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Upgrade Headlight For GPZ1100 and GPZ550

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05 Oct 2020 21:10 #836269 by 577nitro
I'm thinking about upgrading the headlights, reason why is that I commute on the bikes, and like tonight, I came home on the dark. I ride two lane country roads with all sorts of critters...big and small. I've been freaked a couple times with speedgoats and deer, and just need to see further.

Any suggestions on this upgrade?

577nitro-

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18 Oct 2020 18:13 - 18 Oct 2020 18:20 #837201 by rstnick
Replied by rstnick on topic Upgrade Headlight For GPZ1100 and GPZ550
No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationNo eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationNo eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationHID Xenon.
Best headlight I've had in the KZ.

For the HID conversion, you will need a headlight that accepts replaceable H4 type bulbs, which I have already installed years ago with an H4 Halogen light.
The HID kit, wired together, then just plugs into the 650 harness:
480


I bought my HID light off ebay, $20:


I rode for the first time last night, and the HID light is great.
Anything reflective lights up super bright.
It lights up the area in front of the bike well, with a large, almost rectangular, beam pattern as wide as the two lane road I was on.
Switching to high beam moved the beam out further and wider.

The light truly is amazing.

I had an H4 Halogen in before that, and a stock sealed beam too, and neither compared to the level of illumination of the HID.

The main reason for me in getting this light was the brighter bulb with less power required.
I fitted a volt meter to my bike a few years back as I was having a drain when using an extra set of driving lights.
With the HID light while riding, the voltmeter, which is digital, reads a volt or more higher than with the H4 Halogen.
The VM has been reading high 13s while riding.
I stopped for gas, and when I restarted, I noticed the VM start at 11.90, and start climbing as I took off.
It kept climbing by single digits until high 13,90s again, then stayed there.

It does not turn on all the time, and I need to switch to high then back to low for it to come on, so have to look into why it's doing that.


Have checked into this some more.
I noticed this the other day, when I could see my reflection in a window.
When I turned the bike on, the headlight came on.
When I hit the electric start button, the light went out.
I automatically switched to high beam, light came on, switch back to low, all good.

I spoke to Pablo about this, and he asked it I wired the headlight with a relay directly to the battery?
No, I did not.
With the drain in power when using elec start, it cuts out the light, and wiring the light with relay and fuse directly to the battery power should solve the light going out issue.

There is a relay kit available for $8 that will fit the $20 HID I used.
Link in a moment...



This relay and wiring will replace the little black box and wiring in the bottom center of this picture:

480


I wired in the HID relay.
Have had the HID light going out when electric staring the bike, just the drop in voltage cut out the light.
Switching to high beam, then back to low beam, brings the light back on, but Pablo suggested using a relay and running a wire directly from the battery.
The light is still working, and stays on when using the electric start.

Here is the relay and wiring as received.
It is for a car/truck, so has hook ups for two headlights.
The wires on one side were actually shorter than in the picture below, then a long set to reach the other headlight.
I cut off the long set of wires, and sealed them.

There is a ton of wiring to hide, and I know Pablo managed on his stock B1.
Me, I was able to put most inside the fairing.

[IMG


Ebay link for relay:

Rob
CANADA

Need a key for your Kawasaki? PM me

1978 KZ650 C2, 130K kms, Delkevic ex, EI, CVK32, PMC easy clutch, ATK fork brace, steering damper, braced swingarm, ZRX shocks, 18" Z1R front wheel.
2000 ZRX1100
2011 Ninja 250R - Wife's
2005 z750s (aka GPz750)
1978 KZ1000 project
Last edit: 18 Oct 2020 18:20 by rstnick.

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