Hey there I've been having issues with low light during night time riding.  What would be a good bulb upgrade.  What's everyones review on hid kits, are they a waste of money?

HID kits are something some people like and other people hate. Personally, I think a good quality (and i will stress the 'good quality' bit) and properly set up HID kit is great, they put out heaps more light and give you a 'better' light.

By better light, i mean closer to 'sun light'.

In Australia, our standard halogen bulbs burn at around 4000-4300K, this gives off yellow tinged light.

Yellow light appears to 'put' more light on the road, but still doesn't give you the best vision.

If you move to light closer to 5000-6000K you get more 'white' light, past 6000k is generally getting a bit blue, with 8000 being blue and 12000 being very blue.

5000k-6000k is closer to 'sunlight', which is what our eyes are better for, which allows us to see better at night and also reduces strain on the eyes

http://www.3drender.com/glossary/colortemp.htm

http://www.delonixradar.com.au/hid-xenon/colour-chart.php

the delonix link is where i got my HID kit for the car from, i got one for the higher quality kits, amazing difference in light output and it doesn't hassle/ blind oncoming traffic 

As for standard bulbs, you just have to decide if you want 'more' light or 'clear' light.

I've kinda just rambled lots, sorry about that lol. hopefully some of that helps

Thanks dude, very helpful.  So if I want that blue hid look i need the 8000k and up.  Would you happen to know what the sylvania silverstars are? I' m assuming within that 5000-6000k range?  Now based on regulations, how high in teh hid scale would be allowed. I also wouldn't want to piss off any oncoming cagers. XD

Cheers

Well people consider my 6000k HIDs to be blue because they are so much mre white when compared to standard halogens and my 5000k halogen fog lights, but technically yes, if you want 'blue' 8000k and up, however they start to get a purple tinge past about 10000 if i remember correctly.

i've heard of them, and after a google search, i found that they are 4000k with the ultras being 4100k, they may appear whiter because they have a blue paint over the glass to filter out some of the yellow and red light.

If they are anything like the +50% or +80% globes we have here in Aus, they have a xenon gas as well as some others in the the globe that increase the light output over your standard run of the mill globes.

well based on regulations where i am, any HID retrofit is illegal and any halogen over 4000 or 4300K is illegal.

However, because i got a good quality HID kit and set it up properly (i.e. correctly leveled) i have no issues.

As for you, you'd have to check with your local transport department for regulations.

Kay cool im looking into regulations. So you are saying that 6000k still have a hint of blue so anything in that range would be fine?  Do you know any good quality kits i can buy.  I have a dual headlight btw.

The have a tiny hint of blue, but i've never had any issues with police or traffic department, even when i get pulled over and they have a quick look over the car 

the only kits i can say are decent are the higher quality kits from delonix radar (link above), however, they aren't cheap and are australian based.

Phillips do kits aswell, they are even better.

You may need to get a car HID kit if you cant find a motorcycle one with 2 ballasts and bulbs. Slimline ballasts aren't evry big, however will be interesting to hide on a naked GS lol