R100gs/pd HID mounts..

[CBI]

Dear all,

1995 R100GS/PD classic

Considering going for a pair of Hid 35 watt DE's ( with SS covers) from Les Wassell to help the candle light scenario I have at the moment.

I am considering mounting them as per TT Aux lights( upper fairing bar) or relocating oil cooler (££) and having a pair on the engine bars.

Can anybody give me some mounting bracket options ( and links)?

i.e.

PIIA uk address & other options

Also interested in different switch options..

Many thanks

 

[(RIP) Dennis]

Be warned the DEs that Les supplies are Fog lights NOT spot lights and are as good as useless for anything other than blinding other drivers and yourself (from the reflective road signs) I really don't see the point of HID conversions on fog lights.

However if you really want a pair I'll sell you mine. I mounted them on the top of the crash bar that runs round the headlight just by the indicators.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Be warned the DEs that Les supplies are Fog lights NOT spot lights and are as good as useless for anything other than blinding other drivers and yourself (from the reflective road signs) I really don't see the point of HID conversions on fog lights.

However if you really want a pair I'll sell you mine. I mounted them on the top of the crash bar that runs round the headlight just by the indicators.

Have you tried adjusting them?

 

[VAL. H.]

Have you tried adjusting them?

Adjusting them won't do much. fogs are designed to give a low down, wide spread beam. The Hella DEs are also fitted with a shield cutting off the top part of this beam.
These are best used in conjunction with Low beam. So as Dennis said they ain't going to do you many favoures. Bit of an expensive waste me thinks.

You should be fitting the Hells FF50 'Driving lights' instead (Be warned the FF50 comes in either 'Driving' of 'Fog') These can also be HiD'd by Les.All very expensive though.

The cheaper and maybe best option would be to fit Les's 35W H4 conversion to the standard headlight (Haven't looked lately, but probably around the £80.00 mark). This will give you HiD on both Hi and Lo beams in the OE headlight. Then your need for extra light will no longer exist. Think of all that time and effort you just saved yourself


Val.

 

[Roger Chatterton]

I can vouch for the 35w H4 HID , from Les of course. Way better than the standard headlamp-you need a guide dog to ride at night with the standard. It's a bit fiddly to fit , especially with the tiny GS PD fairing, but not difficult. Well worth it , and I think it cost me around £95, but best check with Les to be sure.
Also, less drain on the battery too ( not so worried now that I have the EME alternator conversion !!!!).

 

[Les Wassall]

Have you tried adjusting them?

+1, are they fitted to high? the De's are only sold as fog/drive and not spots, but when positioned correct give a very good foot print of light, so ideal for day time running lights and more night ground light.

 

[CBI]

From the base up...

Dear all,

Based, in part, on the above will go for H4 35W (don't want to blind too many people on small Jersey roads).

After that will build up dependant on result to aux lights etc.(bearing in mind alternator load- but think I have the heavy duty one)

regards

CBI

 

[Redboots]

will go for H4 35W

Why not the 50w HID?

.(bearing in mind alternator load- but think I have the heavy duty one)

Not relevant. The HID's draws 35 or 50w... yer standard bulb draws 55/60 or the like, so you are reducing the power load with the HID.

John

 

[VAL. H.]

Why not the 50w HID?


John

The H4 only comes in 35W I beleive.


Val.

 

[CBI]

Being conservative..

Dear all,

Being conservative for Jersey roads-need to see result before start blinding everybody on small roads..

Regards

 

[Redboots]

The H4 only comes in 35W I beleive.

Strap me with a wet cod... just checked, yer right!

John

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

The H4 only comes in 35W I beleive.


Val.

50Watt HID on my G/S supplied by Les, a big improvement except for the poor pattern of the original Bosch unit. Cibie unit on order!

cheers,

 

[brassmonkey001]

Adjusting them won't do much. fogs are designed to give a low down, wide spread beam. The Hella DEs are also fitted with a shield cutting off the top part of this beam.
These are best used in conjunction with Low beam. So as Dennis said they ain't going to do you many favoures. Bit of an expensive waste me thinks.

