Oppinions on HID Driving/off-road lights

[patch308]

Alright, I'm sure this is somewhere else, but my computer-illiterate self cannot seem to find one poll of comparisons for HID lights.

I'm getting ready to buy two HID lights to replace the halogen lights on the crash bars of my BMW (yeah, I said it...) R1200 GS Adventure. The one's that are in the lead right now are the Baja Fuego HID's but considering I'm getting ready to drop around $600.00 on these things I'd like to hear other suggestions. I just don't know what's out there. FYI, I want the HID's because I ride in the dark quite often and where I live there aren't just "forest rats", there are elk (horses with antlers), bears, and drunk pedestrians at all hours. I'm looking for the more compact lights as opposed to 8"ers that want to tear off when the bike gets tired and wants to lay down. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[JamesK]

Baja make great lights, be it HID Fuegos or LED. Having said that, IMHO the new D2 combination beam LED lights from RigitIndustries are a nice package and at a significantly lower price point. They also offer a lifetime warranty on any manufacturing defects and burnt out LEDs.

D2 LED Aux Lights

Rigid Industries is proud to present the latest in LED lighting. The D2 is our new compact light that packs quite the punch with light output. Producing over 2600 Lumens and only using 28 watts of power. The new D2 is the brightest compact auxiliary light available to date. With temperature sensing circuitry, the light unit will regulate between 80-100% power to prevent

damage and keep the LED optimized for the environmental conditions. With no airflow the temperature sensors will automatically dim the light roughly 10%, virtually imperceptible to the eye. This temp sensing circuitry was developed to help protect the customers investment.

The Rigid Industries D2 lights are available in a Dual Beam output that projects both a 9 degree spot and an 18 degree flood pattern . This gives your light optimum distance with good horizontal spread or a 30 Degree Wide Pattern designed to saturate your surroundings with High intensity LED Light.

D2 Dual Beam With Built in 9 and 18 Degree Reflector Technology

 

[SkooterG]

You lucky motherf***er! With that huge engine guard and mongo electrical output on that piece of kraut krap of yours you have all kinds of options. In my not so humble opinion, the Soltek fuegos are the BEST. They put out a HUGE amount of light. And easy to install with the ballast included. Only drawback is their size/weight, but that won't be an issue on your bike like they are on the FJR. Get them! You won't be disappointed.

I would stay away from the LED lights like above. I have no direct experience with them but I just can't see how they are in the same leage as HID.

Other than the Fuego, you could look at Hella FF200 (my second choice), Futurevision's 4GHID which are nice and compact and interesting but still an unknown as I don't know anybody that has them, and then there are the PIAA 600. I have had PIAA 600s NIB sitting around for months now waiting for me to install them. But they are big (5")and will be a bit more of a challenge to mount on the FJR. I am optimistic about the amount of light they will throw out.

FYI, I had the PHIDs for years before the last crash finally wiped them out. I thought they were an OUTSTANDING light. You can still get them, but for the $$$$, I figure there have got to be some more newer/better designs out there. And I can say that I ran my PHIDs against a friend's Fuegos side by side and the Fuegos were clearly superior.

Pssssst! Don't be a dork like your little brother - get the Fuegos!

 

[TriggerT]

I started a thread on Aux lights a little while back:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=133517&st=0&p=799453&fromsearch=1entry799453

I ended up going with the Clearwater lights; 2 sets of the Krista's.

 

[SkooterG]

I started a thread on Aux lights a little while back:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=133517&st=0&p=799453&fromsearch=1entry799453

I ended up going with the Clearwater lights; 2 sets of the Krista's.

Have you riden with them yet? Of course a direct comparison would be best, but I would be interested in hearing your impressions as compared to your old PHIDs. For me, after the light output of the HID PHIDs I had, I just can't see downgrading (my perception) to LED.

 

[patch308]

You lucky motherf***er! With that huge engine guard and mongo electrical output on that piece of kraut krap of yours you have all kinds of options. In my not so humble opinion, the Soltek fuegos are the BEST. They put out a HUGE amount of light. And easy to install with the ballast included. Only drawback is their size/weight, but that won't be an issue on your bike like they are on the FJR. Get them! You won't be disappointed.

