| Author | Message | ||
     Mikef5000 |
Basically, tell me it's not a good idea... The KEY: I HAVE A CYCONE! Which means, 1 big round headlight with 1 bulb. I know I'll have to aim it down a bit more than usual as to limit the blinding of oncoming traffic. That means I need an H4 bulb, so my choices are these: 1) Bi-Xenon 2) HID/Halogen They both would provide a Hi-Low within one 'bulb'. I'd never heard of the HID/Halogen before, but it provides HID for the running light, and the High Beam is a halogen light:  The Halogen would be instant on, but would also suck a lot more power than the HID correct? I'm not worried about the instant on for the high beam, because I have Halogen foglamps wired into my high beam already, so they would kick on immidiately. I can't find much info about Bi-Xenon. Does it use 35 watts on high and low beam? What makes the difference between the high and low? I'm looking to both gain light output, and decrease power usage. I'm straining my charging system as it is, so I want to lessen that draw. I have plenty of room for a ballast behind my flyscreen. I'm looking at either this Bi-Xenon Kit: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/H4-9004-9007-Bi-Xenon-Hi-Lo-H13-Du-HID-BiXenon-KIT_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742Q2em153Q2el1262QQcategoryZ36476QQihZ011QQitemZ320217238045QQtcZphoto Which would give me a spare ballast and bulb (Excellent!) Or this HID/Halogen kit: http://www.hidstores.com/store/motorcycle-hid-h4-2-xenon-conversion-kits-with-warranty-p50.html | ||
| Mikef5000 |
So APPARENTLY Bi-Xenon and HID/Halogen are two different names for exactly the same thing: http://ezinearticles.com/?Nothing-Lasts-Forever-Ex cept-Bi-Xenon-HID&id=743608 EDIT: Or maybe not: "both hig-beam and low-beam are xenon" http://www.xenonrider.com/flyersale/h4_bixenon_hid_kits.shtml Sooo confused. (Message edited by Mikef5000 on February 16, 2008) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Clever hack... I wonder if there are heat issues putting that HID capsule right by a halogen bulb. On the surface, it sounds like a bad idea, but both bulbs might run so hot all the time anyway it might not matter... | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Ok, so a HID H4-2 is the HID/Halogen combo bulb, like so: Bi-Xenon or HID H4-3 is differnt. My understanding, is that it only has one bulb, the difference between low and high, is where the bulb is place?! It is either telescoping, and sinks into the socket to sheild some light for low beam, or it has a sheild of some sort that covers part of the bulb for low beam, and moves out of the way for high.  Am I close??? Somebody tell me how bad of an idea it is to do this so I can cross it off my list and move on. | ||
| Aesquire |
Many photons, good. The issue with HID bulbs is the # of times it starts, not so much the hours of use. Also they dislike being turned on & off rapidly. This is why folk who use them learn to flip the headlight to high beam ( the halogen bulb ) when starting, or flip it to high on shut down so the HID does not start/stop/start if the bike doesn't fire up immediately. In a high beam application, HID's are not optimum. A telescopic bulb? sounds overly complex to me, but so does high pressure fuel injection, & that's what everyone uses now, so I'm obviously a fuddy duddy. I'm using a Luminetics yellow halogen now. ( the wattage is for off road use only, so being law abiding I only use it on closed courses. Topology speaking, we live on a sphere, which is closed. ) I'd go for the combo bulb. It's simple. Let us know which you get & how it works please. I live in Deer country & need more light. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Ok, after much more research, The telescoping bulbs are the standard, but they are not common anymore because of the high failure rate because of the extra moving parts. I like the looks of the H4-2 bulbs (HID/Halogen) like so:  But I think I found my favorite: [img]http://www.xenonlink.com/images/h4bixenon4.jpg[/img] The small light shield moves to block half the bulb for low beam, or expose the entire bulb for high beam. I know this opens up the possibility for failure. But the advantage is I will never be blinking my high beam and hurting the bulb and ballast, since it's just one bulb. Also I'm very pleased with this company, they are located in the USA! Which is very uncommon for the less expensive kits. They also have a great price, and free shipping. 1 year warranty. http://www.xenonlink.com/product_info.php?cPath=69_70&products_id=87 Sounds good to me! (Message edited by Mikef5000 on February 17, 2008) (Message edited by Mikef5000 on February 17, 2008) | ||
| Darthane |
or it has a sheild of some sort that covers part of the bulb for low beam, and moves out of the way for high. ~~~>Mikef This is the way the HID applications on the vehicles I work on operate. There is a small solenoid that moves a shield out of the way. There is literally no difference between high and low except that the shield is no longer controlling the light spread. This is actually kind of similar to the difference between a XB9R high and low beam light assembly. The bulbs are identical, but the low beam assembly has a shield that covers the upper portion of that lens. My little Mazda3 has HIDs, the light output on them is crazy. I'm not sure how smaller motorcycle applications compare, but there is only a very small lag in the startup sequence for them. Enough to be noticeable, but probably still well under a second. (Message edited by darthane on February 18, 2008) | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I'm torn between the two types. I sent a bunch of emails to different companies over the weekend, we'll see what kind of replies I get. | ||
| Baggermike |
Hey Guys here is my thoughts on the HID system first if you get one bulb that is high and low it will use an electic magnet to pull in in for high beam so the bulb moves lot the shield, now digital HID has a real small box and no outside ingniter, also faster warm up 15% more light out put and even color tempature www.starrotors.com have the cheapest I could find at 100 a pair for non digital or 125 for digital but got the info from another website that was more expensive HID kits and was 450 for a pair, I have the 1125R and need four bulb so I am going with star rotors digital bulbs, I had a H4 hi low bulb and worked great but had to get the bulb moving so when current was aplied it pulled the bulb in for high beam. need more info just ask. Mike |
