UPRATED HEADLAMP BULBS

[Les Wassall]

How many ballasts do you want to mount and I have brackets that fit if you have a Migsel bar mounted with no fear of the forks touching them

 

[Spikehammer]

Just swapped my dipped beam over to a HID this afternoon. I didn't need to take the lights off or any of that stuff. Did it with almost everything in place, got the black cover off, drilled it to the right size and put it all back. Ballast is currently living on top of the light bar but will be moved next time I have the tank off.

The job took 30 mins maximum.

 

[tasr12]

Price

Hi Guys I'm new here but what sort of price are we talking for some bright add on lights (HID's?) for and R1200 GS? Are they easy to fit? I was hanging out after a long night drive recently due to the poor dipped beam, thought it was just my bike but appears it may be GS wide?
Cheers,

 

[Davy F]

Not having the dosh to consider a Hid conversion (or maybe too tight, before someone else says it ), I bought a set of the Phillips GT150 bulbs from Nippys. Big improvement over the oe ones. I did notice that my dipped bulb, when removed, was looking rather 'burnt'. Guessing that it did not have much more life in it.

 

[Nick Marshall]

price

Hi Guys I'm new here but what sort of price are we talking for some bright add on lights (HID's?) for and R1200 GS? Are they easy to fit? I was hanging out after a long night drive recently due to the poor dipped beam, thought it was just my bike but appears it may be GS wide?
Cheers,

around £120 to your door for a 35w pair

 

[tasr12]

Cheers Nick is that with mountings or would I need to shop around for those? Are they easy to mount/do you have any photos?

 

[Cole]

Tasr ... email me ... address is underneath my avatar at left.

 

[ahebron]

So in the UK is it ok to just swap your old headlight bulbs out for HIDs. Are there any MOT considerations with these conversions. In NZ you can not just fit HID bulbs and ballasts, the light has to have been built and manufacturer approved for those bulbs. We can fit HID accessory lamps but they can only operate with high beam.

 

[Cole]

So in the UK is it ok to just swap your old headlight bulbs out for HIDs. Are there any MOT considerations with these conversions. In NZ you can not just fit HID bulbs and ballasts, the light has to have been built and manufacturer approved for those bulbs. We can fit HID accessory lamps but they can only operate with high beam.

They are as 'ok' as headlight guards.

As far as MOT inspections in the UK goes, I believe they check the operation of the lights only. As in "do they work?". I dont believe its at the discretion of the MOT tester to examine each and every bulb or headlight component in the car to check it has E-approval. A tester doesn't pull the headlight bulbs out to check they are 55 watt rather than an aftermarket 80 watt bulb for example. Neither will he pull the reflector out to see what E-stamp it has on the back and then cross reference that in a database of E-approved parts. etc etc.

I saw some correspondence from a year or so ago from the VOSA concerning aftermarket HID kits. And while the 'authorities' said there were no hard n fast rules for aftermarket HIDs (the ECE regulations are about getting new vehicles approved) they said that in theory, it made sense to apply the same considerations that new vehicles require to aftermarket fitments. They further pointed out that this is thoeretical only as there is no testing other than an annual MOT inspection of aftermaket parts fitted to a vehicle, and aftermarket HIDs appears to come outside the remit of MOT testers.

Basically their stand is very ambiguous.

I have never heard of anyone being fined for having HIDs on their bike and nor have I heard of anyone being fined for riding on the road with a steel mesh or clear perspex headlight protector.

There is currently a proposal before the ECE that is likely to be approved that will allow HIDs low and high beams on motorcycles. (car designers have had that right since 1991). That will further blur the situation and should see a lot of the aftermarket parts guys getting HID lamp kits approved.

 

[ahebron]

Here in NZ they WoF check every 6 months. Headlights are tested for aim and I believe brightness. I had it explained to me that HID brightness is such that it over powers the cut off pattern on dip beam. I have no proof either way.