I would stay away from the LED lights like above. I have no direct experience with them but I just can't see how they are in the same leage as HID.

Other than the Fuego, you could look at Hella FF200 (my second choice), Futurevision's 4GHID which are nice and compact and interesting but still an unknown as I don't know anybody that has them, and then there are the PIAA 600. I have had PIAA 600s NIB sitting around for months now waiting for me to install them. But they are big (5")and will be a bit more of a challenge to mount on the FJR. I am optimistic about the amount of light they will throw out.

FYI, I had the PHIDs for years before the last crash finally wiped them out. I thought they were an OUTSTANDING light. You can still get them, but for the $$$$, I figure there have got to be some more newer/better designs out there. And I can say that I ran my PHIDs against a friend's Fuegos side by side and the Fuegos were clearly superior.

Pssssst! Don't be a dork like your little brother - get the Fuegos!

HEY HEY HEY...WHY's it gotta be "Kraut Krap"? You know I'm sensitive and now I'm tearing up just a little bit!

As far as led's or HID's, I prefer the HID's. I want the extra range, light, etc. because of all the crap out here to hit in the dark. Skoot, where'd you get the little electric meter on you bike? I know my alternator is huge, but I'm wondering if I'd have to monitor output with heated gloves/jacket/pants, gps, and aux lights. I wouldn't think so but an EDUCATED oppinion would be nice. If I can't find an educated one, yours will do nicely.

 

[TriggerT]

Um, the three feet of snow that is blocking the door to my shop is currently keeping me from giving them a good road test. I will post up once the current ice age ends, and I am able to ride with them.

 

[SkooterG]

Um, the three feet of snow that is blocking the door to my shop is currently keeping me from giving them a good road test. I will post up once the current ice age ends, and I am able to ride with them.

Gotcha. I understand your pain. It's been chilly down south here too. Only got to 67 degrees today. Brrrrrrrrr. Thankfully, they are forecasting 79 degrees Sunday through Tuesday. Can you say time to go for a RIDE! :yahoo:

 

[SkooterG]

HEY HEY HEY...WHY's it gotta be "Kraut Krap"? You know I'm sensitive and now I'm tearing up just a little bit!

As far as led's or HID's, I prefer the HID's. I want the extra range, light, etc. because of all the crap out here to hit in the dark. Skoot, where'd you get the little electric meter on you bike? I know my alternator is huge, but I'm wondering if I'd have to monitor output with heated gloves/jacket/pants, gps, and aux lights. I wouldn't think so but an EDUCATED oppinion would be nice. If I can't find an educated one, yours will do nicely.

A spade is a spade! During SWFOG it was YOUR Kraut Krap that was belching and farting and running like..... krap, not able to get out of it's own way, and stinking like doggie doo-doo to all those of us behind you. Plus, it has a bad habit of finding all the safety nazis out there running radar.............

As for the Voltmeter, it is cool. Wish I would have installed one long before I did. It's a Datel: Clicky for Datel Voltmeters - even usable on Kraut Krap!

Most recommend only the 1/10th meter, but after trying both, I recommend the meter goingto the 1/100th accuracy - the DMS-20PC-0-DCM, $50.00

 

[patch308]

As for the Voltmeter, it is cool. Wish I would have installed one long before I did. It's a Datel: Clicky for Datel Voltmeters - even usable on Kraut Krap!
Most recommend only the 1/10th meter, but after trying both, I recommend the meter goingto the 1/100th accuracy - the DMS-20PC-0-DCM, $50.00

Thanks, where do I find out what the "Kaput Range"...er..."Input Range" is, and what do you wire 'em to?

The alternator is rated at 720W at 14V...if that helps...

ALSO, MINE only found ONE safety Nazi, the other was conjured up by the little fella on the blue FJR.

 

[SkooterG]

Thanks, where do I find out what the "Kaput Range"...er..."Input Range" is, and what do you wire 'em to?

The alternator is rated at 720W at 14V...if that helps...

