Headlight question.

[Firestorm]

hi guys, jz wonder if there is any way to 'brighten' the headlight?

Was travelling north (from Sinapore to Malaysia) at night, and i notice tat the oem headlight wasn't
as tat bright (not even close) as compared to my ex- ST11.

Have since change to 'white ray' H7 bulbs, still the same or if not.... worst

I thot of upgrading to a higher output H7, like 12V 90W, but was worry tat is might 'burned' the wire harness.

Instead i hv purchased Philips 'Vision Plus' but have yet install it.
Will update once i hv it done.

At the meanwhile, hoped tat somebody can share some 'light' with me.



thks ya.

This post was last modified: 18-09-2006, 06:33 AM by Firestorm.

[iand1947]

<!--quoteo(post=16886:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 07:04 AM:name=Firestorm)-->QUOTE(Firestorm @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 07:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->hi guys, jz wonder if there is any way to 'brighten' the headlight?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't increase the wattage or you risk damage to your (plastic) headlamp "glass" as well as electricals. There's loads of info in the Carpe technical files and discussions regarding increased brightness bulbs like the Philips Vision Plus, Osram Silver Star etc. Check JBX's technical base. Vision Plus would be a good choice, it seems. PowerBulbs here in the UK (www.powerbulbs.co.uk) carry the major lines, and also offer their own similar bulbs ("up to 50% or so increase in brightness", same wattage, which I've found to be OK) at 2 sets for the price of 1 = £12.50 per pair inc. tax - with free worldwide shipping on everything. Hope this helps.

[PortisHead]

<!--quoteo(post=16889:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 09:38 AM:name=Pict)-->QUOTE(Pict @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Don't increase the wattage or you risk damage to your (plastic) headlamp "glass" as well as electricals. There's loads of info in the Carpe technical files and discussions regarding increased brightness bulbs like the Philips Vision Plus, Osram Silver Star etc. Check JBX's technical base. Vision Plus would be a good choice, it seems. PowerBulbs here in the UK (www.powerbulbs.co.uk) carry the major lines, and also offer their own similar bulbs ("up to 50% or so increase in brightness", same wattage, which I've found to be OK) at 2 sets for the price of 1 = £12.50 per pair inc. tax - with free worldwide shipping on everything. Hope this helps.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I know,Iknow.The headlights are unacceptable.
Personally I mounted H.I.D. (xenon) lights on my 850.
6500 Kelvin.Price : About 160 euros

[iand1947]

<!--quoteo(post=16891:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 08:08 AM:name=PortisHead)-->QUOTE(PortisHead @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 08:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I know,Iknow.The headlights are unacceptable.
Personally I mounted <!--coloro:#3333FF--><!--/coloro-->H.I.D. (xenon) lights <!--colorc-->
<!--/colorc--> on my 850.
6500 Kelvin.Price : About 160 euros

<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you can come to an arrangement to point them toward Singapore....?

[Guest]

<!--quoteo(post=16891:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 09:08 AM:name=PortisHead)-->QUOTE(PortisHead @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 09:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I know,Iknow.The headlights are unacceptable.
Personally I mounted H.I.D. (xenon) lights on my 850.
6500 Kelvin.Price : About 160 euros

<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


do you have any problems with installing or after you mount it on bike?

[PortisHead]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE<!--quotec--><b>
If you can come to an arrangement to point them toward Singapore....?
</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I bought them from a shop here in Athens/Greece.
The web site is : http://www.xenonhellas.gr/en/
The owner is very friendly and the installation kit will be sent at your door.
just to reassure you....more than 15 members of the greek tdm club have
purchased their H.I.D. kits from this shop.

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE<!--quotec--><b>do you have any problems with installing or after you mount it on bike?</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Considering the fact that the most complex thing I can do on any electrical
stuff is to change the bulbs in my room..... it took me only 30 minutes
to place the entire kit on my bike.
The best place to put a H.I.D.kit on a tdm is behind the panel.This means that you
have to disassembly the front mask.

