HP goes HID

We converted the HP yesterday to HID.

Having used HID extensively on my previous 12ADV, I just had to convert the HP.

The set up used was an H4 35w 6k burner with the telescopic lamp to switch between low and high beam. So in essence this was a single lamp set up as opposed to two.

The result is ok, it's not brilliant. I guess you can't really expect to much from a small headlamp.

On low beam the spread of light is a little inconsistent, the high beam isn't to good with reach, a separate long distance spot would be a real bonus. This is something I may well look into.

Also, the side light would really benefit with a nice cool white LED to blend in with the cool blue hue generated from the main lamp.

The set up is quite straight forward, utilising a new generation of small ballast with is easily mounted within the front fender, very inconspicuous!

So, in short the conversion is not as good as that of the 1150 and the 1200. But what is does do is make the rider more conspicuous on the road during the day due to the intensity and colour of the light.

The kit was £70, which I think is a little expensive for a mass produced unbranded Chinese marque, although the quality is better than some I've seen!

Big thanks to Bernie (aka Phil aka Flipfly) for his time, effort and patience yesterday) Love ya big man!


DD...

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Bit too much man love going on there for my liking. You and Phil need to start playing with a different type of headlamp

Try unscrewing the chrome slotted light "filter" bolted onto the front of the burner and enlarge it.

Someone mentioned this earlier in another post ... apparently was a good increase in light on high beam

Hey Chap - I knew you would get around to this in the end...

While you don't seem overly impressed with it compared to 1150/1200 conversions, how does it compare to the original HP2 headlight? With the increasingly short days, a decent headlight is becoming more important!

That looks feckin brill if you ask me (which nobody ever does ).


I tried to fit a twin burner bulb to DD's HP2 (having finally sussed out the way to get the 2 bulbs to come on for 70w of HID high beam power. This would have been a better system but the Canbus kept on cutting the system out

This was really the only option, but I think Colebatch has hit a point there with the filter, that may well be an option.

I personally think that for £70 it's a bargain. The ballast is super tiny and adds very little weight, the light output is better than any tricked up halogen bulb and you are far more noticable than before.

It's a small price to pay IMHO.

Mav said:

Hey Chap - I knew you would get around to this in the end...

While you don't seem overly impressed with it compared to 1150/1200 conversions, how does it compare to the original HP2 headlight? With the increasingly short days, a decent headlight is becoming more important!

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Yes Jase, it is worth doing. While it doesn't appear to give out any more light than a halogen on the road, it certainly make the bike more noticeable during the day and night. So that 's a bonus IMO...

Try unscrewing the chrome slotted light "filter" bolted onto the front of the burner and enlarge it.

Someone mentioned this earlier in another post ... apparently was a good increase in light on high beam

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Will certainly give that a try...

[Bit too much man love going on there for my liking. You and Phil need to start playing with a different type of headlamp

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Nowt wrong with that my friend, Phil's a lovely little ladyboy....ok so he's not little...

I find the standard light more than adequate, and a bit too bright on full beam (if the council haven't set their roadsigns up correctly - lots of glare back).
Aren't you trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist?

Spout said:

I find the standard light more than adequate, and a bit too bright on full beam (if the council haven't set their roadsigns up correctly - lots of glare back).
Aren't you trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist?

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I agree with Spout...I find the standard light pleanty good enough for the grip the MT21's offer on tarmac...Plus i do a fair bit of offroad so my light is off more than it's on...

Spout said:

I find the standard light more than adequate, and a bit too bright on full beam (if the council haven't set their roadsigns up correctly - lots of glare back).
Aren't you trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist?

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Did I say there was a problem...

You obviously don't get where I'm coming from!

It's not about extra light at night, I would add some extra lamps if that were the case. It's about making the bike more visible during the day, and an HID does a damn good job!

Halogens burn hotter, suck more power, don't last as long as HID's and to top it off, have a horrible yellow spectrum. They will, in the not to distant future become obsolete...

I personally think halogens have no place fitted to vehicles of 'today'!

I can remember when having your headlight on during daylight hours was an offence

Spout said:

I can remember when having your headlight on during daylight hours was an offence

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You old git...