Input range is simply the range the voltmeter will show. With your bike, you are interested in the 8v - 15v range, so you want the meter I referenced that will measure from +4.5v to +19.99v.

And you really want to wire it directly to the battery for the most accurate reading. Many will wire it 'switched' so that it only comes on when the bike is on, but I like mine wired 'unswitched' so that I can see what the battery is reading with the bike off. Now I did add a seperate switch so that I can turn it off if I want to, but I rarely do.

 

[patch308]

Thanks, where do I find out what the "Kaput Range"...er..."Input Range" is, and what do you wire 'em to?

The alternator is rated at 720W at 14V...if that helps...

Input range is simply the range the voltmeter will show. With your bike, you are interested in the 8v - 15v range, so you want the meter I referenced that will measure from +4.5v to +19.99v.

And you really want to wire it directly to the battery for the most accurate reading. Many will wire it 'switched' so that it only comes on when the bike is on, but I like mine wired 'unswitched' so that I can see what the battery is reading with the bike off. Now I did add a seperate switch so that I can turn it off if I want to, but I rarely do.

Thanks, I'll be ordering one of those with the lights. If I don't get any further recomendations that seem comparable to the Baja Fuego's, those are the one's I'll be mounting. The size seems about right and the output sounds phenomenal.

 

[SkooterG]

Here's a piccie of my install with many others too: Clicky.

Pssssst! Get the Fuegos. You'll love them. If I had a piece of Kraut Krap, that's what I would get.

 

[JustHoward]

FWIW I use the cheapo Chinese HIDs available at Pep Boys or advance auto for about $119.00. They look just like the Soltecs, and, for the money, work just fine.

Howard

 

[SkooterG]

FWIW I use the cheapo Chinese HIDs available at Pep Boys or advance auto for about $119.00. They look just like the Soltecs, and, for the money, work just fine.

Howard

They are 6000k. Never again will I purchase any kind of HID light that is not 4300k.

 

[Patriot]

Thanks, where do I find out what the "Kaput Range"...er..."Input Range" is, and what do you wire 'em to?

The alternator is rated at 720W at 14V...if that helps...

Input range is simply the range the voltmeter will show. With your bike, you are interested in the 8v - 15v range, so you want the meter I referenced that will measure from +4.5v to +19.99v.

And you really want to wire it directly to the battery for the most accurate reading. Many will wire it 'switched' so that it only comes on when the bike is on, but I like mine wired 'unswitched' so that I can see what the battery is reading with the bike off. Now I did add a seperate switch so that I can turn it off if I want to, but I rarely do.

all reports that this Datel clone voltmeter is every bit as good at half the price...I have no personal experience with it, however

https://www.cyclemaxohio.com/inc/sdetail/4231

also, I used to not have my Datel wired directly to the battery...was reading (a constant) .4 volts low

I finally wired it directly to the battery for a actual, accurate reading...I use a cheap automotive relay which switches the datel on/off with the ignition switch

then I wored in a single pole, double throw toggle switch so I can turn on the voltmeter with the bike at rest anytime I want

hope this helps

let's ride safe and be careful out there,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[SkooterG]

But the clone only goes to .1 on the display. I like the .01 display. Otherwise I would be all over it.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

FWIW I use the cheapo Chinese HIDs available at Pep Boys or advance auto for about $119.00. They look just like the Soltecs, and, for the money, work just fine.

Howard

They are 6000k. Never again will I purchase any kind of HID light that is not 4300k.

FWIW I like mine on my cheap POS Kawi KLR. They are bright and help me miss the elk, bear and deer around here. Not to mention the odd drunk Arizonan wandering on the side of the road.

 

[CAJW]

Baja Soltek HID Fuegos all the way Baby! I have been using a set for years now and have picked up forest rats without seeing their eyes due to the extreme throw and brightness of the Solteks. I also run Clearwater Glenda's for recognition lights only, but was able compare their new Krista to my Solteks in their shop during the install. It was NO comparison in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, the Krista's are nice lights and I'll probably get flamed by those that have them, but they aren't near as bright as the Solteks, but as they say, YMMV.