Headlight lesson learned - '03 K1200RS

[RBEmerson]

I installed a pair of HID's (H7 & H3) into the headlight (some socket mods needed for the H3). The light output is great but the 3-4 second delay until the H3 comes up to full brightness isn't so good. Of course, with the H7 it doesn't matter. But I let myself be talked into a LED replacement for the H7, and a halogen 100W H3. Silly me.  The only way the LED will ever work is to drill a huge hole to pass the heat sink and fan assembly through. The H7 has to be sealed into its socket and that can't be done with the dust shield in place. And the dust shield really does matter. Even if that weren't an issue, there's not enough room between the back of the headlight and the nose sub-frame. OK, no LED H7.

The H3 went down quickly, wire thickness aside (thin for 10A drawn by a 100W lamp), the reflector is plastic. Whether the excess heat would cook the reflector isn't certain, but it's safe to assume that extended use of the H3 would cause problems sooner or later.

Bottom line: the HID's went back and I buttoned up the bike sadder but more informed.  

[Sport-Touring]

[zer0netgain]

I've lived with the HID delay...never been a big issue for me.  High beam is the worst, but when riding at night, I've learned to switch high beam on from time to time so the ballast is charged.

It'd be more of an issue if switching turned one off and another on.  That'd be bad.  When I go to high beam, the second bulb comes on but the main one doesn't turn off.

[RBEmerson]

I fully agree.

I'm being picky when it comes to the delay. And frustrated on the very rare occasion when a quick pop from the brights seems needed.

In any event, the choice for lighting the KRS is HID or halogen. Anything else is IMHO a bridge too far.

[rajflyboy]

Good old fashioned BMW over engineering

 

 

[RBEmerson]

I dunno... they fixed it. It just took waaaayyyy too long. At any rate, I'm trying to fix what I have, not self-leveling HID projectors that came later. But which, as my local dealer assured me, I could have for $4K off the list $26+.  

[kver]

I've lived with the HID delay...never been a big issue for me.  High beam is the worst, but when riding at night, I've learned to switch high beam on from time to time so the ballast is charged.

It'd be more of an issue if switching turned one off and another on.  That'd be bad.  When I go to high beam, the second bulb comes on but the main one doesn't turn off.

I went with HID low beams and uprated (offroad only) halogens for the high beams -- that way I still have "instant on" high beams and only see the delay when I first start the bike.  

[RBEmerson]

What wattage for the halogen bulb? I'll be interested to hear about long term experience with a bulb over the stock 55 watt bulb.