HID headlight installed!! PICS

[dtbrown]

HID headlight installed!! ADJUSTED WITH NEW PICS

EDITED 7/8: The beam was aimed to high from the factory so first before you buy an HID I highly suggest you try adjusting the light as in my case it made a huge difference with the light projection on the road even retrying the stock bulb. That was my main reason for getting the HID because the light at night was horrible and to find out it probably just needed adjustment. Either way I probably would have still gotten the HID. Also it took about 10-15 full turns on the adjustment nut to lower light.

Original post:
So I just got my bike a couple weeks ago and after my first experience at night with the stock light I didn't hesitate to order a 8000k HID bi-xenon slim kit.

Installation went fairly smoothly and I took my time considering the bike is brand new. Since I wanted the function of hi/low I installed the bi-xenon kit. I have the same kit installed on my car so I knew what I had to do for the install. The only thing I didn't know was what was needed to come off the bike for this install to happen.

In short I had to modify the harness that comes with the kit for a single beam not two. That was easy enough and I had to use the excess wired that I cut off to extend the power to reach the battery.

After some trial and error I was able to get the harness run under the gas tank and and wiring up front through the holes where the stock wiring was run with the exception of the controller unit I had to hide under the plastic faring since it wouldnt fit under the tank and I didn't feel like removing the air box.

The ballast was a bit tricky since there is almost no room to fit it behind the headlight but it worked out. And the bulb fit with no issues or modification.

Huge difference in usable light so I suggest in the investment.

Also you can opt for low beam only H4 kit and it's much easier to install since you don't have to run a wiring harness to the battery. Low beam H4 just plugs into the sock headlight plug for power. I just prefer to have hi/low option. Any feed back is appreciated.

Pics below low beam and are taken with an Iphone and the bulb color is 8000k. Considering to going to 6000k



Before adjustment Low beam about 20 away

High beam

After adjustment low beam about 20 feet away

High beam

About 40 feet away low beam off bike

 

[lyric911]

As an oncoming motorist, I hate your headlight for neither being in a reflector designed for HID nor a projector. That shit blinds other motorists. It appears to be aimed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay high also. Your headlight should be angled down slightly. That is, as you back away from a wall, your beam "cutoff" should get lower on the wall.

 

[trixster8]

Looks good, and bright! Do you get flashed much by other cars?

 

[mikefz8]

As an oncoming motorist, I hate your headlight for neither being in a reflector designed for HID nor a projector. That shit blinds other motorists. It appears to be aimed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay high also. Your headlight should be angled down slightly. That is, as you back away from a wall, your beam "cutoff" should get lower on the wall.

Not to be a negative a-hole here but I kind of agree with lyric here...based on the other car in that garage the low beam looks to be directly in the eyes of the oncoming drivers, not to mention the high beam.

I would like to see pics of the light installed w/o it on.

 

[lyric911]

On this subject, I really don't care if I look like an asshole. Yes, the stock headlight kind of sucks. But that doesn't mean you should endanger everyone that ever drives towards you.

 

[FZER]

I would worry more about me being able to see in this case. Had 55w highbeam on a GSXR750. Highs were two 6k bulbs and a 12K 35W in the low. Ran them all the time, got flashed all the time, but was happy they could see me.

 

[dtbrown]

100% agree with angle. This was my first ride after install and they do need to lowered by about 5". I just didn't realize it untill I was actually on road. I've been running aftermarket hid on my vehicles for years and as long as they are adjusted correctly they don't blind on coming motorist. My main reason for replacing headlight is for my safety night driving. Stock light was scary dim at night. Thanks for feedback.

As an oncoming motorist, I hate your headlight for neither being in a reflector designed for HID nor a projector. That shit blinds other motorists. It appears to be aimed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay high also. Your headlight should be angled down slightly. That is, as you back away from a wall, your beam "cutoff" should get lower on the wall.

 

[malikona]

Night Lights

I don't know that I'll install a xenon kit, but I did take a long night ride on the 4th and noticed that the high beam left the road directly in front of the bike so dark that I couldn't take unknown turns with it on. And of course the low beam wouldn't show me the road ahead, so I was constantly flipping back and forth just to be able to safely see the road ahead of me.

