Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[hard10]

With all this said, which spot light replacement do I need?

[vagabond6542]

Do you really want the mental image of me sitting on the couch while typing on the computer naked?

Please don't give out that image, I would have to do a "Hogbreath" thing. Go find a a pig and go butcher it to get it out of my memory.

[Twolanerider]

With all this said, which spot light replacement do I need?

That has been the difficult question.  Even when using 5000k color temp HID bulbs I don't remember anyone finding a spotlight that was a good visual match. 

Chuck was going to try HID spots but the bulbs wouldn't fit in the light housings.  This mftr might (or might not) be different there.  Using HIDs in the spots would also mean another pair of ballasts inside the fairing.  If I knew the bulbs would fit I'd do it anyway.  Especially for the cost of this mftr's kits. 

I tried a couple different spot bulbs.  All marketed as being at least a comparable color temp to the HIDs I'm using.  Not even close. 

So either bite the bullet and get good light while just not worrying about the visual distinction between the old and new bulbs or, if the uglyness really grates on you, leave your spots turned off.

[vagabond6542]

That has been the difficult question.  Even when using 5000k color temp HID bulbs I don't remember anyone finding a spotlight that was a good visual match. 

Chuck was going to try HID spots but the bulbs wouldn't fit in the light housings.  This mftr might (or might not) be different there.  Using HIDs in the spots would also mean another pair of ballasts inside the fairing.  If I knew the bulbs would fit I'd do it anyway.  Especially for the cost of this mftr's kits. 

I tried a couple different spot bulbs.  All marketed as being at least a comparable color temp to the HIDs I'm using.  Not even close. 

So either bite the bullet and get good light while just not worrying about the visual distinction between the old and new bulbs or, if the uglyness really grates on you, leave your spots turned off.

Weren't there some new Haligen lamps that went to the temp range of the HID's?
I don't think the reflectors will suffer with a stronger wattage.

[Twolanerider]

Weren't there some new Haligen lamps that went to the temp range of the HID's?

I've had a couple that were advertised to be that color temp.  No match though.  They are absolutely "bluer" than a standard halogen.  They're not even a close match to the HID bulbs though. 

You also have to be careful with some of these.  The blue look of the HID bulbs (or purple or most other colors) isn't really the color of the light but a byproduct that is in some controllable.  The "white" light is still out there.  That's important because a truly blue light would be about the worst thing possible for us to actually see with.

Many of the halogen bulbs that are made to look blue or have a color temp in the 8000k range actually use some kind of shroud either over or impregnated in the glass.  In those it is the blue light that escapes.  So no matter what they look like they're crap for effectiveness shining down the road.

[vagabond6542]

I've had a couple that were advertised to be that color temp.  No match though.  They are absolutely "bluer" than a standard halogen.  They're not even a close match to the HID bulbs though. 

You also have to be careful with some of these.  The blue look of the HID bulbs (or purple or most other colors) isn't really the color of the light but a byproduct that is in some controllable.  The "white" light is still out there.  That's important because a truly blue light would be about the worst thing possible for us to actually see with.

Many of the halogen bulbs that are made to look blue or have a color temp in the 8000k range actually use some kind of shroud either over or impregnated in the glass.  In those it is the blue light that escapes.  So no matter what they look like they're crap for effectiveness shining down the road.

I ran into that once, some years back on my truck replacement lights. I know what you mean.
I thought the technology would have improve in the last 5 years. Thanks.

[Sean M Cary]

Up yo.... ummmm, never mind.

There's not much there really.  The bulbs (#1) go in place of the old ones. 

The combination ballast/ignitor #2 goes in any convenient place you can put it.  Double sided taped somewhere against the inner fairing, tie wrapped to a bracket, just wherever it's happy and safe.

The harnesses to each (#3) will pick up power and ground.  Will fire one each from the high and low beam headlight wires.  But it's just wire.  You're not really taking up any consequential amount of space here.

The rest of the stuff shown is just the mounting, tieing or hold down bits to accomplish all of the above.

So you have to have a fairing to run these??  I figured they would fit in the headlight housing.

Sean

[Twolanerider]

So you have to have a fairing to run these??  I figured they would fit in the headlight housing.

Sean

Perhaps.  Have not had these ballasts in hand.  Nor have seen their specific wiring hook ups.  So while they'd certainly be small enough to fit inside a fairing I'd hate to tell you with any certainty for a nacelle because I simply don't know yet.  However....

This company's will: http://www.xtralights.com/

Compared to those recently discussed the Xtralight brand are more expensive.  Though they're less expensive than a lot of others seen on the market.  Lots of people here have used them since I guinea pigged and Jim became a dealer for them quite some time ago.  They will work inside of a Road King nacelle.  I can think of several here on the site who've used them and I've installed a couple.

[hard10]

Perhaps.  Have not had these ballasts in hand.  Nor have seen their specific wiring hook ups.  So while they'd certainly be small enough to fit inside a fairing I'd hate to tell you with any certainty for a nacelle because I simply don't know yet.  However....

This company's will: http://www.xtralights.com/

Compared to those recently discussed the Xtralight brand are more expensive.  Though they're less expensive than a lot of others seen on the market.  Lots of people here have used them since I guinea pigged and Jim became a dealer for them quite some time ago.  They will work inside of a Road King nacelle.  I can think of several here on the site who've used them and I've installed a couple.

Jim is a dealer for http://www.xtralights.com/

Is he a dealer for http://www.xenonlink.com/

Obviously I'd rather buy from Jim. HDdude input?

[Twolanerider]

Jim is a dealer for http://www.xtralights.com/

Is he a dealer for http://www.xenonlink.com/

Obviously I'd rather buy from Jim. HDdude input?

Give the man time .  Puzzled only discovered them a few days ago.  (hey Jim, you got them yet!?)

[hard10]

Give the man time .  Puzzled only discovered them a few days ago.  (hey Jim, you got them yet!?)

It's been 3 & 1/2 hours. Well?

[Twolanerider]

It's been 3 & 1/2 hours. Well?

Pacific Time.  It's only been 20 minutes there.... 

[Hoist!]

So you have to have a fairing to run these??  I figured they would fit in the headlight housing.

Sean

Sean, I have the ignitors installed in my Nacelle for the Xetronics HID's that I got from HDdude. You need a dual bulb housing for them, which I my bike came with.

Hoist!

[CVOJOE]

Guys, Jim (HD Dude) is really busting his gears working the shop full time now and doubt if he has a lot of free time to monitor the site chatter. Looking at his backlog in the shop and parking lot, business is good. 

[hard10]

Guys, Jim (HD Dude) is really busting his gears working the shop full time now and doubt if he has a lot of free time to monitor the site chatter. Looking at his backlog in the shop and parking lot, business is good. 

I hate when that happens.  I really am happy for him! And it's not like we're not already getting a good deal on these. I just wanted to give him my business.