HID info needed

[fxdl2051]

Seems like a few folks have installed HID. Who did you buy from at what price and are you happy with the performance? HIDs seem to go as lo as $25 all the way up to So Cal's $165. So who has a good kit as a Reasonable price? From what I've read some higher end HID bulbs have a coating that prevents UV the bulb produces from affecting the plastic headlight lens and housings. The other thing that was suggested was staying in the 35 watt ballast range so I don't blister the housing itself from excessive heat, which some said would happen with a 55 watt ballast/bulb? Any experienced advice guys, I'm on info over load (searched this and other Goldwing sites but didn't come up with much)and as much as I'd like a nice cheap $40 dollar Chinese setup( that's were they all seem to be coming from anyways), I want to do it right 1st time, any advice?

[BLACKBETTY12]

Seems like a few folks have installed HID. Who did you buy from at what price and are you happy with the performance? HIDs seem to go as lo as $25 all the way up to So Cal's $165. So who has a good kit as a Reasonable price? From what I've read some higher end HID bulbs have a coating that prevents UV the bulb produces from affecting the plastic headlight lens and housings. The other thing that was suggested was staying in the 35 watt ballast range so I don't blister the housing itself from excessive heat, which some said would happen with a 55 watt ballast/bulb? Any experienced advice guys, I'm on info over load (searched this and other Goldwing sites but didn't come up with much)and as much as I'd like a nice cheap $40 dollar Chinese setup( that's were they all seem to be coming from anyways), I want to do it right 1st time, any advice?

So Cal is the best money can buy in my opinion. You get what you pay for with all the others.

[F6B-RICH]

Get the So Cal kit only.Other members tried cheaper kits and they work.I tried a $75 kit and a $125 kit and both made the radio play just static no music.I moved the ballasts wrapped them in aluminum foil and nothing worked from giving me nothing but static through the radio.I purchased the So Cal kit and no problems radio worked .batman-smilie.

[yellow rex]

I have 3 set's from DDM tuning never any problems in 67000 miles
and the price is great 35w 5K good white light and no head light
damage.

[srt8-in-largo]

Seems like a few folks have installed HID.

...

I want to do it right 1st time, any advice?

Not exactly; most people install HID bulbs/ballasts into the OEM reflector. This is not an HID system and not the way to go IMO.

If you really want to do it right, then do an HID projector retrofit and have a real HID headlight. The H1 kit from The Retrofit Source (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/bi-xenon-morimoto-mini-stage-3-kit-h1.html#.VCOHHRYlT1U) is essentially plug-n-play and will give you real HID performance.

Frankly, I thought the OEM headlights were subpar for the longest time... until I investigated my headlight aim. It seems the GL1800 comes factory aimed for two up riding or riding with luggage. That is, the headlights are aimed fairly low in order to compensate for rear loading. Try aiming your headlights before deciding you need an upgrade; I did and I think the OEM's are just fine when aimed right. BTW, no tools are needed to adjust the headlights vertically. Just reach up under the front of the fairing and locate the adjustment turn wheel.

[fxdl2051]

Not exactly; most people install HID bulbs/ballasts into the OEM reflector. This is not an HID system and not the way to go IMO.

If you really want to do it right, then do an HID projector retrofit and have a real HID headlight. The H1 kit from The Retrofit Source (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/bi-xenon-morimoto-mini-stage-3-kit-h1.html#.VCOHHRYlT1U) is essentially plug-n-play and will give you real HID performance.

Frankly, I thought the OEM headlights were subpar for the longest time... until I investigated my headlight aim. It seems the GL1800 comes factory aimed for two up riding or riding with luggage. That is, the headlights are aimed fairly low in order to compensate for rear loading. Try aiming your headlights before deciding you need an upgrade; I did and I think the OEM's are just fine when aimed right. BTW, no tools are needed to adjust the headlights vertically. Just reach up under the front of the fairing and locate the adjustment turn wheel.
That is worth knowing, I'll try that and see what happens! Do you recall how many turns and in what direction you settled on for adjustment? Just went to url site you listed, some of those headlights look exactly like whats on the current crop of Harleys, hmm, I wonder? Thanks again.

[Darkknight]

I used the SoCal low beam kit.
I love it!

[Hornblower]

If you really want to do it right, then do an HID projector retrofit and have a real HID headlight. The H1 kit from The Retrofit Source (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/bi-xenon-morimoto-mini-stage-3-kit-h1.html#.VCOHHRYlT1U) is essentially plug-n-play and will give you real HID performance.


Maybe I'm missing something here but these kits don't look plug-n-play for an F6B to me :shrug:. In fact, just doing some searching for projectors that fit Honda Goldwings, I see several kits that replace the entire headlight assemblies but unfortunately, they run around $1000. Are you saying you have installed projectors on your bike and if so, which kit from The Retrofit Source did you use?

[Steve 0080]

Ummmmm HID of some type is the way to go....Cycle Gear has them and a warranty, I got mine from a local vendor and paid $75 , lifetime warranty....