Is there a way that I can just angle the high beam down a LITTLE BIT so maybe I can ride night twisties without relying so much on the low beam for navigating (or simply noticing) corners?

Anyone else have this complaint?

100% agree with angel. This was my first ride after install and they do need to lowered by about 5". I just didn't realize it untill I was actually on road. I've been running aftermarket hid on my vehicles for years and as long as they are adjusted correctly they don't blind on coming motorist. My main reason for replacing headlight is for my safety night driving. Stock light was scary dim at night. Thanks for feedback.

 

[lyric911]

Is there a way that I can just angle the high beam down a LITTLE BIT so maybe I can ride night twisties without relying so much on the low beam for navigating (or simply noticing) corners?

Unfortunately, no. When you adjust the headlight you're just shifting the reflector in the housing. You move the entire reflector up/down and left/right.

 

[mikefz8]

I like the light output quite a bit...I would like to do this type of an upgrade on my 8 too, just looking for the right look and feel. Will you post pictures of it installed and no lights on so we can see what it looks like for aesthetic reasons? Thanks in advance.

 

[Mrpacis]

All I know is it's better seen that not be seen. I have hids myself. Gets the attention of people driving around me. But yeah you should lower it a little lol.

 

[dtbrown]

All I know is it's better seen that not be seen. I have hids myself. Gets the attention of people driving around me. But yeah you should lower it a little lol.

Looks like they needed a big adjustment after all. I edited my first post with new pics with adjustment. I couldn't believe new from factory the beam was that far off.

 

[lyric911]

Totally agree and that's why I put the HID on is part for my own safety. Actually to find out they didn't need any adjustment. That pic in main page is from about 40 feet back. And when I compared to my friends bike and my car my line is right where it needs to be. Not one person flash me yet. Reason I thought the HID was high is because of the light housing has a gap in the way it projects and same issue with the stock bulb. I'm still going to lower the beam just to see if I can get more road coverage out of it.

about 20 feet away

about 40 feet away

Your pictures show that it is aimed too high. As you back away, your beam should get *lower*, not higher.

So how are you supposed to aim the beam? A lot of riders simply adjust until the light startles oncoming drivers--and then back off a half turn. Believe it or not, there are official recommendations. Find a flat patch of ground with a white or light-colored wall at one end. (You may have one of these right there at home--it's called a driveway.) Place the bike 25 feet from the wall or garage door (4). Measure from the center of the headlight to the ground with the bike level (5). Now go over to the garage door and mark one line at the same height above ground, and another two inches lower (6). Use a carpenter's level to draw a horizontal reference line (7).

Switch on the headlights and mount the motorcycle. The low beam's upper cutoff point should rest right on the lower line (8). Because most bikes have combined high- and low-beam reflectors, setting the height (and checking to see that the beam is centered along the bike's long axis) is about all there is to it.

Read more: How To Aim Your Headlights - Motorcyclist Online

from here.

Your headlight aims a full 2 cinder blocks higher over the course of 20 feet.

 

[dtbrown]

Your pictures show that it is aimed too high. As you back away, your beam should get *lower*, not higher.
.

Adjusted. But I think you have the backwards. All automotive and motorcycle light beams will get "higher" not lower as you back away or increase your distance from a wall. Try it out. Either way appreciate the advice, it really helped.

 

[lyric911]

Adjusted. But I think you have the backwards. All automotive and motorcycle light beams will get "higher" not lower as you back away or increase your distance from a wall. Try it out. Either way appreciate the advice, it really helped.

I definitely do not have it backwards. If you pull up to 0 inches away from the wall, your beam will be the same height as the headlight itself. As you back away, the beam should get lower. There's not a single headlight adjustment tutorial I've seen anywhere online or elsewhere that suggests that the beam should be higher as you back away. From what I posted above, at 25 feet away, the beam should be 2 inches *lower* than than the headlight height.

 

[Mrpacis]

I think aiming the headlights higher or lower is the last thing you need to worry about. Aslong as you can see better on the road and Aslong as you can be seen on the road is always a plus.

 

[Vapordan]

Relax folks, you are BOTH right. It's just light beam perspectives messing with your heads.

Stop reading if math turns you off.
Given that the headlight angle is fixed as the distance varies (move the bike backward/forward), a triangle forms from the tip of the headlight to the wall and then to the top of the wall, figure 1. Therefor, Pythagoras theorem applies.

