I know that this has been covered before, but I've been unable to find the archive link.

What is the source for a HID headlight bulb conversion for the Silverwing?

Thanks,

Tim

You need more than just a bulb to convert. You need an entire kit.
Xenon HID Conversion Kits

There are cheaper places, but this was the source I used when I was the first Silverwinger to convert my headlight about 7 years ago.
I recommend the 4300k color.

Dan

How much more heat does the HID produce, (if any,) and does it affect the headlight cover?

No effect on the headlight cover. No excessive temperature.
If you go with a DDM Kit their 5000k color temp is fine.

Just whatever kit you go with stay under 5500k which is considered daylight. Understand that the higher the color temperature, the lower the lumens (brightness).

Dan:
Do you know if this bulb will require modifications in order to work?

1 PIAA.70755 PIAA H7 Xtreme White Plus XTRA replacement light bulb, 55watt=110watt,

Strange you should mention Scootist but the 'bulbs' in my PIAA 1100s also seemed to last just 12 months before failing ?! I solved the problem by slicing off the lenses and using them to fit LED replacements, they are not as powerful but they are excellent running lights on Dennis's bracket.

Here is a picture of the Apexcone 35w HID's in 5000k from DDM next to stock H-7’s

Tim,
When I did my conversion, there weren't many places offering a kit for Motorcycles. Without competition prices stay high. The one thing I liked about my place was they had a lot of information on Xenon HID to explain the differences in light source type, and how it worked, and so forth. They educated the consumer, and I appreciated that. There is still some good information on that site. They advertised a lot of computerized safety features in the ballast, which impressed me also. Being a noob at the time, with very few choices of places that actually sold Xenon kits for motorcycles, I went with the one that seemed the most professional even if it was a lot of money at the time.

Today, this industry has significantly matured. Most problems have been identified and ironed out. While DDM doesn't have a lot of technobabble about their products (If you look carefully, nowhere on their site that says HID mentions the word "xenon"), they have proven themselves among members of our community to have a solid product that works in this application. If I were coming into the market today, or if I get a new bike, I would probably be leaning toward DDM as well.

Hammy:
As far as color temperature goes, the higher the color temp, the bluer the light and the less lumens (brightness) it puts out.
Daylight color temp is as high as 5500k, so you want to stay under that.
4300k to 5000k is a good range of choice, with the 4300k putting out more light that is less startling to others. I wouldn't go any lower than that.

Dan

Thanks Dan! I do a lot of riding in all sorts of conditions and definitely find the stock lamps lacking. I have Solstice Vision X solos as driving lights, but they basically just light up the sides of the road in front of me - I need to be able to see further, and I think that DDM thing is the way to go if I'm reading everything correctly.

Would I be fine with a 35W 4500 bulb or do you think our housings can handle the 55W bulbs? They have 35W and 55W (not 35 and 50) and their temps range from 3000, 4500, 5000, 6000, 8000 and then 10000 and 12000.

Hammy,

4500k 55watt bulbs sound like a sweet spot.

Dan

Thanks guys! I'll go with the 55W at 4500k.

Thanks guys! I'll go with the 55W at 4500k.

Do these actually light up further down the road or are there reflector mods that will do that for me?

They will light up farther down the road.

Did you get a single light and if so, which will you be installing for?
Or did you get for both hi and low beam?

I would probably just replace my low beam with a 55. UNLESS I get 55W driving lights in addition...

I wonder: Bill, Dan, what would your thoughts be re: adapting a pair of http://www.autoanything.com/lights/74A5631A0A0.aspx to use the same HID bulbs? Do you think that would be possible or would the ballasts just make installation impossible...

You could also look for bolt on Xenon HID light kits, which you could also mount on Dennis' light bar. The nice thing about aux lights is since you would have them on their own switch, they won't draw power when you start the bike. Not gonna be cheap though.

I can tell you that if I were blinging out a bike with Aux lights today,
I would look at some of the more powerful LED lights available, many of which have been mentioned on this forum. You only need one set of powerful see-real-far lights. Your Xenon HID high beam should take care of that. The rest can spread the lighted area out or focus on that mid-point about 30-40 feet in front of the bike between the low and high beam focii.
This way you can have an excessive amount of lighting, and therefore visibility by oncoming traffic, without taxing your electrical system or your budget.

Just as an aside, both my high and low beam are Xenon, and my aux lights are 50w Motolights mounted on my front fork. I just checked the motolight website and they now have LED bulbs for motolights as well, though I don't know how that compares to the light output of some of the other LEDs talked about on this board.

I like Dennis, and promote his wonderful work on this board when I can. However I should also point out that lighting attached to the front fork, turns with the front wheel, and that also has an advantage. If I were blinging a bike today, I'd probably get LED Lighting for Dennis' light bar, and led lighting for the front forks.


Dan

My buddy and I are probably going to get Hella FF50 driving lights http://www.autoanything.com/lights/69A1329A0A0.aspx on our Swings. The FF50s are pretty popular in the IBA community and we both are into endurance rallies so riding for up to 21hrs straight (I've done 24hrs straight on a solo 1500 mile ride) is a veritable certainty on our rallies. We need to be able to see far and to see a lot of the road considering how much night riding we do through all sorts of terrain.

I'm probably gonna do the DDM 55w in 4500 K and add the FF50s to my already existing Vision X solstice solo 10W LED pods.

That's a lot of riding. I can't even see straight for 24 hours let alone ride straight. Those FF50s look big. Make sure you take pictures when everything is mounted up. I think they would sit nicely on Dennis Light bar.

Just looked up your Vision X solstice solo lights. Very powerful @ 900 lumens.