HID - Worth It?

[buzzbomb]

I have to admit, I am singularly unimpressed with the search engine. HID is too short. DDM is too short. Headlights? Right. Give it a try.

Anyway, I'm seriously thinking about the HID upgrade. Not for the "cool" color. I really couldn't give a rip. I work second shift, and my commute home starts after ten o'clock at night. It starts in town, then the highway, and finally on some lonely-ass backroads.

I read MikeN02's "How To" on HIDs. Pretty cheap on DDM. Seems like a really good upgrade. It only takes one post to ruin it, though. RockZooky said he didn't notice a positive difference in the amount of light between stock and the HID.

Deer on the side of the road are a permanent fixture here. I would really like more light, both in front of me, and to the sides. All respect to those who have done it, but the "projector mod" is not an option for me.

Does the HID really throw more light to the front and sides, or is it just a cool, blue color?

 

[SampsonNation]

I would say yes to your question. I wanted to keep my mods to a minimum, but upgrading to an HID had a really good improvement in invisibility. I only did it because of the safety factor. I wouldn't skip out on it. I didn't even modify the housing or anything.

 

[flyingminno]

I say yes, I notice a large difference. I have ridden with a couple of friends at night who had the same old H4 from our bike and my HID completely out shined their light on the road through distance and width.

 

[buzzbomb]

I would say yes to your question. I wanted to keep my mods to a minimum, but upgrading to an HID had a really good improvement in invisibility. I only did it because of the safety factor. I wouldn't skip out on it. I didn't even modify the housing or anything.

Ha Ha! I won't even bust on you for your invisibility!

 

[CrazyCawi]

I did them. I could not believe the difference. I have dual beam setup....so low beam is standard halogen....high beam is the HID with the ballast.....It is INCREDIBLY different. The very first night I rode home I couldn't believe the difference to be honest. At night I have a wider view on the road and into the ditches,,,Its more pure and easy on the eyes....and I can see much further. I have bad eyes in the evening so these made my world shine as soon as I did them. Not to mention people notice me much more during the day now that I have them because the HID catches drivers attention even in broad daylight

 

[nismos14]

What is important also, about HID's is that you go with the correct color temperature. For the most light output, you want to go 4300k to more than 5000k. 4300k is ideal. Dunno if it's possible but a projector retrofit would be the absolute best way to do it. I don't have a fz6r yet but when I do, I may tackle a project and document it.

And this will be one of the first mods I do to the bike, it is imperative for visibility for you and for other drivers to see you, IMO.

 

[Rabbitman109]

I highly recommend doing the HID and Projector route. I know the regular HID's are cheaper, but the projector really puts the light out there. Makes for amazing visibility at night. You can't even imagine the difference. Definitely one of the best mods that I ever did. You won't regret it.

Output pictures:

These are taken at a distance of about 11-13 feet. Edit: My HID bulb was a 5000K output.

Low Beam:

High Beam:

 

[99vengeur]

I'm with FZRblack, the projector route is definitely the best way to go. I've done two setups for other members on this forum. It's not as hard as you might think. You say it's not an option, may I inquire why that is? Is it the challenge of doing it yourself or is it the cost factor? The projector does a great job of casting the light out beyond regular lights as well as illuminating the sides of your peripheral vision. You would most certainly be pleased if you went with a projector.

 

[nismos14]

Is there a kit of some kind that can be purchased for projector retro?

 

[SpawnXX]

I say yes, I notice a large difference. I have ridden with a couple of friends at night who had the same old H4 from our bike and my HID completely out shined their light on the road through distance and width.

+1 fo sho!

 

[Rabbitman109]

Is there a kit of some kind that can be purchased for projector retro?

Sportbike Stage III Kit - Complete Retrofit Kits from The Retrofit Source Inc

That is the kit that we had a group buy for. Cavcuz set that up. He has a DIY guide for it as well. If you look through the pictures on there, you will find a bike that looks familiar....

Here is a link to Cavcuz's DIY Thread: http://www.600cc.org/forum/f91/retro-fit-kit-diy-21370/

 

[99vengeur]

Sportbike Stage III Kit - Complete Retrofit Kits from The Retrofit Source Inc

That is the kit that we had a group buy for. Cavcuz set that up. He has a DIY guide for it as well. If you look through the pictures on there, you will find a bike that looks familiar....

Here is a link to Cavcuz's DIY Thread: http://www.600cc.org/forum/f91/retro-fit-kit-diy-21370/

For the same amount of money for that one kit, you can buy a kit on ebay for a car that is the same price and have two kits. Make one for yourself and sell the other one. :thumbup:

 

[Spunky99]

The brightness is amazing on the HID.
I have the DDM 55 watt dual kit and I can see my headlights on the road in the daylight. No way can you see that with stock halogens.

95% of my driving is during the day and I am a heckuva lot more visible to drivers with the twin suns on the front of my bike. So for safety reasons alone the HIDs are worth it.

 

[buzzbomb]

You say it's not an option, may I inquire why that is? Is it the challenge of doing it yourself or is it the cost factor?

Both. The cost is simply out of my range, and I just can't bring myself to put my plastics in the oven.

 

[99vengeur]

Both. The cost is simply out of my range, and I just can't bring myself to put my plastics in the oven.

I can totally understand that.

Well, if you ever change your mind and want to go with a projector, let me know and I can get you on the right path.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[6R Blackout]

99 is right you can get a deal off of eBay. I purchased mine off of eBay, I have a single bulb and it's a 10,000k HID. It is well worth it for safety and cause you literally can see it day or night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Casey (aka) Hunter77!

 

[nismos14]

99 is right you can get a deal off of eBay. I purchased mine off of eBay, I have a single bulb and it's a 10,000k HID. It is well worth it for safety and cause you literally can see it day or night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Casey (aka) Hunter77!

You are losing a lot of usable light output by using a 10000k bulb.

 

[bobby bo bonsin]

Hid

In my opinion the hid doesn't make a huge difference. The light is brighter and more pleasing but the headlight internals reflect the light in kind of a weird way and you kind of have a shadow right in front of your bike and a discernible cutoff line out in front of you. And the bright beam doesn't project as good as stock high beam or at least not much better. I'm not sorry I did mine and you do have some extra visibility its just not a huge difference IMO. I have krypton bulbs 35w 6000k btw. I wouldn't recommend ordering from them though as the guy that runs it is very flaky and impossible to contact. But its a cheap mod if you want to do it then why not.

 

[Tmak73]

Instead of making a new thread I thought I would post in this one..

Leaving work last night.. I turned on my bike and noticed my HID was flickering a bit and then all of a sudden my bike shuts off. Took a few tries to get it started but it did fire up but the headlight was out. Checked the fuse and it looked good so now I will be trying my spare bulb to see if that turns on but I think this might be my third ballast that has blown now and this is my third kit and second brand I have tried. Kind of upset about the whole thing. I have a spare ballast from an old kit but it is not as slim and I am not sure how it will handle the elements...

Thinking about just getting a projector kit but the price is rather steep for me. Not sure why my ballasts keep blowing out. Anyone have any ideas? I have my power running directly from the battery and I did not see any loose or exposed wiring so not sure what would cause the ballast to blow for the third time..

 

[Nastybutler]

Tmak, you check the ground cable to make sure that connection is solid? And is your ground cable going to your frame or the battery? If it's the battery you might want to try grounding it to the frame instead.