A&R Motorsports HID kit input

[h2smokin]

They replied quickly to my question. They said the internals are coated with a waterproofing and there should not be any problems with them and moisture . I'll probably carry a spare set of stockers on my longer trips but was nice to get the fast response from them

[Ddfee]

Ok did the A&R HID install...did not remove the side fairings, removed the side dash panels, was far easier and quicker than expected. A lot of nit pickin over these lights. I agree that quality could be an issue, especially long term...time will tell. They look amazing, will test them tomorrow a.m. on my work commute. Not concerned with the  light pattern per se as my Rigid Industries Dually 2s out perform them, but at least now I have consistent blazing bright white lights.

D

[Ddfee]

Used the lights in my a.m. commute...they work great. Much wider beam pattern than stock. For my needs they work as advertised. My dually 2s still outperform them, but me likey!

Dave

[sailor_chic]

Digging up an old thread here....

Comments on the A&R HID's. Are you still using them now? Any thing you would suggest or change?
I am unsure if I want to go with LED's or HID's

[maxtog]

Digging up an old thread here....

Comments on the A&R HID's. Are you still using them now? Any thing you would suggest or change?
I am unsure if I want to go with LED's or HID's

Yes, I am still using them.  No, I would not recommend HID conversions without also converting to projector lenses.  The light pattern after an HID swap is poor, and although there is more light, it is not much more USABLE light, and there is a lot more scatter to annoy other people.  If I had to do it over, I probably would not do it.  But at this point, I am not going to rip them out.  Has been 3 years and have not had any reliability issues with them.  A&R has been good quality, just generic design.

LED conversions without projectors will be NO BETTER THAN HID (and are often unacceptably WORSE because many of THOSE kits don't even have pattern cutoffs at all).  The issue is that the stock reflectors are just not designed for increased light output nor even slight variations of light source position.

I think projectors might be in my future one day.   Maybe.

[just gone]

Comments on the A&R HID's. Are you still using them now? Any thing you would suggest or change?

No, I would not recommend HID conversions without also converting to projector lenses.  The light pattern after an HID swap is poor, and although there is more light, it is not much more USABLE light, and there is a lot more scatter to annoy other people.

I do believe that A & R no longer offers the custom C14 kit, but personally I think that that is a good thing. I had more trouble installing that kit even following their directions. It's a rough area to work in from either above or below. It's dark in there and as soon as you put your arm down or up in there your view is blocked. My biggest problem was keeping the various wires from rubbing as you turn the front wheel. I think it would be much better had I purchased two separate one bulb generic systems and not have the wires cross in front of the forks but rather have one separate system on each side. One of these days I'm going to go back in there and fix that all up, right after I tidy up my Rostra install so it looks (almost) as good as sailor_chic's does.
 Someday. Maybe.

I do not share maxtog's opinion about the light output or the pattern. I think you'll find that most here think the pattern is very good and the light output increased considerably with HIDs in either the 4300k or the 6000k bulbs as long as they are equipped with the light shroud that I believe all A & R kits have.
The only other recommendation I have is to make sure the bulbs lock in place well in the housing. There were some problems with earlier kits (mine included) that had exceptionally small locking tabs and the bulb backed out while riding and started to burn the rubber boot. I put a dab of hi-temp silicone on mine and put it back in and have had no problems since.

I do agree with max' about LEDs, at least the ones I've seen so far.

[B.D.F.]

I think a lot of us are using HID lighting on the C-14. Overall, my results have been very good.

I have not seen the beam pattern of any LED headlight retrofit lamps into any H-4 headlight but I have seen the lights themselves and I cannot believe they would produce any type of usable beam; the LED's are on the sides of the 'stick' and will project light in all directions. The key to vehicle forward lighting is always about controlling where the light goes, basically by having a cut- off line that blocks the light from shining above that line. This is what keeps from blinding oncoming traffic and again, I cannot see how the light produced by the LED headlight retrofit lamps could possibly create a cut- off beam or in any useful way control the light output.

The goal is better, brighter and more forward lighting but most or all of it  pointing below level, not above or straight forward.

Brian

Digging up an old thread here....

Comments on the A&R HID's. Are you still using them now? Any thing you would suggest or change?
I am unsure if I want to go with LED's or HID's

[maxtog]

I do believe that A & R no longer offers the custom C14 kit, but personally I think that that is a good thing. I had more trouble installing that kit even following their directions. It's a rough area to work in from either above or below. It's dark in there and as soon as you put your arm down or up in there your view is blocked. My biggest problem was keeping the various wires from rubbing as you turn the front wheel.

Has been a while since I installed it, but I didn't think it was too bad.  A bit tricky, for sure, however.

