Lighting Upgrade

[1bar2barfubar]

Well, my headlamp upgrade is nearly complete. Some quick history -- I had an HID kit installed in the stock reflector, but was never really happy with the lighting pattern. Put on some small driving lights but they drained the battery. So I threw down 200 bucks on ebay for a headlamp from an 05 Nissan Maxima and ripped out the projector, ballast, etc.

Picked up a sheet of aluminum and bent a crude bracket that attaches to the stock mounting brackets, and glued in part of the projector mounting ring with some JB Weld. The Maxima light came with a small projector fog light that I have yet to install, so it looks a bit ghetto.

I ran a seperate wire from the battery to power the ballast, but in retrospect I could have used the stock wiring and a diode to insure that the ballast stays powered when the high beam is switched on.

The lighting output is amazing -- it lights the road in an even 180 degree swath, and the low beam range is roughly twice that of stock. The projector is bi-xenon, so there is a solenoid which moves a shield inside to throw the light further. I'll get a picture of the beam at night as soon as it stops raining.

For more info on HID projectors, check out HID Planet Forums

Also, I am selling my stock headlight and the HID kit I had in there, PM me if you want it.

[Flealami]

You, sir, are a bright man.

Flea

[ric6312]

i cant like the way you took a fine looking bike and did that to it.hope you can inprove the overall look because it looks bad in my opinion.

[Flealami]

Yes, can we assume that you are not finished with it?

Flea

[1bar2barfubar]

Yeah, it is a bit ghetto, sorta Mad Max style. I am either going to make a whole new front faring out of aluminum or fiberglass up the sides of what I have to match up with the stock faring. Work in progress.

[pobo]

Can't knock being able to see at night. I hate it when I out run my field of vision, like blasting through fog hoping the road is stright AND clear!

[DT]

http://www.ryleesmith.com/dt/Buell%20headlight/DT%20Bike.JPG

This is my headlight upgrade on my 1998 DR650 It is from a Buell City X. The lights are brighter than my Chevy truck. And by removing the stock glass light and steel brackets it was a weight savings of about 6.5 lbs.

The link is fixed sorry

[milk]

DT- your link is telling me i need to sign in to see your pics.

lately i've been thinking i need to adjust my headlight or something. it's been dark in the mornings on my way to work now for a while and even with my high beams on a clear morning my lights seem to fall short.

[Flealami]

I registered for the web site, but then what? Where am I supposed to look in?

Flea

[brianwheelies]

Just look up the member DRZOOMN and go to his garage. I'm pretty sure he's the one who pioneered this with his drz400.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/garage.php?do=viewvehicle&vid=203

[DT]

Just look up the member DRZOOMN and go to his garage. I'm pretty sure he's the one who pioneered this with his drz400.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/garage.php?do=viewvehicle&vid=203

Yes the idea was Andrews but this is the first on a DR650 that I know of.

[brianwheelies]

Any pics? After the thread over on the junkie, i want to do it as well.

[DT]

Any pics? After the thread over on the junkie, i want to do it as well.

Here you gohttp://www.ryleesmith.com/dt/Buell%20headlight/DT%20Bike.JPG

[brianwheelies]

Very cool! Looks better on the 650 than the 400 .

Now, how did you end up mounting? Seems pretty easy from what i read over on the junkie.

[irondude]

bi-xenon...

[Wybs]

Where did the lights come from? I have been checking into this as well. I think replacing the stock is the best option due to lack of watts from the generator. Speaking of which do you know how many watts they are?

Thanks

[kbuckey]

DT - Now that is the first light upgrade that really gets my attention. Looks good and sounds like it really lights things up. How much trouble was that?

[brianwheelies]

I'm considering getting rid of the stock headlight and converting over to dual trail tech hid's. After reading about their output, wattage draw, ease of installation, i think it's the way to go. Will have to do a custom fairing up front though.

[DR_Motard]

Here is my lighting upgrade.

-Drew

[brianwheelies]

Crikey, those are huge. Getting ready for the Baja 1000, are we?