1. Hello Guest. You have limited privileges and you can't "SEARCH" the forums. Please "Log In" or "Sign Up" for additional functionality. Click HERE to proceed.

HID Headlight

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by mlwistrom, Jul 5, 2015.

Page 1 of 2
  1. mlwistrom

    mlwistrom Member

    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Has anybody tried putting an HID bulb and ballast on an XJ650? I would imagine that it would work, HID bulbs are only 55 watts typically.
     
    mlwistrom, Jul 5, 2015
    #1
  2. DenCon509

    DenCon509 Member

    Messages:
    46
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Central Washington, USA
    There is no decent H4 HID design. If you want more light, go with an overwattage bulb on a battery-direct relay.
     
    DenCon509, Oct 10, 2015
    #2
  3. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    9,751
    Likes Received:
    2,096
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Beaver Falls, PA
    i've made a few LED lights that really light up the road, great for deer country and being seen in the daytime
     
    Polock, Oct 10, 2015
    #3
  4. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    575
    Likes Received:
    325
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Ireland
    HID bulbs in a normal H4 lamp shell will usually be badly-controlled, light-spilling, dazzling annoyances to other drivers. The rider might think they're great, though.
    Otoh, there's no telling what a particular combo of HID bulb and H4 shell will be like until you try them - so have at it - you might find a good pairing. Same applies to LED conversion H4s.
     
    Dave in Ireland, Oct 10, 2015
    #4
  5. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    9,751
    Likes Received:
    2,096
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Beaver Falls, PA
    Polock, Oct 11, 2015
    #5
    Tylerag2011, Wintersdark and DenCon509 like this.
  6. sybe

    sybe Active Member

    Messages:
    576
    Likes Received:
    138
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    NYC - Brooklyn
    sybe, Oct 14, 2015
    #6
  7. mlwistrom

    mlwistrom Member

    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    I was thinking an HID in a projector would be good. Then it wouldnt throw light everywhere
     
    mlwistrom, Oct 15, 2015
    #7
  8. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    575
    Likes Received:
    325
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Ireland
    Yeah; made for the job. Fortunately, there are enough older projectors in high-end cars that have hit the breakers now, for it to be cheap enough to go breaker-yard shopping.
     
    Dave in Ireland, Oct 17, 2015
    #8
  9. mikeforbes

    mikeforbes Member

    Messages:
    57
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    8
    mikeforbes, Oct 17, 2015
    #9
  10. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    575
    Likes Received:
    325
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Ireland
    Yeah; I got a cheapy cheerful Chinese LED H4 bulb a few months ago and fitted it to a Kwack z1100 lamp unit of the early 80s, that's been fitted to the GS850 for 25+ years. It's a large rectangular light with big reflector and excellent optics and a halogen bulb in it is one of the best conventional bike lights I've had. The LED was up against some stiff competition in that. However, it acquitted itself well, with a decent beam pattern and well-controlled dip, even if the dip cut-off wasn't quite as neat as I would have liked. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of far-distance penetration on main beam, but that can be compensated for by one of the 27W LED distance-beam worklights set to come on with main beam.
    It came off one of these...
    [​IMG]
     
    Dave in Ireland, Oct 17, 2015
    #10
  11. DenCon509

    DenCon509 Member

    Messages:
    46
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Central Washington, USA
    How about posting some beamshots - light on flat (wall) surface for pattern analysis?
     
    DenCon509, Oct 18, 2015
    #11
  12. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    575
    Likes Received:
    325
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Ireland
    I've already said it's satisfactory. I'm not in the habit of driving around dazzling others, so I've been reasonably careful with this.
     
    Dave in Ireland, Oct 18, 2015
    #12
  13. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    9,751
    Likes Received:
    2,096
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Beaver Falls, PA
    Polock, Oct 18, 2015
    #13
  14. sybe

    sybe Active Member

    Messages:
    576
    Likes Received:
    138
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    NYC - Brooklyn
    sybe, Oct 19, 2015
    #14
  15. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    9,751
    Likes Received:
    2,096
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Beaver Falls, PA
    Polock, Oct 19, 2015
    #15
    Yardawg and jayrodoh like this.
  16. DenCon509

    DenCon509 Member

    Messages:
    46
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Central Washington, USA
    That's my ex-wife!
     
    DenCon509, Oct 20, 2015
    #16
  17. sybe

    sybe Active Member

    Messages:
    576
    Likes Received:
    138
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    NYC - Brooklyn
    i think i might have dated her back in high school :eek:
     
    sybe, Oct 20, 2015
    #17
  18. DenCon509

    DenCon509 Member

    Messages:
    46
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Central Washington, USA
    I'm sure she was a lot more fun then.
     
    DenCon509, Oct 20, 2015
    #18
  19. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

    Messages:
    9,015
    Likes Received:
    1,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    The room where it happened
    chacal, Oct 20, 2015
    #19
    RogerRZ likes this.
  20. Tim morris

    Tim morris Active Member Premium Member

    Messages:
    152
    Likes Received:
    39
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    Hopatcong NJ 07843
    Yes I put in LED but it wouldn't pull enough current to shut off the warning light so I installed a resistor kit but it got too hot so I had to set it onto a heat sink inside my fairing working well great light high and low took off original lower fog light and replaced it with a full LED unit which gives me long distance bright light straight down the center of the road love the modifications if somebody's coming I turn them on low and shut down the fog light not to blind them the secondary late didn't need a resistor as it doesn't go through the control panel on the 82Seca.
     
    Tim morris, Jul 8, 2016
    #20
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page