HID headlihgts on R1200RT

[Art..]

I'm thinking I want to install low beam HIDs. It appears that the headlight nacelle is sealed by three access covers, with the bulb plugs behind these covers.

 

For you people that have installed HIDs, how did you deal with sealing these covers if you're mounting the ballasts outside the nacelle? Did you simply cut the access covers? Do you get moisture inside the headlight lense?

 

Any other tips, such as where to buy the HID kits, which color temp to use, etc.....will be appreciated.

 

THANKS!

[sundaeman]

Ballast location can be a PITA if you have speakers in the factory locations (apparently a popular spot for ballasts on the R12RT). The ballast to bulb wiring tends to create problems since they tend to be 500mm or less.

 

If you look at the Touratech site, it'll show you one place to tuck a ballast. I'll be posting a pic w/another one with a home made bracket on the left side later on.

[Art..]

How did you seal the headlight housing? I don't have speakers.

[RedMac]

Art,

If you look at this thread you can see what Jim did with his GS. The GS light cover is the same as the RT cover. He reamed his out with a dremel to fit the rubber boot that is on the HID light harness. Even if you wanted to switch back later I believe the light covers are only about 16 bucks each...

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/962893/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1

[Art..]

Did you do this conversion?

[RedMac]

Not yet, I'm planning it for spring. My bike is in covers til then. I'm in Wisconsin and right now it's snowing like crazy... . But my plan is to covert both low beams and high beam in April.

[Art..]

So are there issues with canbus faults, or is it plug and play?

[RedMac]

I believe that *sometimes* there are issues with the low beam. You WILL get a light error on your dash display. Some folks on the board here have reported startup issues with the low beams (light's won't come on at bike startup) due to increased circuit draw when the lights come on. HIDs draw more current at startup to get the bulb going but after startup draw less current.

 

Some postings reported no problems with startup, others did report problems. I'm figuring I will try to just plug them in and if I have startup problems I'll use a relay to drive them off aux fuse block instead. I'd rather have it be a plug and play solution, but it will depend on what happens when I try to install them.

 

I personally won't mind the light error on the dash. There is a way around it, someone had posted a wiring mod using power resistors to fool the circuit into thinking the correct bulbs were attached. But that will just turn off the error, if a bulb does in fact go out, the canbus error system won't be able to detect it.

[erkmania]

I JUST installed HID's on my 2007 RT this morning. I chose 4500 Kelvin bulbs since I wanted the least blue hued bulbs I could get. These may still be a little too blue, but I won't know until I do a night ride.

 

So far, the CanBus hasn't had any trouble. I haven't gotten any warnings the few times I fired the lights off while double checking the setup before resealing the Tupperware. I noticed nothing wrong during a 15 minute road test this morning, either.

 

I mounted the ballasts and ignitors, one each, on the opposite/inside of the mirror brackets after gaining access by removing the upper side panels and dash cover.

 

I ran the wires through the bulb access covers after cutting holes in them for the silcone grommets that came with the HID kit.

 

Lastly, I did not run any of the wires near the stock harness. I didn't want the chance of RF interfering with the CanBus system. I don't think there's really an issue there, but I was just being cautious.

 

So far, so good.

[Art..]

Eric, can you point me towards the kit you purchased? If I can ride on the coattails of your success I'll be one step ahead.

[erkmania]

Here you go.

 

The kit looks like this:

 

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-15912447027353_1985_3164519

 

From here:

 

http://www.ddmtuning.com/hidkihidbuhi.html

 

I talked to the designer/distributor at his office and feel like it is a high quality kit. He says his return rate is very low (well under 1%). The ballast is also very small and fits easily in the nooks and crannies of the RT.

 

Good luck!

[RedMac]

Eric,

Did you do both the low beams and the high beam? Or just the low beams? Thanks for the info by the way, this was just what I was looking for as well!!!

