HID's worth getting installed?

[Brian]

I know absolutely nothing about installing HID's and where they hook up to. I don't know what brands are the best, and if they will last. For someone who knows nothing and want's new bulbs in there 250 would it be best to pay for a professional install somewhere?

[Christofini]

From what I can tell HIDs offer far superior lighting. However, you can't just install the bulbs as our stock housing and reflector isn't set up to accommodate them. Proper projectors and a ballast are needed, which can run you up to several hundred dollars in materials alone.

Besides that, they're illegal most anywhere in motorcycle applications and can catch fire if in an inadequate housing. I've never had problem with the police or getting through inspections as long as my cutoff line was right.

If you find yourself lacking night time visibility go for it, just be prepared for a lot of work (or a lot of money if you're paying for someone to do it).

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Brian

I know absolutely nothing about installing HID's and where they hook up to............

You can find more than one DIY here:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5586

[Bob2010]

You can order from xentec on eBay (Super cheap )
Lightweight digital ballasts for motorcylces. I did 5k/3k

Normally I suggest buying from DDM but they are a bit more expensive and longer ship times.

The ballasts tuck nicely under the black "wings" left and right of the gauge cluster.

Both work nicely

[ForceofWill]

If you're putting HID bulbs in your stock reflector housing, not only are you a dick but there's a good chance you're gonna get pulled over.

Do it right and retrofit the projectors. Several of us have pretty easy to follow DIY's in the thread. It's really not bad at all.

[Bob2010]

Realizing we don't have projector housings to begin with, I'm just being realistic.
There's a handful of people who did the retrofit, so I guess the "dick" club is most popular.

[oblivion007]

Here's a full kit. Sadly it comes with the angel eyes... not to my taste but still good. I've heard good things. Projectors included

http://www.bkmoto.com/index.php?rout...&product_id=55

[Brian]

Yeah so unfortunately I don't have the money laying around to get HID's installed for my bike, and a lot of these installations seem tedious and very confusing. Honestly, unless my hand was made out of rubber I can't seem to find a way to reach all the way to the back of the housing, let alone do work there. I know somebody who had regular like stock bulbs in there housing that give off a blueish halogen "HID" tint. There would be nothing "unsafe" about this and it runs on the same power if I'm not mistaken.

Something like: http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/...lasma-GTX-Bulb

or: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEXON-HID-XE...e420e1&vxp=mtr

Thanks guys

[ForceofWill]

Originally Posted by Brian

Yeah so unfortunately I don't have $150+ laying around to get HID's installed for my bike, and a lot of these installations seem tedious and kind of confusing. I know somebody who had regular like stock bulbs in there housing that give off a blueish halogen "HID" tint. There would be nothing "unsafe" about this and it runs on the same power if I'm not mistaken.

Something like: http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/...lasma-GTX-Bulb

or: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEXON-HID-XE...e420e1&vxp=mtr

Thanks guys

Those are just going to give you less light than you already have.

[rojoracing53]

As someone who rides close to 15,000 miles a year and nearly half is at night yes HID's with "Projectors" is totally worth the 300 or so $ they cost. They are so good I use a dark smoked visor 100% of the time and can see great

[oblivion007]

Originally Posted by Brian

Yeah so unfortunately I don't have the money laying around to get HID's installed for my bike, and a lot of these installations seem tedious and very confusing. Honestly, unless my hand was made out of rubber I can't seem to find a way to reach all the way to the back of the housing, let alone do work there. I know somebody who had regular like stock bulbs in there housing that give off a blueish halogen "HID" tint. There would be nothing "unsafe" about this and it runs on the same power if I'm not mistaken.

Something like: http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/...lasma-GTX-Bulb

or: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEXON-HID-XE...e420e1&vxp=mtr

Thanks guys

For the ninja, it just so happens that good hids and projectors for $200 is great! Compare it to other quality stuff.

[adouglas]

A friend of mine at work has a bike with HIDs. He didn't do the install... the guy who had the bike before him did it. They're yellow.

They SUCK. Whether it's because of poor components, poor installation or a bike that was poorly kept up, I do not know. But my regular old H7 bulb throws MUCH more light.

