Super dim headlight on 450

[Guest]

Seriously it's really not at all better than if I were to tape a mag-lite to the bars. Are their any recommendations for an HID kit or all around fix for the problem? I'm tired of not being able to ride at night.

81GS450T

jonny

[Steve]

A couple of things you need to check before taking on the expensive venture of going HID.

First thing is to check your charging system to make sure you are getting 14+ volts.

Second thing is to consider changing your stock sealed-beam headlight to an H4 halogen bulb like the bigger GSes.
You have the smaller light that also came on the "L" models, so you will need to look for someone who might have some "L" parts for sale. It will be a plug-and-play swap. Just open up your current headlamp, remove the sealed beam light, install the H4 reflector/lens assembly and bulb, put it all back together.

Third thing, if you really want to go with HID is that you really need to get a complete light kit, not some sort of "conversion" kit. You would have difficulty with a "conversion" kit anyway, as there is no way to convert your sealed beam. In a conversion bulbe, the plasma arc that generates the light in the HID bulb is not in the same place as the filament in the stock bulb, so it will throw a different pattern on the road. Actually, the problem is the it throws a lot of light ABOVE the road, into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

.

[GSX1000E]

Stock 45W light?

[greasyjonny]

A couple of things you need to check before taking on the expensive venture of going HID.

First thing is to check your charging system to make sure you are getting 14+ volts.

Second thing is to consider changing your stock sealed-beam headlight to an H4 halogen bulb like the bigger GSes.
You have the smaller light that also came on the "L" models, so you will need to look for someone who might have some "L" parts for sale. It will be a plug-and-play swap. Just open up your current headlamp, remove the sealed beam light, install the H4 reflector/lens assembly and bulb, put it all back together.

Third thing, if you really want to go with HID is that you really need to get a complete light kit, not some sort of "conversion" kit. You would have difficulty with a "conversion" kit anyway, as there is no way to convert your sealed beam. In a conversion bulbe, the plasma arc that generates the light in the HID bulb is not in the same place as the filament in the stock bulb, so it will throw a different pattern on the road. Actually, the problem is the it throws a lot of light ABOVE the road, into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

.

This is great info, thanks! Yeah if I can get a desired result in a plug and play swap out I'd much rather do that.

Stock 45W light?

id have to assume so. No idea how to tell really.

[Steve]

Stock 45W light?

id have to assume so. No idea how to tell really.

About the only way to tell is to pull the headlight and look at the back of the reflector. By the time you do that, you will be almost half-way to replace that blasted thing.

.

[greasyjonny]

Do I need to swap out the lens with the reflector on the H4 swap? Or just reflector and bulb? I ask because someone here is selling a reflector only.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?220149-81-gs750l-parts

[greasyjonny]

Also, what about the increased wattage of the h4 bulbs, is that not going to be issue? Assuming stock is 45w, the bulbs I found on z1 were 55/60w 55/100 and 90/100. The only reason I was actually considering the HID was because I had been told they are bright and lower wattage.

[GSX1000E]

Also, what about the increased wattage of the h4 bulbs, is that not going to be issue? Assuming stock is 45w, the bulbs I found on z1 were 55/60w 55/100 and 90/100. The only reason I was actually considering the HID was because I had been told they are bright and lower wattage.

Although the 55/60W is the legal replacement, I have no problem whatsoever using the 80/100 or 90/130 on several of my GS bikes as long as the light is aimed correctly as to not blind other drivers/riders.
There are many places to pick up those bulbs for good prices including Amazon.com, Tirerack.com, Ebay, etc.

[greasyjonny]

Although the 55/60W is the legal replacement, I have no problem whatsoever using the 80/100 or 90/130 on several of my GS bikes as long as the light is aimed correctly as to not blind other drivers/riders.
There are many places to pick up those bulbs for good prices including Amazon.com, Tirerack.com, Ebay, etc.

I was thinking more in the line of issues on the charging system with a higher load being pulled on the lamp.

[robertbarr]

One problem these old bikes have is the series of voltage drops between the source and the eventual destination; my previous GS1000's headlamp was so dim that I left it home at night and took a different bike. I solved the problem by installing a headlight relay kit from Eastern Beaver. The voltage difference was dramatic. Then I swapped the sealed beam with an H4, but the big difference was the relay kit. It also relieves the aging harness of carrying the headlamp current.