Why retrofits are safer than HID "kits"

[ogre]

cool HEB...but the part i don't get is...

is my stock highbeam on my gen1 an HID projector already or is it as i believe it to be a halogen projector highbeam?...as if this is going from stock halogen hi/low to HDI hi/low this could get pretty pricey real quick hugh?

btw...i'm a self admitted headlight idiot...always wanted HID's on my bike but always flinched at the cost and idea of hacking up my oem housing to install but Ogre's looks clean..real clean...and trick.

God please lemme be able to afford this...soon. lease:

My "Mod Goals" for this year for Oren is....

1. HID's

2. Brembo's & Fresh Rotors

3. Is a toss-up between: Marichini or BST CF Wheels or...Fresh Rear Shock & Fork Springs/Valves

and prolly be happy even if i just get #1 & #2 done.



L8R, Bill.

bill, your stock high beam IS a projector housing, but it's designed for a halogen bulb, so the focus and intensity with an HID bulb wouldn't be quite the same as a housing designed for HID's

In the 5th picture, there is a "step up" in the top line of the light. (probably not the correct wording) I had the lenses replaced on the lights of my STI and now I have that same "step" in mine. What causes that?

that line illuminates road signs on the right. the step up will be just high enough farther down the road to see distant road signs. if you're in japan or the uk, i can get you a right hand drive projector as well, where the beam steps up on the left, instead of the right.

 

[Rauzer]

that line illuminates road signs on the right. the step up will be just high enough farther down the road to see distant road signs. if you're in japan or the uk, i can get you a right hand drive projector as well, where the beam steps up on the left, instead of the right.

Aaahhh, guess that makes sense. I'm in Maryland, sometimes I think it's a foreign country...hehehe

 

[sixpack577]

So whats up with your headlight biz in the near future Ogre? You said your shipping out soon, and of course it will be quite awhile after that before your life settles down were you could get back to modding headlights for us.

 

[Puggle]

So whats up with your headlight biz in the near future Ogre? You said your shipping out soon, and of course it will be quite awhile after that before your life settles down were you could get back to modding headlights for us.

...and start doing housecalls to Dysney Australia! There are a few complete newbie busa owners who can't pull it apart without breaking something.

I pulled apart my car the other day to install new lights, but can't do that to the busa. Need instruction...

 

[Greenbean]

I am SO glad someone posted up the importance of the "correct" projector type housing for HID bulbs.

I used to have an Acura RSX-S and installed a set of Xenon Depot 4300K HID's in it and yes it threw photons of light down the road buit I know I sure pissed a few folks off because of all the glare.

I haven't considered this yet for my 08 but might if it's with the correct projection type housing.

 

[sixpack577]

...and start doing housecalls to Dysney Australia! There are a few complete newbie busa owners who can't pull it apart without breaking something.

I pulled apart my car the other day to install new lights, but can't do that to the busa. Need instruction...

You can download the service manual from this site, it will show you how to remove everything. There are also alot of HID step by step posts here if you search. The HID install is very simple too, don't let it intimadate you.

 

[sixpack577]

You can download the service manual from this site, it will show you how to remove everything. There are also alot of HID step by step posts here if you search. The HID install is very simple too, don't let it intimadate you.

Oh, and what Ogre is doing is reworking your headlight, you ship him the whole headlight assembly. It looks awesome, but it's over $700. I'de do it if I could afford it though.

 

[ogre]

over 700 for the double 55w, but i've put together a diy parts list that runs around 150-200 bucks. and here's my pricing for gen 1 busa headlights...

Pricing for Gen 1 Hayabusa Retrofits are as follows

Single 35w Bixenon, the starter retrofit. a single FX-R projector takes the place of your factory high beam. You will have 2 low beams, the factory low beam, and the Xenon (HID) low beam. When the high beam or flash to pass switch is pressed, a shroud within the FX-R unit moves, allowing the light to shine further down the road. This is a fairly straightforward retrofit, and the headlight will retain a factory appearance.

