| Author | Message | ||
     Hogs |
Hi guys, Welll I checked the knowledge posts with no luck, These damn firebolt lights have to go with spring around the corner... What have all done to be able to replace these bulbs,Orr add extra Hid lights,xenon etc.etc I want to light up the road this year, replacing the stock bulbs wd. be my best choice and ease of doing so??? Thankssssssss | ||
| Samiam |
http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=2 (brighter) or http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=11 (not as bright, but more blue) Either of these are the HID conversion kits that I'm probably getting for mine, they have the smallest ballasts. Sure they're pricey, but I think the added safety is worth it. Not to mention, how many bikes do you know that have HID? | ||
| Hogs |
Hey Samiam, thanks for the links I`ll check em out, Just wondering I wd. think HID is the best out there is it or??? | ||
| Hogs |
Wow... Thats like close to 500.oo Clams for me here in Canada, I can``t SEE :-) spending that much COIN, Yeah I was on that site before, Nice but too much $$$$$$$$ Must be something out there.....!!!! | ||
| Samiam |
HID lights are the brightest lights you can get right now, the only reason you don't see more of them is because they are so expensive(which is changing). They also consume the least power (35W compared to 55W for halogen). Just remember not to believe the common misconception that the higher the color temperature the brighter the light. The inverse is true. Check out this thread for more info: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/176334.html?1140232770 | ||
| Hogs |
Thanks Samiam, Yeah I think Fullpower gave a good description the lower the number I believe is better... | ||
| Xb9 |
You can go with Hella 90MM lamps - little work to get it done but worth it. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=32777&post=212600#POS T212600 | ||
| Hogs |
Thanks XB8, I`ll read up on that... | ||
| Hogs |
So, XB9, On a scale from 1 to 10 how much better wd. ya say those are on your ride now, oh yeah on that page I guess that last link you gave is down now... | ||
| Hogs |
I wonder what these wd. be like any input??? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8038339627& sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT or......http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6755&item=4612941890 I was thinking of adding these under the fairing, OR just of waste of time?? (Message edited by hogs on February 24, 2006) | ||
| Hogs |
Now heres a stupid ? perhaps IF lets say I ran double two lows and two high firebolt lights all things being equal wd. I have more Brightness/driving lights or wd. it make much of a difference at all, Just wondering IF I added aux. lighting under the fairing wd. it really make any difference being the same wattage output etc.etc ??? | ||
| Dmextreme |
I have a question as well, I have searched for the Dual Headlight thread, but can't seem to find it for the CityX. Can anyone reroute me or tell me what I need to do to make it dual beam. Thanks! | ||
| Fdl3 |
Hogs: I, too, am of the opinion that the XBR lights are not that great. For me, the real culprit was deteriorated back-plates inside the light housings. In other words, the reflective coating inside and on the back of the light housing was no longer reflective. Apparently, this coating will deteriorate over time, and light output will be hampered. I ended up replacing both lights with new stock ones. I think the stock units were $40 each and these did improve the light output significantly. However, I did replace my low-beam unit with a high-beam unit. They have two distinct part numbers, but I do not know if there is a difference between the two units. If there is it can only be: a) the low-beam dongle that cuts off the top portion of the pattern; b) the lenses use a different pattern. I also added auxiliary lights. Those PIAA lights from your link look nice. I bought a cheaper brand and guess what...they are terrible. Basically I use them to spread my light pattern out to the sides because they don't provide a significant enough beam out front. The ones I bought use 55W H3 bulbs (like the XBR stock lights). If I ever decide to buy better auxiliary lights, I would definitely see if I could get H7 lights (like the XBS). I'll post some pics of my auxiliary light setup. I wired my aux. lights into the high-beam circuit so that I could control the aux. lights with the stock high-beam switch. | ||
| Xb9 |
Don't forget that your charging system has a limit - adding additional lamps increase the current draw on the system. I wouldn't exceed 3 - 65W lamps on the Buell. (on at the same time for an extended period of time) (Message edited by xb9 on February 24, 2006) | ||
| Fdl3 |
Here is a frontal view:  | ||
| Fdl3 |
Here is a close-up view showing the very "sophisticated" mounting of the aux. lights.   | ||
| Fdl3 |
Here is another close-up from the rear:  | ||
| Fdl3 |
Usually I only run these aux. lights during the winter season. I can take these lights off and return the wiring back to stock at will. By the summer season, there is enough daylight to render the aux. lights useless (except for maybe better daytime visibility). | ||
| Xb9 |
