I ride a 2008 Hayabusa. I’ve been asking around on multiple hayabusa Facebook pages and to fellow riders that I know. Looking to upgrade my headlight bulbs to either HID’s or LED’s. Everyone keeps saying LED’s but don’t tell me which one to look into or anything. I’m looking for plug and play with no modifications needed. If I do LED do I go with fan or fanless one and what brands are all y’all using? Also do I need a spacer?
Headlights
- Thread starter Foxlyfe22
- Start date
Blkoutbusa
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LED is brighter than stock up close, but don't throw any usable light down road much better. HID throw light further and are brighter down the road so you can actually see further.
A true HID retro is the best way to go. The most usable light will be thrown further than an LED setup.
A true HID retro is the best way to go. The most usable light will be thrown further than an LED setup.
Yep, Hid retrofit/projectors
But they aren't plug and play.
There are a couple companies that will do it if you send them your headlight.
You'll have to search the retrofit threads here for more info.
And, you need a chain.
But they aren't plug and play.
There are a couple companies that will do it if you send them your headlight.
You'll have to search the retrofit threads here for more info.
And, you need a chain.
HID's do give more light but they have a delay on start up. This could be an inspection issue unless you know somebody. Frankly, I got sick of all the issues with fumbling with the light and went with PIAA's that plug right in and project properly. Pretty bright, not like a quality HID but still good.
To me, adding aux lights on the fenders is the best way to increase night field of vision and your visibility too. It's also very easy to install. Not many here will agree with this position though. It does make the bike look more touring than sport.
BTW: Nice Picture!
To me, adding aux lights on the fenders is the best way to increase night field of vision and your visibility too. It's also very easy to install. Not many here will agree with this position though. It does make the bike look more touring than sport.
BTW: Nice Picture!
GAmedic
Registered
I am using an LED low beam that I bought from Cycle Gear. Works great, plug and play, and has a fan. The bulb is designed to project the light in the original pattern which is a good positive for it. The only real negative that I have found is the light output isnt too bad but could definitely be brighter. Definitely not as bright as HID but brighter than factory halogen.
HID is brighter for sure. No denying that. Brighter than both halogen and LED. The major downside is because of the bulb design, it scatters light every wrong direction as well as the right direction. This is bad for oncoming drivers. You can get kits that start up faster than average kits but they can get expensive. As mentioned, the best way is to retrofit a projector into the housing and run an HID bulb that way.
www.theretrofitsource.com
Good place to start. They are local to me.
HID is brighter for sure. No denying that. Brighter than both halogen and LED. The major downside is because of the bulb design, it scatters light every wrong direction as well as the right direction. This is bad for oncoming drivers. You can get kits that start up faster than average kits but they can get expensive. As mentioned, the best way is to retrofit a projector into the housing and run an HID bulb that way.
www.theretrofitsource.com
Good place to start. They are local to me.
The HID bulb design is good...in an HID housing/projector. It's putting an HID bulb in a non HID housing, the non HID housing is what scatters the beam.
Which is why HID looks good for the Busa high beam, which has a projector style, round housing.
The low beam looks bad because the light is reflecting off of the visivle big chrome inner housing. The bulb end is covered, and the light is then reflected to the chrome sheild.
Which is the pattern you see on the road.
Which is why HID looks good for the Busa high beam, which has a projector style, round housing.
The low beam looks bad because the light is reflecting off of the visivle big chrome inner housing. The bulb end is covered, and the light is then reflected to the chrome sheild.
Which is the pattern you see on the road.
You already got some good answers here. I tried different setups and was t happy, so I did a full HID projector retrofit, like others her have done. Even that is not a perfect solution though. A projector has a sharp horizontal cutoff line when on low beam. Now, imagine what happens to that cut off line when you lean into a curve.............. good luck on your search.
GAmedic
Registered
Align your high beam to sit just above your cutoff. Other option would be auxiliary lights mounted on the fender or perhaps in the wheel well up front.
My setup is two bi-xenon mini H1 projectors overlapping each other’s los/high beam, so no adjusting high beam separate. It is like having a stadium light in front of your bike with the two low beams and two high beams, but no way to change that cut of line to work better around curves. Only option is to use high and that’s not such a great idea. It doesn’t bother me much as I don’t ride much at night anymore and there is not many curves to worry about in Florida.
Berlin Germany
Registered
jepp
the HID xenon, fitting to H7 low beam, with 6.000K colour temp i got into my busa headlight (in germany NOT streetlegal but who cares, me not ;-) )
it makes such a wide and long distance that the reflektors beside our the country road are lightend over half a mile
what leads you pefectly allways on the road even in a moonless dark night.
1st class light
and when you fix the hight of low beam xenon / HID headlight not only 5cm (at H7 or H4) but ~8-10 cm deaper than normaly there is hardly any danger of dazzling upcoming cars / drivers
look at the pic ;-) how we do it in germany - you all too ?
5 cm ~ 0.2" , 5 m ~ 16 ft , H = middle of headlight
main installation of the hardware is not as hard as it seems
1. voltage - "switch" box i fixed by two long cable ties crosswise onto the air-duct right hand (I drilled four holes in the duct and cross wise pulled the cable ties through)
2. the little HID harness under & behind speedo to bulb & original H7 - mainharness´ connector
3. 12 V from battery inclusive a separate 20 A fuse
a little tricky at ´99 & ´00 busa is the problem that their entire speedo resets some times when switching on the light,
then some of us use mom´s kitchen alu foil to wrap the whole HID harness 2 or 3 times - bulp up to V-swith box
other busas, later than ´01, don´t have this "problem".
the HID xenon, fitting to H7 low beam, with 6.000K colour temp i got into my busa headlight (in germany NOT streetlegal but who cares, me not ;-) )
it makes such a wide and long distance that the reflektors beside our the country road are lightend over half a mile
what leads you pefectly allways on the road even in a moonless dark night.
1st class light
and when you fix the hight of low beam xenon / HID headlight not only 5cm (at H7 or H4) but ~8-10 cm deaper than normaly there is hardly any danger of dazzling upcoming cars / drivers
look at the pic ;-) how we do it in germany - you all too ?
5 cm ~ 0.2" , 5 m ~ 16 ft , H = middle of headlight
main installation of the hardware is not as hard as it seems
1. voltage - "switch" box i fixed by two long cable ties crosswise onto the air-duct right hand (I drilled four holes in the duct and cross wise pulled the cable ties through)
2. the little HID harness under & behind speedo to bulb & original H7 - mainharness´ connector
3. 12 V from battery inclusive a separate 20 A fuse
a little tricky at ´99 & ´00 busa is the problem that their entire speedo resets some times when switching on the light,
then some of us use mom´s kitchen alu foil to wrap the whole HID harness 2 or 3 times - bulp up to V-swith box
other busas, later than ´01, don´t have this "problem".
What are you trying to do , do you want to send more light down the road? Or make yourself more visible to other traffic?
Clearwaters. They are pricey, but I've used the same kit on four consecutive bikes and they make them (& service them) locally in Sacramento. China copies are much cheaper, but I've been using Clearwaters for 10 plus years since I had the '00 Busa. Not enough light, add the HID. I also have a Headlight Modulator & those require the stock bulbs.
Clearwaters. They are pricey, but I've used the same kit on four consecutive bikes and they make them (& service them) locally in Sacramento. China copies are much cheaper, but I've been using Clearwaters for 10 plus years since I had the '00 Busa. Not enough light, add the HID. I also have a Headlight Modulator & those require the stock bulbs.
Berlin Germany
Registered
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