To H.I.D. headbeam or not to H.I.D. headbeam

[arcboutant]

that is the question.

I have already H.I.D.'d dipped beam.

OK, I know there is a delay to ignite then a delay to warm up

BUT

is it worth it?

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Ask me tomorrow. I have a 35w hid in my dip beam and want more light for the country roads. Have just taken delivery of a 55w kit for both beams and will be fitting it tomorrow. Tomorrow night I should have some answers for you.

Oh and have a hunt on advrider.com it's been discussed there at some length.

J.

 

[macpherson]

I had both fitted with 50W HIDs on my 1150GS and regretted fitting the high beam. It took a few seconds to glow properly, and essentially stopped me from being able to flash other motorists.

If you want the extra light, I'd look at the HID Micro DE foglights available from HID50, or VisionX LED spotlights from Adventure Spec.

http://www.hid50.com/

http://www.adventure-spec.com/shop/high-performance-hid-lighting-hid50-trailtech-xenon-extreme-eclipse-50w-enduro-knighter/cat_58.html

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Oh I should add that my twin hid 50w setup was £42 delivered, but uses the older style thick ballasts. Quite a bargain and worth a punt to see how it is.

If I don't like it I'll probably pull the main beam and get a pair of hella FF50's which are about £50 on german ebay and then source 35w hids with thin ballasts from the same place I got the 50's which would be about another £40 and convert the hella's.

 

[weewan]

that is the question.

I have already H.I.D.'d dipped beam.

OK, I know there is a delay to ignite then a delay to warm up

BUT

is it worth it?

Ask me tomorrow. I have a 35w hid in my dip beam and want more light for the country roads. Have just taken delivery of a 55w kit for both beams and will be fitting it tomorrow. Tomorrow night I should have some answers for you.

Oh and have a hunt on advrider.com it's been discussed there at some length.

J.

I had both fitted with 50W HIDs on my 1150GS and regretted fitting the high beam. It took a few seconds to glow properly, and essentially stopped me from being able to flash other motorists.

If you want the extra light, I'd look at the HID Micro DE foglights available from HID50, or VisionX LED spotlights from Adventure Spec.

http://www.hid50.com/

http://www.adventure-spec.com/shop/high-performance-hid-lighting-hid50-trailtech-xenon-extreme-eclipse-50w-enduro-knighter/cat_58.html

Oh I should add that my twin hid 50w setup was £42 delivered, but uses the older style thick ballasts. Quite a bargain and worth a punt to see how it is.

If I don't like it I'll probably pull the main beam and get a pair of hella FF50's which are about £50 on german ebay and then source 35w hids with thin ballasts from the same place I got the 50's which would be about another £40 and convert the hella's.

FFS This is the SS isnt it. am no wantin to read aboot this pish here. Shame on you Arc

chuffed, my first linky linky post thingy

 

[hops]

YES

As mentioned above HID the dip beam, HUGE difference in light. Leave the main beam as is and consider additional lights if you want to look like Blackpool tower.

 

[weewan]

As mentioned above HID the dip beam, HUGE difference in light. Leave the main beam as is and consider additional lights if you want to look like Blackpool tower.

 

[cunning fox]

FFS This is the SS isnt it. am no wantin to read aboot this pish here.

on the other hand, look at a' the moths attracted to his H.I.D.'s

 

[garfield]

I have 50w HIDS on dipped and high beam.....I think Den described it as being chased by a Starship last time I followed him up Glenshee.....

 

[weewan]

on the other hand, look at a' the moths attracted to his H.I.D.'s

 

[Myke Rocks]

I had both fitted with 50W HIDs on my 1150GS and regretted fitting the high beam. It took a few seconds to glow properly, and essentially stopped me from being able to flash other motorists.

If you want the extra light, I'd look at the HID Micro DE foglights available from HID50, or VisionX LED spotlights from Adventure Spec.

http://www.hid50.com/

http://www.adventure-spec.com/shop/...treme-eclipse-50w-enduro-knighter/cat_58.html

Foglights? Foglights? What the hell would any one want foglights for if they are looking for more light on main beam?
Foglamps are a device for blinding other road users, not a device for seing where one is going!

