HID lighting

I also posted this thread in the svrider forum, but figured I would ask here to get a much input as possible. I want to install a HID light kit on my 1st gen sv650s. The way I want to do it is to replace the high beam bulb with a HID ballast and bulb, allowing me to switch to low beam so during the day (daytime running lights) im using halogen and at night, i can switch to my HID by clicking the high beam on. Has anyone done this or know anything about wether or not this is a good idea? Im getting old and do not see too well at nite so I fugured a 4300K HID light might give me a little more brightness. Im staying away from those blue or spuer white bulbs because from what I have read, they kinda screw up your vision. Any suggestions or comments would be much appreciated, thanks.

[yorkie_chris]

Search northwinds thread "HIDing in plain sight"

PM Northwind, he's done/doing this mod and is a very knowledgeable guy.

[Stu]

Slow warm up time for HID - High beam only would not be a good idea.
Surely with decent bulbs (like Philips Xtreme) High beam is not the problem, but low beam could still be a problem.
Do you not have oncoming cars in Texas? Here we don't get to use Hi beam all that much.
Also, HID uses less voltage, so you would get more of this benefit as a daytime running light.

I can't find northwinds posts on this... my searchs are drawing a blank, its a tad anoying.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Stu

Slow warm up time for HID - High beam only would not be a good idea.

That's a good point, hadn't thought of that.

[Stu]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.p...ighlight=sight

That's the thing, we do have oncoming traffic here and there. For the most part, I'd use the HID when im riding the highways or backroads home where I may not ever pass another car for a good 15 minutes of riding and it is pitch black (no street lights anywhere) with random roadkill and truck tires on the roads. Yes I may occassionally blind some oncoming car, but at least theyll see me and I can always scoot over into the right of the lane in case they decide to swerve a little. Already do that since 75% of the drivers here are drunk after dark. I guess I could always just use one HID bulb and leave it as the daytime running light and night time light, but since the bulb housing is designed for two bulbs, would using one bulb only throw light on one half of the road or could I angle it so I get the light directly in front?

[Stu]

How an 'H4' HID should work when it's replacing a twin filament bulb, is something inside the HID bulb moves to change the beam of light between dipped & full beam (therefore there is no delay as no new bulb is starting up)
This sounds like a much better option than completely blinding oncoming (drunk) drivers with HID!
For a faired bike you should get 2 bulbs (1 for a naked)

Cheers.... I take it then Northwind mate your going to swap it all off at MOT time?