HID advise for Rt

[BoisePilot]

I would like recommendations for or against high intensity discharge(HID)lights for my 2004 RT. I am not happy with the yellow color and poor dark penetration of the stock headlight. I would like brand and models of kits from people that are happy with theirs or other suggestions. Other questions are HID for hi or lo or both? Thanks in advance for your help.

[EffBee]

I think you'll find several quality brands named in this thread, along with a discussion of low/high/both.

 

As for recommendations for/against, do it. I can't recall anyone making the conversion and then going back to halogen. Just be sure that your headlight enclosure has adequate ventilation.

[gmcjetpilot]

By the list of bikes you have, you clearly are an experienced rider. I am sure there are some HID conversion kits out there to buy. How good who knows.

 

My advice with out knowing what kind of riding you do, where you ride, types of roads, is to try high quality halogen replacements, big fan of Philips CrystalVision Ultra. With high quality replacement halogen's, high beams and fogs on, I think you will find night vision acceptable to good. There are always aux lights on the forks or side of fairing. They have high intensity LED lights that might fill the bill to supplement the stock light setup. My be add to Aux HID lights?

 

To quote what they teach in Motorcycle safety courses, "Don't out ride your light". In other words slow down at night; drive at a safe speed that allows you to make safe maneuvers or stop for obstacle in the distance your light illuminates. I live in a big city, freeways and major thoroughfares are well lit, no special vehicle lights needed.

 

Twisty back roads with no street lights at night, I personally avoid if I can, too much fun (and safer) to ride them daytime. However if you live in a rural area and need to navigate dark unlit roads at night, then special lights makes sense and is justified.

 

If some one wants bright lights to speed at night on poorly lit roads, that is their business, but HID is not going to save their bacon. Again I don't know what mission you are riding.

 

I assume HID will be more penetrating. However law only allows 55 watts and specific patterns to not blind oncoming traffic. I know the HID is hotter and makes that white or blue light. Sorry I can't help, but if I were you, I'd upgrade to high quality 55 watt halogens (both H3 fogs and H7 headlight) and supplement it with good driving lights. Others can recommend those.

 

(BTW don't buy gimmick Halogens that claim to look like fake HID or have more than 55 watts. They will not last long.)

[Twinsig]

"if I were you, I'd upgrade to high quality 55 watt halogens (both H3 fogs and H7 headlight) and supplement it with good driving lights."

 

I agree with mr. pilot.

Last year i bought a yana-shiki 6000 for my low beam and although i am satisfied with the results, I guess my expectations were higher and would look at other options.

Maybe i should get a different lamp, a 5000 or 5300.

Couldn't do without my PIAAs either way!

[Eh2Zee]

This was discussed in another thread, I think.

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=74658&Number=831619#Post831619

 

And this link (embedded in the above) made me think about staying with what the bike was designed with.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

 

My 2cents, anyways...

[BoisePilot]

Thanks Guys. I have Pia driving lights that are very good and I think I will see if some premium Halogens will improve the color issue. As to riding at night I prefer not to. That said sometimes here in the west it is hard to avoid riding mountain roads at night. I hit and killed a deer on the road in Utah some years ago at night when trying to get to the next town. I was being very careful but still hit the deer. Believe it or not neither I nor the motorcycle were damaged. I couldn't believe that I was still upright after ever so slightly hitting the deer on the side of the head with the left side of my engine. I went back and pulled the dead deer off from the road and verified that it was dead. The deer was a nice yearling buck and a sad waste all the way around. I am the only person I know that has hit a deer with a motorcycle and not gone down hard. As to the comment on my experience I started riding in 1964 and my list of motorcycles is by no means all inclusive.

[tallman]

I hit one, or more correctly, it hit me and I continued upright.

It came out of the dark (morning commute through Nat'l Forest in the dark) on my right side and hit me in the upper arm with its jaw.

Wobble slightly and continued on (cruise set to @55).

Deer survived AFAIK as it wasn't on the side of the road going home.

Lighting helps see them down the road but does nothing for the ones that fly out of the woods going straight across the road

where you happen to be.

[BoisePilot]

Damn flying deer. I had one almost hit me last summer, same situation. The deer came from the right side like it was trying to hit me. It missed because I braked hard and it went in front of me. We have mostly mule deer in Idaho but white tails predominate up north. I think I just hijacked my own thread.

[Twinsig]

Well, here's a good one!

Recently, a white tail jumped about near the side of the road where i live, late a night. BUT, he had installed some HID's on his antlers and I was able to avoid a collision. Whew...close call though..

[BoisePilot]

Nice story! My daughter lives in Alabama and she says all you southern boys are full of sXit. She also says I should move there because I would fit right in. Have a great day!

[Twinsig]

Sounds like she's got it figured out.

[Abbey]

I'm not thrilled with the headlight on my '99 RT and I'm considering adding at set of riding lights on the lower end of the forks. As far as deer stories, I just moved to Boise from Houston and I'm amazed at how "street smart" the deer in southeast Boise are. I watched three of them wait for traffic to pass on Park Center Blvd before they stepped out on the pavement.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Abbey

I fiddled with a lot of setups on my old RT for extra lighting.

For the headlamp, I went HID. No problems at all once I adjusted the aiming a little bit to get the beam out of the drivers side mirror of cars I was next to.

I went with Hella Micro DEs for the secondary lamps. The only approach I found doable and reliable was to hang lights on case guards. The upshot was that highway pegs were there too.

A second set of cheap Wally world driving beams slaved to the high beam switch chases the night away.

[Twinsig]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/8219363/Norways-reindeer-fitted-with-reflectors-to-stop-car-crashes.html

 

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