Just got my new HID headlight.

[Flyinfool]

The nice man in the big brown truck just showed up again at my house.

 

This time he had a small box with a Hi-Lo beam HID setup for my scoot.

 

It has all of the wire harnesses and is supposed to be plug and play.

The system has a relay and a fuse already in their wire harness.

It is a 35 watt system so I will have a little more power for something else.

 

I will wait to install it till I can get out on a dark road to get a before and after pic of what the light looks like shining down the road.

 

I'm sure gettin lots O new toys on the scoot this winter.

[Snaggletooth]

Which system you get Jeff?

[LilBeaver]

...

I will wait to install it till I can get out on a dark road to get a before and after pic of what the light looks like shining down the road.

...

 

 

Please do!!

[Flyinfool]

OOps

It is the motorcycle, MOTO Bixenon from HID Country.

I chose the 6,000K color. It is the closest to white light with just a touch of blue.

I like the voltage in pic 4, I wonder if it could be rewired as an ignition coil in a pinch??????????

 

 

It gets the Hi and Lo beam by moving the bulb with a solenoid.

I am not sure if the computer on the bike will like this setup since none of the power for the light is coming from the bike wiring all of the power comes from the separate fused power lead to the battery. I read a thread somewhere where someone already figured out a way around this issue, I will have to do some searching for it tomorrow.

[Dano]

I'm sure gettin lots O new toys on the scoot this winter.

 

 

 

And I just got your rotor in, so by next week you'll be sitting pretty!

[BuddyRich]

I have had the 8000k on my bike for the last 4 years. You'll never go back once you've had a Bi-Xenon HID. They sure light things up.

[RossKean]

Somebody needs to do a "How to" for installation. Type of system, recommended vendors, location for ballast and wires etc - lots of pictures so I can do it while avoiding mistakes. HID lights have really come down in price.

 

I am wondering if it is worthwhile to use the type with the solenoid-operated shield for Hi-Lo beam or whether a purpose-built low beam only would put out enough light; especially if you already have driving lights. Are the bi-xenons mechanically reliable?

 

Ross

[Squidley]

I have had the 8000k on my bike for the last 4 years. You'll never go back once you've had a Bi-Xenon HID. They sure light things up.

 

 

When we went to Big Bend in November with the Texas group I had Buddy Rich behind me and I can tell you that you WILL see that light! Eventually I will upgrade all the scoots to that set up

[gunkylump]

I have had the 8000k on my bike for the last 4 years. You'll never go back once you've had a Bi-Xenon HID. They sure light things up.

 

How difficult was it to install? I am somewhat tool savvy, but not real good with electrical issues.

 

Thanks Buddy

 

gunk

[BuddyRich]

You'll have to run a hot wire from your battery to the red wire on the HID kit. Its got all the instructions in it. But all your gonna do is remove the fairing and put the ballast and starter in there. Then change the bulb and plug the old headlamp connector into the one on the kit. Its pretty easy. Just be sure to buy an BI-Xenon HID kit where the bulb moves. If the bulb doesn't move for hi/lo the pattern won't be right.

[Dave77459]

You'll have to run a hot wire from your battery to the red wire on the HID kit. Its got all the instructions in it. But all your gonna do is remove the fairing and put the ballast and starter in there. Then change the bulb and plug the old headlamp connector into the one on the kit. Its pretty easy. Just be sure to buy an BI-Xenon HID kit where the bulb moves. If the bulb doesn't move for hi/lo the pattern won't be right.

 

Where would you put the ballast for a RSTD? How big is the ballast and starter? Do you have a brand recommendation for the BI-Xenon?

 

Dave

[Vance]

I talked to a dealer and he quit selling the bi-xenon bulbs because of numerous failures. He said the solenoid would fail, and that would cause the bulb to fail. After having to replace about 100 of them, he finally quit selling them and now just sells the single purpose (low or high beam) bulbs.

Anyone else hear of this or had that experience?

[KiteSquid]

Was he selling the Chinese, Japanese or German made kits????

 

 

I probably will NOT install HID in my bike unless someone makes the entire lamp, not just a H4 size bulb to put in my lamp, this is due to beam patterns.

[BuddyRich]

Where would you put the ballast for a RSTD? How big is the ballast and starter? Do you have a brand recommendation for the BI-Xenon?

 

Dave

Don't know on an RSTD. The Ballast is about the size of your wallet stuffed with 50 1 dollar bills... and the starter is about half the size of your empty wallet. I got mine off ebay and don't remember the brand.

