HID Kit recommendations?

[Goodlad]

Hello lads,

As the title says. I'm looking for a HID recommendations for my 2010 vee.
I currently have some extra lights on the bike but want a HID kit too.

I hear some kits have high failure rates so want something reliable and obviously bright.
I can always angle them down a bit if its too bright.

This is what my bike currently looks like  

[Gassoon]

Bloody hell Goodlad - I scrolled down the page and got me retinas scorched there!  

Why do you need HIDs as well?

A lad called preload posted this on the VSRI forum...http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,17404.0.html

[greywolf]

A lad called preload posted this on the VSRI forum...http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,17404.0.html

Since I posted in that thread, I sold the Wee and the new owner went through a couple of ballasts. They apparently either die fairly early or live practically forever. The HID setup in my Glee seems to be in the latter situation. The bike has two years and over 15,000 miles with no problems.

[Goodlad]

Yeah that's what I'm seeing a lot of people say.
What I'm trying to nail down is a specific brand kit that is reliable and will last.

Last thing I want is buying a kit and paying for it to be fitted only to have endless hassle with it.

[Fat Rat]

Goodlad, I hope you get what you want, I wish you luck, however, I can't understand anyone wanting to upgrade the Headlights on a Wee or a Vee. Go for a ride in the dark on a Tiger 1050, you'll see what I mean (or not)  

[Goodlad]

Oh I know exactly what you mean man.
But I need to make the main beam the same color as the white LED's.

The difference is doing my head in  

[Fat Rat]

Ahhh OCD, I understand  

[greywolf]

The main reason I use HIDs is I run heated gear. HIDs use less power, make more light and don't change brightness much as the heat controller pulses each second. My stock lights looked like I was running headlight modulators.

[Oop North John]

But I need to make the main beam the same color as the white LED's.

The difference is doing my head in  

Why not use some whiter "normal" H4 filaments? The Osram Nightblaster seem to be whiter than the Osram ones that came with my Glee.

[UK_Vstrom650]

I don't notice my lights flickering when I use my heated gear (grips/jacket/insoles)  

+1 for trying 'whiter' bulbs first.

[Goodlad]

Yeah its definitely a good idea. I am looking around now on powerbulbs.
What I'm trying to suss out is what tone to go for to match.

4300k might be a bit yellow and 6000k might be a bit blue.

These are list as crisp white light

http://www.powerbulbs.com/us/product/co ... -two-bulbs  

These are list as Distinct ice blue/white light
http://www.powerbulbs.com/us/product/co ... -twin-pack

EDIT:

Good reviews on these but kind of expensive!

http://www.powerbulbs.com/us/product/ph ... ight-bulbs

[greywolf]

I don't notice my lights flickering when I use my heated gear (grips/jacket/insoles)  

+1 for trying 'whiter' bulbs first.

Do you have a heat controller that turns the gear on for a fraction of each second? If not, you're wasting power on a rheostat that heats where your body isn't or manually turning a switch on and off. If you do have such a controller, turn it on halfway and plug your gear into it. Then go to the front of the bike and check your headlights.

[UK_Vstrom650]

Interesting... I have no idea how the Keis heated controller works but I'll check it out

[greywolf]

I couldn't find any information on whether the Keis uses part time on and part time off to control heat or if it uses resistors but I expect its the former because it isn't big enough to have power resistors inside and no external resistors are shown. That being said, only three heat positions and a warning not to get the controller wet or operate it while riding are enough to make me not like it.

[UK_Vstrom650]

Agreed with the last comment - they've just released a waterproof handlebar controller but at £60 it's a bit pricey.

[greywolf]

That's more expensive than controllers I'm used to that are infinitely variable, can be mounted on the bike or person and are waterproof. http://www.heated-motorcycle-clothing.c ... llers.html

[Gassoon]

Oh I know exactly what you mean man.
But I need to make the main beam the same color as the white LED's.

The difference is doing my head in  

Buy a tin of Roses chocs, eat all the caramel ones and carefully retain the wrappers (yellow see-through). Now with a bit of cutting and gluing over your various LEds, all your lights are the same colour as the strom headlights!
Voila! £5-00 fix.


No, no - thank me some other time!


Fatrat is right - vot you are experiencing is normal male-motorcycle-fiddling OCD syndrome.  

[Goodlad]

Ah I know man. I do this crap with all my bikes! haha
I bit the bullet and just went for some whiter bulbs before I go buying a HID kit.

I ended up getting some osram bulbs and they threw in some philips side lights for free.
They are 4200k which should be white and match in more with my LED lights.
All in only 21 euro delivered.

[UK_Vstrom650]

Thanks for the advice GW. I checked my headlights this evening with the heated grips and jacket on full power with the engine on & off and didn't notice any flickering.  I did notice the headlights are very bright when I nearly burned my retinas out  

Currently using Philips Moto H4 Blue Vision bulbs which are bright and very white and would recommend  

[greywolf]

There is no change in load with the controller on full. You need to check the lower settings.