Price $ 400 tyd

Single 55w Bixenon, the same as above, but with an additional 20 Watts of light output. Normally a 55w HID bulb would blind oncoming traffic, but the projector allows better light distribution than a standard reflector type housing, thus allowing more light on the road

Price $ 420 tyd

Double 35w Bixenon, this gets into a more custom look, and literally doubles the output from the single Bixenon setup. A double Bixenon retrofit is recommended for highway driving at night, as the beam is wide and very intense. However, a drawback to the double Bixenon setup is that when riding curves at night, you can't see very far ahead. as you go around tighter corners, and the bike is leaned over further, sight distance is limited. This can be remedied simply by kicking on the high beams, which will sufficiently illuminate your path around corners. I can't take responsibility for a rider hitting something due to not following these instructions, so if twisties at night are your thing, please stay with a single retro.

Price $ 670 tyd

Double 55w Bixenon
Bearing the above in mind, if you're a touring rider, and cover lots of highway at night, this is the ULTIMATE lighting upgrade. I recommend a relay harness to make sure no wiring overheats, as you'll be asking a circuit designed to support 55 watts to handle double what it was intended for. This headlight is total overkill, the wiring is NOT simple. a plug and play harness can be furnished for an additional cost.

Price $ 720 tyd

As with ANY aftermarket HID setup, this is not for use on a public road or highway. the modification is NOT DOT approved, and if the officer decides to write you a ticket, you will assume responsibility for the cost of the citation.

bulbs and ballasts are included, color temp options from 3000k (yellow, great for fog and rain) all the way to 12000k (purple, and totally useless). the bulb i typically ship with this upgrade is an OEM 4300k D2S bulb (two if it's a double bixenon). i can send extra D2S bulbs in different color temp ratings for you touring riders, at a cost of $21 per 35w bulb and 27 per 55w bulb.

 

[HawaiiFiveOh]

are you saying we can order just the parts for roughly 200? If so, which retrofit is that? And just to pick your brain, I have a pair of projectors out of a Acura TSX (not bi-xenon) that I bought for a retrofit in my truck, other than sheer size would there be any reason these wouldn't work.

One more question, I don't understand how you adjusted the dual projector setup without having the top cutoff interfering with the bottom. On a car these projectors are on a horizontal plane. Did you adjust them to be in line at a certain distance or what?
I'm not sure that is coming out the way I want to but maybe you can sift through the mumble jumble.

 

[ogre]

@5OH, the diy setup is the same approximate parts list as the 400 dollar retro. the TSX are fantastic projectors, retro away man. as long as you have a separate halogen high beam for "flash to pass" it'll work fine. you may need a couple relays and diodes, but it'll definitely work.

for the second question, the projectors are only 3 inches apart in the housing, so for a great deal of the range, the cutoffs line up perfect. closer to the headlight and much further away, they begin to separate, but the cutoff also becomes slightly less sharp the further away from the lens you get, so you don't really notice the fact that there are two cutoffs.

 

[Merlot]

Ogre can you post pictures up for 55w Bixenon for high and low beam?

I am using halogen bulb for high beam,but HID for the main light.

I tilted the angle of the bulb lower so that i do not blind oncoming vehicles,
but the downfall is i cant see as far as before.Got to switch on the high beam instead.
It works great for me when i tour in the night without street lamps in Malaysia.
When both is switch on.Mind sharing more info on your retros?

 

[karnage]

I have been tossing around the idea of retroing a projector into my lowbeam unit so like you said to get the best use of the HID output and make it safe.Gotta take the clear lense off right, then install the projector eye.What is involved in the retro you do??

 

[ogre]

for high and low beam pix, you have to get a hold of 2Hip. he's got that 55W retro in his bike.

 

[Busacure]

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[2hip]

