Headlights for Trailing

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  #1  
Old 08-03-2010, 03:10 AM
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Default Headlights for Trailing

I searched the forum, but, was not satisfied with the search tool.

So. I post.

I was out for a 3.5 hour ride, and on the way back, it got dark. I coulda hit the road, but decided to test out the lighting on the trails...

I DID put the high low beam halfway and found that both stayed on, making a nicely lit trail . . .

My dealer told me about the HID modification kit. They make your lights the same as the BMW . . . Super Bright..uses arcing to create light. VERY BRIGHT. The high beam in fact uses a magnet to pull/push the filament to change the focus. Cool. $90. I usually buy a higher watt bulb, from 55/66 to higher watts high/low.

Soooooo. My question for ya'll, is this. Has anyone modified their lighting for trails? 1) Make the high/low both stay on or... go with HID?

I rather liked the HIGH LOW together. I modified my Impala to have quad beam, high and low on at the same time, for 4 lights. That required some bridging of the fuse box. I'm thinking I could do that .... find the relay, bridge it.

That HID kit looked pretty cool . . .someone said "looks like aircraft landing lights".

Thoughts?
 
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Old 08-03-2010, 03:28 AM
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High and low on together usually blows the fuse, which has happened to me accidentally bumping the rockerswitch with my hand or branches. I carry a extra fuse now after riding home in the dark one night. If you plan on running the two togther I'd wire a separte circuit for it, and make sure you don't overheat the housing or burn both filaments out from the heat.
 
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Old 08-03-2010, 05:24 AM
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No ***** footin around here.

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Old 08-03-2010, 01:07 PM
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Try a helmet light set up. Take it with you between bikes and works for MTB too. These look the guts.>>>>LINKY>>>>http://www.trailtechproducts.co.uk/a...et_Lights.html

 
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Old 08-03-2010, 02:23 PM
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Neil, I had a neat experience with a 950 KTM out at Moab this past May that had what looks like that exact headlight setup. I was riding the KLX in the Needles section of Canyonlands near the Beef Basin area. I had only seen one other vehicle all day. I was rounding a corner on a jeep road, keeping well to the right as I should, doing about 40 mph. Coming head-on around the same corner was an orange blur going even faster, but he was hugging his right hand side of the trail. What stuck out was the twin, huge, bugged-eyed headlights and a freakin' cool roar out of the motor. When I got home, I found out it was one of the ADV guys from the Rockies forum named "Crosscountry" who races in Baja, Mexico and such. That bike looked and sounded awesome. Nothing like closing head-on at about 90 mph in a surprise corner meeting with a beast like that. Fortunately we were both doing what we were supposed to do as far as our position on the jeep road. The lack of people and traffic had lulled me into thinking I was the only one out there.
 
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Old 08-03-2010, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by RimBender
High and low on together usually blows the fuse, which has happened to me accidentally bumping the rockerswitch with my hand or branches. I carry a extra fuse now after riding home in the dark one night. If you plan on running the two togther I'd wire a separte circuit for it, and make sure you don't overheat the housing or burn both filaments out from the heat.
You beat me to it. I was going to say the exact same thing.
 
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Old 08-03-2010, 03:16 PM
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I'm also keen to hear who has made a mod and what worked with stock wiring and stator Or even modded stator for that matter!
 
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Old 08-03-2010, 07:43 PM
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The bad

HID is to bright you can't see to the side (dark) cause your eyes adjust to the intense light.

You might need a timer (I have one now of course) when the bike stalls or if you need to give it a good crank it sucks to much juice and the light goes out.

I was always checking to see if the light was on, extra distraction

It's hard to be sneaky

My friends in front HATED me


The good

It gets peoples attention during the day

Consumes less power
 
  #9  
Old 08-03-2010, 10:51 PM
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HID is one of the best mods I've done. Gives more light and uses less energy, so it's econmical and eco-conscious . 35W or even 22W works great, 4000K for Halogen-like yellow, 5000 to 6000K for bright white, 8000 for a white with a hint of blue. Make sure to get the slim ballast ones for easy install.

I've used Ebay ones for cars, rewired the HI-LOW wire.
They are still working perfectly plus I have a spare just in case
 
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Old 08-03-2010, 11:02 PM
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Originally Posted by japanbilly
HID is one of the best mods I've done. Gives more light and uses less energy, so it's econmical and eco-conscious . 35W or even 22W works great, 4000K for Halogen-like yellow, 5000 to 6000K for bright white, 8000 for a white with a hint of blue. Make sure to get the slim ballast ones for easy install.

I've used Ebay ones for cars, rewired the HI-LOW wire.
They are still working perfectly plus I have a spare just in case
I love mine!
 


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