(sorry for my english)

[tdm850rider]

Try the Phillips first since you already have them... you should get a noticible increase.

[Guest]

<!--quoteo(post=16898:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 12:01 PM:name=PortisHead)-->QUOTE(PortisHead @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 12:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I bought them from a shop here in Athens/Greece.
The web site is : http://www.xenonhellas.gr/en/
The owner is very friendly and the installation kit will be sent at your door.
just to reassure you....more than 15 members of the greek tdm club have
purchased their H.I.D. kits from this shop.
Considering the fact that the most complex thing I can do on any electrical
stuff is to change the bulbs in my room..... it took me only 30 minutes
to place the entire kit on my bike.
The best place to put a H.I.D.kit on a tdm is behind the panel.This means that you
have to disassembly the front mask.

(sorry for my english)<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


do you replace just one or both bulbs?

[PortisHead]

<!--quoteo(post=16900:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 01:13 PM:name=niksa)-->QUOTE(niksa @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 01:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->do you replace just one or both bulbs?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Only the first scale.(Low Beam)
With the high beam....there is a little problem...because if you use H.I.D. lights you will have a lack (delay)
of 1-2 seconds if u use the signal.
Nobody can get around this...so I changed only the low beam bulb.
The problem is because all H.I.D. systems need 1-2 seconds to get full luminance

[Guest]

<!--quoteo(post=16906:date=Mon 18th Sep 2006, 02:18 PM:name=PortisHead)-->QUOTE(PortisHead @ Mon 18th Sep 2006, 02:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Only the first scale.(Low Beam)
With the high beam....there is a little problem...because if you use H.I.D. lights you will have a lack (delay)
of 1-2 seconds if u use the signal.
Nobody can get around this...so I changed only the low beam bulb.
The problem is because all H.I.D. systems need 1-2 seconds to get full luminance<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

i didn't know this.. thanks

[Firestorm]

Thks a lot guys, u all have been most helpful.
Have install my bulbs (Philips version plus), but is daytime now.... could only test later.

Hi PortisHead, ur HID look awesome!!!!!

Jz wonder why Yamie design a touring bike (TDM) with such a 'week' headlight, not to mentioned
non-adjustable (pls correct me if im wrong).

This post was last modified: 19-09-2006, 05:59 AM by Firestorm.

[LIAW]

I think HID lights should be made illegal, they blind anyone they shine in the direction of, they outlawed 100watt halogen bulbs because of this, now you can get lights that are brighter on dip beam than the halogens were on high beam, it's like looking into a welding arc when they shine towards you, sure they make you see more, but then you ride faster as you get used to your field of vision, then you'll end up wanting even brighter lights as you feel you could go faster when you are used to the light, people ride/drive at a speed the visibility allows, if you are going faster at night on country roads, you'll have less chance to avoid that deer etc. that runs across your path, I hate it when someone drives towards me with HID lights as everything vanishes into a blinding light causing me to brake so I don't run off the road I can no longer see, now I leave my headlights on full beam when faced with these HID lights but it is still very hard to see the edge of a country road.

ps. I wonder how people managed to get anywhere at night before the invention of halogen bulbs
I also notice in that picture above with stock and HID, that the HID one completely washes away the skyline.

[PortisHead]

<!--quoteo(post=16949:date=Tue 19th Sep 2006, 09:00 AM:name=laughin in a windstorm)-->QUOTE(laughin in a windstorm @ Tue 19th Sep 2006, 09:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think HID lights should be made illegal, they blind anyone they shine in the direction of, they outlawed 100watt halogen bulbs because of this, now you can get lights that are brighter on dip beam than the halogens were on high beam, it's like looking into a welding arc when they shine towards you, sure they make you see more, but then you ride faster as you get used to your field of vision, then you'll end up wanting even brighter lights as you feel you could go faster when you are used to the light, people ride/drive at a speed the visibility allows, if you are going faster at night on country roads, you'll have less chance to avoid that deer etc. that runs across your path, I hate it when someone drives towards me with HID lights as everything vanishes into a blinding light causing me to brake so I don't run off the road I can no longer see, now I leave my headlights on full beam when faced with these HID lights but it is still very hard to see the edge of a country road.

ps. I wonder how people managed to get anywhere at night before the invention of halogen bulbs
I also notice in that picture above with stock and HID, that the HID one completely washes away the skyline.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

This is not true !!!
H.I.D. (xenon) lights...DON'T blind the other drivers.
Thats the advantage of H.I.D.......more luminance without blinding the others.

