I need some help with my HID High Beams

skydivr

Jumps from perfectly good Airplanes
Donating Member
I've been meaning to bring this up for awhile, but keep forgetting, so here goes. I could use some help with my high beam HIDs.

I installed them about 2 years ago, but I hardly ever ride at night so it's not been a big issue. But I think the high's are out of focus. I can not tell the difference between them being on or off at night at a distance. They aren't aimed high (would lite up a road sign) or low (it would be obvious on the ground) but I just don't think the are at the right focal length for the lens. I need somebody to take a good look at them and see if I can get them to line up correctly....

Any subject matter experts?
 
Did you make sure the bulb was fully seated in the socket? If not, even pulled back slightly it will look like a beam spread instead of being focused. Think of a mag light with the beam adjusted on the widest angle possible.
 
Did you make sure the bulb was fully seated in the socket? If not, even pulled back slightly it will look like a beam spread instead of being focused. Think of a mag light with the beam adjusted on the widest angle possible.

Well...I thought I did, but I also think that's the problem. I mean, they seated and sealed. But I hate to go digging in there blind. Any way to tell from looking at the outside?
 
I have the same issue -- is there a way to adjust how deep the lamp seats into the fixture? I just assumed it was what it was. Y'all have my attention

--Sky
 
The problem is more in the chrome lense.
It scatters the beam. Painting it flat black helps, especially with a projector.
I found that either the low or the high beam could be adjusted to work great in the stock housing, but the other would suffer dramatically.

Where is Oger?
 
I thought the Gen II lacked separate adjustment between the low and high beam :dunno:
 
I thought the Gen II lacked separate adjustment between the low and high beam :dunno:

This! ^

I had the same problem with my Gen 2.

The Gen 1's are adjustable seperately, but the GEN2 is not. You have to adjust the low beam down quite a bit before the high beam is not an owl spotter!
 
Thought we discussed this last year?
Anyways I replied with making a shim on the high beam base so its tilted up (shim on the bottom of the base)

Or you can fix it the correct way as I did with the mod a member posted here about shaving the high beam skirt and using washers as shims on the projector assembly. That's the fix.
 
I'm not having an issue aiming the high beam, the issue is that it is so 'out of focus' that I don't really see a difference between on and off beyond 25' in front of the bike. The low beam on my HID is better, but the High beam on the stock headlamp that I removed was better than the HID.

Is there an adjustment that moves the lamp within the headlight to focus the beam?

--Sky
 
I'm not having an issue aiming the high beam, the issue is that it is so 'out of focus' that I don't really see a difference between on and off beyond 25' in front of the bike. The low beam on my HID is better, but the High beam on the stock headlamp that I removed was better than the HID.

Is there an adjustment that moves the lamp within the headlight to focus the beam?

--Sky

You can aim the HID hi beam so that it works great as it is, but in turn the low beam will be no good.
 
When I did mine I put the same bulb size in both high and low. Like you mine was way out. My high beem was shining up in the trees :laugh: It will take some time but I think you can go back in and shim the high bulb down. Put tape or something on the bottom part of the housing. Mark a spot on the wall to check it when done. I hope that makes since.
 
The high beam is not aiming high, I can put it facing my garage door and see both beams. The high is just not focusing. Unless you mean that the bulb is tilted inside the housing so that it can't focus correctly?

So Donn, when you coming over?
 
I got rid of my high beam HID. it really wasnt serving its purpose for me. it takes the bulb a few seconds to warm up and that kinda defeated its purpose for me cause I only have it on momentarily usually so the PIAA halogen worked better for me cause it was instant on. its very bright!
 
The high beam is not aiming high, I can put it facing my garage door and see both beams. The high is just not focusing. Unless you mean that the bulb is tilted inside the housing so that it can't focus correctly?

So Donn, when you coming over?


Keith

Performing the mod to the high beam assembly is time consuming but its worth it. The time and energy I spent on my headlight assembly was worth it and also safer for oncoming traffic.
I now see why HID's are illegal in vehichles that they didnt come from the factory installed.
HID bulbs scatter the light when not fitted in a projector lens blinding oncoming traffic. With the projector retro in the low beam the cut off is on the road and not in the eyes of oncoming traffic and when the high beam is turned on its beam is almost strong enough to catch objects on fire!

If you pull your nose off I will come and seperate your headlight and perform the mod to your hi beam... Or if you want order the MOTOMIMI H1 projector assembly and do it correctly if you insist on running HID's
 
Keith

Performing the mod to the high beam assembly is time consuming but its worth it. The time and energy I spent on my headlight assembly was worth it and also safer for oncoming traffic.
I now see why HID's are illegal in vehichles that they didnt come from the factory installed.
HID bulbs scatter the light when not fitted in a projector lens blinding oncoming traffic. With the projector retro in the low beam the cut off is on the road and not in the eyes of oncoming traffic and when the high beam is turned on its beam is almost strong enough to catch objects on fire!

If you pull your nose off I will come and seperate your headlight and perform the mod to your hi beam... Or if you want order the MOTOMIMI H1 projector assembly and do it correctly if you insist on running HID's

What is difference between the two? This is above my personal skill level.
 
I'm not having an issue aiming the high beam, the issue is that it is so 'out of focus' that I don't really see a difference between on and off beyond 25' in front of the bike. The low beam on my HID is better, but the High beam on the stock headlamp that I removed was better than the HID.

Is there an adjustment that moves the lamp within the headlight to focus the beam?

--Sky
I had HID low and high beam on my 05, but the high beam made very little difference, in fact, a Sylvania silver star bulb was better than the HID, so I removed the HID from the high beam. With the HID low beam, I don't even use the high beam anymore.
 
Did you even read my post (which you quoted)? ???

--Sky

I did, and appearing "out of focus" is likely because it's not aimed exactly where it should be.
That's why I said that the low beam would suffer once the hi beam was correct.
It doesn't take much.
Have you only adjusted the light at home?
I had a problem with my hi beam as you describe. It was not until I went riding, stopped, adjusted, rode more, stopped, adjusted, repeatedly until the hi beam was exactly right. With it off just the slightest amount it was no good. I could not get it correct by adjusting it in the driveway and aiming it against a wall either.
If the low beam was perfect the hi beam was in the tree tops, literally.
When the hi beam was perfect the low beam was still at a good angle, only the beam itself was scattered by the reflection of the housing. It had a Christmas tree pattern on the road.
LankeeYankee's solution above is the best fix.
 
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