HID headlights

[ctng]

I am thinking of installing a HID headlights. Since it's illegal, is it easy to get caught by TP or highway patrol or just only have to worry about yearly inspection only. Those who have HID experience, please give me some feedback. Is it worth the hassle? Does the ballast over heat?

[josean]

after installing HID i can tell u the following

 

1. u dont NEED HID within SG

2. yearly inspection doesnt bother me as the light test always fail even with halogen

3. im using white/bluish light dont have a problem with TP so far even during road blocks. if u using yellow or purple thats another story

4. ballast wont overheat if u get a good brand

5. if u want to use it in SG only, u just have to ask yourself is ai swee > $$$ ?

 

if yes then go get one lor. if no then drop the idea

[limbat]

[Guest czh2002sg]

i would agree that in Sg HID is not so useful. Its makes more of a difference on NSH and Malaysia riding where sometimes the lighting may not be as reliable.

 

In sg, especially neighbourhoods, it is pretty irritating to other road users and even pedestrians. A little too distracting for others' safe driving/riding.

 

If you really want to install, TP uaually dun catch, but depends on luck. No guarantee. I know of a friend who passed inspection with HID. So...

 

Its purely your choice.

 

Another suggestion if you want more lighting and visibility is to try fog lights instead. Comments, folks?

 

On the other hand i would love to use HID to irritate those people who piss me on the road. Pretty nice, dun u think? Let the tailgater pass, or the idiot who squeeze you pass, go behind, leave a safe distance, prepared to e brake, and SHINE AND LIGHT UP HIS LIFE. Wahahaha

 

If only i had HID.

[paiseh]

HID takes around 5 to 8 seconds to "warm up" to hit its fullest potential brightness.

 

so it is not wise to haf HID just to blind others. anyway, its not very road friendly.

 

I would suggest ppl to install HID only when they travel msia often. and in spore, use halogen instead of HID so as to avoid irritating other rd users.

[EJ]

if wanna use HID pls angled it so it shines the road not the motorist infront of u..its very very distracting n annoying..

 

get phillips bulbs instead..german made!

[ctng]

Everyone thanks for your replies. Now I know what I should do.

 

Currently using Philips Premium.

for slightly brighter, do you people suggest change to Philips Vision Plus or Night Tri-Color(is it available yet?) or ZoomLite.

 

I read online on Philips have announced Xtreme. I wonder if this is available in SG?

http://www.care4car.com/productdisplay/pro...enon_bulbs.html

[dinie]

Originally posted by ctng@March 16, 2007 04:24 pm

Everyone thanks for your replies. Now I know what I should do.

 

Currently using Philips Premium.

for slightly brighter, do you people suggest change to Philips Vision Plus or Night Tri-Color(is it available yet?) or ZoomLite.

 

I read online on Philips have announced Xtreme. I wonder if this is available in SG?

http://www.care4car.com/productdisplay/pro...enon_bulbs.html

wanna share? or does someone wanna do a mass order?

[lancified]

Originally posted by paiseh@March 16, 2007 01:49 pm

HID takes around 5 to 8 seconds to "warm up" to hit its fullest potential brightness.

 

so it is not wise to haf HID just to blind others. anyway, its not very road friendly.

 

I would suggest ppl to install HID only when they travel msia often. and in spore, use halogen instead of HID so as to avoid irritating other rd users.

Well spoken! I have HID installed on my pulsar. Only use it when I go to JB or when I meet another rider/driver who cuts into my lane while ignoring my futile efforts of honking him.

 

Halogen off, HID on, wait for like 5 secs for warmup, TAILGATE real close. that's the style man!

[ctng]

Originally posted by lancified@March 17, 2007 06:33 pm

TAILGATE real close. that's the style man!

I don't think it's wise to do that. You are puting yourself in danger. Adding more negative to an already negative situation. What happen if the car driver is also a reckless type? You will be the one to suffer. Horn if you want but just let them go.

 

Sorry. Just my opinion.

[FatBiker]

Hmm... seem like HID is use not only for road illumination... but also use by some to piss people off. I dun think it is a good idea....

 

FatBiker

[FatBiker]

Originally posted by josean@March 16, 2007 10:09 am

after installing HID i can tell u the following

 

1. u dont NEED HID within SG

2. yearly inspection doesnt bother me as the light test always fail even with halogen

3. im using white/bluish light dont have a problem with TP so far even during road blocks. if u using yellow or purple thats another story

4. ballast wont overheat if u get a good brand

5. if u want to use it in SG only, u just have to ask yourself is ai swee > $$$ ?

 

if yes then go get one lor. if no then drop the idea

White/bluish lights? I suspose you are using colour temperature of 5000K to 6000K?

 

I heard that it is alright for clear nights. But when it comes to foggy nights... it would be like shinning light on a wall as this colour temperature is not very penetrative.

 

True?

 

FatBiker

[WingZer0]

foggy nites or early morning use yellow bro...

[B20]

i hate those HID installed cars travelling behind mi!!!! i will slow down n go behind n shine him back!