I do not share maxtog's opinion about the light output or the pattern. [...]  I think you'll find that most here think the pattern is very good and the light output increased considerably

Oh, I didn't say there wasn't a lot more light OUTPUT, just that it produces a lot of glare and the pattern isn't impressive.  Not enough light in the center where it is needed most, and too much around it (the contrast makes it more difficult).  And yet the scatter lights up even overhead signs (on low beam).  Nope, nothing wrong with the install or the bulbs, they are working as intended.  I have noted other similar posts from this and other forums about scatter.

The G37- now those have a fantastic pattern.  Been continuously "Wowed" by them every time I use them, from the moment I got the car 6.5 years ago.  Something I would love to have on the bike.  Which is why I was fascinated by Brian's thread on using Infiniti projectors on the C14.  Way more work than I would be willing to undertake, though.

[maxtog]

Got the kit in yesterday and installed it today.

And this weekend the high/low beam failed on the right headlight.  I thought something was not right, and confirmed it at a rest location with the headlights shining on a business window.

The patterns are so mediocre on most of these HID kits, including this one, that I couldn't really even tell if it is stuck on high or  stuck on low beam (seems to be high).   It didn't help that it was PLASTERED with insects from the trip.  I have had no time to look into it, and probably won't until next weekend.   Might be a stuck solenoid, burned out solenoid, or wiring issue. 

[PlaynInPeoria]

I bought 2 HID kits from DDMTuning.com a long time ago.   I have had 3 failures, all on the right side.  The first was NOT a ballast, it was some other component.  I bought another kit and randomly replaced a part (there are 3 or 4?) and got lucky, I replaced the right part. 

The 2nd 2 failures were ballasts.  You can buy 2 ballasts for $25 shipped on Amazon.  It's a pain but my lights are amazing.  I do get people flashing their brights at me some time, oh well.  That just means they see me.  I'd rather **** them off than die. 

My high beams are useless unless leaned over in a corner or going down a steep hill than goes right back up.  I can live with it, the low beams are like freakin daylight.  I also put on dual PIAA horns that sound like a 1975 Cadillac, they are LOUD and if I'm using my horn, I want it loud. 

The stock headlights are only OK, LED is not ready for prime time. HID is complex and can be troublesome but now I know what to do if one fails. It used to scare me, I wasn't sure of how it worked, so if it broke, I wasn't sure if I could fix it.  I've seen it enough and it's just a process of elimination anyway.  If you get them and something fails, I'd start with the ballast, based on 2 of my 3 failures being ballasts.  I've also done a fair amount of googling and the ballasts are cheap Chinese garbage and I couldn't seem to find more expensive ones that were better, so I bought the pair for $25, fixed my most recent problem and can swap in another if needed in about 30 minutes. 

I would describe them as the best mod I've done to my bike and I have the horn, a Seth Laam seat, unlinked brakes, 2 different flashes, a Garmin 220 GPS and a rather nice radar detector setup.   So yeah, you could say that overall, I am very happy with them.

[maxtog]

Thanks for the info.  I know the ballasts are good, since the lights are on   I have not had a chance to actually swap things around to see if I have a bad solenoid or bad wiring yet... it has just been so F'ing *HOT* lately.  Every chance I have had time to do anything it has been either deadly hot, or it is raining, or it is the limited time I have for riding (and you know I am going to choose riding in that case).  And once when I had time AFTER riding, the heat was just pouring out of the bike from the ride.  Ug

I will certainly post back when I determine what happened.  For now, just in case, I lowered the right beam a little- at least those adjustments on the C14 are SUPER easy.

[AZ-ZG]

I put the A&R kit on '09 Dirty Grrrl back in 2010.   

Initially I thought it was great.
So bright, blah, blah....    

When you pass semis on the interstate at night and they flood your mirrors with high beams after being overtaken you know the *quality* of all that bright light must not be very good.   

While in rural Texas on my way to MotoGP last April (2015), the right bulb failed.
One poorly projected HID does very little to light the road after dark.   
Unable to find a replacement I went to the nearest Wally World for honest to goodness H4 bulbs.
I stripped that HID kit off my machine at the campground and have not looked back!

As a side, I notice most say the right bulb fails before the left, be it H4 or HID.
That's how mine go.
Any thoughts?   

[maxtog]

I have not had a chance to actually swap things around to see if I have a bad solenoid or bad wiring yet... it has just been so F'ing *HOT* lately. 

My 1.5 hour afternoon nap accidentally became a 5 hour nap... but I had a little time to look into it.  There is nothing wrong with the HID kit.  The 2 pin connector cable that controls the high/low beam came unplugged on the right headlight.  After tearing my hands/arms up I got it plugged back in, and as soon as I moved the steering around it came unplugged again.  The velcro that held the ballasts in place has failed (predictable) and things have moved around in ways that are not friendly to cables staying plugged in.   I tried re-routing from above and it just came unplugged again.  When I have more time, I will have to go in through under the nose and try and fix things up.  Sigh.

