[pgeller]

A 55 watt light, HID, tungsten filament, silk whisker, or flaming flea booger consumes 55 watts. That's why its called a 55 watt light. At 13.2V, that's about 4A.

An HID capsule runs at about 130V steady state. 10-20KV is needed to start the arc. Startup current on modern HID ballasts has been reduced to ~10A, so fuse-blowing is rare.

Those HID kits have come a long way. Both in technology and in distance. The ones you're sourcing from England began their life in China. Exotic, to be sure, but here is nothing special about the kit that your source is selling aside from his incredible profit margin. You can buy that same Chinese kit all day long for about $10 (usually 2 for $15).

From a quality manufacturer like Hella, HID-based headlights cost around $400. Today, Hella still charge $400. Germans, go figure.

I've been working with LED headlight modules lately. Very shi-shi, much lower power and bo-ku brightness. That's enough hyphens for now.

IMHO - Riding with your high beam on, so that others can see you by being blinded themselves, is considered rude in many societies. Some in those societies are armed.

pg
DD

 

[pgeller]

All good points, Kismet. I'm glad you take responsibility for your actions. Many don't.

Remember that the "Hurt Report" was published in 1981, based on data accumulated in the period between 1977 and 1979. At that time, most motorcycles used a single tungsten, sealed beam headlight, capable of producing maybe 500 lumens at peak output (unless they were British, where photons were actually collected, not emitted!). Today's modern halogen and HID headlights are much more effective and conspicuous. I doubt that Mr. Hurt would suggest using two 3200 lumen HID lights for conspicuity. I suspect if the report were written today, you'd see a recommendation for additional, wider-spaced, lower-intensity lights as we see in modern cars, rather than a blinding, offensive headlight.

By the way, the term "main beam" is used by the rest of the world to mean "high beam". You meant "low beam", or "dipped beam" if you're from the other side of the pond.

Cheers

pg
DD

several states and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommend in their endorsement study guides to run hi beams during the day, at a minimum (Hurt, 1981)

Hurt, H.H. Jr., Ouellet, J.V. & Thom D.R. (1981b). Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures. (DOT HS 805 862). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety

If I'm on a country highway at night, I run main beam only. But nighttime in an urban setting with streetlights, I run hi beams as well. The overall lighting environment is higher, so it's less blinding to drivers, and it helps to make you brighter than everyone else, which is THE POINT, because cagers need help in seeing objects that move faster and are smaller than other cars.

But as stated previously, on a lonely interstate or empty two-lane road at night, if you pass me, I'm either on my main only, or I've just switched my hi beam off (because I saw you coming and don't want to blind you). But in a multiple car setting at night, such as a major highway or boulevard going through a downtown area of a large city, you want both beams on; you're not blinding people in that situation.

 

[pgeller]

Sorry to offend, Lesco. Try not to take it so literal.

pg
DD

Look, the ST's are nice bikes - but the lighting is crap. I put HIDs on mine about 3 years ago after trying the usual bulb upgrades and such ......... received all the usual b.s. on this forum about current draw, additional relays/wiring/fusing issues, blinding on coming traffic, etc etc. Now I see we've escalated the argument to getting shot at. WTF? I have not had any electrical issues, never even been flashed by on-coming traffic ...... and guess what?..... I can see! More and more vehicles are on the roads with HIDs. If you want to see, just go get 'em.