One thing I had to do was put a switch in. With our headlights turning on when we turn on the key. This starts the ignition of the xenon gas.Then when you hit the start button you really drain the voltage starting the bike and sometimes the Xenon goes out. They don't automatically re ignite. I now just turn off the switch before I start the bike and then turn it on after the bike is running. Is it worth all that you may ask. You Betcha. I can see 20 times better at night due to that HID. And with the deer we got around here I need to be able to see their eyes in the dark. One thing about the HID's seems to be anything that is reflective really stands out, even animals eyes. Signs are REALLY bright too

[FreezyRider]

Don't know on an RSTD. The Ballast is about the size of your wallet stuffed with 50 1 dollar bills... and the starter is about half the size of your empty wallet. I got mine off ebay and don't remember the brand.

One thing I had to do was put a switch in. With our headlights turning on when we turn on the key. This starts the ignition of the xenon gas.Then when you hit the start button you really drain the voltage starting the bike and sometimes the Xenon goes out. They don't automatically re ignite. I now just turn off the switch before I start the bike and then turn it on after the bike is running. Is it worth all that you may ask. You Betcha. I can see 20 times better at night due to that HID. And with the deer we got around here I need to be able to see their eyes in the dark. One thing about the HID's seems to be anything that is reflective really stands out, even animals eyes. Signs are REALLY bright too

 

I have always heard that the HID bulbs put out so much heat that they can ruin the reflector if it isn't specifically designed for HID use. But, I'm assuming that since you've been using yours for 4 years, the RSV reflector must be tough enough to withstand that.

[BuddyRich]

There might be a some truth to that. But I have switched assy twice since I had the bike. The first was the stock. Then I replace it with an Adjure black dot. It got some whitish haze on part of the reflector but that did not seem to affect the light output. Had that on for a couple of years then change the assy again in early 08 to a Bosch ,got tired of the Adjure look . The Bosch is showing some whitish haze on part of the reflector also but again it does not seem to be affecting light output or pattern. Its really not noticeable unless you get down and start looking real close at the headlight (when its off :rotf:).

[a1bummer]

One thing I had to do was put a switch in. With our headlights turning on when we turn on the key. I now just turn off the switch before I start the bike and then turn it on after the bike is running.

 

Wasn't there a relay somebody made mention of here that you hook a momentary switch to? If I remember right he mentioned it for the cooling fan mod. So once the bike was running you can push the button and the fan came on, but turn off the bike and it went off until you hit the button again. I think that would work good for this.

[Squeeze]

Was he selling the Chinese, Japanese or German made kits????

 

 

I probably will NOT install HID in my bike unless someone makes the entire lamp, not just a H4 size bulb to put in my lamp, this is due to beam patterns.

 

Can't speak for the 2Gen, but on the1Gen's and Vmax, you don't need to worry about the Beam Pattern. The Bi-Xenon HID works very well there.

[Flyinfool]

Well I finally got around to installing my HID Kit.

 

I tried to get some before and after pics of the illumination down the road but my cheap old camera was not up to the task.

 

Installing the kit was easy and took about a half hour of actual work time.

It was a mater of remove chrome strip at bottom of windshield,

remove headlight trim,

remove headlight,

remove bulb from headlight.

 

To install, I put the controller on the flat plastic wall straight behind the headlight with Velcro.

I tie strapped the ballast and relay to a frame piece that was on the bikes right side behind the headlight.

Ran the power lead to my power panel to get battery power.

Connected the ground wire to a frame screw that just happened to be in a convenient spot in the headlight area.

Plugged the existing bikes headlight connector into the mating connector of the Hid control box. I added a wrap of tape to this connection because it plugs in so easy that I was concerned about it coming apart.

Connected all of the remaining wires of the HID system. All of the connectors are different so it is impossible to screw it up.

Dress all of the wire to keep them still and neat.

 

That was the easy part.

As I mentioned early on I was concerned about whether the computer would like this light.

My concerns were justified. The computer did not like this at all. It insisted that the low beam was burned out and automatically switched to high beam. but then it thought the high beam was burned out so it tried to go back to low beam. as well as give a headlight warning on the CMS with its associated annoying flashing red light, and the white headlight reserve indicator on the dash was lit.

 

So now the fun begins.

Step one, the CMS.

Start ripping things apart to get to the computer to be able to jumper the reed switches.

There are a number of threads on here detailing this procedure so I will not go into a lot of detail. (besides this is a PG forum and I was not PG through this whole thing.)

 

Basic steps were

Remove windshield,

Remove mirrors, (mirrors do not have to come off if you have an offset Phillips screwdriver)

Remove dash cover,

remove dash,

remove CMS from back of dash

disassemble CMS to get PCBs out. (Note; while removing the PCBs the 2 displays for the clock and the monitor display will come out and it will look like you broke all of the wires off of them, don't panic, there are no visible wires or connectors, and they are supposed to come off of the board.)

 

As long as I was in there, I jumpered all of the reed switches as long as I was there so that down the road when I replace ALL of the lights with LEDs it will be ready. all of this was to just get the CMS to stop flashing the read light an turn off the headlight out indicator on the display.