[Guest]

I read that a 35W HID buld is the same as a 180W Halogen

I personnlly run a 100W in the high beam which improves things no end
I had to take the 100W out of the low beam, coz the extra heat has melted the little plastci clips the adjusting scews run in, and now the reflector is loose resulting in 'shake' of the beam.

The OEM car manufacturers get around the 1-2 sec delay of HID when switching between Low and High beam by using the same bulb for both beams but having a flap that moves via a stepping motor within the light that switchs the light between high and low beam. The bulb never goes off & hence no delay

[LIAW]

<!--quoteo(post=16973:date=Tue 19th Sep 2006, 11:37 AM:name=PortisHead)-->QUOTE(PortisHead @ Tue 19th Sep 2006, 11:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->This is not true !!!
H.I.D. (xenon) lights...DON'T blind the other drivers.
Thats the advantage of H.I.D.......more luminance without blinding the others.

<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

the more light that is given off towards your eyes, the more your pupils close up, hence being 'blinded'.

[Firestorm]

Well as for me, the extra 'brigthness' is meant for extra projection distance required when im travelling in a pitch black highway (in Malaysia, certain stretch of the highway doesn't equipped with street lamp) therefore = safely.

But i hv the habit to 'test' the main light 'height' against the wall & so, if required, do any adjustment if it is too high to aviod blinding oncoming cars & especially fellow bikes

But was kindda shock to learn tat TDM900 headlight r..... non-adjustable?

[duibhceK]

<!--quoteo(post=16987:date=Tue 19th Sep 2006, 03:01 PM:name=Firestorm)-->QUOTE(Firestorm @ Tue 19th Sep 2006, 03:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->But was kindda shock to learn tat TDM900 headlight r..... non-adjustable? <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

http://jbx9.free.fr/TDM/index.php?show=tex...=HDL&lng=en

[Firestorm]

<!--quoteo(post=16992:date=Tue 19th Sep 2006, 09:14 PM:name=duibhce Kaelann)-->QUOTE(duibhce Kaelann @ Tue 19th Sep 2006, 09:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->http://jbx9.free.fr/TDM/index.php?show=tex...=HDL&lng=en <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Thks 'duibhce kaelann' hv checked on the 'JBX's' early tis afternoon after 'PostisHead' mentioned it.
But when i when & check it out, strange.... i cant find the stated 'screw' as mentiond

Do i hv the remove the plastic cover b4 i could see it???

Pls advise.

[echris108]

hi,guys!i used a normal halogen bulb at first.found it too weak!

then changed to philip diamond vision.slightly bighter but still not good

finally changed to HID.finally i can see some lights on the singapore road at night.and also better vision on malaysia roads.

[jht]

<!--quoteo(post=16978:date=Tue 19th Sep 2006, 12:30 PM:name=GuyGraham)-->QUOTE(GuyGraham @ Tue 19th Sep 2006, 12:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I read that a 35W HID buld is the same as a 180W Halogen

I personnlly run a <!--coloro:#FF0000--><!--/coloro-->100W in the high beam <!--colorc-->
<!--/colorc--> which improves things no end
I had to take the 100W out of the low beam, coz the extra heat has melted the little plastci clips the adjusting scews run in, and now the reflector is loose resulting in 'shake' of the beam.

The OEM car manufacturers get around the 1-2 sec delay of HID when switching between Low and High beam by using the same bulb for both beams but having a flap that moves via a stepping motor within the light that switchs the light between high and low beam. The bulb never goes off & hence no delay<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Did you do a straight swap, or add a relay to the high beam circuit??