HID project headlight conversion

I have replaced my SW bulbs with 3" HID bi-xenon projectors.
Here's the making of:


Here's how it looks like:


Here's the low beam:


Here's the high beam:


The down side is that after 4 years, I need to replace or clean the projectors. Another down side is that on twisty roads, because the headlight does not move with the handlebar, there isn't enough light on tight curves.

Now, George, you can't just drop this eye-opening headlight conversion on us without telling us more.

Please tell us about those 3" projectors units (brand name, source link, etc) as well as any tips, hints, or second thoughts regarding installing those projectors as well as reassembling the "new" headlight body.

Also, is the new projector headlight any better or worse on twisty roads than the OEM headlight? The OEM headlight does have very noticeable cut off in tight turns.

Tim

Hi Tim,

Those are Morimoto 3" projectors. They cost around $70 here in Romania. You can find them cheaper on Chinese sites like aliexpress, but the delivery takes 1 month minimum and in case of warranty issues, it gets really complicated. Those particular cost even less, as they have angel-eyes and in one projector is was not working, so I got a discount.
I'd say the final cost for the materials would be around $150. 2 projectors, 2 HID bulbs and 2 HID ballasts and some ornaments.
I don't have any other pictures of the operation, but I'm about to remove my headlight because I need to go to the road inspection with my '02 and for some reason they are tollerated by the police, butthey are illegal here in Romania.
I also want to change the projectors, since the projectors lose their original reflection during time. I will ask the friend who does the job take some more pictures.
Now, about the operation of replacing bulbs with projectors, it's pretty complicated and it's irreversible. It involves cutting the black separator between the high and low beam and to cut some part around the hole where the bulb is supposed to go, so that the projector goes a little back, in order to be able to fit back the headlight glass cover. I'll take some pictures so you get a better understanding. It is possible that the 2.5 inch projector will fit where the bulg goes, without cutting.
Bottom line, I am very pleased of the final result and I'd do it again any time

This is how the headlight looks like after 4 years. It will last for another projector replace, but next time the projectors will need replacement, the headlight will have to be replaced as well; or at least that reflection glass.
I'll come back tomorrow with the pictures of the new projectors. No more angel eyes

Not sure about other countries, but in the US, headlights on motor vehicles including motorcycles have to be certified under federal testing standards that manufacturers have to meet when building or importing the vehicle.  Changing the bulb to one that the reflector wasnt designed to use or putting in new projector lenses may light up the road for the driver, but could blind folks coming in the other direction.

Companies like Morimoto may say that their conversion kits meet all the standards, but there is no testing done to stand behind that.  Some states inspect bikes every year like cars (VA) but others do not (NJ).  So in theory you can probably get away with mods like that as long as the bike isnt inspected or some cop doesnt decide to pull you over and check.

Here in Romania I know for sure that they are not legal, but I assume the risk of being fined.

Job done

that's an impressive upgrade in my book but would no doubt cause issues in England

I was one of the first to do an HID upgrade back in 2003, and it was definitely an improvement.
Its a very subtle upgrade that most (including police) will never know about unless they are
familiar with your bike model.  Even then its still not obvious and that's what the OP wanted.

That said, My experience is that you can achieve more by adding lights than by modifying them.
Lighting can be attached to the forks with inexpensive brackets, and range in price from under $50
to several hundred. http://www.clearwaterlights.com/
Personally I have the Darla model on my bike.

Lighting is always an upgrade that gives value for the money, regardless of style and price.

I read a news article just last week highlighting the problems the glare and dazzle modern vehicle lights are to other road users as they become ever more bright and efficient. There could be future legislation limiting the output on modern vehicle lights.

It is a problem too, being lit up by a constant stream of oncoming cars with their of combination ultra bright white beams and and LED's affecting your night vision. It's worse if you're a spectacles wearer and you don't have an anti-reflective coating, or have rain drops or scratches on your visor. In the rain it's even more a problem with lights are reflecting off wet road surfaces.

I upgraded my headlight bulbs a couple of years ago and I'm pleased with the improvements, especially on rural country roads,  and for the amount of night riding I do.

When I read posts about fitting extra lights because the user says they help to get them 'seen', I remain unconvinced. Apart from the usual high intensity frontal assault, it's equally annoying and frustrating to have someone behind you filling your mirrors with intense white light from badly adjusted HID lights, 'not for road use' rally bulbs, or LED fog or spot lights.

So while that bright white beam of light blistering the tar of the road up ahead might please you, it might be dazzling other road users.


I'm not against upgrading bulbs or fitting extra lights if you need them, but as we enter for what a lot of forum members call the 'riding season', it's the next six month or so where the vast majority of riding is done in daylight hours.

I find that most of the problem is due to the aim of the beam. Many vehicles have them pointing all over the place. Also, in the UK, the law states that HID lamps must have an auto-dimmer fitted and also an auto-cleaner. Yet I can't help noticing (usually accompanied by a cry of anguish) that the auto-dimmers DON'T. Or they do, but only when it's too late! The result of this 'sensible' law is that only new expensive cars (think Range Rovers, BMWs, Audis) tend to have them fitted.

There also seems to be a fad here whereby taxi drivers in particular incorrectly wire one of their H4 (dual filament) bulbs such that it stays on high beam the whole time, dazzling every one.

Has any one also noticed the increased in the lycra boys sticking the brightest possible LED lamp on the front of their push bikes and then having it pointing up in the air into you face? Horrible.

I did have Xenons on one of my bikes about 8 years back. Worked really well and so long as it was a) a warm white 'normal' colour, and b) correctly adjusted, no-one seemed to mind.

Yes, here in 'cycle friendly' York, it's not so much the Lycra boys but the work in an office, die hard commuter types that have an ultra bright light mounted on their handlebars. It's almost always adjusted to deliberately dazzle oncoming road users, as these guys are almost always riding on cycle lanes where there are street lights.

The other extreme are the chavs, usually riding round on some rusty two wheeled wreck in their hoodies looking like characters from that Assassins Creed game. They ride around the streets of their netherworld, features hidden under their cowled hoods, the only illumination being the red glow from the roll up fag permanently glued to their bottom lip.

(Well this is fun, caning the free wi-fi on a Virgin train from York to Londons Kings Cross, and Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Masons in Piccadilly with Mrs M later today. )

Yes gents aiming is 90% of the problem there as it seems and here. One of our wort offenders are the " jacked up smokey boys " AKA the 4 wheel jacked up oversized tires and humongous lift kits. Then they add an array of " legal " ? lights. The problem is the OEM lights at least are factory set for the original height, when they jack them up the AIM changes tremendously.

In the UK the new MOT rules state that aftermarket HID and LED headlight will fail the test. That's for cars so I'm assuming it'll be the same for bikes.  It's only original manufacturers HIDs and LEDs that will be legal.

gavinfdavies wrote:

Has any one also noticed the increased in the lycra boys sticking the brightest possible LED lamp on the front of their push bikes and then having it pointing up in the air into you face? Horrible.

Pardon my ignorance, but for the  across the pond folks, who are the Lycra boys?

EvilTwin wrote:

gavinfdavies wrote:

Has any one also noticed the increased in the lycra boys sticking the brightest possible LED lamp on the front of their push bikes and then having it pointing up in the air into you face? Horrible.

Pardon my ignorance, but for the  across the pond folks, who are the Lycra boys?

Pedal cyclists bud