2G "S" headlamp upgrade

[mklep]

In my '04, I'm running Silverstar high beam bulb in the low beam socket (blocker left in) with upgraded wiring and one in the high beam socket.
During the day, I haven't been flashed by oncoming car headlights, but people I ride with tell me it's annoying to have the highbeam on behind them- so I keep the high beam off during the day only when I'm riding with others.

At night, yeah, I have to turn off the high beam when cars are approaching from the opposite direction.

When I was running the stock bulbs and wiring, it was high beams all the time and never got flashed by oncoming cars. Man that stock light and wiring sucked.

[lucas]

Thanks for the response.

I just ordered two high beam bulbs. I believe one post said that you have to do a little extra Dremmel work on the high beam bulb that goes into the low beam socket. Was that your experience?

Thanks so much to Paul and Bazza for doing so much hard work on this project!

Lucas  

[mklep]

I believe one post said that you have to do a little extra Dremmel work on the high beam bulb that goes into the low beam socket.

Just hold up a low beam bulb next to a new high beam bulb and you will see the little bit that needs to be trimmed.

[lucas]

Hi all,

Well I ordered two high beams. The high beam side was easy and seems to work fine. But the low beam side connector will not except the high beam bulb. The high beam bulb socket that fits over the receiver connector has two rails on it's interior. The low beam bulb socket has one rail in it's interior.

Am I supposted to somehow remove the rails on the interior of the high beam bulb socket so it will slide in?  

Am I making any sense at all? If I had a camera I would  take a picture of the interior of the bulb connectors.

Worst comes to worst I will just have a backup high beam bulb so no harm no foul, but I would still like to get the high beam bulb to work on the low beam side if I can.

Help?

[Bazza]

Just an update I should have added months ago. I am very happy with the Hella units (I can actually see at night) and the new wiring harness was indeed part of the answer to the Bandits crappy lighting.

And a further update... They are now making H-9 100 watt Xenon bulbs. which add an additional 900 lumens to the current 65 watt H-9's I am using. (a total of 2900 lumens vs my current 2100 lumins) I will be trying a pair of these.

The stock bulbs put out around 1700 Lumins I believe.

But to Prove my point, here are a couple of photo's with the new Hella low beam unit before & after the wiring harness change.

Stock Wiring Harness:



Eastern Beaver Wiring Harness addition:

[Ronin]

I finished my light kit upgrade and wiring kit upgrade and I've got two words...HOLY CRAP!!!!!

What a difference it makes.  If any of ya'll with the 2G S model are thinking of your next mod, this is it.  Bazza's directions were great and the directions the guys at Eastern Beaver provide with the wiring kit are pretty good too.  I'll have to admit though, it took me quite a bit longer than 6-8 hours total for the light kit and wiring kit install but I get a little anal when I'm working on the Bandit.

Also, for those of you that are thinking, man, that's a lot of work and I don't know if I'll be able to get the lights wired up correctly, what if I wire the headlights up the wrong way and the turn signals come on when I hit the high beam switch, well don't fret too much, do as Bazza suggested and email him with questions (and the guys at Eastern Beaver) before you make that fateful snip and remember to look over your work a few extra times.

I'll also admit that when I firsted switched on the lights to see if they worked I was a tab nervous, actually, VERY nervous, but everything works and all I have left is to adjust the lights so I don't blind oncoming traffic.  When any of you get ready for this mod, plan ahead and have fun.  The rewards far outweigh the time spent working on it.

Matt

[Daytona]

Your not just talkin there! I thought my 1G was bad with a bit more watt bulb! And after my first ride in the dark with my 1299 Bandit on steroids bike! WOW! On a trip to the dragon last fall with a bud on an 01 Bandit we had to go up a dirt rock drive way to cloud nine ranch, after dark with spitty cold rain on the visor, he was in front and if i weren't in back he said he would have had to creep. My low beam was so much better than his hi beam even he admitted it! The bandit has crap H light and gets worse when all the vibration dust gets in it!! Still miss my bandit.

[Vlad]

But to Prove my point, here are a couple of photo's with the new Hella low beam unit before & after the wiring harness change.

Consider the point definitely proven Bazza. I'm totally sold on that harness now, thanks to your pics.

[Red01]

 
Everyone, thanks for all the great ideas posted in the sticky. I decided to use the HIR lamps and the Eastern Beaver wiring upgrade, along with the necessary disassembly and cleanup of the headlight assembly. I did have 3 of the 4 screws that hold the low beam housing, loose and rattling around in the assembly. All screws were thread-locked back in. I also applied electrical tape to all places where parts touched. One thing I wanted to share. There was much discussion on the blockers as to whether or not to retain or remove them. I didn't like the low beam blocker in that when I would lean into a turn there was no light projected where the bike was heading. When I had the blocker removed, I noticed I could modify the blocker to eliminate that problem. What I did was I left about 3/4 inch in the middle of the blocker uncut. Then marked a lines at 45 degrees up on both sides to the outside of the blocker. I then used a dremel and cutoff wheel to notch out the 2 triangles. I didn't modify the high beam blocker. What this did was allow light to be projected thru the turns and really illuminates roadsigns well, and also does not blind cars directly in front of the bike. And note that both high and low blockers appear to be blocking the beam the wrong way. That is, the low blocker is mounted on the bottom of the housing. I took me a minute or two to understand that the 2 glass fisheye lenses invert the beam. I'm 100% happy with the mods. The light is bright and white. Hope this helps someone.