32 replies to this topic

[moodygaz]

We all know how shite the Mk2 headlights are so here's how to make em better.
I got these out of ebay
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these are 2" and came with all the ballasts and wiring including the relay.
First you need to get the headlight housing off the bike, I took the fairing off to do this.
once off take the bulbs out and remove the spring clips from around the join.
Then make sure your wife/girlfriend/significant other is out and put the housing in the oven at 80 degC for around 15mins.
it should be hot but not too hot to touch with your bare hands.
once out of the oven pull the two halves apart starting from one end.
mine came apart very easily, if it doesn't, put it back in for 5 mins or so.
you then should have this
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totally loosen off the beam adjusting screws then
Pull the projector and reflector off the ball and socket fixing screws
undo the screws attaching the projector lens to its reflector
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throw the reflector away and cut the lens holder off the backplate, and file the backplate flat, then make up a plate to cover the large hole in the backplate fixing it through the holes that took the reflector, then drill a hole in the centre to fix the new projector.
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Then turn your attention to the large reflector,
file down the lugs on the back that held the bulb and drill a 10mm hole for the projector leads ( in the pic I have drilled this hole in the wrong place (projector was upside down) the hole needs drilling at 1 o'clock in the pic not 7 o'clock)
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the surface needs to be flat for the locknut to tighten on.
then paint em matt black (you can see the extra hole in the reflector)
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Then mount the new reflectors, they tighten onto the large rubber washers to keep them steady. make sure that the CCFL ring gap is at the bottom when fitting (you can tell which way up everything is by fitting into the housing the plate and reflector will only fit one way.
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Make sure all the leads go through the hole in the reflector
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Again make sure the wife is out and also the bulbs and put it back into the oven
when its out press the two halves together again and re-attach the clips
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put the bulbs back in and put the caps on the back
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now install the housing back onto the bike.
next the hard bit. the wiring (only joking that's part two I need to go photo the wiring)

Edited by moodygaz, 02 July 2013 - 08:23 pm.

[moodygaz]

can't post any more pics for part two cos ive reached my limit

I'll do this tomorrow

Here's the finished product

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[ChrisG]

Nice work. Presumably way sharper pattern than putting an HID bulb in the standard reflector? Thrakotis (i think) did something similar on his 900.

[moodygaz]

Apparently your not supposed to just use HID bulbs in reflectors that have not been designed for this use, it scatters the beam pattern too much.

[dmmsta]

Apparently your not supposed to just use HID bulbs in reflectors that have not been designed for this use, it scatters the beam pattern too much.

You can get H7R HID bulbs specifically for this purpose - it's what I'm running on my dipped beam on my 9er.

 

And they do make a massive difference as I was running H7's before and the pattern was a mess - the H7R's give a clean cut line in the beam pattern - even my MOT guy asked how I got such a good pattern with a reflector lamp assemble

[Marc001]

Nice one, what make/model of h7r hid bulb did you use?

[dmmsta]

I bought from HIDS Direct off their eBoo store...

 

These aren't the exact ones I bought (don't list them anymore), but are the same spec:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270801858995

 

It's a pair set, so you get a spare one (as I only have HID in dipped beam).

[moodygaz]

The ones I got are bi-xenons , they have a shield that is operated by your hi-beam switch. So that your HIDs are on and shielded for dipped beam and the shield drops away giving you full hi-beam when you switch to Hi. So you have two lights that give you both dipped and Hi-beam. I'll post an ebay link later

[steve27bha]

I bought from HIDS Direct off their eBoo store...

 

These aren't the exact ones I bought (don't list them anymore), but are the same spec:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270801858995

Those are just the bulbs.

Please tell me what you used as ballast / starter / other bits needed.

Thank you.

[dmmsta]

The ones I got are bi-xenons , they have a shield that is operated by your hi-beam switch. So that your HIDs are on and shielded for dipped beam and the shield drops away giving you full hi-beam when you switch to Hi. So you have two lights that give you both dipped and Hi-beam. I'll post an ebay link later

Those will be H4 bulb type, which I believe are Mk1 or Mk2.

 

H7R's are for the 9er.

 

Those are just the bulbs.

Please tell me what you used as ballast / starter / other bits needed.

Thank you.

Sorry Steve, though you'd already got a kit.

This is what you'll be after: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300661262486

They offer H7R fitments, and both 4300K & 6000K colour temp.

I wouldn't go above 6000K as the colour becomes to blue (and eventually purple the higher you go).

I've run 4300K on my car, and that is a clear white colour.  6000K is an "ice" white which has a hint of blue in it.

 

I'm currently running 5000K if you can find them in a kit.

 

If you only want to do the dipped beam, see if anyone wants to go halves on the kit.

[steve27bha]

Thanks for the info - that approach seems to be much more straightforward, provided the reflectors live up to your comment.

 

Anyone want to go halvers on a kit to just do the dip? Post a reply here or PM.

 

...

Sorry Steve, though you'd already got a kit.

This is what you'll be after: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300661262486

They offer H7R fitments, and both 4300K & 6000K colour temp.

...

[ChrisG]

HID r bulb works pretty well in the existing reflector, but a full bi-xenon conversion like moodygaz's done will be better, partly because the projector will give a better pattern than the reflector, but mainly because it allows you to have both bulbs for dipped and both for main.

[moodygaz]

This is the kit I bought

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item35c7b9c06c

[dmmsta]

This is the kit I bought

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item35c7b9c06c

 

Oooh a complete kit - sminky - I'm liking the look of that!

[steve27bha]

I've gone ahead and bought a kit with H7R @ 4,300K (the highest lumens output).

 

Do I need to modify the wiring at all? I expect the starters need an initial burst of amps to fire up, but don't know how much yet, or how that compares to the wiring and fuses - research in the workshop manual is needed. I'm not yet fully up to speed with the TDM after specialising in VFRs.

 

"Thank you" to anyone who offers any advice.

 

...

Sorry Steve, though you'd already got a kit.

This is what you'll be after: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300661262486

...

[vicens66]

Do not put the ballast on the left side next to the ecu ,shoud be straight forward to do.

[ChrisG]

No wiring mods needed, just connect up the ballast to your original bulb wiring.  HID's  are lower power than a conventional bulb, yes they'll need a bit extra go get them started but the initial current on an incandescent bilb is way higher than the steady state too.  On the 900 there's space to tuck a ballast in behind the clocks at the base of the screen.

Edited by ChrisG, 05 July 2013 - 05:16 pm.

[wicklamulla]

well done to MoodyGaz fer taking the time and patience to document this upgrade.   MoodyGaz yew running fancy upsoide doon forks on yer MK2 ???

[divvxj]

took the original bulb out and put in the hid without changing the reflector though i did ask the mot mechanic if it would be a problem , he said it might , but he has passed it through the mot with no adviseries for the last 3 mot

[moodygaz]

well done to MoodyGaz fer taking the time and patience to document this upgrade.   MoodyGaz yew running fancy upsoide doon forks on yer MK2 ???

Yes
pop to the other post (update your Mk2) I've just posted a few pics of that particular bit