[GiddyupF6B]

Sportiva kit with adapters, less than $80. I ran them on my m109 and the same kit was 3 years trouble free when I sold the 9. Sportvia kit has been on my F6B for almost a year trouble free. One kit comes with 2 of everything....bulbs and ballasts. Just need to buy the adapters they sell which keeps you in the $80 range. Customer service is really good too...I had a friend whose ballast went and they replaced it no questions asked. I see people spending over $200 for the Goldwing specific kit made by one company and just don't understand why people spending that kind of money.

[badpapi]

CAN someone PM ME THE LINK where i can get the sportiva kit and adapters i try searching for then .
thanks :banghead:

the only reason i did not get hid is because i refuse to spend more then $100 on it .
i have HID on my truck wish i buy with with the entire headlight assemblies with led and all ballast and bulbs for less then $200 so i do not feel comfortable paying $120+ for hid bulb and ballast only.
:yikes:

[Hornblower]

I already have the SoCalMoto HID kits in the low beams and also their LED bulbs in the high beams. Except for color-matching, the LED high beams are virtually worthless. The HID's have been very good in terms of color and projection but I have not been satisfied with the scattered light pattern. To add to my concerns, on close inspection I have noticed some slight discoloration in my low beam reflectors. I don't know if they're starting to burn a bit but it is a concern. So, today, I found a product new to me that looks like it has possibilities. From HID Auto Vision, it's the 42-watt LED conversion kit. This kit is available for H7 bulb conversions and I decided to order so I could do some testing. Previously, I had not found any single-bulb LED's that could project light down-the-road anywhere close to HID. And, perhaps these won't either but we'll soon find out. They have a decent chance of rivaling the HID's because they are true 42-watt Cree LED units with ignitors. They produce 2300 lumens with a color temp of 6000K. Give me around a week or so and I should be able to give a full report with pictures! If anyone is curious, here is the link:

http://www.hidautovision.com/42-watt-led-headlight-conversion-kit/#dumboBox

[GiddyupF6B]

CAN someone PM ME THE LINK where i can get the sportiva kit and adapters i try searching for then .
thanks :banghead:

the only reason i did not get hid is because i refuse to spend more then $100 on it .
i have HID on my truck wish i buy with with the entire headlight assemblies with led and all ballast and bulbs for less then $200 so i do not feel comfortable paying $120+ for hid bulb and ballast only.
:yikes:

http://www.tempestdirect.com/whishidxecar.html

Call them as you will need the adapters. The techs are very knowledgeable and helpful. In the future Google is your friend...I typed this in Google and had it in about .4 seconds.

[badpapi]

http://www.tempestdirect.com/whishidxecar.html

Call them as you will need the adapters. The techs are very knowledgeable and helpful. In the future Google is your friend...I typed this in Google and had it in about .4 seconds.

ty for the info .
i did google
justmy question was more to find out
where people may have experience ordering and dealing with .
but again thank you! for your quick response . :-)

[Steve 0080]

CAN someone PM ME THE LINK where i can get the sportiva kit and adapters i try searching for then .
thanks :banghead:

the only reason i did not get hid is because i refuse to spend more then $100 on it .
i have HID on my truck wish i buy with with the entire headlight assemblies with led and all ballast and bulbs for less then $200 so i do not feel comfortable paying $120+ for hid bulb and ballast only.
:yikes:

I can get a set to your front door for $80

[srt8-in-largo]

Maybe I'm missing something here but these kits don't look plug-n-play for an F6B to me :shrug:. In fact, just doing some searching for projectors that fit Honda Goldwings, I see several kits that replace the entire headlight assemblies but unfortunately, they run around $1000. Are you saying you have installed projectors on your bike and if so, which kit from The Retrofit Source did you use?

There's a few Goldwinger's who have retrofitted complete HID projectors into the OEM headlight housing. MacGyver installed these Morimoto H1's and has a great write up: http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/5-general-motorcycle-discussion-forum/478946-gl1800-hid-projector-retrofit.html. I borrowed a few of his pics below for illustration.

I used the phrase "plug-n-play" loosely... it's more involved than swapping a bulb but if your goal is light output rather than fashion, then it's worth while.

You'll need to remove the headlight housing and bake it at about 300F for 10 to 20 minutes; once heated, you can open it up. The Morimoto H1 mounts in the bulb opening and is fastened with a locknut. Next wire the ballast, mount the ballast, re-aim the headlights, and button everything back up. It's not really that bad but it will take a full day of work. Fwiw, these kits can be ordered with proper butyl rubber sealant which is the correct material to use for re-sealing headlights (using black goo from Home Depot is a half ass solution).

