Kawasaki 1400 GTR

1400 GTR - All Models => 1400GTR Discussion => Topic started by: trousersnake01 on March 10, 2013, 12:29:21 PM

Title: LED side lights
Post by: trousersnake01 on March 10, 2013, 12:29:21 PM
Just showing the difference between LEDs and the normal bulb. The yellow/orange one is the original.
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: trousersnake01 on March 10, 2013, 12:31:01 PM
The bright one is the big one, pennies from ebay.

Got them to match the HID colour.
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: viper on March 10, 2013, 04:49:23 PM
can you put the link on for ebay
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: SirToU on March 10, 2013, 06:13:03 PM
I think these are them.....  I've ordered them (10no) as the led ones I've had previously only lasted a couple of weeks  :-(

But I'm willing to try again..  :-) and will let you know how I get on - 10 hours a week to Cumbria and back should be a good test!  :-)

Neil

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110938797474
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: trousersnake01 on March 10, 2013, 11:08:20 PM
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-NO-ERROR-FREE-CANBUS-W5W-T10-501-LED-SIDE-LIGHT-BULB-13-SMD-Xenon-White-/370704091041?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item564faf87a1

Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: SirToU on March 11, 2013, 07:33:04 PM
Yes ordered some of those as well.   :banana:

Neil
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: shaggs147 on March 11, 2013, 08:03:28 PM
Hi Trousersnake,
Just wondering how you're finding the HID lights, do they make much of a difference?
I seem to remember Debs fitting some but think she took them back out, but not sure the reason why.... Over to you Debs!
I find the lights on the GTR ok, but not quite as good as the lights on my previous bike, a VFR 800. I was thinking of trying some nightbreakers first to see if they made much of a difference, not that the standard lights are that bad really.
Cheers,
Mark

Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: SirToU on March 11, 2013, 08:11:46 PM
I've been running HID Lights for 2 years, through 2 winters, late nights working (so pitch black up and down the M11) and I've never had a problem.

only problem I have is during the winter I take the tinted lens protector off.

Don't ask me which ones I have cause I can't remember  :-) 

Neil
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: Burchy on March 11, 2013, 09:12:23 PM
Happy to be corrected but I understood that HIDs on bikes were illegal as they have to be self-leveling to avoid blinding oncoming traffic and I can't see that any bike has self-levelling capability
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: Ros on March 11, 2013, 10:54:28 PM
Ahem....

I desperately tried not to post this, but:

QuoteI can't see that any bike has self-levelling capability

The 1600GTL has it as standard... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp23c8S2iiU")

Cheers

Ros
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: Burchy on March 12, 2013, 09:45:37 AM
Quote from: Ros on March 11, 2013, 10:54:28 PM
Ahem....

I desperately tried not to post this, but:

The 1600GTL has it as standard... (http://"http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/index.html?content=http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/individual/news/2011/news.jsp&id=2074&notrack=1")

Cheers

Ros

OK I accept that.  BTW the link doesn't work.  Still, not much use to a GTR owner, though
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: Ros on March 12, 2013, 12:01:39 PM
OK sorry - fixed link... Pointed it somewhere else...

QuoteStill, not much use to a GTR owner, though

I didn't say it was - but you said:

QuoteI can't see that any bike has self-levelling capability

So actually, it does exist.  Albeit rather recently...

Also, from Wikipedia...

QuoteIn Europe and the many non-European countries applying ECE Regulations, even HID headlamps designed as such must be equipped with lens cleaning and automatic self-leveling systems, except on motorcycles.[33] These systems are usually absent on vehicles not originally equipped with HID lamps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamp)

I don't have time to look right now, but it seems that the rules may differ between cars and motorcycles.  To be continued :)

Ros
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: trousersnake01 on March 12, 2013, 12:03:11 PM
Mark, re the HIDs , they were great, and note the word were.

Basically , they are great. the dipped beam is fab, the main not as good as the OEM however the dipped is so good you done need the main. I commute in middle of night in pitch black and the HIDs gave me a lot of confidence. They are far better then the OEM dipped.

I wired up an auxiliary fuse box to run the HIDs, heated grips, garmin, and horn from, the fuse box was powered from a relay powered from the auxiliary wires so only became live when the bike was on but this relay falled and i lost my HIDs and was stranded with no lights at work. Fortunately I carry the OEM bulb and just disconnected the HID and put a normal bulb in to get me in.

I rewired my auxiliary fuse box the other day but the HIDs still didn't work.

The HID set up is very easy.  You have two small fag box size units which are called ballasts which you can loose in each side.

You get these two units which each have an earth wire, you get one live wire that fits directly to your battery and you get a male plug that fits into the bulb plug , and it is as easy as that. The new bulbs have electromagnetic switches at the back of them and as you flick between main and dipped this switch pulls the bulb back within the bulb holder to change the angle between dipped and high.

Mine packed up working so have been stripped off but I'm going to replace them because they are so bright, the cars around me were so much more aware of my presence and very rarely got flashed where I'm to bright. You can adjust the height of the beam from the dash.

I would recommend them. I'm just annoyed mine packed up. I stripped them of the bike when the relay packed up and connected them to an external battery for power and just connected the headlamp wire which switches the internal HID relay on and they worked, so I rewired them back on the bike and they wouldn't work so not sure what is going on. Anyway I then blew a bulb and HID's are so cheap now I'm just going to buy another set from fleabay.
Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: trousersnake01 on March 12, 2013, 12:21:07 PM
Mark, I've just bought another set, if you look for some, make sure you only look at H4 bulbs and in the text it must say Hi/Low, otherwise you will end up with a single filament bulb

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-35w-Xenon-AC-HID-Bi-xenon-Hi-Lo-conversion-Kit-H4-3-4300K-6000K-8000K-10000K-/181100070482?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a2a67c652



Title: Re: LED side lights
Post by: shaggs147 on March 12, 2013, 07:13:16 PM
Thanks for the info and link, nice one.