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View Full Version : Anyone here put HIDs on their bike?



Aracheon
Wed Aug 1st, 2007, 02:15 AM
Since the search function won't let me search for a 3 letter word, I'll just start a new thread on it.

Has anyone here installed an HID kit designed for a car, on their motorcycle? The kit I just purchased came with everything I need... with the exception of this goofy ass wiring harness that has a relay wired into it, and a 3-fuse block and there's wires everywhere. From the looks of things, it wires into a car's electrical system, and then is controlled separately with the headlight switch.

On a motorcycle since the lowbeam runs constantly, I would ASSUME that I can just wire the positive and negative wires from the headlights into each ballast, but I'm not sure if that's going to provide the amount of current needed to fire them up.

Has someone done an HID install before on a bike? Could use some help! TIA!

TT5.0
Wed Aug 1st, 2007, 08:55 AM
I have an HID kit on two bikes. I wired directly into the low beam wires like you are saying, and I have no problems. In fact, after the initial start-up of the bulbs, I believe that they may draw less current than normal halogen bulbs. I have no problems with either of mine and I didn't need to run a relay.

Edit: btw, I use only the low beam. I see no reason to put an HID in the high beam because the HID's don't like to be turned on and off all the time. They also take a little bit to heat up to full intensity, so right when you flick them on, they're not that bright. Notice how cars don't use HID's for high beams either. What is the temp of the bulbs that you got?

Aracheon
Wed Aug 1st, 2007, 09:42 AM
So you wired the positive and negative inputs to the ballasts directly from the headlight wires?

I'm having another issue with the switching on and off, too.. because when I turn my key on, the lights turn on... they turn back off when the starter is pressed, and then turn back on again once the bike starts. I'm seriously considering just wiring in a switch to control the low beams - or figuring out how Yami did it on their bikes where the headlights don't come on until the bike starts.

I'm only installing the HID bulb in the low beam side - not in the high. That's just ridiculous, like you said. :)

And I'm using a 4300k bulb. I don't need blue light.

TT5.0
Wed Aug 1st, 2007, 10:14 AM
Good deal, I see you've done your homework. I get sick of seeing people put 10000K and higher bulbs in their bikes. Yes, I wired the + and - directly to the ballast without a relay. I was going to do a switch like you said also, but then I got lazy and just installed it. On my 636, the lights don't come on until the engine is started which is convenient. On my gsxr, the lights come on with the key and then blip off when you start the bike. I haven't had any problems yet, and the battery doesn't seem to have any trouble with it either, so I just left it. I thought about wiring the wires through the kickstand switch, so that when you put the kickstand up, the lights would come on. Of course, when you park the bike, they will turn off, but that was about the best idea I could come up with for having the lights go on and off automatically without having to toggle a switch. I wish I knew how the 636 got its signal so I could duplicate something like that.

Aracheon
Wed Aug 1st, 2007, 11:20 AM
Yamaha does the exact same thing, where the headlights don't come on until the bike starts. I know it's relay controlled somehow, but I don't feel like digging through wiring diagrams at this exact moment. If you haven't had any problems with your gsxr, then I'll take that as a good sign and wire it up as is.

merkle
Thu Aug 2nd, 2007, 06:08 AM
I just installed a HID kit on my Duc. The color I ordered 14000K was only low beam. So now when I turn on my high beam it turns off my headlight. When I start my bike I turn off the light. Love the brightness.

Aracheon
Thu Aug 2nd, 2007, 11:07 AM
Well, it's installed and running perfect... and all I can say is, I don't know how in the hell I've driven this long on halogens. Every vehicle I own from this point is getting HIDs. Period. Once the next paycheck comes, I'm ordering a set of projector headlights for the tC and another set of 4300k lights.

mclarke
Mon Aug 6th, 2007, 03:01 PM
I have 2 sets of ballests, just need to order the right bulb for the r6... Might be a good idea.... hmmmmm

Which bulbs did you guys get? phillips are what i currently have.

jag967
Wed Aug 22nd, 2007, 02:03 PM
what do I need to order to convert my 2001 GSXR 1000 to HID?

Aracheon
Wed Aug 22nd, 2007, 02:13 PM
My kit was mostly plug and play. Even though there's glare with a reflector housing, I really don't care. As long as other people can see me, and the road is easier to see, they've done their job.

All I did was replace the bulb, wire up the ballast, and bam. Insto-bright.

TT5.0
Wed Aug 22nd, 2007, 09:46 PM
If you don't want to blind people, make sure your headlight housing has a casper shield. It's the little reflective cup that covers the top of the bulb slightly. If you have that, you will have a decent cut off line at the top of the beam.