In theory they should be brighter. But in practice? I suppose it depends. Will you see a miraculous improvement simply because you now have HID bulbs? Based on what I've seen, don't count on it.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by adouglas

A friend of mine at work has a bike with HIDs. He didn't do the install... the guy who had the bike before him did it. They're yellow.

They SUCK. Whether it's because of poor components, poor installation or a bike that was poorly kept up, I do not know. But my regular old H7 bulb throws MUCH more light.

In theory they should be brighter. But in practice? I suppose it depends. Will you see a miraculous improvement simply because you now have HID bulbs? Based on what I've seen, don't count on it.

After seeing how badass the HIDs turned out on my bike my dad wanted to do the same for his Ford F-250. When I told him the parts where $300 plus he'd have to custom install them himself he bought one of those pre-made kits for $300 instead. The kit was totally plug and play with a new headlight housings and everything and they looked very cool with everything in the housing being blacked out. Then we go and turn them on and I can't stop laughing because the horizontal cutoff line is jagged like a saw blade and they where about as bright as a 10 year old 3D MAG. We pulled the **** out and sent it back with a very displeasing message to the distributor. My dad then ordered the same components I have and after a couple days messing around with getting it installed perfect he was blown away with how bright they were.

Those BK-moto kits are some kind of plug and play setup so I'm leery to trust them since I haven't seen the results in person but they seem to get good reviews on here and the pics of the lights on action look way better then the POS kit we bought for the Ford.

[boomer187um]

yes the bkmoto kits are nice, but do some shopping around, as they're not abkmoto product. try searching "VISION HID"

[mgentz]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

After seeing how badass the HIDs turned out on my bike my dad wanted to do the same for his Ford F-250. When I told him the parts where $300 plus he'd have to custom install them himself he bought one of those pre-made kits for $300 instead. The kit was totally plug and play with a new headlight housings and everything and they looked very cool with everything in the housing being blacked out. Then we go and turn them on and I can't stop laughing because the horizontal cutoff line is jagged like a saw blade and they where about as bright as a 10 year old 3D MAG. We pulled the **** out and sent it back with a very displeasing message to the distributor. My dad then ordered the same components I have and after a couple days messing around with getting it installed perfect he was blown away with how bright they were.

Those BK-moto kits are some kind of plug and play setup so I'm leery to trust them since I haven't seen the results in person but they seem to get good reviews on here and the pics of the lights on action look way better then the POS kit we bought for the Ford.

Which ones did you use?

[Sykes92]

I bought my bike the way it is, but I think my hi-beam is a xenon bulb in stock housing, however my lo-beam is stock. You think this would cause issues since most of the time highbeam is never used around other motorists?

[cuong-nutz]

Originally Posted by Sykes92

I bought my bike the way it is, but I think my hi-beam is a xenon bulb in stock housing, however my lo-beam is stock. You think this would cause issues since most of the time highbeam is never used around other motorists?

I see no problem with that.

[cuong-nutz]

Originally Posted by mgentz

Which ones did you use?

The retrofit source kit. I'm considering getting them myself vs BK MOTO.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...t=64230&page=3

[PartsNinja]

If you DO decide to install HID, make sure you do your research and buy QUALITY components and you do a safe and QUALITY install. I dismantle so many bikes that have the most "ghetto" rats nest install. Sometimes the wires and ballasts can even interfer with steering. I have seen some sh*t, man. I usually end up just throwing the whole system in the trash after I remove it, thats how crappy some of these cheap sytems are. Long story short, If you do install HID, do it RIGHT.

[NevadaWolf]

I just sent an email to BK Moto to see how much an install from them would be or if they have complete headlights for the 250 already. I am also curious as to the exact power consumption when using both bulbs vs just one for the low beam. I have heard that the ballast also uses power which may void out any attempts at saving. If anyone is interested, I can post the response when i get it.

Much as I like tinkering, there are some areas I would rather not mess with. Headlights are one of those areas.

[Floki]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

I just sent an email to BK Moto to see how much an install from them would be or if they have complete headlights for the 250 already. I am also curious as to the exact power consumption when using both bulbs vs just one for the low beam. I have heard that the ballast also uses power which may void out any attempts at saving. If anyone is interested, I can post the response when i get it.

