JackFlash Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 I hate having to return parts. Here's the deal. While I was inquiring about tires at Iron Pony,I also asked about upgrading my headlights.The painless way was to install an LED headlight.The one they showed me should pop right insimply by attaching the proper adapter for mybike, which I had a choice of four to use. Noproblem. Today was a good day to do it. There's a little wire spring clip that holds thebulb in. Works just fine for the stock bulb.The LED has a little fan on it's backside, thatyou have to fight to get the clip past to lockit in place. Okay, good. Locked down. Rats! There's a bend in the clip that presses againstthe fan and holds the LED out of the hole at anangle. Upgrade fail! I know that if I try to bendthe clip to make it work, it will break. Then I'llbe without a headlight and hard pressed to findanother clip sometime soon. Plus, it will neverwork right if I ever decide to put another stockbulb in it's place. I hate having to return parts. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 I've heard those bulbs are junk anyway man. A friend of mine put one in his bike, rode 20 feet and switched back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Better and brighter halogen bulbs available out there than stock, go with that instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Is the goal here to be more visible to the cagers? Get a headlight modulator. Sorry, your thread is about to explode with the modulator haters. F 'em. http://kisantech.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 I put silver stars in my TL and was impressed with the slight upgrade for little money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Yup.....hate the damn things and they should be outlawed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Yup.....hate the damn things and they should be outlawed. No, they should be mandatory equipment on all new motorcycles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Wait, no they should not be mandatory. Then all the cagers would get used to them and they would be effective. Carry on gang without them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFlash Posted June 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Is the goal here to be more visible to the cagers? It was mentioned that my stock bulb seemeda little dim. Thought I would try somethingdifferent. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzledan Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Check out the silverstar ultra bulbs and make sure your headlight is adjusted correctly. One person has done a projecter retrofit on the GS headlight so they could use an HID Xenon kit, but that's definitely a little labor/skill intensive (especially if you're getting rid of the bike soon). Another thought, you could wire up a relay directly to the battery to bypass the smaller gauge wire that usually supplies the headlight's current. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 (edited) Stock bulbs are dim, and get dimmer with age. I also switched to basic Sylvania H4ST SilverStar replacements. Keep the old bulb (or spare bulb) with the bike in case you need it. The replacement won't last as long as a dim stock bulb. Mine's still working ok though. The trick is finding the right bulb that fits. WalMart might have it.I've seen motorcycle headlight bulbs there, but not mine (Honda). edit: go here to select:https://www.sylvania.com/en-us/applications/automotive-lighting-systems/Pages/lrgmain.aspxMotorcycles are on the list. I notice there is a new SilverStar Ultra. The basic SilverStar was the one available when I was buying.I'll try the SilverStar Ultra next time. edit again: wear gloves when handling/installing, otherwise they burn out early.note: These type bulbs are rated for 150 hours life, a standard bulb is rated 1100 hours. Edited June 11, 2014 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFlash Posted June 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 (edited) oooooooooooo I notice there is a new SilverStar Ultra. The basic SilverStar was the one available when I was buying.I'll try the SilverStar Ultra next time. edit again: wear gloves when handling/installing, otherwise they burn out early. oooooooooooo I use those SilverStar's in the car. I make a point of cleaning themoff with alcohol before installation. You never know if someone atthe factory has touched one before it was packaged. . Edited June 11, 2014 by JackFlash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 ooooooooooooI notice there is a new SilverStar Ultra. The basic SilverStar was the one available when I was buying.I'll try the SilverStar Ultra next time.edit again: wear gloves when handling/installing, otherwise they burn out early.ooooooooooooI use those SilverStar's in the car. I make a point of cleaning themoff with alcohol before installation. You never know if someone atthe factory has touched one before it was packaged..You are literally the first human to touch any modern mass produced lightbulb...or frozen pizza...or beer can...or cigarette...or most any consumer product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Yup.....hate the damn things and they should be outlawed.Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantahertzdonut Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Be sure to wipe the bulb with rubbing alcohol before installing too, in the event someone before you handled the bulb without something between their hands and the bulb. Also cleans any other dirt off that may create a hotspot that results in the bulb failing prematurely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFlash Posted June 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 I swapped the LED for an HID bulb, today at Iron Pony.When I get time I'll try to install it and see what I thinkabout it. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Agreed. I'm gonna go slow through the dragon, force you over the yellow line then follow you all the way to Georgia with my headlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 I'm gonna go slow through the dragon, force you over the yellow line then follow you all the way to Georgia with my headlight.Good luck with any of that. 1) I didn't even ride the dragon this year. 2) I'll be around you before you realize I'm even there. 3) What do you like to drink? I'll have one waiting for you in Georgia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 I swapped the LED for an HID bulb, today at Iron Pony.When I get time I'll try to install it and see what I thinkabout it..Unless you also got a ballast and wiring harness they did not sell you an HID bulb. They sold you a halogen bulb with xenon gas in it that will be a pretty color but no brighter than any other hhalogen.a true high intensity discharge bulb has no wire filament and uses a (you guessed it) high intensity discharge to excite the gas. This is achieved by using a ballast that supplies the initial high voltage burst to get the gas to change phases, then a steady lower current to maintain the conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFlash Posted June 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Unless you also got a ballast and wiring harness they did not sell you an HID bulb. They sold you a halogen bulb with xenon gas in it that will be a pretty color but no brighter than any other hhalogen.a true high intensity discharge bulb has no wire filament and uses a (you guessed it) high intensity discharge to excite the gas. This is achieved by using a ballast that supplies the initial high voltage burst to get the gas to change phases, then a steady lower current to maintain the conversion. I got the HID setup. It has a ballist, a harness to hardwire to the battery,the gas bulb, an inline fuse.....the whole sha-bang, I hope. I'm questioning if the bulb adapter will fit the hole for the bulb. I'll knowmore when I get in the mood to try and install it. Question though: Does the ballist produce heat? Does it need to beinstalled against something that will help it to dissipate heat, a heatsink of a sort? It looks like that's it's design. . Edited June 12, 2014 by JackFlash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Ballasts don't get hot but the bulbs do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFlash Posted June 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Ballasts don't get hot but the bulbs do. I guess I won't get a chance to find out. The metal noseof the bulb won't fit through the hole for me to get it installed.I guess that's one of the drawbacks of having a GS 500. I'll return it to I.P. tomorrow after work. There's a PIAA bulband then there's the SilverStar. I guess those are my optionsfor better light. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaler Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Silver star does not give better light or brighter light. They don't last for shit in motorcycle or a car...6 months to a year tops in a bike.Find a Philips dealer near you and purchase the vision plus in your size and rejoice in the brighter clean light. They are not covered in blue or purple tint, and properly contrast the things you want to see.You can thank me later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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