Anyone run an HID kit on their M?

[BLACK-M50]

Great info! Thanks a bunch for stopping by and posting chinton!

This is a great example of what I mean by the difference between HID and halogen, especially for someone who does most of their riding at night, like me!
The difference is just too great to ignore. I'm going to look around some more, but I might try the kit chinton got from ebay.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by BLACK-M50

where do you get PIAA bulbs?

Might want to start here: PIAA

If that doesn't lead you to a dealer......web search......as in Google.

[Quantumcat]

I use the Silver Star and have been happy so far. It is noticeably brighter than stock.

An HID is appealing, but I don't want to deal with a ballast. Besides, while I can appreciate wanting a bright light to announce myself to another driver (I also ride mostly at night), I know drivers that get quite PO'd due to HID lights in other vehicles. The last thing I want to do is to aggravate a cager when I'm sharing the road with them.

I also second the advice on never touching the bulb (technically "lamp" in theater lingo). Easy Rider and Black-M50 know their stuff. In stage instruments a lamp can cost in the hundreds of dollars. You would never see a professional stage worker touch a lamp with bare fingers.

[PerfectStranger]

And where in the heck would you hide the ballast on the M? There's such limited space to conceal anything to start with. Interested in seeing the results on an M though.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by BLACK-M50

The difference is just too great to ignore. I'm going to look around some more, but I might try the kit chinton got from ebay.

By all means, research the subject more.......but don't dismiss negative information you may find....like the mis-match of bulb and bezzel tending to blind oncoming drivers.

I don't KNOW that is true but I've heard it often enough that I certainly would want to FIND the truth before I made any such conversion.

And as for the guy who doesn't care about blinding oncoming drivers........nice attitude, asshat.

[BLACK-M50]

isn't the direction of the light adjustable?
I wonder if once the HID kit is installed, the light needs to be adjusted/pointed down a bit in order not to blind everyone else (kind of like the high beams point out further and blind others). I would imagine most people just bolt HIDs on and go... but i am just speculating here, because unfortunately i don't KNOW either.

Good discussion so far

[chinton]

Im not sure on the difference in the headlight bucket of the M50 vs. C50 but the slim ballast fit in my C50 fine. In my dads Roadstar 1600 there was even more room. On my brothers M90 the ballast is located under the headlight cowel, on top of the housing for the bulb. You could probably find room under the neck covers if neither of those work.

As for adjusting the headlight, its the same as you would do for any other bulb. I lowered my C50 so i needed to adjust anyway. I set my bike 17ft from a wall and then measured from the ground to the center of the headlight. I then marked the same point on the wall and aimed the beam accordingly.

On the blinding other drivers, the beam is aimed at the same height as the a stock beam, but the throw is a little farther and wider because of the increased light output. Im not driving around @ night w/ my highbeam on. When sitting @ a stop light (night time) the light doesnt shine into cabins of other vehicles on low beam. If i feel like lighting up the car and seein who is inside, just hit the high - therefore i dont think it really effects them and i havent heard/seen otherwise.

[05HDRAM]

Originally Posted by chinton

On the blinding other drivers, the beam is aimed at the same height as the a stock beam, but the throw is a little farther and wider because of the increased light output. Im not driving around @ night w/ my highbeam on. When sitting @ a stop light (night time) the light doesnt shine into cabins of other vehicles on low beam. If i feel like lighting up the car and seein who is inside, just hit the high - therefore i dont think it really effects them and i havent heard/seen otherwise.

Have you ever passed a car at night that just threw in a set of HID bulbs in the stock housing ? It's really really bad for other drivers. While the light output is much greater than stock, it is not worth pissing off and blinding other people. Riding a motorcycle is not "us" vs "them", I hate that attitude. The "them" could be my wife and kids.

If you want to do HID, you need to use a housing designed for HID. There are Projectors that could be mounted in the stock housing, but it's going to cost you more and require a little more work. If your not up for that, add a nice set of driving lights. I added a single light, and it made a huge difference.

[BLACK-M50]

Not trying to sound selfish here, but given the amount of cars out there running super bright, blind your grandma lights out there, and jacked up trucks that make the inside of my coupe look like a theater stage, i really don't think my little bike with it's little light is going to cause anyone THAT much grief

My biggest concern with these $69 kits is still reliability... At that price I have to wonder about their quality. I mean, they had to cut corners somewhere to get a $600 kit to $69 bucks, right? If it craps out on me during the night... I'm still screwed. I'm thinking, just as 05HDRAM mentioned, driving lights may be the back up answer here.

