HID Projector Retrofit?

[sveach]

So, has anybody retrofitted a HID projector into their F headlight? I'm not talking about just dropping the bulb into the stock housing, I'm talking about fitting the actual projector into the stock housing. There's a lot of room in there, I don't foresee it being too difficult, and it would fix my biggest gripe about the bike, the lighting at night....

There were several posts when I did a search, of people saying they've dropped the bulb into the stock housing. Does anyone have any pics of that? I'm curious to see the spread of the beam, and how glaring it is at night. Also saw some posts where people said they would be fitting a projector into the F headlight, but there are no pics...anyone?

[sveach]

Bump....anybody?

[Fry]

I would beleive that there is a lot more involved to a true HID set up than merely dropping in a bulb. There are a lot of requirments powerwise that Im pretty sure that a stock GS cannot produce/handle.

[tussey]

Here are the components you need to do a true HID conversion that won't blind people.

HID bulb
Projector housing
Ballast (for massive electrical energy required for startup)
Wiring harness


I don't think you'll find a projector housing that will fit on a gs500 easily

[JeremyP]

HEY!
Give it a shot! WHY NOT!?
Go where no man has gone before (and make sure to do a write up)
I would say take something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/COMPLETE-MB-HID-XENON-PROJECTOR-BALLAST-BULBS-HARNESS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2em14Q2el1318QQhashZitem310068885098QQitemZ310068885098
and retrofit it to make it work.

Also when the bulbs "ignite" it draws very high voltage like 23kv. But it is only for 1 second. So ideally, a delay would be set for the headlights to turn on after you start the bike. But once the headlight is on it only draws 35watts or so.

goodluck   

[sveach]

There are plenty of projectors that will fit into the F housing, the thing is huge...

The kits on ebay come with the bulb and the ballast already wired together, so that's not a problem. Upgrade the stock wiring harness to some thicker wire is probably a good idea. If I do a retrofit, the light will be on a seperate switch so I can control it turning on and off. Rapid on/off is bad for HID.

And I know that you shouldn't just drop a bulb into there, that's why I said I want to retrofit a projector in there...

[shuluke]

Just read about a retrofit for another bike.. I would just be worried about the small battery on the gs..

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=42703

[qwertydude]

They don't draw as much current as halogens even on startup. Yes the bulbs themselves need 23kv but that's very low current only needed for light off and the ballast takes care of that by storing energy in a capacitor. I've seen people put HID's in Honda Metropolitan scooters and the electrical system on those is downright paltry compared to the GS. My stun gun generates 40,000 volts but uses only a 9v battery because, it's low power but high voltage same with the HID systems. HID's are not much more than glorified flourescent lights.

[blwnbwtie]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BTS-YAMAHA-RAPTOR-STOCK-HID-REPLACEMENT-LIGHT-BULBS-KIT_W0QQitemZ180268624758QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180268624758&_trksid=p3911.m14.l1318

might be able to make something like this work.  I have HIDs from the same company on my dune buggy, they are great.

[dalsim]

for those of us in Australia Jaycar has HID conversion kits now

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?URL=index&ID=SL3368&CATID=21&SUBCATID=256

I spotted it the other day when I was there.

[ben2go]

Here's spc's version applied to his Duc. http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=40085.100

[shuluke]

I was riding with my cousin, he just bought a brand new ninja 600.. and it has projectors.. way better than my SV650 headlight output thats for sure.. Did I mention its crazy fast!?!? haha I want a new bike!

[jrains89]

it really is as simple as getting a HID H4 kit off of ebay, they all seem to sell for about $60, and put the new "bulb" in and put the ballast in the front cowling. My room mate just did this to his sv650 and i'm going to do this to my gs500f, there will be pics soon of the awesomeness. my current headlight doesn't put out near enough light for me, so i decided the most sensible thing was to get an HID!!!

[efushi]

I'm fairly interested in putting in an HID just as some of you guys are. But I did alot of forum scouring and came up with just about nil as far as successful operating HIDs on a gs.  Sure there are people who say "this system should work", including suggestions for bi-H4 kits, but no reply posts about a successful job, E or F model alike. Seems fitting a projector is always the biggest problem and no one seems to have figured it out

[ohgood]

it really is as simple as getting a HID H4 kit off of ebay, they all seem to sell for about $60, and put the new "bulb" in and put the ballast in the front cowling. My room mate just did this to his sv650 and i'm going to do this to my gs500f, there will be pics soon of the awesomeness. my current headlight doesn't put out near enough light for me, so i decided the most sensible thing was to get an HID!!!

hope the folks coming at you aren't blinded into hitting you ! no, really.

[seamax]

Do HID bulbs run hotter or cooler than the stock?

[Juan1]

Cooler than stock.

The lighting is your biggest complaint?  I like my GS, but the lighting isn't much of a problem for me.

Another option is to try ordering a great bulb from Powerbulbs.com.  Although they are for my car, I've got Philips Xtreme Power bulbs in the mail.  If you'd like, I could a/b them against my current bulbs and report back.  The power requirements are the same as a stock bulb, but they claim to be 80% brighter than stock.  They are about $35 per pair.

[Juan1]

I don't have pictures, but the $35 (for a pair) Philips Xtra Power bulbs I have are about 30-50% brighter than stock. 

[Infinite Dimentia]

I've thought about the HID conversion, but its not in my budget for a while, so I went it a PIAA GT-X Super Plasma... gotta say, I think the PIAA light low beam (which is blue) a kit brighter than the stock high beam. The PIAA high beam, which is ultra white lights up more than my van headlights... can see a long way ahead of me and can see across ditches on both sides of me.  The big test will be when riding at night during the rain when the pavement absorbs light.

[s0crates82]

I've thought about the HID conversion, but its not in my budget for a while, so I went it a PIAA GT-X Super Plasma.

I just ordered a bi-xenon hid kit for $61 shipped and insured.  That's a bulb, a cowl, a solenoid, a ballast, and all necessary wiring.

How much were your PIAA's?