I've got HID DE's on my Dakar and they're superb. They don't dazzle oncoming traffic or give you much trouble from reflective roadsigns for the very reasons you have just outlined, which is why I asked if Dennis had adjusted them. I suspect he has his aimed too high.
You know yourself what the standard 650 headlight is like. I used to hate riding mine in the dark so I decided to upgrade.
First I bought one of those 50%+ bulbs which made a barely discernible difference, then a 80/100W off-road bulb which was another slight improvement. I then bought a car 35W HID kit, which was all that was available at the time, and fitted half of it which made a huge difference but could never overcome the limits of the shape of the reflector/lens which makes the headlight so poor in the first place. Next I bought a pair of Hella Micro DEs which were a huge improvement again giving a nice spread of light in the near range plus extending the throw of light in the long range. And then I decided to buy Les's conversion kit to turn them into 35W HID which improved them yet again.

I also bought a set of HID DE's from Les to fit to my airhead but haven't got around to doing so yet being as the airhead headlight is so much better than the crappy 650 offering so not such a desperate need. Plus I don't quite know where to put them - no room on the crashbars with the Acerbis tank so I need some kind of bracket making up, maybe to fit on the forks somewhere. Any thoughts Val?

 

[Les Wassall]

The H4 only comes in 35W I beleive.


Val.

I do 50 watt H4 kits

 

[(RIP) Dennis]

You should be fitting the Hells FF50 'Driving lights' instead (Be warned the FF50 comes in either 'Driving' of 'Fog') These can also be HiD'd by Les.All very expensive though

Funny you should say that as that was exactly what I asked Les for !

 

[Les Wassall]

Funny you should say that as that was exactly what I asked Les for !

Dennis,

If there is some misunderstanding with the order, mail me and we can get it sorted/altered, if you have not used the DE's then I will exchange them for the FF50's, I only advise on what I think is most suitable for the job in hand from the description's on mail enquiries.

 

[(RIP) Dennis]

Les, I have used them through the winter thinking I'd get used to them... Now the airhead is off the road and I'm back on the 1150 which has a single Touratech DE Spotlight as opposed to the twin DE Fog light and it makes me realise all the more what a complete and utter waste it is converting fog lights to HID unless your sole intention is to blind all the vehicles coming towards you !

IMHO the single TT unit at twice the price of yours represents far, far better value for money in terms of lighting up the road ahead and hence in terms of safety. I stated all along from my very first email to you that I wanted to see further ahead and was would be the lights into MAIN beam, not dipped. You don't use main beam in fog!

Sorry, just my honest opinion on the subject.

 

[Rob Farmer]

If you want cheap and cheerful brackets that work well these cost around 60p each and are made from stainless steel.

Cheapo spotlights haven't got the long distance beam of the FF50 but at £20 for the pair from Halfords they are a bargain and work great on the narrow lanes round here.

Ring are starting to do some excellent kit. Now they have one of our own as a sales manager will hopefully start to do some specialised bike kit.

 

[Les Wassall]

You don't use main beam in fog!

i know , if you want to send them back and let me look at them, we can go from there, you are the first not to be happy with the HiD DE's, the TT lens is the one on the Premium and they are a very high price for the standard halogen, thats why the DE for the triangle of light is popular, the problem with the spot HiD on main is the light time, thats why i recommended the DE's.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Les, I have used them through the winter thinking I'd get used to them... Now the airhead is off the road and I'm back on the 1150 which has a single Touratech DE Spotlight as opposed to the twin DE Fog light and it makes me realise all the more what a complete and utter waste it is converting fog lights to HID unless your sole intention is to blind all the vehicles coming towards you !

IMHO the single TT unit at twice the price of yours represents far, far better value for money in terms of lighting up the road ahead and hence in terms of safety. I stated all along from my very first email to you that I wanted to see further ahead and was would be the lights into MAIN beam, not dipped. You don't use main beam in fog!

Sorry, just my honest opinion on the subject.

Sounds like you've got the wrong tool for the job.
I use my DEs as auxilliary headlights to augment both dipped and main beam and in this respect they work well, and I have them aimed correctly so that they don't dazzle oncoming traffic.
If you've got yours set up to try and throw the beam as far ahead as you can then they will be aimed too high and dazzle oncoming traffic.
Personally, I don't see much point in fitting spotlights to augment the main beam because traffic levels mean you spend most of the time on dip anyway, unless you live somewhere really remote where you seldom encounter other traffic.
If you put all your effort into improving main without attending to the dip first then every time a car comes the other way and you switch to dip it will have much the same effect as switching your lights off completely while your eyes adjust.