Xenon Headlamps

[Pistolfish]

Hi folks, anyone know who supplies xenon headlamp coversions for the XB models and if there are any reliability issues to be aware of?

 

[SirLoins]

About 300 miles ago I installed an HID kit I got from xenonlink.com. Took an hour or so to install on my 04 XB12R and is well worth the $76 +s/h!
I have it installed on my low beam and it really paves the way for me at night and was a pretty simple install.

http://www.xenonlink.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_43&products_id=67

 

[LeFox]

overall easy install, just plug and play.

there's no specific buell kit, a general motorcycle kit is enough.
better is the one with the small controler (newer versions)

the only challenge you'll meet is where to place the controler

 

[whitezombiebueller]

About 300 miles ago I installed an HID kit I got from xenonlink.com. Took an hour or so to install on my 04 XB12R and is well worth the $76 +s/h!
I have it installed on my low beam and it really paves the way for me at night and was a pretty simple install.

http://www.xenonlink.com/product_info.php?cPa ...

I went to the web site but it dosen't say if its a high and low beam or not.Do you know if it is?

 

[LeFox]

xenon highbeam doesn't exist

 

[squiers007]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but arnt the bulbs for both the high and low beam on a stock xb the same and the only difference is in the reflector? So this would mean to me, that you could put xenon bulbs in for both the high and low beam and be just fine?

 

[LeFox]

a normal glow bulb has 2 glow 'wires', one for low & one for high beam.

xenon only has 1

you could just set a xenon in each case and that would just give you the option to get the light beam higher when pushing/switching to highbeam but the strength would still be the same. (after a while of burning, since xenon needs some time to power up)

your highbeam flashing times would then also be over.

 

[firechickenXB9R]

There are single filament bulbs and there are double filament bulbs. Singles are for cars that have both a hi and a low light. Doubles have the hi and low in one bulb. It looks like they XB's have one light that reflect for the Low Beam and the ather reflect for the Hi Beam. So with that you should be able to put one in the Low side and one in the Hi and have HID's in both HI and LOW.

 

[rndrkeagle]

You don't want to convert your High Beams to Xenon/HID. The problem is that the HID lights themselves take a few seconds to "Warm Up" when first illuminated so any "Single Filament" bulbs (the bulbs we use on all our bikes) when you turn on the high beam, it'll take about 6-12 seconds for it to come on all the way. This CAN pose some dangers in how well you can see down a darkly light stretch of road. In addition to this, HID's are not really designed to be turned on and off that much. It's the turning on and off (called a cycle) that will prematurely end the life of your bulbs (they're the most expensive part of the conversion kit and account for about 75% of the total kit price). Most bulbs are designed for around 2000-4000 cycles. If you ride your bike twice a day (on a firebolt your low stays on when the high is on too) an average of 300 days a year, they should last around 3.5 to 6 or even 7 years.
If you put one into your high beam side as well, assuming you flick your high beams on an average of 2-3 times per ride using the same numbers as above, that bulb will last you 1-2 years, possibly a lot shorter.

The question I have is has anyone done a conversion on a Firebolt and been able to get the lens adjusted so that you're not blinding everyone you pass? I like the idea of more light to make me more visible, but I don't want to blind everyone that I cross paths with. That would be more dangerous than not enough light. On the winding two lane country roads around Central Texas where I live, coming across someone on a curve could mean my life by blinding them. Does anyone have any pictures of what the low beam assembly versus the hgih beam assembly looks like "exploded out". How are the beams focused on these 'bolts?

 

[mrdozer2you]

The question I have is has anyone done a conversion on a Firebolt and been able to get the lens adjusted so that you're not blinding everyone you pass?

Not sure if its the same on the Bolts but the Lightnings use a different reflector for the high beam. So you could just change the high beam reflector to a low beam. All you would have to do is adjust where they point...probably slightly to the right.

 

[rndrkeagle]

here's an example of what I'm concerned about in doing an HID conversion kit on my XB12R... the laws in England (referenced in the video below) don't necessarily apply here in the US, however the common sense behind those laws is very relevant. I'm looking at doing a low beam only conversion on my 'bolt. I just don't want to spend $80+ to find I can't use it because it's just too blinding and can't be adjusted to keep the beam focused where it should be.

Cars do it because they want to see better. Bikers do it because they want to see AND be SEEN better. I just don't want to get into a head on because the other guy was blinded by my lights. And I don't really need A-holes flashing me and blinding ME when I'm running on low beam.

 

[v12tiger]

I never turn my brights off, although they are stock, I rarely have people flash me and I've hardly ever met anyone that does not ride with their high on all the time.

It's understandable that you don't want your head knocked off, most people don't, but I also ride in the curves most of the time, and also at night, and only have issues if I'm speeding and hovering near the center line, and that's during the day.

 

[rndrkeagle]

About 300 miles ago I installed an HID kit I got from xenonlink.com. Took an hour or so to install on my 04 XB12R and is well worth the $76 +s/h!
I have it installed on my low beam and it really paves the way for me at night and was a pretty simple install.

sirloins,

Where did you mount the ballast? Can you post pics (or video) of your light pattern focused on a wall? how is the dispersion?

 

[Bill]

I mounted one on my '04 XB-12R also. I mounted the ballast under the left fairing brace next to the instrument cluster (it sticks out a bit behind the brace, but it isn't really noticeable. Other folks I ride with are impressed at how bright it is (now they see more than just my bright orange windscreen), and I can actually see at night. I will post pics soon.

 

[Bill2]

The stock headlights on my '07 work great. I did the headlight mod that turns both headlights on at the same time on the lightings. Where the old models not as bright? When i say old i mean like 2004 models.

 

[climberfreak]

so how can you tell which like temperature you need to get or do the color options you choose pretty much pick which one your getting?

 

[dave_xb12r]

It's all preference. The white ones are the brightest, so you loose more intensity the further you get away from white on the color spectrum. 5600K is daylight, which is about as bright as you're going to get. I myself would do something a little more blue, just because it's cool.

 

[LVsleeper]

I installed the 12000K Xenons on the high and low beam 12000k xenon install with pics

 

[judah2009]

How do you remove/replace light bulbs on XB12S?

 

[veeemdoubleu]

Your on a bike, use both beams all the time, more the merrier, let everyone see u.