HID on ST?

[ARCTIC]

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment and am considering putting HID light kit on my ST limited. My RS wouldn't run with the xenon depot kit. Has anyone had any issues with error codes or rough engine idle or any other strange gremlins once converted to HID? How easy was the installation?

 

[DrewNJ]

Ooof......I thought I'd never, ever, read this from you. After everything on the RS.....hope you have better luck on the ST.

 

[jcthorne]

I'd suggest the new led lamps. You will not have the troubles and they are instant on

 

[ARCTIC]

Ooof......I thought I'd never, ever, read this from you. After everything on the RS.....hope you have better luck on the ST.

:roflblack: It hasn't happened yet. I love the way the HID light everything up and my RS spoiled me. I even put HID on my truck after riding that thing a few thousand miles and being amazed at how well they lit up the countryside

I'd suggest the new led lamps. You will not have the troubles and they are instant on

Funny you mention this. .. I have a led kit sitting at my house waiting to be installed in my snowmobile. Are they are as good as HID or significantly better than halogen?

 

[DrewNJ]

Halogen vs LED vs HID is a huge topic on the HD boards. Especially since HD has an OEM LED add on headlight. Concensus seems to be that LED is brighter/better than halogen but not as bright as HID. However, LED is able to keep a good beam pattern where aftermarket HID lights in a non projector housing makes that really bright non focused scatter beam most oncoming traffic doesn't care to see.
LED lights seem like they would be a nice upgrade. Wonder about heat though???

 

[ARCTIC]

Halogen vs LED vs HID is a huge topic on the HD boards. Especially since HD has an OEM LED add on headlight. Concensus seems to be that LED is brighter/better than halogen but not as bright as HID. However, LED is able to keep a good beam pattern where aftermarket HID lights in a non projector housing makes that really bright non focused scatter beam most oncoming traffic doesn't care to see.
LED lights seem like they would be a nice upgrade. Wonder about heat though???

I installed the LED lights in my snowmobile and they are okay(ish) I'm uncertain if they are any brighter than the halogen bulbs. I have 2 sleds side by side and when I start them and shine the light on the garage door in the dark they just appear different not one better than the other. Evidently the high power LED's don't like heat at all because they have fans built into them. I was disappointed with the mounting tabs on the LED light kit as they were plastic!!!! If I do decide to do the spyder lights I'm putting a morimoto bixenon kit in. We'll see.

 

[ARCTIC]

To those wondering about LED lights vs. Halogen. I just got a chance to get 2 of my sleds out in the dark to compare and adjust the newly installed LED lights.
My arctic cat snowmobile takes the same H4 bulb as the spyder so it's a very good comparison. Take a look for yourself and make your own conclusions:
LED headlights:

Factory H4 lights:

 

[DrewNJ]

I think those LEDs look quite good!

 

[ARCTIC]

I think those LEDs look quite good!

:cheers: The nice thing about LED is that you don't have to worry about the bixenon extra BS.

I might get my truck out and youtube HID lights for comparison. I REALLY want to install these on my spyder but not sure if I should take the chance: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/hid-systems/morimoto-elite-hid-system-h4-9003.html#.VSHz0I7F_ju

 

[ARCTIC]

Ok.. that didn't take long. I've kinda turned into a light freak.
My 2015 GMC 2500HD with morimoto 35W HID headlights.

 

[jcthorne]

Take a look at the Phillips leds fron xenon depot. Much different from others on the market. Flex heat sinks instead of fans and beam patterns that actually work in projector housings like the spyder.

 

[Kevin Nemeth]

HID on ST

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment and am considering putting HID light kit on my ST limited. My RS wouldn't run with the xenon depot kit. Has anyone had any issues with error codes or rough engine idle or any other strange gremlins once converted to HID? How easy was the installation?

I put them on my ST limited and used the HID error canceller and it prevents throwing error codes and the bike runs great, Used H4 Bi Xeon kit and it looks really good.

 

[ARCTIC]

I put them on my ST limited and used the HID error canceller and it prevents throwing error codes and the bike runs great, Used H4 Bi Xeon kit and it looks really good.

not familiar with the error canceling kit. Does the bixenon keep the bulbs hot when switching from high to low so you don't get the dim light?

 

[jcthorne]

not familiar with the error canceling kit. Does the bixenon keep the bulbs hot when switching from high to low so you don't get the dim light?

It moves the bulb position to re-aim the light pattern rather than using 2 lamps.

 

[ARCTIC]

It moves the bulb position to re-aim the light pattern rather than using 2 lamps.

That is interesting. Looks like the bixenon kits require another box to perform the "dimming" function. Wonder how much room there actually is to hide all that stuff

 

[jcthorne]

That is interesting. Looks like the bixenon kits require another box to perform the "dimming" function. Wonder how much room there actually is to hide all that stuff

While not impossible, its not easy and hense why I suggested the LED replacements from XenonDepot. I have the HIDs in my bike, installed over a year ago and the LEDs installed in my wifes bike. Not much difference in the results and each has minor pluses and minuses, but the ease of install goes to the LEDs by a wide margin.

 

[Just Doo Me]

heat

How is the heat from the led vs. the hid ? Any worries about the plastic lenses melting in the headlights? I had hids in my 08 GS but it had the glass lens in the headlights so no problems.

 

[ARCTIC]

How is the heat from the led vs. the hid ? Any worries about the plastic lenses melting in the headlights? I had hids in my 08 GS but it had the glass lens in the headlights so no problems.

The heat is almost non-existant

 

[jcthorne]

How is the heat from the led vs. the hid ? Any worries about the plastic lenses melting in the headlights? I had hids in my 08 GS but it had the glass lens in the headlights so no problems.

The LEDs use less power than the HID which uses less power than the oem halogens. No problems with any of the three options with heat.

 

[ARCTIC]

The LEDs use less power than the HID which uses less power than the oem halogens. No problems with any of the three options with heat.

You actually think the LED is nearly as bright as the HID? The Philips bulbs you mentioned aren't even rated very high compared to other kits out there. I see 3,800 lumens frequently advertised and the Philips are 3,000 ?