I'd say the Hella 90MM gives you 50% better lighting over the stock units - even more after the reflective coating has deteriorated off the stock lamps. The high beam is very nice - shoots way down the road, and also gives very wide peripheral lighting in close range so you can see off the sides of the road (great for spotting deer!) (Message edited by xb9 on February 24, 2006) | ||
| Hogs |
Fdl3, Glad too see I`m not the only one out there looking for lights that work, No plm. with your charging system with them all etc.etc I was thinking of either mounting them in the center right under the fairing oR cut a couple of round holes in the fairing and trying to make it look stock like... Do they really add alot more light I have seen those as well on ebay same 55 W lights....Yeah the H7`s wd. be the way to go ,On the wifes bike xb12scg those are great..!!! Thats what I was wondering IF ya add just another set of H 3 `s wd, it make it any better at all... Xb9 Yeah its the CRITTERS that I want to see as well, been all many roads coming around the corners at night and seeing Deer etc. standing on the side of the road Scary and i`m talking right within the city limits... GooD Point XB9..! | ||
| Hogs |
Oh and yes I had my rear tail light last year replaced under warranty as All the gray paint flaked off the inside of that, Cheap junk I have to say, so I Wonder if that was covered under warranty wd. not the front ones as well be ,Never taken the front off yet but wd. expect it may be the same cheap .99 cent paint inside the light housing??? And yes I have an extra set of firebolt head lights wd. it make a big difference IF I took my low beam out and install the other High BEam in its place, But wd. I lose the light Fan that the low beam suppiles close to the bike?? | ||
| Dmextreme |
So how would I connect my low and high beams so that they are both on instead of the " You Got a Headlight Out" look on my CityX? And I love the H7's on my CityX, when on the highway at night, yeah critters are there, and I usually drive with both lights on, but damn, my finger gets tired hold the passing switch so both lights are on. With both of these HID like bulbs on, I can see everything. No need for aux lights. I hear ya Hogs, I see deer within city limits here in Des Moines, IA and wonder to myself, how in the hell do they get there.. but I think the most common in any state would be those pesky possums. just a lump of bleh.. like hitting a huge rock in the road, not fun, and scary at 65 or higher. | ||
| Hogs |
Dmextreme, Yeah the h7`s are great, On the wifes if ya just put the switch in the middle it will run both lights, But not sure if its good to do that, There is a thread on BAdweb telling how to do it, sorry don`t know what it is though... | ||
| Fdl3 |
Hogs:
Not with voltage output. I run with these lights, both stock lights, heated jacket, heated gloves. I have had no voltage and/or charging problems.
I have thought of doing that, too. I think it would look neat. Just make sure that the lights would not hit the fender when the forks compress.
I think you would be hard-pressed to find room for the lights behind that fairing. If you could, it might look neat, too. You might want to have a spare fairing in case it does not turn out like you want.
No, not the ones I have - or at least not as much as I want/expected.
Not with the ones I have.
Seems to be.
Probably, if the lenses do indeed display a different light pattern. | ||
| Sparky |
Thinkin' out loud here, but I'd like to take out the stock projector lights and put Hog's PIAA HID's in if they fit. Gee, it'd save electricity and make more light! Waddya think? | ||
| Hogs |
Sparky, I think they are the same power I may be wrong, And if so they wd. be the same, Just thinking to add extra , but not sure IF it wd. make any difference??? | ||
| Fdl3 |
Hogs: The one difference I have noticed is an expanded field of light to the sides of the bike. There is not an appreciable amount of light being cast in front of the bike with the aux. lights I have, probably due to the inferior focal power of the lenses. Because of that, I exaggerated the field of light to the sides by canting the aux. lights slightly downward. By doing that, I feel I gain more night-time visibility from the perspective of other vehicles around me (especially on the interstate). Sparky: I concur with Hogs regarding the same wattage power and the amount of light they would cast; in other words, it would probably be worse. If I was going to replace my stock headlamps, I would use the 90mm Hella lamps. Check out this link (if you haven't already): 90mm Hella Discussion Edit: Added link. (Message edited by fdl3 on February 25, 2006) | ||
| Hogs |
Hey Fdl3, thats interesting about the better side field of view that in itself wd. be worth it.. Aim them a little to the right and left and down abit wd. help show up the Critters in the ditches ready to jump out at ya LoL good point I may go that way for now... \ Also I may stick another High beam light I have as an extra in place of the low beam and that may help as well for the longer distance perhaps... | ||
| Poondogger |
haven't studied this whole thread here but if it helps I put another high beam in place of my low. cheap and a quick fix for more light. I ride 31 miles a night home (1am) and can comfortably cruise at 75-80mph. |