 

my suggestion is tat if u wanna install HID n dun wanna irritate other rd user... plz lower ur headlight down abit... itz damn irriating to shine at other's back...

[paiseh]

**To promote responsibility for HID users. **

 

Let us have a look at a H4 bulb. 1st case, lo beam

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/1876/loxn0.jpg

 

you shlf have noticed that there is a small metal cap under the lo beam filament. this is to avoid beams from throwing upwards. confused? read the next post

[paiseh]

now the 2nd case, hi beam

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/374/hibeamst6.jpg

 

 

u can clearly see that the naked filament (which is the hi beam filament) produces light that is reflected everywhere in the headlamp casing, causing light beams to be thrown upwards, and downwards ---> function of hi beam met.

[paiseh]

Hence, for your H4 HID, make sure there is a metal cap that prevents the HID from being "hi beam always". else, it is going to irritate many many rd users which i dun wish to see.

 

 

a case of H4 HID w/o metal cap causing irritation to other rd users

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3497/hid1bd0.jpg

[paiseh]

a case whereby a H4 HID bulb is manufactured correctly, with a metal cap under the HID bulb.

 

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2137/hid2qo0.jpg

[paiseh]

http://www.casperselectronics.com/cgi-local/store/Html/Images/103016-1.jpg

 

http://www.hidxenonlights.com/i/bulbs_hid.gif

 

notice that the H4 HID bulb type has a metal cap. again, this is to prevent the HID bulb from being "hi beam always"

[paiseh]

u may den ask this question

 

 

 

 

 

Q: how about other HID bulb types like H7 which do not have a metal cap. wouldnt it mean that they are always on "hi beam" ?

 

A: other Bulb types have only 1 filament. they are either acting as lo beam or hi beam AND this depends on the design of the headlamp casing. for eg. CBR600RR 2003. the right side is H7 acting as lo beam due to headlamp casing's design. the left side however, (which ) is H7 acting as hi beam due to headlamp casing's design.

 

 

 

 

Q: Den why is there a need for H4 bulbs?

 

A: dun ask me, ask menufacturers anyway, bikes like super 4 and shadow 750, they are using single headlamp. as such, the headlamp casing is designed as hi beam. Hence, the only way to prevent hi beam and produce lo beam would be using H4 bulb (which has the small metal cap under the lo beam's filament) as explained earlier on

[paiseh]

This is the correct way of manufacturing a H4 HID hi/lo bulb

 

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3675/h4hidbulbasdvl6.jpg

 

 

 

 

there are other H4 bulb types which are manufactured wrongly i.e w/o the metal cap. so i hope u guys can use HID responsibly.

[zod]

[lao uncle]

Paiseh, good HID knowledge to impart to other. Once again HID used responsibily is good but once it is use wrongly will blind other and this can lead to accident.

[toobez]

hey guys..

 

have used stock bulbs, halogen and HID headlights before or currently..

 

my bike uses M5 bulbs(vespa/KTM/etc..) and it is super hard to find M5 halogen bulbs..

 

as a regular user of the NSH and to a lesser extent certain trunk roads in m'sia.. i can say that HID appeals to me..

 

reasons i got HID instead of foglamps is that..

 

1. the cost is about the same or less than various fog lamps

2. mounting fog lamps is always a problem

3. if u crash or as i have witnessed, ride into a fellow biker at a petrol station.. kiss the use of your foglamp goodbye till you are back from your trip..

4. people may help themselves to it..

5. the power draw of a HID is less than that of 2 foglamps(i might be wrong about this)

6. u don't have to keep taking on and off the covers of the foglamps in and out of SGP

7. HID has a great field of vision better than some foglamps i have seen..

8. u don't have to keep readjusting the angle of the bulb as in foglamps(which are damn irritating to the person in front of you).. i've asked people that road in front of me if the HID was annoying.. most said no.. the others are just irritating..

9. HID runs cooler than halogen and/or foglamps

10. your friends will say 'eh, why u never change your light bulb'(as one is halogen and the other is HID.. just smile and say you are too lazy.. then just blow them away with the HID after..

 

in SGP the roads are so good you could ride around without headlights and still see the road(although u are super invisible).. hence it's great for bikes with 2 headlights.. one stock or halogen and the other HID man..

 

things i don't like about HID so much

1. takes a while to get to full brightness..

2. have to install a seperate switch

3. thats about it lar..

 

limbat did a great job for me.. even opened on sunday just so i could get in done.. the shop owner is a great guy to hang out with and the person that installed it was a really nice guy..

 

with that i will be honest and say that i was not entirely pleased with the way the wiring was done in that it was really way too long, messy and some of it ended up between my frame and seat meaning the wires get mashed.. it is quite disturbing to think about that..

 

but all in all a super product from super people..

[paiseh]

Originally posted by toobez@March 28, 2007 03:46 am

5. the power draw of a HID is less than that of 2 foglamps(i might be wrong about this)

u r correct.

 

for example, a 12V 55watt rated halogen bulb draws 6.5amp of current constantly.

 

for HID, it draws 10.2amp of current to warm up for the first 3- 6 seconds and will automatically drop to drawing 3.2amp of current after the "warm-up" period.