow. I am excited and also trepidatious* as to their quality of construction...


* I think I just made that word up.

No... you didn't.

"A state of alarm or dread; apprehension. See Synonyms at fear."
"An involuntary trembling or quivering."

Still... cool word even if you didn't know it already existed. You get stylidatious* points :thumb:

* I did make that word up.

Well obviously I knew trepidation, just had never heard trepidatious and my spell checker balked at it but the more i look at it the more right it looks. Then again the spell-check just let balk thru and I thought it was baulked - go figger. Maybe I was thinking of caulk.

The problem of being educatified in the UK and domicilificating in the USA!

When in doubt, dump the word in a different browser and search. Wiki will tell you.

Sorry for no knowledge on the lights. Good luck.

PS: I lived in Arlington for a year and a half. Felt like I was bridging two worlds there (Dallas and Fort Worth) myself.

In other forums the downside to HID lights that some gave was that although they were brighter, the did not shine out farther.

I put in the 65 watt "off-road" bulb, adjusted the beam and I'm happy with it. Seems like the light really shines far out there. Yesterday I had to leave so early that it was still dark and I didn't notice my light shining in anyone's rear mirror, didn't see anyone adjust their mirror and no one gave me the finger, so I guess it is adjusted right.

The headlight adjustments affect both beams together, because both reflectors are one continuous unit. If your high-beam was off, the bulb may not have been seated in the reflector correctly. If it was backed-out/not clipped in, that might explain the weird alignment and the brightness. Did you notice a lot of light below your console or behind the front fairing when you had them on?

The headlight adjustments affect both beams together, because both reflectors are one continuous unit. If your high-beam was off, the bulb may not have been seated in the reflector correctly. If it was backed-out/not clipped in, that might explain the weird alignment and the brightness. Did you notice a lot of light below your console or behind the front fairing when you had them on?

I didn't notice any light bleed but I could have had it in wrong. So how do you adjust? Is it something to do with the four bolts that hold the light assembly to the frame??

thanks. Les

Leshall, sounds like your high beam had a bad ballast. Did your kit say anything about a "burn in ?" I plan on installing an HID kit as a low beam only. I will upgrade the high beam to something of a warmer temp halogen. The only problem with "HID/Xenon" lights is that they take a small amount of time to "warm up." Thus causing a problem sometimes when cycling between high and low beam. I figure that the HID on low beam will help tremendously but you will still be able to quickly (and safely) transfer to halogen high beam. If you can use the HID high beam enough to keep it warm then it may be worth a dual HID config. If only our headlights could run bi-xenons with the little servo motor. Those are very trick. BTW, what temp kit did you order? I'm assuming it was something in the 5k-6k range by your description. Also, what was the manufacturer name?

I didn't notice any light bleed but I could have had it in wrong. So how do you adjust? Is it something to do with the four bolts that hold the light assembly to the frame??

thanks. Les
The vertical adjustment is done with a thumbwheel that is mount under the light and behind the cowling. The horizontal is adjusted with a thumbwheel next to the vertical wheel on the left. Some people are able to reach them without removing the tank fairings, but I found it easier to take them off and then you can reach the thumbwheels easily.

Hope to meet you at todays Meet & Greet at the Bass Pro Shop on Lake Ray Hubbard. Meeting time is between 8: & 8:30 am.

Leshall, sounds like your high beam had a bad ballast. Did your kit say anything about a "burn in ?" I plan on installing an HID kit as a low beam only. I will upgrade the high beam to something of a warmer temp halogen. The only problem with "HID/Xenon" lights is that they take a small amount of time to "warm up." Thus causing a problem sometimes when cycling between high and low beam. I figure that the HID on low beam will help tremendously but you will still be able to quickly (and safely) transfer to halogen high beam. If you can use the HID high beam enough to keep it warm then it may be worth a dual HID config. If only our headlights could run bi-xenons with the little servo motor. Those are very trick. BTW, what temp kit did you order? I'm assuming it was something in the 5k-6k range by your description. Also, what was the manufacturer name?


versys is not affected with the problem of warmup when switching to high beam, because the low beam lamp stays on! so the only thing left is the first turning on of the high beam lamp, you just have to wait untill the high beam lamp warms-up.

i installed two h7 xenon lapms (two ballasts) for both low and high beam, and i am very happy with the lights on my versys. i just had to replace the standard 10A fuse with one 15A, because HID lights tend to spend more power during warm-up, and later the power consumption drops to a measure similar to halogen lamps.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents for those interested in switching to HID. I plan to soon. That bright white color that looks so cool (5k and above) has one serious fault.
It does not penetrate fog, smoke, rain, etc. nearly as well as the more yellow spectrum
lights. This effect is known as dispersion. A very dynamic example of this effect is try using both an LED flashlight and a normal bulb flashlight in a cave. The normal bulb flashlight will have a beam that appears the same as at your home but you will hardly be able to see any light whatsoever with the LED flashlight.

Has anybody who has installed HIDs got any suggestions on brands or models?

i just went to my local electronics supply store, and bought first kit that fitted my needs: two hid lamps + two electronic ballasts that drive the lamps with appropriate voltage and power...

everyone, i have to say it again, pay attention to the power of your hid, i had to change the main light fuse of 10A and put one 15A fuse, because if you turn on both HID-s at the same time while the main light is still not warm enoght, ballasts may drain more than 10A of power, leaving your fuse broken. thath much power drain occurs only when lamps are cold, later on power drain remains the same as with regular halogen lamps.

I have ordered a pair of Hids and am trying to install them. Because of the spacer in the rear of the bulb, the gray piece that the bulb plugs into, I am having trouble with the hid not being thick enough for the metal clip to hold it in place. Anyone else have this problem?

brands wise.....on stage we stay away from GE...Osram and Phillips are preferred.
Just better quality lamps.

And as for the odd color temp of your high beam....sounds like a gas leak. that is to say the lead crystal envelope has been violated.

nathad
I think you may have been taken in by the same place that I ordered mine from. I had the exact same problem and had to machine an aluminum spacer 1.3 inches in diameter, 5/16 inch thick, with a 7/8 inch hole. Lucky I have a lathe or there was no way to get it to work. More on this rip off later.