• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Super dim headlight on 450

  • Thread starter Thread starter greasyjonny
  • Start date Start date
G

greasyjonny

Guest
Seriously it's really not at all better than if I were to tape a mag-lite to the bars. Are their any recommendations for an HID kit or all around fix for the problem? I'm tired of not being able to ride at night.

81GS450T

jonny
 
A couple of things you need to check before taking on the expensive venture of going HID.

First thing is to check your charging system to make sure you are getting 14+ volts.

Second thing is to consider changing your stock sealed-beam headlight to an H4 halogen bulb like the bigger GSes.
You have the smaller light that also came on the "L" models, so you will need to look for someone who might have some "L" parts for sale. It will be a plug-and-play swap. Just open up your current headlamp, remove the sealed beam light, install the H4 reflector/lens assembly and bulb, put it all back together.

Third thing, if you really want to go with HID is that you really need to get a complete light kit, not some sort of "conversion" kit. You would have difficulty with a "conversion" kit anyway, as there is no way to convert your sealed beam. In a conversion bulbe, the plasma arc that generates the light in the HID bulb is not in the same place as the filament in the stock bulb, so it will throw a different pattern on the road. Actually, the problem is the it throws a lot of light ABOVE the road, into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

.
 
Steve said:
A couple of things you need to check before taking on the expensive venture of going HID.

First thing is to check your charging system to make sure you are getting 14+ volts.

Second thing is to consider changing your stock sealed-beam headlight to an H4 halogen bulb like the bigger GSes.
You have the smaller light that also came on the "L" models, so you will need to look for someone who might have some "L" parts for sale. It will be a plug-and-play swap. Just open up your current headlamp, remove the sealed beam light, install the H4 reflector/lens assembly and bulb, put it all back together.

Third thing, if you really want to go with HID is that you really need to get a complete light kit, not some sort of "conversion" kit. You would have difficulty with a "conversion" kit anyway, as there is no way to convert your sealed beam. In a conversion bulbe, the plasma arc that generates the light in the HID bulb is not in the same place as the filament in the stock bulb, so it will throw a different pattern on the road. Actually, the problem is the it throws a lot of light ABOVE the road, into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

.
Click to expand...
This is great info, thanks! Yeah if I can get a desired result in a plug and play swap out I'd much rather do that.

GSX1000E said:
Stock 45W light?
Click to expand...
id have to assume so. No idea how to tell really.
 
Also, what about the increased wattage of the h4 bulbs, is that not going to be issue? Assuming stock is 45w, the bulbs I found on z1 were 55/60w 55/100 and 90/100. The only reason I was actually considering the HID was because I had been told they are bright and lower wattage.
 
greasyjonny said:
Also, what about the increased wattage of the h4 bulbs, is that not going to be issue? Assuming stock is 45w, the bulbs I found on z1 were 55/60w 55/100 and 90/100. The only reason I was actually considering the HID was because I had been told they are bright and lower wattage.
Click to expand...

Although the 55/60W is the legal replacement, I have no problem whatsoever using the 80/100 or 90/130 on several of my GS bikes as long as the light is aimed correctly as to not blind other drivers/riders.
There are many places to pick up those bulbs for good prices including Amazon.com, Tirerack.com, Ebay, etc.
 
GSX1000E said:
Although the 55/60W is the legal replacement, I have no problem whatsoever using the 80/100 or 90/130 on several of my GS bikes as long as the light is aimed correctly as to not blind other drivers/riders.
There are many places to pick up those bulbs for good prices including Amazon.com, Tirerack.com, Ebay, etc.
Click to expand...

I was thinking more in the line of issues on the charging system with a higher load being pulled on the lamp.
 
One problem these old bikes have is the series of voltage drops between the source and the eventual destination; my previous GS1000's headlamp was so dim that I left it home at night and took a different bike. I solved the problem by installing a headlight relay kit from Eastern Beaver. The voltage difference was dramatic. Then I swapped the sealed beam with an H4, but the big difference was the relay kit. It also relieves the aging harness of carrying the headlamp current.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top