Headlights are useless...

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:34 pm

I fitted a pair of 'xenon blue' headlamp bulbs to my 1100S when I noticed that the original bulbs were slightly crap.

The Xenon bulbs are brighter, but the main lighting area is an oval on the road about 10-15 ft in front of the bike, the beam cut off is all but invisible.

Am I:

A) stuck with this

B) forced to spend loads of dosh on an upgrade

C) able to adjust the dip beam to do what it's supposed to?

Answers please!

Thank you...

iandunn1100ss · Post by **iandunn1100ss** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:57 pm

Lots of very cheap hid upgrades around just do that and your troubles will melt away.
ian

winger · Post by **winger** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:12 pm

Seems a bit of an odd question after all the HID stuff that has been posted.

timbox2 · Post by **timbox2** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:35 pm

D), Dont go out at night

Seriously, same as you mate, just rode 100 odd miles back home in the dark and pouring rain, alot of the time I was totally blind just hoping nothing was in the road like bricks and ladders( Quite common round here), makes for an interesting life

Gotta get me an HID, soon.......................

Archie · Post by **Archie** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:06 pm

Get an HID for dip, and a PIAA or other brighter bulb for main - Halfords ones are very good.

I don't think the blue ones are much use, they seem designed more to look like HID than generate more light. In the same way the bluer the HID lamp, the less light it puts out.

madman · Post by **madman** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:36 pm

I always thought that the dip beam and cutoff were very good on the 1100S due to the use of a projector headlight on dip. Then last summer I headed north for about 200 miles with the wife following on her bike. After a good day out we headed back south, but it was late. As it started to get dark, I noticed that the headlight seemed pretty dim. It took me a full 20 minutes to realise that I had my black visor on.
I made the wife lead the rest of the way home and rode with my visor up as much as I could.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:10 pm

winger wrote:Seems a bit of an odd question after all the HID stuff that has been posted.

Maybe some people haven't read every post...

What's 'the ballast'?

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:12 pm

timbox2 wrote:D), Dont go out at night

Wasn't going out - I was coming home...

iandunn1100ss · Post by **iandunn1100ss** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:36 am

Maybe you should try coming home another way.

ian

Chrispy · Post by **Chrispy** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:47 pm

MadMan:
use sunglasses and a clear visor.

Doctor Dan:
I happy to be corrected BUT my understanding is....
A "Ballast" acts the same as a starter on a domestic fluresent light, it generates a short burst of high amps to bridge the gap in the bulb to start the spark which is what generates the light.

I think.....

tripe · Post by **tripe** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:36 pm

I had the same problem which was more noticeable after fitting the HID. After adjusting the beam via the appropriate knob just to the right the problem was solved.
Also check the surrounding FLS (fat lady switch) has not been flipped. Its all in the manual

jltownshend · Post by **jltownshend** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:55 pm

PIAA or Halfords (they had a 2 for 1 offer) 55W WHITE bulbs for main and dipped...

A cute blue pilot bulb for nominal bling and not much else...

Oh...and clean the crud off the lense?

John

Ade B · Post by **Ade B** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:25 pm

You could do what I do... ride more slowly at night

Never been particularly impressed by the headlights on the S but as I rarely ride out of the city at night, its never an issue.

At least the lack of dive on the front means the lamp actually points in the right direction on the brakes rather than the road 5 feet in front before you turn into a bend.

Ade

cc mac · Post by **cc mac** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:29 pm

The HID is worth the extra outlay especially if you can get one cheap.

iandunn1100ss · Post by **iandunn1100ss** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:32 pm

Think i posted this before but hid 8000k h4 dipped only for my cbr £41 new from china on ebay,need i say anymore.
ian