Alternative indicators and headlight

[Mincehead]

Sound advice Neil.
How`s that dad business going?

[Overlord Neil]

Yeah all good thanks Mince, shes just getting old enough to be a little person now. No doubt little madam is waiting in the wings, but I'll enjoy this bit while I can.

[Bostel]

Wow, thats a lot of good advice from Neil, I don't know if I can add much to that but I'm gonna try.
As said in the posts before I've got an FZR600 headlight and I'd like to put an LED H1 in but I don't think that there's enough space. I hope you can see it in the pictures below.
The rear of original halogen bulb almost rubs against the rubber cap and when the cap is fitted there is not much space left between that and the fairing frame.




A high power LED needs some space behind for cooling and I havent got that.




I have tried an aliexpress H4 LED in my original headlight but that was bad. It sure had a lot more light, but it was everywhere.
So when you want to buy LED, make sure you've got enough space and that it's good quality. Or go somewhere where you can test fit it.

[Mincehead]

Go HID:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330617414853? ... EBIDX%3AIT

[Overlord Neil]

I can vouch for the brand as well, I had HAWK HID's in my Tiger. The Tiger has twin headlights, I was unsure at first so I only put one in to see how effective it was... even a 35W on dip will put more light out in front of the bike than both Halogens on full beam, even the Xenon 'NIghtbreakers' that were the common mod for these bikes at the time. There is just so much more visible when its dark you'll wonder why they aren't fitted as standard. The bike past MOT's too.

For the money, you really can't go wrong. They are plug and play so you can't crew up your wiring loom or electrics either. 5000 to 6000k is a good colour too, my personal preference as it gives a clean white light. 8000k starts to introduce a bit of blue, anything beyond (higher) that gets too Saxo-ie. Or go all continental and fit 3000K for Yellow lights, why did the French used to put yellow lights in their cars?

[Tarwetijger]

Wow, thats a lot of good advice from Neil, I don't know if I can add much to that but I'm gonna try.
As said in the posts before I've got an FZR600 headlight and I'd like to put an LED H1 in but I don't think that there's enough space. I hope you can see it in the pictures below.
The rear of original halogen bulb almost rubs against the rubber cap and when the cap is fitted there is not much space left between that and the fairing frame.




A high power LED needs some space behind for cooling and I havent got that.




I have tried an aliexpress H4 LED in my original headlight but that was bad. It sure had a lot more light, but it was everywhere.
So when you want to buy LED, make sure you've got enough space and that it's good quality. Or go somewhere where you can test fit it.

It will fit, I have the same FZR600 base, the H1/H3 lights are not in the middle (like the original H4 headlight) and just go slightly besides the fairing frame.
Check my DIY topic I mentioned before for pics.

[Bostel]

It will fit, I have the same FZR600 base, the H1/H3 lights are not in the middle (like the original H4 headlight) and just go slightly besides the fairing frame.
Check my DIY topic I mentioned before for pics.

Ik saw your topic when I was looking to buy an alternative headlight bit I didn't see that you used LED.
Do you have a rubber cap fitted or do you just ride without it?

[Tarwetijger]

Ik saw your topic when I was looking to buy an alternative headlight bit I didn't see that you used LED.
Do you have a rubber cap fitted or do you just ride without it?

Ride without it. Still have plans to make holes in both caps (so the fans stick out).
Apparently it is not considered top priority by me as I ride it like this for 2 years or so.

[Mincehead]

I can vouch for the brand as well, I had HAWK HID's in my Tiger. The Tiger has twin headlights, I was unsure at first so I only put one in to see how effective it was... even a 35W on dip will put more light out in front of the bike than both Halogens on full beam, even the Xenon 'NIghtbreakers' that were the common mod for these bikes at the time. There is just so much more visible when its dark you'll wonder why they aren't fitted as standard. The bike past MOT's too.

For the money, you really can't go wrong. They are plug and play so you can't crew up your wiring loom or electrics either. 5000 to 6000k is a good colour too, my personal preference as it gives a clean white light. 8000k starts to introduce a bit of blue, anything beyond (higher) that gets too Saxo-ie. Or go all continental and fit 3000K for Yellow lights, why did the French used to put yellow lights in their cars?

Yellow, I believe, was chosen as it was proven to dazzle less. (apparently)

[Overlord Neil]

All this talk of HID's and my rekindled love of Trixie... I got the dremel out and set about an old H7 HID bulb, bit of wittling and da-dah:





And to highlight the difference between the halogen and HID:



The difference doesn't look amazing but there is so much light from the HID it was reflecting off a piece of ply.

I figured as I've got two headlights to play with and getting H4 bulbs to fit will be more hassle than its worth, I'd split the lights into dip and main, assuming I can get the wiring to look half decent. Does anyone know if you can extend the wiring between the bulb and the ballast on HID's? I'm tempted to put all the gubbins in the tail unit and run the cabling to the front discreetly, rather than try and house two ballasts and all the connectors.

Isn't that le dazzle?

[Tarwetijger]

8<
I figured as I've got two headlights to play with and getting H4 bulbs to fit will be more hassle than its worth, I'd split the lights into dip and main, assuming I can get the wiring to look half decent. Does anyone know if you can extend the wiring between the bulb and the ballast on HID's? I'm tempted to put all the gubbins in the tail unit and run the cabling to the front discreetly, rather than try and house two ballasts and all the connectors.

Isn't that le dazzle?

If you have the small type of ballast, it fits between the underside of the headlight unit and above the lower bar from the fairing frame. If you get what I mean.
Just hang/glue/ty-wrap it to the slap/lip/flapper from the headlight.

[Mincehead]

All about resistance Neil, check out lengths of oxygen free copper hi-fi cables to see if you can match the resistance over the required length.

[Planx]

Hi all,
I haven't had much time to do anything about enhancing this headlight so far. In the long run, encouraged by all the information, I intend to try going the HID route, but for now I just want to get the best out of the unit as it is.

Right now it doesn't look too good and is probably wasting a lot of light because the lens and reflector are both pretty smokey/dirty. I'd like to clean them but can't separate the glass front from the plastic body. I've removed the four clips but the two parts feel as though they are actually cemented together. Does anyone have a neat trick for getting them apart?

[Mincehead]

Yes a heat gun SHOULD soften the silicon, allowing you to gently lever the glass from the housing.

[Planx]

Ok, thanks. I'll give it a try.