I had a couple other systems in mind for my bike. This H1 is the easiest to install but there are better systems available such as their D2S kit (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/bi-xenon-mini-stage-3-kit-d2s.html#.VCTTFBYlT1U). This is one of their newer designs... the projector has less inappropriate foreground lighting, brighter hotspot down the center for distance, and wider beam width for lighting the ditches better. Further, this D2S kit uses a proper OEM HID bulb (a D2S bulb lol). The H1 kit uses an aftermarket HID bulb re-based onto an H7 plug. I would rather run bulbs that come direct from Philips or Sylvania as opposed to a 3rd party with, assumingly, lesser quality control.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pqw2ay8UEv8/VCTQcz2nGMI/AAAAAAAACKI/PNrCndB6_Sw/s800/GL1800%2520HID%2520projector%2520retrofit%2520-%2520pic%25201.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-czU1TlfySl0/VCTQcpAA91I/AAAAAAAACKE/SFoMwLpfRec/s800/GL1800%2520HID%2520projector%2520retrofit%2520-%2520pic%25202.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z-b3iquj81A/VCTQcl6SBHI/AAAAAAAACKA/HC1QEvEXCK4/s800/GL1800%2520HID%2520projector%2520retrofit%2520-%2520pic%25203.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zZY7KWKfQOE/VCTQdGZT0SI/AAAAAAAACKM/1Kk89WPKOfY/s800/GL1800%2520HID%2520projector%2520retrofit%2520-%2520pic%25204.jpg

[fxdl2051]

I already have the SoCalMoto HID kits in the low beams and also their LED bulbs in the high beams. Except for color-matching, the LED high beams are virtually worthless. The HID's have been very good in terms of color and projection but I have not been satisfied with the scattered light pattern. To add to my concerns, on close inspection I have noticed some slight discoloration in my low beam reflectors. I don't know if they're starting to burn a bit but it is a concern. So, today, I found a product new to me that looks like it has possibilities. From HID Auto Vision, it's the 42-watt LED conversion kit. This kit is available for H7 bulb conversions and I decided to order so I could do some testing. Previously, I had not found any single-bulb LED's that could project light down-the-road anywhere close to HID. And, perhaps these won't either but we'll soon find out. They have a decent chance of rivaling the HID's because they are true 42-watt Cree LED units with ignitors. They produce 2300 lumens with a color temp of 6000K. Give me around a week or so and I should be able to give a full report with pictures! If anyone is curious, here is the link:

http://www.hidautovision.com/42-watt-led-headlight-conversion-kit/#dumboBox


This might just be what I'm looking for, think a lot of folks will be waiting on your feedback on this one. Something I'd like to see is someone put a hand held laser thermometer on one some of these various setups and see what temp they're actually running at: HID vs LED vs Halogen. Best way to check if some of these really do run cooler as claimed.

[Hornblower]

This might just be what I'm looking for, think a lot of folks will be waiting on your feedback on this one. Something I'd like to see is someone put a hand held laser thermometer on one some of these various setups and see what temp they're actually running at: HID vs LED vs Halogen. Best way to check if some of these really do run cooler as claimed.

It's not so much a question of how hot the bulb or element is but what is done with the heat. For example, I've been experimenting with a 30 watt LED and mounted it on a really large heat sink like this:

8794

Needless to say, this bulb will run cool for hours. In the same way, the bulb from HID Auto Vision claims that aviation quality aluminum die-casting is used in the casing, and integrated forced air cooling keeps the bulb cool and efficient. That's another reason for trying this particular LED. Again, all the information I see on this is positive but I don't want to make an early call that it's THE ANSWER.

[fxdl2051]

It's not so much a question of how hot the bulb or element is but what is done with the heat. For example, I've been experimenting with a 30 watt LED and mounted it on a really large heat sink like this:

8794

Needless to say, this bulb will run cool for hours. In the same way, the bulb from HID Auto Vision claims that aviation quality aluminum die-casting is used in the casing, and integrated forced air cooling keeps the bulb cool and efficient. That's another reason for trying this particular LED. Again, all the information I see on this is positive but I don't want to make an early call that it's THE ANSWER.

I've seen a lot of driving light style LEDs of late, with some kind of built in fan at the base from amazon, superlumination and dh gate. Little shy of sticking them in headlights for obvious reasons. Looking forward to seeing what your results are.

One thing I'd like to ask since I can't find it listed on their site, the SoCal HIDs that you mentioned having some issues with, do you recall whether they were they 35W or 50W units?

[badpapi]

I can get a set to your front door for $80
WHEN IM READY TO BUY THEM I SURE WILL PM YOU .
THANKS YOU !!!:clap2:

[Hornblower]

One thing I'd like to ask since I can't find it listed on their site, the SoCal HIDs that you mentioned having some issues with, do you recall whether they were they 35W or 50W units?

First, I don't know for sure if I have any issues or not. I just mentioned that I see some slight discoloration of the reflectors, on close inspection, and I'm not sure if that's a burn or something that can be cleaned off. When I install these new LED bulbs, I'm going to see if that discoloration will clean off with alcohol. The HID bulbs from SoCalMoto were 35 watt HID's, BTW.