Much as I like tinkering, there are some areas I would rather not mess with. Headlights are one of those areas.

I believe the power consumption would be the same or less as the stock 55W bulbs I believe. HIDs normally come in 35W and 55W. Although if I were getting HIDs I would buy the 55W b/c of more light output. I'm interested in what BKmoto has to say as well.

This thread makes me want HIDs, but i don't want to get rid of my modulator.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by PartsNinja

If you DO decide to install HID, make sure you do your research and buy QUALITY components and you do a safe and QUALITY install. I dismantle so many bikes that have the most "ghetto" rats nest install. Sometimes the wires and ballasts can even interfer with steering. I have seen some sh*t, man. I usually end up just throwing the whole system in the trash after I remove it, thats how crappy some of these cheap sytems are. Long story short, If you do install HID, do it RIGHT.

I just want the Xenon (clean white / blueish) look. I also wanted to make the regular "low" beam two bulbs on instead of having 1 on all the time. I was just wondering if they had bulbs that actually gave off a cleaner color light, kind of like those on a cars with HID's, it is in turn brighter, though, and I find gets more attention from on coming cars.

This is like an angel-eyes assembly, but I don't think it's the whole enclosure.

[Floki]

Originally Posted by Brian

I just want the Xenon (clean white / blueish) look. I also wanted to make the regular "low" beam two bulbs on instead of having 1 on all the time. I was just wondering if they had bulbs that actually gave off a cleaner color light, kind of like those on a cars with HID's, it is in turn brighter, though, and I find gets more attention from on coming cars.

This is like an angel-eyes assembly, but I don't think it's the whole enclosure.

They make Halogens that look like the white/blue HIDs by tinting the glass on the bulb blue. However you sacrifice light output because the light is filtered by the glass.

[InvisiBill]

I have a "PIAA H4 Star White 3800K XTRA" in my EX500. They were on sale and they're supposed to be more durable too. Whereas a regular halogen bulb is around 3200K, this 3800K is a little whiter. OEM HIDs are usually 4300K, and 5000K is popular for retrofits, while 6000K is getting into the bluish light. The PIAA is more like a crisp new light vs. an old yellowed one, while the HID kits are actually a lot whiter.

Even the 35W HID kits will put out 3 or 4 times as much light (~1000 lumens vs. 3000+ lumens) and it's 10 times the intensity (20,000cd vs. 200,000cd) according to http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/hid...eadlights.html. That's still a huge upgrade in lighting, plus you're even saving some power.

To do HID right, it will require some wiring changes and you should install projectors. You may be able to get away with a drop-in replacement HID bulb in your high-beam reflector, but it won't be anywhere near as good as a proper projector setup. It'll just be a brighter, whiter version of what you have, possibly with a screwed up light pattern (since the HID bulb might not be located in exactly the same spot in the housing as the halogen bulb would be).

Like Floki said, the "HID look!!!!!111" halogens just have a blue tint on the glass, so they look blue and put out less light. They're more for the appearance of your vehicle than for the lighting performance.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

Like Floki said, the "HID look!!!!!111" halogens just have a blue tint on the glass, so they look blue and put out less light. They're more for the appearance of your vehicle than for the lighting performance.

Yeah that's why they make them, same with the angel eyes, they look awesome. Again it's not worth spending that much for the actual HID's because I would need to get them installed by someone who knows what they're doing and they cost too much. I'd think about something like that for my car but not for my motorcycle especially only for one bulb to be on all the time.

[DEFY]

I have DDM HIDs in my car (highs and lows 55w 10k). The bulbs and ballasts are the cheap part its getting a sustainable housing and projector that's the real cost. For my car the new housings cost around $275 for the pair. The light output is exceptional and the highs just light up the road. I would do the install myself, did it on my car and took most an hour and a half.

[scorch]

i have a hid kit in my high beam of my 08. It works really well at night, i use it only when no oncoming traffic is coming. It is nice that its just in the high beam, so at least you have the option of switching it off.

its prett much a straightforward install, nothing to it. You just need to find a place to install the balasts.