![35w hid vs halogen 35w hid vs halogen](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sRCV-LpjvxE/maxresdefault.jpg)
On the other hand: I am occasionally having problems on re-start (especially riding dirt, when a lot of power is used by brake assist): not all of the three HID lamps in my low beam + fog setup light up. Then again, people have done it, apparently. I could foresee problems on the R12-type systems. As I wrote, even though I personally do not like the approach, it probably is not a serious issue on the 1150. However, the OP was about replacing the headlamp - and therefore using the existing wiring and controls. The 55W HID's are going to be power-misers compared to that! It's perfectly safe. Not at all! - the PIAA's have their own wiring from the battery, presumably set up to handle the 8A steady-state of the 100W halogens. Once the price comes down (I hope), that may be a great choice for the driving light / high beam conversions that require instant-on.Ĭlick to expand. Since in BMW headlamp the low beam stays on with high beam, all lights go on at that setting.īy the way, at the NYC Motorcycle show I have seen the Twisted Throttle display booth: they had nifty LED fog/driving auxiliary lights. Below is the halogen PIAA driving lamp, keyed with the high beam. I do not have any more detailed shots here handy, but this may give you an idea: the HID fog lamp is just below the radar detector, to the left of the BMW roundel. And, to get through the state inspection. Regarding switching: these auxiliary lights are always on with their corresponding headlamp, but I do have a cut-off switch for the occasions when I am running low on battery and need to reduce power consumption. In my setup, when high beam is on, all 4 auxiliary lights are lit - not quite legal here, but this is the liberty I take in deer country. These are halogen, for the reasons mentioned above. In addition, I do have separate driving lamps, linked to high beam headlamp - on, whenever high beam is on. These, by the way, are also HID (Hella Optilux, converted with H3 kits). Regarding my installations: I have fog beams that are linked to the low beams and are always on, whenever the low beam is on. Also, I upgraded several of my bikes, but left the high beam as halogen: I like the ability to flash at oncoming traffic and the HID lamps do not light up right away.
![35w hid vs halogen 35w hid vs halogen](https://uat.runautoparts.com.au/media/catalog/product/6/4/64211ULTHCB14361203.jpeg)
So, my 2 cents: definitely upgrade the low beam to HID. You are actually somewhat safer on the 1150 as it uses a relay to control the lights to my knowledge - an overload becomes much more of an issue in those bikes where all loads are switched by the ZFE computer (like the R1200 series). 55W unit will need a correspondingly larger surge - I've not heard about failure reports here, but I am not comfortable with stressing the system. That does not cause much trouble for the main lamp, as it is comparable to the incandescent halogen lamp. The 35W unit draws close to 4A when running in steady-state, but I measured a surge of above 10A when igniting. (You do know by now that many BMW riders are obsessive-compulsive nerds, don't you? ) Optically, the 55W unit is only slightly brighter than 35W - human perception is logarithmic and a light source that emits about 1-1/2 more power is not 1-1/2 times brighter to the viewer, but only about 13% more visible. You are already getting a huge improvement, just with the 35W. I know (from this forum) about people successfully installing 55W kits - but I would not do it.ģ5W HID lamp is MUCH brighter than the 55 Watt halogen it replaces. Like anything else in engineering, it is a matter of choice between compromises.