[BLACK-M50]

Originally Posted by 05HDRAM

Have you ever passed a car at night that just threw in a set of HID bulbs in the stock housing ? It's really really bad for other drivers. While the light output is much greater than stock, it is not worth pissing off and blinding other people. Riding a motorcycle is not "us" vs "them", I hate that attitude. The "them" could be my wife and kids.

If you want to do HID, you need to use a housing designed for HID. There are Projectors that could be mounted in the stock housing, but it's going to cost you more and require a little more work. If your not up for that, add a nice set of driving lights. I added a single light, and it made a huge difference.

I must say, this is a very sober view, makes a lot of sense. I'll have to see how much a complete HID light might cost.

[chinton]

Originally Posted by 05HDRAM

Have you ever passed a car at night that just threw in a set of HID bulbs in the stock housing ? It's really really bad for other drivers. While the light output is much greater than stock, it is not worth pissing off and blinding other people. Riding a motorcycle is not "us" vs "them", I hate that attitude. The "them" could be my wife and kids.

If you want to do HID, you need to use a housing designed for HID. There are Projectors that could be mounted in the stock housing, but it's going to cost you more and require a little more work. If your not up for that, add a nice set of driving lights. I added a single light, and it made a huge difference.

Didn't mean to ruffle so many feathers w/ the us vs. them comment. I simply meant to imply that if making myself safer by temporarily making someone else 'uncomfortable' whats the harm, I equate this to driving slower during rush hour to keep my reaction time buffer.

In the sake of continuing the discussion -

I do get that HID housings are also designed to direct light differently than standard beams and have passed cars with the HID conversion. I personally find it no different than passing someone whos headlights are out of adjustment, has their high beams on, or has but a lift kit on a truck causing the lights to be higher than normal. Another thing I could equate it to would be those portable light systems that construction workers use at night. They throw light all over the place and occasionally it bleeds to oncoming traffic.

common sense (again for me) is when im driving and i think something may affect my abilities, im going to adjust for it.
ie. wide loads on the highway - change lanes, keep distance.
traffic stop blocking part of a lane - slow down, change lanes, proceed w/ caution.

I guess the point im trying to get is that having an HID conversion isnt like driving around shining a flashlight in someones face*, an attentive and competent driver can see it coming and can compensate so that both people remain safe.

*Im sure this could be debated as well since there are people that have varying degrees of light sensitivity.

[chinton]

Originally Posted by BLACK-M50

My biggest concern with these $69 kits is still reliability... At that price I have to wonder about their quality. I mean, they had to cut corners somewhere to get a $600 kit to $69 bucks, right? If it craps out on me during the night... I'm still screwed. I'm thinking, just as 05HDRAM mentioned, driving lights may be the back up answer here.

I cant comment specifically on reliability of the inexpensive kits (mine has yet to have any trouble and has been installed the longest) but from all the pictures I have seen, the components look the same. In addition @ the lower cost, you could buy 2 or 3 complete kits for the cost of the expensive ones. Parts (new ballast, harness, bulbs) are even cheaper.

[05HDRAM]

My feathers were not ruffled, just pointing out that not everyone in another vehicle is a nameless person. Because cars & trucks outnumber motorcycles, no excuse to intentionally be blinding them. In my area they have started cracking down on drivers throwing in the cheap HIDs. I am all for better lighting, just not at the cost of other drivers safety. You stated you adjust to different situations (common sense), unfortunately not everyone has this.

[chinton]

Originally Posted by 05HDRAM

My feathers were not ruffled, just pointing out that not everyone in another vehicle is a nameless person. Because cars & trucks outnumber motorcycles, no excuse to intentionally be blinding them. In my area they have started cracking down on drivers throwing in the cheap HIDs. I am all for better lighting, just not at the cost of other drivers safety. You stated you adjust to different situations (common sense), unfortunately not everyone has this.

Point taken on both accounts. Interesting that they are cracking down in your area. I have had positive comments from officers in regards to the increased brightness of my motorcycle's headlight.

[Quantumcat]

For the most part it seems everyone around here is simply sharing opinions without severe judgement or malice. Of course you can run whatever lighting system you like.

I guess the point im trying to get is that having an HID conversion isnt like driving around shining a flashlight in someones face*, an attentive and competent driver can see it coming and can compensate so that both people remain safe.

Great point about an attentive driver noticing and compensating. Unfortunately we all know that not ever driver/rider is as attentive as he/she should be.

[Water Warrior]

Just a little food for thought concerning a whole lot of light. On a previous cage I had some really bright headlights and driving lights. Didn't do a lot of good much of the time because road signs reflected so much light back at me. So I used lo-beam most of the time except out on country roads with little or no signage. Also proved to be too hard on my eyes with the reflection off of signs. Try to find a happy medium for yourself and the other guy.