 

Step 2, the reserve lighting unit.

After sleeping on it this turned out to be quite easy.

 

For the Reserve Lighting Unit, I simply unplugged it, and using some #12AWG solid wire I made 3 Jumpers to stick in the end of the wire harness connector.

 

Jumper 1 was from Blue/White to Blue/Black. This sends the power to the handlebar dimmer switch.

 

Jumper 2 was from Black to Yellow. This provides a ground path for the High beam indicator.

 

Jumper 3 was from Yellow/Green to Red/Yellow. This turns on the High beam indicator.

 

The remaining Blue/Red and Light Green have no connections. (These 2 wires go to the white headlight bulb in case you would want to use that as an indicator for something else)

Tape it up good to hold in the jumpers, and you are all set to go.

 

By doing it this way you can easily pull out the jumpers and plug it back in for stock operation.

 

So you ask, "Was it worth it?"

Dam right it was.

This light is so bright compared to the old one.

The beam pattern is identical to the old beam pattern, and focused well.

In the short ride that I took no one flashed their brights at me.

On a long straight dark road I could see things that were a half mile away.

Even in full sunlight the road signs are lit up brighter by this light.

 

 

Sorry, but I did have a brain cramp and never thought to take step by step pics of this whole ordeal till I was almost done.

 

Edited May 20, 2018 by Freebird
Fixed wiring error.

[Dave77459]

Well I finally got around to installing my HID Kit.

 

*snip*

Thanks for the interesting blow-by-blow description. As I contemplate putting this on my RSTD, I have a couple questions....

 

I don't have a fancy fairing to hide the ballast and igniter. My headlamp bucket is pretty cramped already, so I reckon that I'd have to put it under the tank or in that area. Is there enough slack wire between the ballast or igniter and the bulb to accommodate the forks turn lock to lock?

 

I guess I've not paid attention to computer problems. Is this an issue also with 2nd Gens?

 

Dave

[Flyinfool]

I cant really help you much on a 2nd gen.

I don't think that the wires from the control box to the ballast to the bulb are long enough to reach under the tank.

[Flyinfool]

Now that I have been using this HID light for a while, here are a few more observations.

 

1. It is very bright. in daylight it makes road signs light up, and even the reflectors in the taillights of cars in front of me light up. and this is all on low beam.

 

2. Before this mod I always ran with the high beam on during daylight hours, no one ever flashed there brights at me. Now if I run with the high beam on in full daylight I get people flashing their brights.

 

3. I will need to either add a switch or headlight delay circuit to the HID. As it is set up now, when I turn on the key the Hid starts to light up, then I hit the start switch which turns off the headlight and the HID has to go thru the ignition process all over again. That cant be good for anything. so I will either add something to only turn on the headlight if the engine is actually running, or just add a switch so that I can turn the headlight off till after the engine is running.

 

4. While there is usable light within 10 seconds of the HID coming on, it takes a good minute or more to reach full brightness.

 

 

I am open to ideas as to how to detect that the engine is actually running. I was thinking of something along the lines of a few turns of wire wrapped around the outside of a spark plug lead and then a circuit to sense voltage spikes of the sparks. But I am not sure of the circuit to do that.

[BuddyRich]

just add a switch so that I can turn the headlight off till after the engine is running.

 

 

That's is what I did. It becomes a habit fairly quickly.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I am open to ideas as to how to detect that the engine is actually running. I was thinking of something along the lines of a few turns of wire wrapped around the outside of a spark plug lead and then a circuit to sense voltage spikes of the sparks. But I am not sure of the circuit to do that.

 

There are several ways I can think of...but this method occurs to me:

 

Use a small, self-energizing relay that would be triggered off of the neutral light. Wire this first relay so that it provides GROUND to the 2nd relay. Start the bike in neutral, light will be off. Drop it into first gear, and the headlight comes on. Self-energizing relay will hold the circuit engaged even if the bike is returned to neutral anytime during the ride. You would have to use 2 relays, one a small relay in parallel with the neutral lamp, and the second a much heavier relay, and wire the second one so that once it is engaged, it STAYS engaged, with one set of contacts used to apply current to its OWN coil once the contacts are closed. Of course once the ignition is shut off, the relays would need to be disengaged, and this could be done with the second relay receiving its energizing current thru the acc circuit.

 

Most of us start our bikes in neutral most of the time, right?

 

Edited April 28, 2010 by tx2sturgis

[Dave77459]

I am open to ideas as to how to detect that the engine is actually running. I was thinking of something along the lines of a few turns of wire wrapped around the outside of a spark plug lead and then a circuit to sense voltage spikes of the sparks. But I am not sure of the circuit to do that.

What if you powered it directly from the battery, a relay energized from the accessory plug? At least it wouldn't cut out during ignition... would it?

 

Thanks for your remarks on your experience to date.

 

Dave