[PlaynInPeoria]

I put the A&R kit on '09 Dirty Grrrl back in 2010.   

Initially I thought it was great.
So bright, blah, blah....    

When you pass semis on the interstate at night and they flood your mirrors with high beams after being overtaken you know the *quality* of all that bright light must not be very good.   

While in rural Texas on my way to MotoGP last April (2015), the right bulb failed.
One poorly projected HID does very little to light the road after dark.   
Unable to find a replacement I went to the nearest Wally World for honest to goodness H4 bulbs.
I stripped that HID kit off my machine at the campground and have not looked back!

As a side, I notice most say the right bulb fails before the left, be it H4 or HID.
That's how mine go.
Any thoughts?   

When I had a ballast fail on the way home from out west in early July (in the middle of a 1000+ mile day), I only had one light obviously.  It was still just fine on the interstate, like the lights of my car might be. Not insane, but sufficient to get me to a much needed motel at 10:30 at night.

[AZ-ZG]

That's cool it worked out for you.

Overall I was unimpressed, but I dropped 150 bones for the purchase.

I kept it 'til it failed.
5 years
Meanwhile, whoo-hoo, I'm trendy.     


 

 

[maxtog]

I tried re-routing from above and it just came unplugged again.  When I have more time, I will have to go in through under the nose and try and fix things up.  Sigh.

Meh, I still haven't done it "right" but I was able to spend yet more time on it today, from above.   It might stay plugged in for a while.

Now I know why it was so hard to tell if it was stuck on high or low beam (besides the inherent poor light pattern).  When not energized (no power), the bulbs are in low-beam mode.  An internal, inaccessible spring in the base pushes the bulbs forward.  When energized, the solenoids pull the bulbs back about 6mm or so into the base for high-beam mode position.  With the solenoid cable unplugged, it should just be stuck in low-beam.... but the bulb was not returning fully forward.  It was about 3mm too far back, meaning it was kinda halfway between the two.  I removed the bulb and used a pointer to "exercise" the bulb base in and out and it seemed to now return almost to the correct low-beam position... perhaps 1mm off.  And it seems consistent when using the high/low switch now.  Not sure how long that will last, either.

Something else I noticed is a smokey, light-gray build-up on the both bulbs and it also is on the surface of both the reflectors in a "Y" pattern above the bulbs.  Almost looks like a vapor deposition of some sort.  I don't know if it is permanent damage or just something on the surface (I can't access the reflectors and the bulbs should never be touched with anything).  I attached two photos to show it.  The first is actual, the second I colored the area red so you know what area I am talking about.  I noticed it a long time ago, but it is getting progressively worse over time.

[maxtog]

When messing with my setup, I wanted to consult the documentation again.  Then I realized a grave issue- the original instructions were only provided online with a link of http://aandrmotorsport.com/directions/concourshidinstructions.html and the link is dead.  Worse, I never saved or printed the instructions, so all I have are the receipts and such.

I Emailed A&R yesterday asking for the instructions and they responded that they lost all those documents when their server crashed (no backups???), have not offered the kit since, and apologized profusely, offering only generic instructions for another kit.

Is it possible that ANYONE on our forum saved the instructions in some form that could be shared?  I did some web searching and came up completely blank.

[just gone]

Is it possible that ANYONE on our forum saved the instructions in some form that could be shared?  I did some web searching and came up completely blank.

Let me save you a lot of work and heartache. Just get the LEDs (https://www.amazon.com/Evitek-LED-Headlight-Bulbs-Installed/dp/B017M566T4) ..yeah, yeah, I know they
scatter a little, but they are still pretty good compared to many.

OH...wait...my mistake I forgot whom was asking the question. Sorry max', I know there is no way you'd buy those just to save yourself a little work in the future.

OK, here ya go, knock your self out.  (sorry about the page breaks in the pictures, I'm sure there is some way to get rid of those, but with free software I don't care)

[maxtog]

Let me save you a lot of work and heartache. Just get the LEDs (https://www.amazon.com/Evitek-LED-Headlight-Bulbs-Installed/dp/B017M566T4) ..yeah, yeah, I know they
scatter a little, but they are still pretty good compared to many.

My next step will be doing it right- some type of projector system

OH...wait...my mistake I forgot whom was asking the question. Sorry max', I know there is no way you'd buy those just to save yourself a little work in the future.

I am lazy.  I will do anything to save time; as long as it meets my objectives.

OK, here ya go, knock your self out.  (sorry about the page breaks in the pictures, I'm sure there is some way to get rid of those, but with free software I don't care)

Wow/thanks!  This is great!    If you have the original HTML zipped, I would take that too; perhaps I can paginate it manually.  If so, I will post it back.

[just gone]

If you have the original HTML zipped, I would take that too...

Kinda greedy aren'tcha?