HID Headlight Conversion?

[slapnpop]

The new(er) car we bought recently has HID lights and I've grown quite accostomed to them. I like the light color and vision clarity better. I've started looking for headlight conversions for the FJR, but most of the motorcycle kits I've seen are one bulb only, and almost all of them lose the high-beam. Has anyone seen or done a fully-functional HID conversion on the bike?

I understand they won't have projector lenses and such, but there should still be an increased light output, and shift in the color spectrum that I'm interested in.

I'm not so much interested in adding aux lights, as I think they look fugly, but that's what I may do if I can't find a conversion.

 

[BrunDog]

Seach around. There was a thread about this somewhere a while back where the HID ballasts were mounted inside the fairing.

-BD

 

[slapnpop]

There's a couple of articles on H. Marc Lewis's site showing aux HID installs. I'm doing some more serious investigation today at some of the accessory stores. Uhg, that means dealing with the honda car crowd....

 

[LGizmo]

There's a couple of articles on H. Marc Lewis's site showing aux HID installs.  I'm doing some more serious investigation today at some of the accessory stores.  Uhg, that means dealing with the honda car crowd....

I resent that last comment...thank you very much..don't make me get my bois and come looking for you :assasin: ... :bleh:

As far as HID's go for the FJR...I too was looking into this option. If you look at most cars they are designed with HID low beams and standerd bulb high beams unless you are in the High end BMW/Merc markets and even then they use sperate reflectors for Low and high beams because of the intensity of the light output in a HID system which requires precise beam control (Projectors).

So... for the FJR you COULD run a HID system but you would either just run Low beams... or you could run a Low beam on the left side and a high beam on the right... even then they are basicly the same except the low beam side you would have to use some type of light barrier to limit the beam to keep from blinding oncoming traffic... the honda crowd uses "eyelids" molded plastic or just paint over the top part of the light housing. Even doing so on the FJR you would only get the output of one bulb and reflector at a time. So as you can see you wouldn't be gaining much more light output over the stock bulbs at a pretty premium in money. Until someone designs a HID system with Low/High beam capabilities you'll be better off looking into the AUX lighting dept. for extra light output.

Now having said all this... I AM NOT AN EXPERT....but I DID stay in a HolidayINN Express once... :super1:

 

[slapnpop]

After much research here's what I've come up with.

There are relativly cheap adapters to use oem standard d2s bulbs in an H4 headlight. This is good for low beam only. Good option if you can get ahold of a d2s setup from a junkyard.

There are retrofit kits that are H4 hi/low beam. These work by usinga selenoid to shift the light forward or back onto the two seperate portions of the reflector. These were $300 on the cheep end, going up to $700. Not sure how much room we'll have to accomodate this extra mechanism behind the bulb. We'll see.

There are also some which have a HID low beam with a halogen hi-beam in the same bulb. I didn't really look at this option.

I'm leaning towards the shifting type at this point, but they are kinda spendy. For now I just got some sylvania silverstars. It was time to replace the bulbs anyway. Will stay on the HID track, because I'd love that extra light.

 

[LGizmo]

I stand corrected... I obviously haven't been keeping up with the new developments... thanx, now I have another farkle to add to my list <_<

 

[slapnpop]

After even more research... I've decided when I can scrape the cash together, I'm going to attempt a full on projector lamp retrofit into the FJR headlight housing. Much akin to the fashion seen on this r6.

This would yeald a true OEM style HID setup, with high and low beams, and the best usuable output. If it all works out.

At this point I wonder if the $$$ wouldn't be better spent on a different farkle, like suspension, or PC3 since most of my riding is daytime.

 

[vectervp1]

I too have done a lot of research on this. I came to the same basic conclusion that the best way to do this is to do a conversion and not a retrofit. I've started trying to find a new light assembly because I usually end up taking a lot of time doing something like this, and I don’t want to have my FJR down for such a long period of time.

This is a mod that I think could be very worth while if you do a lot of riding at night, or if you want to try and use this as a method to save a little wattage. If you don't you might just be better off slapping in some SilverStar bulbs and spending that farkle money elsewhere.

 

[Ijuggle]

Try a search for Misterjung's Hella HID Conversion kits. I think he makes a motorized HID bulb kit that will give High and Low beams from an H4 (FJR) system.

I'll look for the website address.

 

[valetz]

Until someone designs a HID system with Low/High beam capabilities you'll be better off looking into the AUX lighting dept. for extra light output.

Like This...

Catz HID - eBay Auction...

-bvw.

 

[JimV]

For now I just got some sylvania silverstars. It was time to replace the bulbs anyway. Will stay on the HID track, because I'd love that extra light.

Make sure that you don't lose the stock H4's. My Silverstars didn't last a single season. They may have had a warranty but I lost the receipt. Anyway, silverstar bulbs are on my list of crap I'll never buy again.

For the moment, I'm running PIAA Extrerme White Plus Anti-Vibration bulbs. And, yes I do remember the thread that more or less said that any of the bulbs that claim to have more white output than standard halogens are crap. but hey, I already spent the money.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[slapnpop]

I've heard that about the silverstars, and saved my originals.

I've heard Mr. Jung's quality was crap.

I'm sure I'm either going to go movable h4 conversion, or full on projector retrofit. I already have a spare headlight to Perfect my design on, so when I go to do my real headlight it shouldn't take long at all.

I've learned a lot from HID planet's forums.