Xenon lights?

[makenzie71]

They can't just put HID bulbs and ballasts in and ru the stock composite housing.  HID lighting needs rather particular focus...this is the reason retrofit kits aren't street legal.

The relay thing is awesome, though...I do this on my TL because it allows me to completely cut the pwoer off the lights (easier starting) and because the lights full juice from the battery.  Lessens the strain on the rest of the system.

[l3uddha]

I love optics. some very interesting stuff 

[WREX]

They can't just put HID bulbs and ballasts in and ru the stock composite housing.  HID lighting needs rather particular focus...this is the reason retrofit kits aren't street legal.

totally agree mak.  I wouldn't do it on a GS myself, because the light would go everywhere in our housings, almost uncontrolled and into oncoming car drivers eyes (what I wouldn't want do anywhere close to me while on a bike) - I see this more on cars where HID's are in halogen housings - ciaos lighting...  I was being kind of general when talking about lighting options.  I've seen HID's retrofitted on bikes already with projectors stock, and that works real well, but also the most costly of the options. 

For us, I'd say a quality bulb with close to stock wattage, proper wiring (good gauge wire, directly off battery, properly fused, to relays, straight to the bulbs - relay controlled from stock lighting harness), a good aiming, and done... big difference without crazy overwatted bulbs that melt harness's and not too much $.

[Chuckles]

I just use a standard h4 silverstar.  My bike just blows lamps.  Voltage is fine.  Why do I blow bulbs?  Because I ride all summer.  I live in Cleveland.  16 in of snow tues.  High beams during day, low beam at night.  I think I blew the high beam on the silverstar last time, but it would be stupid to ride with only one filament.

Silverstars are horrible.  I had them in my car and I popped one.  I never drive it.  I wear photography gloves... no oil whatsoever...  so thats not the issue.  I never touch the glass anyways...  I think mileage was same on car as well.

[anthonyd5189]

So I was out and about tonight and picked up a pair of Pilot "Xenon"(simulated H.I.D.) bulbs.

I'll put one in tomorrow and see how it looks.

[makenzie71]

chuckles I ran bosche bulbs in my Porsche for three years without blowing a single one and I drive everywhere with my lights on.  The bosche bulbs in my bimmer are factory pieces from 1996.  Build quality is what determines natural lifespan.

[anthonyd5189]

What kinda Porsche you got?

[makenzie71]

I had a '71 911RS and later a 944S.  I now drive a 328i.  I'd like another RS or Sc someday, though.

[WREX]

in Canada, for years, day time running lights have been mandatory - so lights are on any time the car is on and ebrake down or in gear (albeit slightly dimmer compared to regular head lights, but still on).  It's pretty common for  quality bulbs to last for years (one of our cars is going on it's 7th year and not one bulb replacement needed, in 12 months of the year, pretty much everyday use).  I'm sure there are examples in this scenario that have lasted much shorter, but at the same time, I'm sure there have been some that have lasted longer.

[Chuckles]

Well, I know I did not get a defective bulb.  I have... had silverstars in my Audi, but I popped one last month or so.  I only drive the car in the winter, and very rarely at that (maybe an average of 50 miles a week at best).  I canot imagine that both of my vehicles have electrical problems great enough to destroy bulbs quickly.  I have had them (silverstars) before and they lasted much longer then the h4's.  The rated lifespan of them is less then a regular h4.  I have looked on their website and it tells you avg lifespan of the regular bulbs and silverstars...

h4 silverstar avg life:  150 hrs
h4 reg halogen:  300

Bosch states 300+hrs for theirs...