TheBrown57 Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Hell too dangerous just cruising the backroads in the dark cuz of all the deer and critters. City riding sucks unless on a cruiser.You must be using that zx9 all wrong. Backroads during the day then some nice state route cruising at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) Seems I remember there being a limit to how bright a bulb mc's can run.....true or not?The only thing I've ever seen is a limit by wattage, I think 55 watt for 12.0/12.8v?Typical values:H1 = 55 watts at 12.0 volts, and produces 1550 lumens ±15% when operated at 13.2 V. H2 (55 W @ 12.0 V, 1820 lm @ 13.2 V)H2 = 55 W @ 12.0 V, 1820 lm @ 13.2 V H3 = 55 W @ 12.0 V, 1450 lm ±15%H4 = not used in USAH7 = 55 W @ 12.0 V, 1500 lm ±10% @ 13.2 VH8 = 35 W @ 12.0 V, 800 lm ±15% @ 13.2 V H9 = 65 W @ 12.0 V, 2100 lm ±10% @ 13.2 VH11 = 55 W @ 12.0 V, 1350 lm ±10% @ 13.2 VHB1/9004 = 65 watts (high beam) and 45 watts (low beam) at 12.8 volts. 700 lumens on low beam and 1200 lumens on high beam. 9005/HB3 = 65 W, 12.8 V 9006/HB4 = 55 W, 12.8 V9007/HB5 = 65/55 watts, 12.8 VD1S, D1R, D2S, D2R, D3S, D3R, D4S, and D4RHID headlamp burners produce between 2,800 and 3,500 lumens from between 35 and 38 watts of electrical power, while halogen filament headlamp bulbs produce between 700 and 2,100 lumens from between 40 and 72 watts at 12.8 VI'm not sure if US has standards for HID yet, but international has:D1R, D2R, D3R AND D4R2800 lumens +/- 450 @ 35w @ 13.5v2800 lumens +/- 150 @ 35w @ 13.5vCATEGORIES D1S, D2S, D3S AND D4S3200 lumens +/- 450 @ 35w @ 13.5v3200 lumens +/- 150 @ 35w @ 13.5vnot sure what the difference in tolerance is.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lamp_types Edited August 31, 2012 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 My wife just bought a lifted jeep. After my first night ride with her and seeing how many people flashed her, I had her park it in the back yard facing the house and adjusted them properly. It took all of three minutes to not be an asshole.The old safety lane yearly vehicle inspections is one of the few government functions I think we were better off with.Be different of I was driving around the big city. I'm in deer country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 The sun is much worse for blinding a driver, but if the lights can be properly adjusted then by all means go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Backroads during the day then some nice state route cruising at night +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slingingchic Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I just took the MSF course and the instructors told us the brighter the better. We want to be seen. I ride with my brights on, why? Because they told me I can they gave the example of holding up four fingers, that'd be a car, now remove three, that lonely finger is you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I just took the MSF course and the instructors told us the brighter the better. We want to be seen. I ride with my brights on, why? Because they told me I can they gave the example of holding up four fingers, that'd be a car, now remove three, that lonely finger is you. That is dumb and if its actually in the material I've lost faith in the course. Having your brights on at night makes you no more visible then regular head lights when there's oncoming traffic. All its going to do is blind them and piss them off. But if you want old people, drunks and road raging assholes swerving at you keep it up. I don't even follow cars with my brights on it creates an un-safe distraction. If no ones around by all means use the brights but there's a reason the bikes were equipped with a switch to control them. If the bikes were supposed to have the brights on all the time they wouldn't have the switch. It makes all bikers look like dicks when people ride around with their brights on. If you can't see good enough or don't feel safe without running brights you probably shouldn't ride at night. Being on a bike doesn't give any free pass to be a jerk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I agree. Night riding sucks. I have done it maybe 5x in the past 9 riding seasons. I enjoy night riding especially out here where its triple digit temps. During the day and 60 at night. I ride a little more cautious at night due to the abundance of animals. I'm not quite sure how hitting a coiled up 6' rattlesnake will go but I don't wanna find out. I'm just saying riding at night isn't for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I run my brights often too, only I tend to flip them off for oncoming traffic. But the squatters in front of me on the interstate take the "slower traffic move right" hint a lot quicker when I catch up in the left lane and got a pair of projectors hitting their mirror along with my lowbeams. I say do what you must to stay safe and have decent visibility. I'm lucky enough that my brights are in a seperate housing from my lows so they're adjusted differently from one another. So, I can go from "cool" to "asshole" in the flick of a switch:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Highbeams on during the day for me if I remember to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slingingchic Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 At That is dumb and if its actually in the material I've lost faith in the course. Having your brights on at night makes you no more visible then regular head lights when there's oncoming traffic. All its going to do is blind them and piss them off. But if you want old people, drunks and road raging assholes swerving at you keep it up. I don't even follow cars with my brights on it creates an un-safe distraction. If no ones around by all means use the brights but there's a reason the bikes were equipped with a switch to control them. If the bikes were supposed to have the brights on all the time they wouldn't have the switch. It makes all bikers look like dicks when people ride around with their brights on. If you can't see good enough or don't feel safe without running brights you probably shouldn't ride at night. Being on a bike doesn't give any free pass to be a jerk.My bright's aren't really even that bright, haven't pissed anyone off yet for on