[nativenyerintexas]

Originally Posted by 05HDRAM

Have you ever passed a car at night that just threw in a set of HID bulbs in the stock housing ? It's really really bad for other drivers. While the light output is much greater than stock, it is not worth pissing off and blinding other people. Riding a motorcycle is not "us" vs "them", I hate that attitude. The "them" could be my wife and kids.

If you want to do HID, you need to use a housing designed for HID. There are Projectors that could be mounted in the stock housing, but it's going to cost you more and require a little more work. If your not up for that, add a nice set of driving lights. I added a single light, and it made a huge difference.

I had a friend ask me why I don't turn down my high beam with oncoming traffic. For some reason with the low beam riding at night I can't see more than 40 or 50 feet in front of my bike on a lot of roads. That's just not enough distance to stop when riding at the speed limit, whether it be 35mph or 70mph. A car or truck has two headlights and car see for much further distance with low beams, or so it seems to me than on my bike. I've driven everything from a small compact to an 18 wheeler and everything in between and nothing it more dangerous than riding a bike at night when you can't see what's in front of you. So, for me it's a matter of me being safe. It's not 'me or them' as some have put it but if you think about it, that's what I'm saying, just not as arrogant. I do try to stay on the right side of my side of the road during night rides but I'm not sure if that helps any for oncoming traffic. If a cager gets a little blinded by my high beam, what's the worse that can happen to him/her? They might hit a pothole, a rock or a small animal and they might even get a little vehicular damage but if I hit any of those things, I'd be lucky if I got away with just going to the hospital and spending a few weeks recovering from road rash and broken bones but more than likely I'd be a lot worse off than that. So yeah, it's me or them. Just my NON-ARROGANT opinion.

Originally Posted by chinton

I guess the point im trying to get is that having an HID conversion isnt like driving around shining a flashlight in someones face*, an attentive and competent driver can see it coming and can compensate so that both people remain safe.

See, that's your first and probably biggest mistake, assuming there are "attentive and competent drivers" out there.

[05HDRAM]

Originally Posted by nativenyerintexas

... If a cager gets a little blinded by my high beam, what's the worse that can happen to him/her? They might hit a pothole, a rock or a small animal and they might even get a little vehicular damage but if I hit any of those things, I'd be lucky if I got away with just going to the hospital and spending a few weeks recovering from road rash and broken bones but more than likely I'd be a lot worse off than that. So yeah, it's me or them. Just my NON-ARROGANT opinion.

Your making an arrogant statement while claiming your not arrogant. My point was that other driver that's temporarily blinded could be one of your relatives. You just stated you are more important than someone else on the road, which I can not understand. I never said don't run better lighting, just do it right.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by 05HDRAM

I never said don't run better lighting, just do it right.

The theory that if a little more is better......then a LOT more will be a LOT better.....often doesn't hold up. A LOT more might actually be worse. Kind of like killing ants with a sledge hammer.

It is possible to improve your lighting with better bulbs and proper aiming......as evidenced by LOTS of testimonials for brighter bulbs posted here.......without resorting to more difficult and expensive and likely even ILLEGAL HID modifications.

Perception comes into play some too. A black asphault road with non-reflective stripes can make it appear that your lights aren't doing much, when an actual object will show up farther away than you think. Then in town, street lights "wash out" your headlight......but then hopefully you don't need it as much anyway.

I'm sorry but I don't go along with constant hi beam at night.....in traffic. With a little attention, the situation could probably be improved so that you don't have to do that. That includes inspecting the headlight to be sure it is put together right and the lens and reflector are not fogged or otherwise damaged.

[nativenyerintexas]

Originally Posted by 05HDRAM

Your making an arrogant statement while claiming your not arrogant. My point was that other driver that's temporarily blinded could be one of your relatives. You just stated you are more important than someone else on the road, which I can not understand. I never said don't run better lighting, just do it right.

What's wrong with the most important person to me is myself? If I'm not going to look after myself. then who will? I'm not being arrogant, just honest. I don't have super bright lights on my bike, just a Silver Star and I run the high beam when I ride at night for the most part, unless I go in an area with adequate street lights, which isn't too common here. So please tell me, what's wrong with wanting to be able to see the road in front of me at night? Also, the roads here in Texas are a lot different than where you're from, I'm sure. On coming traffic isn't so close to me because there's usually a decent sized island in the middle of the roads separating oncoming lanes. And those that aren't, I did say I try to stay in the right side of the far most right lane. That does help, although maybe not much but I still feel my ability to see the road far outweighs a cager that has 3 or 4 thousand pounds of steel around them.