Keeping the angle the same ABOVE the 'horizon' results in the light beam (hypotenuse) wall-throw increasing as the distance between wall and bike increases, case 1. The light beam is pointing higher on the wall. In actual fact the light beam is exactly the same, what gets higher is the wall throw or vertical height measured from the horizontal to the headlight beam. The beam incident angle doesnt change (angle of the headlight).

Case 2 (hypotenuse is below the horizon) is the exact same; that is as distance increases, the wall throw increases. OR the headlight beam points LOWER on the wall.

Case 2 is the common, assumed case for cars but bikes are a bit different as sports bikes tend to be angled downward. Cruisers tend to follow car angles.

Pythagoras theorem applies assuming that the surface is level AND horizontal. Otherwise angular trigonometry theory applies, which gets a bit hairy.

 

[dtbrown]

Totally makes sense for both cases. TY

Relax folks, you are BOTH right. It's just light beam perspectives messing with your heads.

Stop reading if math turns you off.
Given that the headlight angle is fixed as the distance varies (move the bike backward/forward), a triangle forms from the tip of the headlight to the wall and then to the top of the wall, figure 1. Therefor, Pythagoras theorem applies.

Keeping the angle the same ABOVE the 'horizon' results in the light beam (hypotenuse) wall-throw increasing as the distance between wall and bike increases, case 1. The light beam is pointing higher on the wall. In actual fact the light beam is exactly the same, what gets higher is the wall throw or vertical height measured from the horizontal to the headlight beam. The beam incident angle doesnt change (angle of the headlight).

Case 2 (hypotenuse is below the horizon) is the exact same; that is as distance increases, the wall throw increases. OR the headlight beam points LOWER on the wall.

Case 2 is the common, assumed case for cars but bikes are a bit different as sports bikes tend to be angled downward. Cruisers tend to follow car angles.

Pythagoras theorem applies assuming that the surface is level AND horizontal. Otherwise angular trigonometry theory applies, which gets a bit hairy.

 

[lyric911]

Vapordan: Both of your drawings depict a headlight that is aimed too high, which is my entire point. In diagram two, the top of the beam is exactly parallel to the (flat) floor. In order for the top of the beam to be two inches lower than the headlight height @ 25 feet from the wall, scenario three that I added to the image below is the correct way. I understand the math of it all quite well. Note the ever so slight downward angle of the top of the beam in my image. This way is the correct way for cars and motorcycles.

The OPs headlight was aimed more like diagram 1, which is *way* too high and is a serious hazard for lights that bright for any oncoming motorist. Diagram 2 would be borderline, but acceptable with the stock headlight bulb. With the HID though, you still run the risk of blinding oncoming motorists (cagers and fellow bikers alike) and potentially causing them to crash, even in to you if you're going around a left hand turn. Cagers can target fixate (on your headlight) just as much as we can that little bit of gravel in a turn. Aiming to the 2" @ 25' rule is safest for everyone.

 

[Vapordan]

Vapordan: Both of your drawings depict a headlight that is aimed too high, which is my entire point. In diagram two, the top of the beam is exactly parallel to the (flat) floor. In order for the top of the beam to be two inches lower than the headlight height @ 25 feet from the wall, scenario three that I added to the image below is the correct way. I understand the math of it all quite well. Note the ever so slight downward angle of the top of the beam in my image. This way is the correct way for cars and motorcycles.

The OPs headlight was aimed more like diagram 1, which is *way* too high and is a serious hazard for lights that bright for any oncoming motorist. Diagram 2 would be borderline, but acceptable with the stock headlight bulb. With the HID though, you still run the risk of blinding oncoming motorists (cagers and fellow bikers alike) and potentially causing them to crash, even in to you if you're going around a left hand turn. Cagers can target fixate (on your headlight) just as much as we can that little bit of gravel in a turn. Aiming to the 2" @ 25' rule is safest for everyone.

I see your point but my diagram wasn't meant to be physically accurate, it was a simplification to show the possible scenarios. Your figure 3 is likely the correct real world representation for the FZ8 but now pythagoras no longer applies because there's no horizontal. Instead, it's now sine/radians and, well, I wanted to avoid that nastiness.

But I do appreciate your taste for correctness.