coming or following. However when I am following at night I do stay far back. I don't like my ass rode and I'm sure others don't either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Keeping brights on at night would pose a problem for on-coming drivers, but during the day it is a non issue. Brights on are still not as annoying as those stupid ass modulators, which should be illegal IMHO. You are not supposed to look into an oncoming vehicles lights anyways, so how the hell is it gonna blind you during the day, and even at night if you think about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magley64 Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 IMO, if you're taking steps to mitigate the blinding of oncoming traffic (by making a good faith effort of trying to set the beam properly, even if you haven't got it quite right) then no, you aren't being a dick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 See numbers above. The standard motorcycle headlight on bright high beam is dimmer than all standard and halogen and HID headlights on cars/trucks. It's not the brightness, it is where it's aimed that causes problems. There is nothing wrong with riding with high beam on. The stock motorcycle low beam is not much more than a daytime driving light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrown57 Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I have reflector housing's on mine so I run Silverstar Ultras. If I do switch to HID Ill convert em to projector's. Another thing I love about my bike is both of my headlights are low/high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Do you still have the stock projectors? I've got 35W HIDs in basically the same bike and never gotten flashed. Did you set them while seated on the bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSparky Posted September 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 No, I did mine with retrofitsource. Correct projectors, with the flapping cut off, both operate by hi-lo switch. And yes, I adjusted with me on it. I measured the height of the projectors, went to the wall, taped 2" down, went back to the bike, sat on it, wiggled and turned my adjuster screws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 I get flashed all the time in my truck and it's just a stock height 2500 with halogens. People are primarily cunty idiots that don't have a clue. I wouldn't worry about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imaposer Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 I get flashed all the time in my truck..... People are primarily cunty idiots that don't have a clue.Yes. Yes they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSparky Posted September 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 You're not being a dick' date=' but you will be if you continue to ride with poorly aligned headlight beams.[/quote']...Dude, they are fucking aligned. that's what I've been trying to say. The bike is taller than a Camry's window. So, 2" down sometimes hits a mirror, with road vibrations and the bike pitching due to acceleration.I've already to decided to keep it where it is, anyway. I'm not compromising my normal line of sight for anybody else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) ...Dude, they are fucking aligned. that's what I've been trying to say. The bike is taller than a Camry's window. So, 2" down sometimes hits a mirror, with road vibrations and the bike pitching due to acceleration.I've already to decided to keep it where it is, anyway. I'm not compromising my normal line of sight for anybody else.Don't get mad when some old lady goes left of center because she's like a moth staring into your headlight and hits you or your buddy behind you. Edited September 1, 2012 by cOoTeR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSparky Posted September 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 That's ok, the left side doesn't get people. My projectors have a lower left side than right side, for that reason. It's only on the occasion that the right side bounces up and gets in the mirrors of people going the same direction as me, while I cruise on their left side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 Don't get mad when some old lady goes left of center because she's like a moth staring into your headlight and hits you or your buddy behind you.Well that old broad shouldn't have a license. You people aren't realizing the several different factors that causes halogen or HID lights to appear like the highs are on or they are misaligned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 Yes. Yes they are. Obviously you're offended because you feel you are in that category. By not understanding there are far more factors than misaligned headlights to cause people's anger that they are "momentarily blinded" I'm led to believe your offense is justified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 Well that old broad shouldn't have a license. You people aren't realizing the several different factors that causes halogen or HID lights to appear like the highs are on or they are misaligned It may be true that she shouldn't have a license but doesn't mean she won't have one or won't be driving.With the many factors that cause them to appear like the highs are on maybe they aren't worth pissing people off. Yeah its the riders choice to have them but it pisses other motorists off. It has the potential to cause someone to drive unsafe or become pissed to the point of road rage. Putting the brighter lights on a vehicle that has adequate lighting is a dick move. It obviously is affecting the other drivers. If they feel blinded by it he's going to have to deal with their reactions. You never know when a crazy f**k is going to snap. Just like the redneck tries to kill biker video from awhile ago. Those riders did nothing personally to the guy in the truck and outta nowhere he decides he's going to run them off the road. The I don't care if I piss everyone else off I do what I want attitude is a good way to push a crazy person over the edge. But if your comfortable with the risk by all means do it but don't expect me to feel sorry when an incident happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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