[erkmania]

Eric,

Did you do both the low beams and the high beam? Or just the low beams? Thanks for the info by the way, this was just what I was looking for as well!!!

 

 

I just did the low beams since the bulbs aren't instant-on which is good to have for the high beam.

[pokorskij]

Eric, is the system plug and play without any additional wires to run? If not, what additional wires did you have to connect?

Thanks.

[erkmania]

Eric, is the system plug and play without any additional wires to run? If not, what additional wires did you have to connect?

Thanks.

 

Plug and Play. Basically, two wires in (from the stock bulb connector) and output to the already wired HID capsule. The install is pretty sano.

 

If, at a later date, the kit makes the CanBus act goofy then I would wire in a power relay. No trouble yet. I went for a 100 mile ride and the system worked flawlessy. I then went to the store last night and found the light was definitely brighter. The pattern isn't as defined as the factory arrangement, but I expected that. The factory pattern wasn't all that great anyway. The lighting wasn't exactly even with the H7's. I think the compromise is worth it.

 

My final concern is that the bulbs will dazzle oncoming drivers. I haven't had anyone flash their high beams at me yet, so it may not be a problem.

 

YMMV

[Jim VonBaden]

Art,

If you look at this thread you can see what Jim did with his GS. The GS light cover is the same as the RT cover. He reamed his out with a dremel to fit the rubber boot that is on the HID light harness. Even if you wanted to switch back later I believe the light covers are only about 16 bucks each...

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/962893/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1

 

The RT isn't any different than the GS as far as installation goes with the exception of ballast placement.

 

I am going on 5K miles with mine, and am very happy. No faults at all, no issues with the lights, good illumination, and a clean spred of light.

 

I have both high and low beams, and even starting with both on it has so far had no issues.

 

Jim

[Art..]

Good info, thanks. Looks like I'm going to take the plunge.

[RedMac]

Thanks for all the info Eric. This was perfect...

 

I ordered the same lights today. I'm going to do both the low beams and the high beam. I liked the fact that the company had a relay harness available and the adapter to get rid of the error. I personally don't care that the headlight error will be on. (I had a buddy split a set with me, he wants to do the high beam on his R1150RT).

 

I'll take pictures and do a writeup when I install them, which I won't be doing til it warms up a bit!

[erkmania]

Thanks for all the info Eric. This was perfect...

 

Glad to help! I don't think you'll need the extra relay harness. I have been using the bike since last Saturday and haven't had any problems. So far business as usual and no warning icons on the dash.

 

I took photos after the installation. I don't have a server to deposit the photos onto, but I can PM them to you if you'd like.

[RedMac]

Interesting.. you aren't getting any warning icons. I'm assuming you did not get the extra add on for that that they offer on their web site?

[erkmania]

Interesting.. you aren't getting any warning icons. I'm assuming you did not get the extra add on for that that they offer on their web site?

 

No warning icons with the "DDM" unit and I did NOT buy the "extra add on". Although I can't speak about the "ApexCone" stuff from personal experience, I was told that the circuitry is the same for both so I wouldn't expect any different performance from either. I chose the smaller unit because it's advertised at drawing less than 10 amps during startup. I figured that the ZXE module (one of the CanBus units in the network) probably tolerated current spikes w/o tripping because short duration spikes are a transient condition, while shorts (read high current flow) are usually less transient and a more permanent condition.

 

At this point, I've probably activated the lighting circuit 30+ times since the installation and I haven't had any trouble. I keep waiting for a dash warning icon, but none yet.

 

BTW, I threw chicken bones and Tarot cards into the garage to ward off evil spirits. Your install will probably fail if you don't do the same thing...

[RedMac]

I ordered the same ones. I liked the smaller size and it seems like it will be easier to find a place to park the igniter's and ballast units.

 

I"m picking some chicken bones out of the garbage right now!!! And I KNOW my daughter has a deck of tarot cards around here somewhere.... hmmmm....