By the way you are obviously On h7s. It isn't as if the dip goes out when you go to main beam. It just comes on as an additional light, so you are not left in the dark. Most HIDs match a filament lamp for brightness on ignition, and get seriously bright after a few seconds, so you are not actually left in the dark when you go for main beam.
The problem is more of a phsycological one, in that one sees the light getting so much brighter afterwards, and feels it was dark beforehand, where as it was actually just as bright as a filament lamp.
Myke.

 

[arcboutant]

thanks macpherson

'I had both fitted with 50W HIDs on my 1150GS and regretted fitting the high beam. It took a few seconds to glow properly, and essentially stopped me from being able to flash other motorists.

If you want the extra light, I'd look at the HID Micro DE foglights available from HID50, or VisionX LED spotlights from Adventure Spec.'

This is the answer I both knew and expected to hear

 

[arcboutant]

and this is the athoughts I have too................

'Foglights? Foglights? What the hell would any one want foglights for if they are looking for more light on main beam?'

I want a main beam to light my horizon (dreams of my K100RS).

I think I will go down the H.I.D. route just the same.

mr_macfingers, I have already got my slimline 55w H.I.D. fitted on dip beam and night riding is glorious, magic.

I also bought a kit (slimline 55w) for my car dip - again separate dip and head bulbs. My car will stay HID dip only tho'

My worry is when H.I.D.'s are fitted from the factory - it'll be back to razzle dazzle again cheers all. Impressed by the response.

Glad I have managed to learn you something 'weewan',

 

[D6]

50,s on both, doesnt matter bout the warm up, your dipped is still lit anyway,
if you use flash a lot, stick some extra lights on , most people do anyway,

 

[Rev Chuck]

I have 50w HIDS on dipped and high beam.....I think Den described it as being chased by a Starship last time I followed him up Glenshee.....

See, that's where the flaw is. You should have switched your lights off if you were trying to catch up with him, and then he'd never have known you were there.

I have to confess that the one thing that I miss on the 1100 is the far better lighting that came with it. The 1150Adv lighting is rubbish. However, I think I probably should take off the TT protector thing, and see if that actually helps with the projection of light forward rather then of the protector and back up onto my screen.

 

[stolzy]

The problem with HIDing the dip and not th main is that when you switch to main, it makes almost no difference at all.

I don't think the light output from a hid main beam as it sparks up is much less than an incandescent bulb anyway, its just you can't see its on because the hidded dip is so bright.

 

[arcboutant]

????????????????????????????

'The problem with HIDing the dip and not th main is that when you switch to main, it makes almost no difference at all.'

DUH!!!

I'm sure,somewhere in there, is the reason why this thread was started

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Fitted the new hids today to dip and main. If you're in any doubt about it, just do it, the difference on a dark road that a hid main makes is huge.

flashing oncoming traffic will be much the same as the ignition pulse of light is as bright as a halogen anyway.

Once the main has warmed up, when you drop back down to dip to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic, if it's less than half a minute or so when you go back up to main there's no real ramp up of light, just straight back to full brightness. Obvsiously the longer you leave it on the longer it might take to come back on fully.

My results from a short ride in the dark tonight.

The difference from 35 to 50w on the dip is also very definitely a big improvement.

J.

 

[arcboutant]

'If you're in any doubt about it, just do it,'

thanks for that mr_magicfingers. Decision already taken. Item ordered - both 55w
(apologies for earlier misspelling,btw)

I have read in another (car) site that "there are issues with 55w HID lamps melting surrounding plastic"?

Any input re that issue?

 

[mr_magicfingers]

thanks for that mr_magicfingers. Decision already taken. Item ordered - both 55w
(apologies for earlier misspelling,btw)

I have read in another (car) site that "there are issues with 55w HID lamps melting surrounding plastic"?

Any input re that issue?

Fraid not, if I find any I'll let you know.