Author |
Message |
Rsm688
| Posted on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 09:55 pm: |
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Well I have my m2 all stripped down and have my HID kit here to install, I was wondering where you guys who have HIDs mounted your ballast/relays? Thanks, Spencer |
Buellistic
| Posted on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 10:19 pm: |
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What is a HID KIT ??? |
Dom
| Posted on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 12:53 am: |
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Converts the original headlights to HID bulbs aka the super white lights.I don't have a HIDs on my cyclone but I would try to mount either somewhere near the horn or the battery. Up near the struts and front of the gas tank just seems real crowded on this bike |
Dave_02_1200
| Posted on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 08:11 am: |
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I have a DDM HID on my M2. The ballast is mounted on a short piece of 1 1/2" x 1/4" alumium flat stock with industrial strength Velcro and zip-ties. The aluminum stock is held in place between the frame members under the tank using the OEM rubber covered P-clamps that were used to hold the stock heat shield. That makes a neat vibration-protected mount that is out of the way. The DDM HID is BRIGHT! |
Rsm688
| Posted on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 12:02 pm: |
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Thanks guys I like the under the tank idea, does it not get too hot there right above the head? Dave, I have the DDM kit as well. Do you remember if your harness with the relay had two sets of plugs for the bulb? Mine has four wires coming out of the relay box. 1 power, 1 to connect to factory bulb pigtail, and then 2 that look like they should plug ino the hid bulb |
Reepicheep
| Posted on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 12:58 pm: |
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Tons of room behind the flyscreen on an M2, I used to carry a tool pouch there. Would it fit there? |
Dave_02_1200
| Posted on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 05:51 pm: |
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The DDM has two sets of leads but only one is used on single headlight motorcycle applications. (The ballast is the same one they supply for auto applications) I just wrapped the other and zip tied it out of the way. So far heat has not been a problem but I like the idea of putting it behind the flyscreen even better. I just might do that. (Message edited by Dave 02 1200 on September 03, 2012) |
Ft_bstrd
| Posted on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 07:51 pm: |
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Would if I had a fly screen. |
Oldog
| Posted on Tuesday, September 04, 2012 - 11:57 am: |
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The DDM has two sets of leads but only one is used on single headlight motorcycle applications. If you move it please post a pic. Most common HID ballasts have an INPUT leads from the bike and headlight connector ( power and control ) and an output whip with or with out the igniter "box" Im supprised that the balast works well on top of the motor } |
Jhuppdog
| Posted on Tuesday, September 04, 2012 - 09:46 pm: |
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Has anyone purchase the new HID light kit from HD? They have one that is for the sportster headlight. From what I understand it is just plug and play. I have not seen one installed but they look pretty cool. Unfortunately I think they are around $400.00 |
Coxster
| Posted on Tuesday, September 04, 2012 - 10:59 pm: |
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wherever you end up mounting it, PLEASE post pics |
Dave_02_1200
| Posted on Wednesday, September 05, 2012 - 07:41 am: |
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The HD part must be really special for $400.00. I bought my HID light from DDM Tuning for $50.00. Maybe the HD logo is really worth $350.00. |
Oldog
| Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 02:40 pm: |
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Maybe the HD logo is really worth $350.00. No thats 3.50$} |
Oldog
| Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 02:41 pm: |
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Spence ballast on a plate attached to the headlight shell behind the fly screen. the relay is under the seat I used the moving lamp set up. |
Natexlh1000
| Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 02:46 pm: |
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Moving lamp setup for hi-lo beam? How is the focus? |
Oldog
| Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 05:08 pm: |
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Depends on which lamp I use, the original one was great, the latest ( sold by cheapy / amazon dealers ) not so good I have not seen any others to judge issues are focus ( position of light vs reflector ) and stability. The new bulb jiggles and the pattern of the light moves some. The Hi-Low action was better in the older one before it failed as was light pattern ahead of the bike, the light was whiter as well. The new one works and is brighter than an h4 todate: 4 ballasts 2 lamps |
Pikeben08
| Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 08:46 am: |
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Has anyone else had the same durability issues that Oldog has had? I was thinking about doing this since the visibility that the stock lamp offers is so bad, but I also don't want to be swapping lamps and ballasts all the time. Maybe I'll just get a brighter standard lamp. |
Oldog
| Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 10:12 am: |
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Pike the HID has been on the bike since '07 also I buy cheap stuff so I expect some issues if it worries you make the stuff ( relay and ballast ) accessable, carry spares on long trips for ref the last ballast was 18$ the last lamp was about 30$ or 40$ the "h4" lamp is on a moving mount that causes the lamp to move in and out relative to the base, btw I just replaced the lamp (Message edited by oldog on September 07, 2012) |
Ft_bstrd
| Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 10:17 am: |
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Unless you are sealing with SEVERE use, the weakest point is the capsule, and it's rated for 10,000 hours. There is no internal element, so unlike a halogen incandescent bulb, vibrations have to impact on the life of the filament. |
Oldog
| Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 10:24 am: |
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I actually had the capsule fail, I dont think it went 10K hours but an X1 with hard isolators tends to shake, ( I am happy with the life Vs light ) the issues I see are related to the HV whip that goes from balast to lamp. 2 of the failed ballasts had intermittents develop in the lamp whip. its a small area and the cables get some abuse the whips are too short to put under the tank and the ballast wont last as long sitting on a hot motor |
Kalali
| Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 02:55 pm: |
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I had fitment issues with the DDM Tuning hi/lo bulb on my X1. The hi/lo switch is at the end of the bulb making the bulb unit too long to fit inside the headlight housing. Unfortunately I found that out after installing all the wiring. I really liked the bright beam and tried to make it fit but ended up sending it back. The low beam would have fit OK but I just gave up on it altogether. Apparently the M2 headlight housing is deeper and doesn't pose this issue. |
Oldog
| Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 05:02 pm: |
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I had fitment issues with the DDM Tuning hi/lo bulb on my X1. The hi/lo switch is at the end of the bulb making the bulb unit too long to fit inside the headlight housing I had the same issue I took a 16 oz ballpien hammer and stretched the rear of the housing till it did. IIRC Guell looked at it and said wont fit.. } |
2002carbon
| Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2012 - 12:46 pm: |
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That's funny, I did the ballpien method also on my X1 |