HID (Xenon) headlights?

[Buccaneer]

Hi all

Has anyone here had any luck in fitting HID (Xenon) bulbs to the R1200RT?

A two-bulb kit is around $400-500, including cables, ignitors and ballasts. I would far rather replace the headlight bulbs with HIDs than add extra lights, and it's cheaper this way too.

The thing that worries me is the CANbus and onboard computer. In some vehicles the computer detects "no headlight" and therefore shuts the circuit down. Will the RT do this too? Or is there perhaps a box of tricks I can add to the circuit to fool the computer?

I know I could wire them directly from the battery with a relay, but I would rather avoid all that extra wiring if at all possible.

[Warren_H]

I have the HID Xenon Headlamps installed. I bought these instead of getting supplemental lights and a modulator for the high beam. I had the dealer, BMW of Ventura County, California, install them at the 600-mile service about 3000 miles ago now. The cost was $660 and $195 for labor – The Invoice says Polarion 2/HID.H7.4100K. http://www.polarionlighting.com/ My ballasts are Phillips brand. In the attached picture you can see the right ballast and the front edge of the left side.

 

The light is white I wanted them to be seen during the day. I’ve noticed a few people switch their rearview mirror to “night” when behind them in city traffic during the day. In my opinion, they are worth the money the stock lights are very good these are a big improvement. You can see them reflect off road signs if it’s even slightly overcast. I’ve ridden close to 200 miles in the dark with the lights and would buy them again without hesitation. I have not been flashed by any oncoming traffic day or night.

 

The owner of the dealership (Pete MacLachlan a native of South Africa) has them on his LT and said he doesn’t use his moto-lights after installing the HID system. They do not recommend them for the high beam because of the short warm up time to reach full intensity. The front headlight warning is lit all the time the dealer advised me this would happen because the bulbs are lower wattage than stock, they said they may figure out how to put a resistor at a later date so the warning works as designed.

[Buccaneer]

Fantastic, thanks, just what I needed to know. So they'll work, just with a warning on the display. I can live with that!

[randys]

Did you replace both the high and low beam bulbs, or just the low beam?

 

I like the idea of doing just the bulbs, rather than hanging something else off the bike, thanks for the info!

[JerryMather]

I have a buddy that has a business selling these to car owners and he was telling me that the new ones are a simple plug and play deal that fit nicely in the lamp area. The problem is that they come in pairs so if you guys want a single one you'll have to split them up with another guy.

If your willing and he can get enough orders he'll probably do that for ya so you don't have to buy an extra blub. I think he told me it was about $350.00 for a set of them.

[Warren_H]

I had both low beams converted. The dealer said to leave the high beam stock, since it takes about one second for the HIDs to reach full intensity, because you would lose the flash function on the light switch.

 

I've kept the lights it the high position. I didn't want to hang anything on the bike either. This was more money but worth it for the extra visibility - cheap life insurance.

[randys]

ah, ok, I only have the one low beam on the GS. I bet that high beam just gets lost when you turn it on!

 

I rarely use the flash function, and would probably go with both high and low beam, just use the high when needed.

 

Thanks for the info, this would actually be cheaper than the lights from Ztechnic I was looking at yesterday.

[Zeiser]

Is it compatible with the plastic glass of the light (UV or thermal issue) ?

[Warren_H]

No heat issues with the cover, it is my understanding that the HID bulbs run cooler and last longer than stock. My dealer said it was OK to add the 3M protective film.

[ezymount]

HID's run cooler, last longer and draw less power from your system. An all-around good deal.. Only drawback, on some bikes is finding places to mount/stash the ballast units. On the GS, I had to design a Ballast Bracket just for that purpose.. HID's are great. If you can afford the quality kits that are out there...

 

and don't forget to put on your sunglasses before looking directly into the lights!

[Buccaneer]

After a long battle to source them locally, figure out how to fool the CANbus system, and get them installed and working, my new HID headlights are finally operational!

 

A million thanks to Adventurer for his expert help in fitting them - the man is like a brain surgeon when it comes to bike electrics. We had to include a resistor with heat sink on each circuit to fool the bike into not detecting a fault and consequently shutting the lights down, and Adv included relays to power them. With a bit of experimentation, we got the entire system (relays, boosters, resistors and ballasts) to fit into the mirror housings.

 

Next time I pull off the dash I'll take some pics of the mounting.

 

You quite simply have to see them in operation to believe it. It's like having your own private sun while you ride. But as the reflectors are so good, not one cage has flashed me, even at night.

 

Below is a pic taken in daylight, as well as one at night. The centre light is the "bright" beam, an Osram Coolblue (whiter than standard) and those on the sides are the new HID lights.

 

 

[Warren_H]

Congrats, your install sounds like the way to go. It's an amazing improvement from what I felt were very good stock headlights. Is your high beam the same wattage as stock?

[Buccaneer]

Congrats, your install sounds like the way to go. It's an amazing improvement from what I felt were very good stock headlights. Is your high beam the same wattage as stock?

 

Thanks, I am delighted with the results. I also thought that stock couldn't be improved upon, but wow!

 

Yes, my high beam is 55W, same as standard.

[CraCol]

figure out how to fool the CANbus system, We had to include a resistor with heat sink on each circuit to fool the bike into not detecting a fault and consequently shutting the lights down, and Adv included relays to power them.

 

Do you have any more information on the resistor setup? Wiring diagram and\or parts list?

 

Thanks,

 

Craig