| Author | Message | ||
     Ferocity02 |
I currently have the stock bulbs in my 2005 XB12Scg and was wondering if there is a stock replacement bulb that is brighter/whiter or bluer than the stockers? I am looking for a little more visibility without emptying my wallet on HID's. Thanks! | ||
| Xl_cheese |
http://www.vvme.com/product/detail-20023.html I have these and they work great. | ||
| Xb12mel |
The Sylvania Silver Stars put out a remarkably whiter light and IMO worked better. | ||
| Badbueller |
They are h7 bulbs correct? | ||
| Froggy |
Yes H7. I have used both the Silverstars and PIAA Extreme bulbs before switching to HID, they are all good. | ||
| Wfhaag |
Hello, I have ordered the HID that Xl_cheese has suggested. I was curious as to where you mounted the starter brackets? | ||
| Xl_cheese |
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| Portero72 |
+1 to XL_cheese's suggestion. I have the same lights and they are fantastic, and affordable. | ||
| Wfhaag |
A picture is truly worth a thousand words! A can hardly wait until the new HID lights come in. I will keep you informed on the progress! Again thanks for your help Xl_cheese! | ||
| Froggy |
Jesus those things are huge! | ||
| Circusninja |
Froggy, please tell us what setup you had going on? What brand HIDs did you go with? | ||
| Froggy |
http://www.ddmtuning.com/index.php?p=product&id=10 7&parent=61 They have revised it from the look of it, I paid a little more for mine last fall. I got the 50w option as its even brighter than the 35w stuff like on XL_cheese's bike. I see they now have replaced it with 55 watts. Just eyeballing it, the ballasts look similar in length and width, but are much thinner, both my ballasts are probably about the same as one of those.   I just stuffed them in, no zip ties. It was so full that the wiring would hold it fine. | ||
| Petebueller |
I asked a friend to to some tests with relays to measure light output with and without them. He is now convinced that relays make more of a difference than high brightness bulbs. 20% more light output with a single beam. 60% better when both beams are on. These are better readings than he gets with +100% high brightness bulbs. Relays are cheaper, the "standard" bulbs last longer than high brightness (though running through relays will shorted the life). There was a 3V drop between the battery and the headlight in standard configuration. This dropped to .32V with relays, and to .28V with relay and thicker wire. | ||
| Ducbsa |
There was a 3V drop between the battery and the headlight in standard configuration. This dropped to .32V with relays, and to .28V with relay and thicker wire. Where would you pick to take your power from with the thicker wire? On the diagram for my '07 S, it could be from the load side of the 15A Key Switch fuse. But, I don't know how to get at it. Any suggestions? I haven't looked at the back of the fuse block to see what is available there to tap into, but will. | ||
| Petebueller |
Ducbsa I run a wire direct from the battery (through a fuse) to the relays for my headlights. I trigger the relays from the wires that normally go to the headlights. There is no need to cut any of the original wiring. I have heated grips taking power off the low beam relay. Sorry it was 1.3V drop standard with one bulb, not 3. If both bulbs are on the drop is more. 1.3V is a lot. At 13.5V you get 55W, at 12.8 volts you get 49W. Even running a ground wire direct to the lights from the battery makes a big difference. | ||
| Circusninja |
Froggy, are those the digital ballasts? I have heard that the digital ones can "re-ignite" a bulb if it happens to flicker out. | ||
| Ducbsa |
I run a wire direct from the battery (through a fuse) to the relays Thanks, I was trying to get too complicated. | ||
| Mmcn49 |
3 volts or about a 25% drop is incredible. At 12 volts a 55w bulb draws 4.5 amps. With the thin headlight wires Buell uses I can believe there would be a large loss. Pete, did you use the HD relay? If not do you, (or anyone) have a relay make and model number? I just put in a Silverstone H7 ultra low beam and want to take full advantage of it. Recently had a deer run in front of me on an interstate after dark. My stock low beam didn’t pick it up until it was in the middle of my lane. | ||
| Petebueller |
Hi Mmcn49 I corrected myself it was a 1.3V drop. Sorry about that. With both bulbs on (like the Firebolt) the drop is much greater. If the lights are 60% brighter through a relay it would be more than a 2 volt drop. I measured the power input to the low beam on my bike at 12.8 V and it was only 49W. (This was ignition off). When you use Power=CurrentxVoltage, you see that you only get the rated 55W at 13.5V. I ran the HID high beam through a standard relay from an auto electrician. I've gone back to the halogen after about 2 years with the HID. I didn't like the slow warm up, and flashing high beam quickly used to kill my speedo. I put Hellas on my bike not long after I bought it. I hit a kangaroo on one of my other bikes, so I can certainly empathise with the deer. Same as you I didn't see it at night until it was on it. | ||
| 984gasm |
I have been reading the reviews on the Sylvania Silverstars, and seems that they have a really short life expectancy. Has anyone else experienced this, or have other options they are happy with? http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-H7-SU-BP-TWIN/produ ct-reviews/B0012ETPUE/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie= UTF8&showViewpoints=1 | ||
| Froggy |
984gasm, the vibrations of our bikes kill ALL bulbs fast. I have used stock, PIAA, and Silverstar bulbs, all have failed after around 15k miles. Currently running HID, haven't failed yet, time will tell. Circus, yes they are digital, I don't even think its possible to find analog ones anymore. I have never seen a bulb flicker or turn off on me. | ||
| Mmcn49 |
I put a Silverstar Ultra on my 72 Beemer last October with no problems so far. I commute about 30 miles daily. Originally it had an incandescent headlight bulb. Bosch put out a halogen upgrade kit sometime in the mid 70’s, (lens, bulb & reflector). I installed the kit shortly after it came out. There is no way of knowing how long a halogen style bulb will last. I have 226K on the bike now. One of the bulbs lasted over 50K. Most seem to last between 15 and 20K and only got about 4K out of one. I’m very happy with the way the Silverstar Ultra has performed in the Beemer. So happy that I installed one on the Buell. Though they’re expensive I plan on keeping them no mater how long they last. | ||
| Chase12s |
somebody post a pic of those HIDs while they're burning. | ||
| Froggy |
 I can see the reflections off highway signs / police cars in broad daylight. (Message edited by froggy on July 23, 2009) | ||
| Kurosawa |
OK now, I went and got the recall lamp shells. I think my manual says I'm supposed to use H3 bulbs (XB12R). Someone mentioned H7 bulbs. Is this some kind of drop-in upgrade? | ||
| Petebueller |
Kurosawa Lightnings and Ulys use H7. Firebolts have H3s. | ||
| Kurosawa |
Is there an advantage to H7s? | ||
| Petebueller |
Here is one of the difference with HID. This has Hella units, the low beam has a +50% bulb, the high beam is an HID and these are running through relays, so 20% brighter than running through the switch gear. Low beam is really bright, I get great vision and great distance. It is dwarfed by the HID. When I put it on on the highway it is like there are street lights turned on. I can't run an HID in the low beam because it's too bright. I've changed back to Halogen high beam for the high. The difference is noticable, but the lights are really good anyway. When I turned on the HID high there was a lag. There wa also the problem that when I turned off the high beam I had to find the road again because of the big difference in brightness. Now the change in brightness is about right and when I turn on the high beam I have it straight way which I prefer. Hellas  Both on  |
