Better headlamp bulbs?

[cb1000rsteve]

As i use my SV for commuting i thought i'd better up grade the headlights before the dark winter months approach. To be honest the standard lights where a lot better than i've had before as this is the first (slightly) faired bike i've owned with 2 headlamps, as all my other bikes have been streetfighter bikes.

Anyway i bought some Xenon headlight HID bulbs off ebay e-marked etc and they only cost £5.99 free delivery. they also came with new side lights too. only took 2 days to arrive too
Item No. 330292383816

they do put a lot more down on the road and the light is also whiter than standard. I would definately recommend them to others who are after more light but not want to spend HID money.

Steve

[mikerj]

Sorry chap, but those are not HID lamps (eBay sellers need a good kicking for misleading descriptions), they are simply halogen lamps with a blue coating to make the light a bit whiter. However it does this by filtering out some of the red component which reduces overall light output.

If you want a good halogen lamp upgrade then Osram Nightbreaker or Philips Xtreme are amongst the best.

[cb1000rsteve]

I understand there not HID bulbs all i was saying is that they are better than standard and a lot cheaper than osrams or Philips etc. A lot more light on the road and brighter than standard. just to inform people about a product i think is good value for money. you can't buy 1 bulb for this price in halfrauds!!!

[Hoody90]

I've got a Philips X-Treme Power in my DRZ and it made a huge difference. Not cheap at £22 a pair but I managed to get a pair for just over a tenner on ebay. I might have to try the ones you've got in the SV, the last lot of ebay cheapies I had were useless in the dark. They looked bright enough but the beam wasn't long enough if you get what I mean!

[Holdup]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=145929&highlight=bulb

Give those guys a try should you ever need more bulbs

You may find that those bulbs you got from ebay may not be as bright as you think, i had a set similar in my bike and one night i ended up in a ditch because i couldnt see the corner, got myself a set of osram night breakers now which are fantastic

[danf1234]

I've got a Philips X-Treme Power in my DRZ and it made a huge difference. Not cheap at £22 a pair but I managed to get a pair for just over a tenner on ebay. I might have to try the ones you've got in the SV, the last lot of ebay cheapies I had were useless in the dark. They looked bright enough but the beam wasn't long enough if you get what I mean!


Same as me. Awesome bulbs, but they aren't cheap. Massive improvement.

[Foamer]

Anyone using these, they seem to make good sense

Link

http://www.lighting.philips.com/in_en/consumer/carlighting/2_2wheeler_lighting/products_for_2wheeler/1_motovision.php?main=in_en_consumer_lighting&parent=89083467512&id=in_en_car_lighting&lang=en

[rictus01]

to be honest, the shape of the reflectors in the curvy headlamps is fairly poor, better bulbs help but it's still not good.

Perhaps a HID unit would work ?

Cheers Mark

[Timothy Quinn]

i concur!

[Timothy Quinn]

Getting carried away here,ref.Mikerj post,just use either of those two bulbs,though expensive,the best out there and forget about HID installation,you've no room.

[rictus01]

Getting carried away here,ref.Mikerj post,just use either of those two bulbs,though expensive,the best out there and forget about HID installation,you've no room.

Hmmmm, what leads you to believe that? the bulbs are the same size, and the ballast units are about the size of a fag packet each and up to 6 inches away for mounting, so unless you've filled the back of the fairing with something else (although I've no idea what you'd put there), you have plenty or room.

Cheers Mark.

[Viney]

As i use my SV for commuting i thought i'd better up grade the headlights before the dark winter months approach. To be honest the standard lights where a lot better than i've had before as this is the first (slightly) faired bike i've owned with 2 headlamps, as all my other bikes have been streetfighter bikes.

Anyway i bought some Xenon headlight HID bulbs off ebay e-marked etc and they only cost £5.99 free delivery. they also came with new side lights too. only took 2 days to arrive too
Item No. 330292383816

they do put a lot more down on the road and the light is also whiter than standard. I would definately recommend them to others who are after more light but not want to spend HID money.

My HID ballasts are monted on the brackets for the fairing (The rear bolt nearest the knees) They get some air there as well.

Steve
Word of warning with cheap bulbs off Ebay. Some of them are really cheaply made and do not have the correct, if any UV coating on them. These in time will turn the plastic lens yellow and make it brittle. Always buy a known brand of bulb to make sure that they dont break your bike.

As for HID kit, plenty of room if you know where to put stuff. I have a HID kit on my SV and its 'kin awesome. Been through nearly every top bulb on the market bar the PIAA jobbies, and nothing compares to true HID. £85 all in. True what Rictus says though its the reflector unit in the SV thats the weak spot.

[Timothy Quinn]

Mark,I've the naked with the 7 inch relector which is great with my Osrams but my TDM has a small relflector and is poor output on both high and low[separate units],I've a HID in the low but already lost one ballast/igniter due water ingress,the replacement igniter is now hidden in an upturned shampoo bottle to prevent the same thing happening again.So now you see why I referred to room,just think of the rain!
Tim

[hongman]

How do I tell if I have HID's?

I bought my bike with "HID Headlights" in the description, but after reading this, I wanted to check that they arent just uprated bulbs?

[rictus01]

well I've just fitted one to the superduke, and as you can see by the avatar it has a lot smaller area than the SV, I've got mine in a sealable freeze bag.

Cheers Mark.

[rictus01]

How do I tell if I have HID's?

I bought my bike with "HID Headlights" in the description, but after reading this, I wanted to check that they arent just uprated bulbs?

HID bulbs require a transformer to run, so you'll find a metal box about the size of a fage packet attached to the bulb by about 6 inches of cable, this is the Ballast unit, the light will also be more blue/white than orange white (dependent on colour temp fitted), unlike normal bulbs it'll take a moment or 2 to reach full working brightness, if you have the standard bike loom plugs going directly onto the bulbs, then they aren't HID.

Cheers Mark.

[hongman]

Cheers Mark, going to have a gander when I next get the bike!

[hongman]

Well, confirmed tonight mine are def not hid. But they are nice and bright, very blue. You can see the blue tint even when they are off?

[rictus01]

You'll see the difference on mine, no doubting once you've seen proper ones.

Cheers Mark.