Wish I was home tonight to post up pictures. I will be home tomorrow and I promise I will post up some pictures. But let me tell you some things about the bixenon dual 55 watt lighting. I had an HID high beam with oem lower. When oncoming would start flashing me due to light dispersement of the HID in an optical environment from hell it was like riding blind once I doused the high beam and only low beam for lighting. Totally freaks me out. Pigs, deer galore, skunks, racoons, you name it...my dog and wife would kill me if I survived the wreck and they didn't get the insurance payoff
So, along comes a guy with technical knowledge and pragmatic answer to the big bikes poorly done lighting. Matt is one of the coolest dudes on the planet as far as I am concerned. He did what he said he would do and then some. The difference between OEM lighting and oem with HID high beam is a big jump. Bixenon dual 55 watt lighting is an unbelievable jump past that. I am not BS'ing u here. I can ride at 8o mph on a rural road late at night and see everything necessary to get stopped before it is too late. The light is focused. One of the remarkable things that I've found with these lights is that I never get flashed anymore. I always douse the high when oncoming traffic comes along.
How are the light patterns u ask? With the low beam only, I've adjusted the throw to be as far out as it can. It has a flat top to it. It is crisp and clean line to the top horizontal of the light. It is very bright light and I can run on this at 80mph without overrunning my light source. When I hit the high beams it doesn't give me any additional distance down the road but gives me better fill in on the peripherals...So if have the low beams on and I can see pretty much 200 yards out...I can't see alot of detail what is 10 foot off the road once I get 70 yards out or so on each side. But if I hit the high beams I can now see pretty much all I need to see 200 yards out and maybe 30 yards each side of the road for 100 yards or so.
One of the funny things you have to get used to on the bixenon, and Matthew warned me about it, was when you lay the bike over on mountainous roads to carve that horizontal (flat)top tilts with the bike lean. So you are a little blind to what is coming up. So, as Matt suggested, hit the highs and it is filled in perfectly.
I would like to comment on the price. Yes, they aren't cheap. I will post up the pics tomorrow about what you get. Everything is industrial grade in this set up. I run this along with electric gloves and coat in the winter and I have never had a single problem with electrical or batteries. It is the single most important upgrade I did for this bike. If you have to ride at night this is the best thing you will ever do for your personal safety.
Dealing with Matthew was a pleasure. Straight shooter, knowledgable, honest, and very intelligent. Pics up as soon as I get home ....

 

[ogre]

can i use you as a reference alan?

 

[2hip]

Matthew, I would be offended if you did not

 

[ChinoCIA]

I kid you not when I say this...I might as well be driving with a Bic lighter...that is how blind I felt with the low beam on.

 

[dadofthree]

This is a four year old thread, and the Gen II is much improved. Either way I try not to ride at night because of the deer population in my area.

 

[StrtRac3r]

Wish I was home tonight to post up pictures. I will be home tomorrow and I promise I will post up some pictures. But let me tell you some things about the bixenon dual 55 watt lighting. I had an HID high beam with oem lower. When oncoming would start flashing me due to light dispersement of the HID in an optical environment from hell it was like riding blind once I doused the high beam and only low beam for lighting. Totally freaks me out. Pigs, deer galore, skunks, racoons, you name it...my dog and wife would kill me if I survived the wreck and they didn't get the insurance payoff
So, along comes a guy with technical knowledge and pragmatic answer to the big bikes poorly done lighting. Matt is one of the coolest dudes on the planet as far as I am concerned. He did what he said he would do and then some. The difference between OEM lighting and oem with HID high beam is a big jump. Bixenon dual 55 watt lighting is an unbelievable jump past that. I am not BS'ing u here. I can ride at 8o mph on a rural road late at night and see everything necessary to get stopped before it is too late. The light is focused. One of the remarkable things that I've found with these lights is that I never get flashed anymore. I always douse the high when oncoming traffic comes along.
How are the light patterns u ask? With the low beam only, I've adjusted the throw to be as far out as it can. It has a flat top to it. It is crisp and clean line to the top horizontal of the light. It is very bright light and I can run on this at 80mph without overrunning my light source. When I hit the high beams it doesn't give me any additional distance down the road but gives me better fill in on the peripherals...So if have the low beams on and I can see pretty much 200 yards out...I can't see alot of detail what is 10 foot off the road once I get 70 yards out or so on each side. But if I hit the high beams I can now see pretty much all I need to see 200 yards out and maybe 30 yards each side of the road for 100 yards or so.
One of the funny things you have to get used to on the bixenon, and Matthew warned me about it, was when you lay the bike over on mountainous roads to carve that horizontal (flat)top tilts with the bike lean. So you are a little blind to what is coming up. So, as Matt suggested, hit the highs and it is filled in perfectly.
I would like to comment on the price. Yes, they aren't cheap. I will post up the pics tomorrow about what you get. Everything is industrial grade in this set up. I run this along with electric gloves and coat in the winter and I have never had a single problem with electrical or batteries. It is the single most important upgrade I did for this bike. If you have to ride at night this is the best thing you will ever do for your personal safety.
Dealing with Matthew was a pleasure. Straight shooter, knowledgable, honest, and very intelligent. Pics up as soon as I get home ....

4 years later and I see no pictures he promised.