Custom HID lighting

[ogilly0753]

Has anyone installed and used the Custom Plug & Play HID lighting for GL1800 & 1500 bikes?

Heres the website: http://www.goldwinghids.com

[WingAdmin]

Gary at Cyclemax sells these kits. He installed one on his personal GL1800, and says the difference is like night and day - the regular halogen GL1800 lights now look dim in comparison to him. They are 4300K, which puts the most light out, and is the closest color to normal halogen, not the "icy blue" or purplish appearance of the 6000+K HID lights.

I'm planning to put a set of the GL1500 lights in my bike, as soon as I get some time.

[MikeB]

But, isn't aftermarket HID lighting in any vehicle considered for off road use only? I had heard that that type of lighting is not legal in any state unless it is a stock installation. I have seen nothing in print to verify this. I have only heard it by word of mouth. Does anyone know for sure? I doubt the sellers of these kits will tell you it is street legal unless it is in print somewhere and it can be verified.

[cbx4evr]

But, isn't aftermarket HID lighting in any vehicle considered for off road use only? I had heard that that type of lighting is not legal in any state unless it is a stock installation. I have seen nothing in print to verify this. I have only heard it by word of mouth. Does anyone know for sure? I doubt the sellers of these kits will tell you it is street legal unless it is in print somewhere and it can be verified.

It is considered illegal to install HID headlights into housings designed for Halogen lights. Whether the police nail you for it or not is a judgment call on their part. Hopefully they have better things to do.

So info and links to legislation here:

http://store.candlepower.com/trabhidki.html

[ogilly0753]

Good article from Candlepower.com. Tha's why we have these type of forums. It would still be interesting to get the legal opinion. The videos and other files from Candlepower.com is not working. I may just look at buying some of there H7 Osram Rally 65+ to better match my LED fog lights from Electrical Conneection. Now this has me wondering about the LED fog lights, but I must say I have seen many bright bulbs on SUV's and other cars that I wonder how legal they are? Not to mention I am seeing different colored bulbs as well which I know is illegal but law enforcement in Fargo does nothing to correct.

[WingAdmin]

You do have to take what you read at candlepower.com with a grain of salt. They are in the business of importing and reselling expensive halogen light bulbs, and the cheap, bright HID kits are cutting seriously into their bottom line. So the "facts" that they present are not entirely objective - they definitely have an agenda.

[MikeB]

All the above being said, I did a quick Google Search and this is what I found for my home state. I guess I will not be able to do a conversion.

Are high intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits legal? (From the Washington State Patrol http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/pasfaqs.htm )

No, in order for a headlight to be legal for use in Washington State, it must conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 108 requirements for headlights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded that it is impossible to produce HID conversion kits (converting a halogen system to HID) that would be compliant with FMVSS 108.

Halogen equipment uses an electrical current to heat a metal wire coil filament to incandescence, while the HID conversion kit's light source incorporates a discharge arc to produce light. HIDs require a ballast for operation. Under FMVSS 108 Section S7.7 (replacement light sources), each replaceable light source for headlamps must be designed to conform to the dimensions and electrical specifications for the headlamp source it is intended to replace. For example, if an HID kit is marketed as replacing an H1 light source, then it must match the H1's wire coil filament size and location, the electrical connector size and location, and the ballast design for use with an H1 light source (which is impossible since there is no ballast).

NHTSA believes this equipment presents a safety risk to the public since the kits can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists. In one investigation, NHTSA found that an HID conversion headlamp exceeded the maximum candlepower by over 800 percent.

[MikeB]

Here is another interesting thread about the legality of HID lighting. I guess regular old Halogen bulbs are good enough for my needs.

http://forums.officer.com/t41131/