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HID Installation
Disclaimer
This describes what I did to modify my bike and is presented for entertainment. I am not qualified in any way to offer advice or recommendation. No advice or recommendation is offered or implied by the publishing of this article, nor do I imply or suggest that the modification is appropriate, legal, safe or won't damage yourself or others or property. If you choose to make a similar modification you do so at your own risk and should rely on your own judgement and research from qualified and/or experienced experts in the relevant field.
Difficulty
Easy but fiddly
Time
2 hours including light alignment but excluding nose removal/ replacement if you install as suggested here. If you want to install elsewhere it is trial and error for the fit so add a couple of hours.
Warning
Beware of scratching your fairings as the nose needs to be removed. After removing the retaining bolts put gaffer (cloth) tape on the edges of both the nose and the side fairings. Do it! It is almost guaranteed that you will scratch your paint with the retaining clips as you manoeuvre the nose on or off without protection.
Wrong polarity of electrical cables – pay a little attention and this should not occur.
Tools & Materials Required
Gaffer cloth tape
2 long nylon ties or light wire to hold ballasts securely
Drill and bit to suit mounting bolts that came with the HID kit
Spanner to fit mounting bolts that came with the HID kit
Pliers
Electrical tape
Ruler (tape measure),
tools required to remove nose and fairing insert panels
10mm socket and long Philips screwdriver for adjusting the light aim.
General Description
These instructions are to install standard high and low beam HID lights into a Gen 1 Busa. I imagine that they will apply for the Gen 2 which look to have similar noses. The critical part is installing the ballasts. The most practical place is on the inside of each of the air intake tubes (others have placed the ballasts on top of the tubes). This keeps them away from moisture, forks and steering dampener. Unfortunately it means that you need to connect / disconnect 5 wires (if installing both high and low beams) rather than just one in an unmodified bike. However as the nose is rarely removed this has minimum impact.
Wiring Description
For Busas it is easy. Each ballast will have two sets of wires. The light socket is plugged into the “power in†set of wires and the other set of wires from the ballast is then attached to the HID globe. It really is that simple. Just make sure you do not get the polarity mixed up.
[attachment=3678]
Mounting the Ballast/s.
1. Remove the nose and disconnect the wiring for lights etc at the clip on the LHS. Donâ€t forget the cloth tape as the clips on the edges look for paint to scratch!
2. Place the ballasts on the inside of the air intake tubes about 1 cm from the end and with the bottom edge no lower than the bottom of the tube (so that it does not interfere with the black plastic infill panel on the underside of the nose). The electrical connections should be on the top.
3. As different brands may have different sized ballasts tape the ballasts onto the intake tubes and trial refitting the nose (isnâ€t it great you protected your paintwork with gaffer tape).
4. Resize the bracket to suit. The intake tube is rounded but you need the bracket to be flat so you will need to bend the top part of the bracket out to the intake.
5. Drill a hole for the bottom mounting bolt; install the bolt to finger tight.
6. Insert the ballast into the bracket with the wires facing up, not down. If they face down there is not enough room to plug the wires into the ballast without removing the infill panel on the underside of the nose.
7. Make sure the ballast is facing slightly forward at the top edge and that there is enough clearance (especially on the LHS) for the ballast wiring to not interfere with the wiring loom and instrument panel brackets.
8. Drill the top mounting hole and install bolts.
9. Tighten all mounting bolts.
10. For added security use the nylon tie to fix the ballast to the bracket.
[attachment=3679]
Wiring and Finishing
1. Remove the light globe/s that you are converting and install the HID bulb.
2. Attach the HID wire to the light fitting leaving the other end free.
3. Attach the ballast power wire to the original light wire and leave the other end free.
4. Install the nose making sure you connect the wires;
Power from original light wire to ballast
Wires from Ballast to HID globe
Busa wiring harness.
[attachment=3680]
Headlight Aim.
Proper headlight aim is critical for the safety and comfort of other road users. This is especailly true if you have installed HID lights which are 3-5 times brighter than your halogen globes.
Both low and high beams should be sloping toward the ground when the bike has its usual load (rider and panniers etc) and slightly away from the roadâ€s centreline ( ie slightly to the left in countries that drive on the left side of the road.
These instructions are not state specific as each state varies (for example Tas specifies for low beam the entire bright section must be below and to the left of the target which differs to step 4), however I believe they are generally applicable although not technically correct – if you get my drift.
Aiming Targets
This can be done by one person but is easier if another marks where the light initially hits ( step 2) with you on the bike.
1. Find a level surface at least 10m long with a wall at one end.
2. Park the bike facing (perpendicular) and as close to the wall as possible and mark a cross (with chalk or tape) where the bright centre of the low beam hits the wall. Because the Busa has stacked headlights also mark a second target where the high beam hits the wall.
3. Move the bike straight back 8 metres and have it facing the wall.
Horizontal Aim
The idea is to move the vehicle straight back so that it stays perpendicular to the wall. This is difficult on a bike.
4. The easiest thing is to move it back 8 meters and aim your bike at the targets so that the beam (Low and High) is centred horizontally on the target. (The centre of light will probably not hit the target -if it does your lights are too high).
5. Once you have hit the target adjust your headlights horizontal aim so that the bright centre is slightly to the left of the target (on vehicle driven on LHS of the road).
6. Unless your horizontal aim was massively out in the first place the lights should be aimed correctly.
7. Double check by “sighting†along the centreline of the bike (you seated “evenly†on the seat and looking over the apex of the windshield) to ensure the lights lands to the kerb side of the road. Re-adjust if necessary.
Low Beam Vertical Aim
8. Adjust vertical aim so that the top of the bright centre of the low beam is 50mm below the low beam target (the upper target) on the wall.
High Beam Vertical Aim
9. High beam vertical aim should be so the bright centre is just below the high beam (lower) target (by say 25mm).
The Finished Result
Both the high and Low beams (bright centres of light) should be lower and slightly to the kerb side (left in Australia) of their respective targets.
Busa Gen 1 Adjustment - Low Beam (see attached photo)
I found it easiest to remove the infill panels around the instrument panel.
1. Remove the instrument panel as above. Undo the two instrument panel bolts and “unmount†it (keeping wiring connected). This allowed relatively easy access to the adjustment screws of the headlight unit
2. With a 10mm socket (you will need an extension) rotate the vertical light adjuster while you are sitting on the bike with all your weight as the light aims low without any weight on the bike.
3. Even though my original low beam lights were OK the HID were far too high and needed adjusting – do not assume that yours wonâ€t need adjusting.
Busa Gen 1 Adjustment - High Beam (see photo)
This is easily done with a very long Philips head screwdriver (about 60cm long from SuperCheap). You do not need to remove any panelling.
1. Sit on the bike
2. Slip the long screwdriver forward under the dash into the high beam adjustment screw.
3. Turn the screw driver to lower or increase the hight of the beam. As required.
4. I assume horizontal aim is done with the Low Beam Horizontal adjustment screw.
[attachment=3681]
HID Installation
Disclaimer
This describes what I did to modify my bike and is presented for entertainment. I am not qualified in any way to offer advice or recommendation. No advice or recommendation is offered or implied by the publishing of this article, nor do I imply or suggest that the modification is appropriate, legal, safe or won't damage yourself or others or property. If you choose to make a similar modification you do so at your own risk and should rely on your own judgement and research from qualified and/or experienced experts in the relevant field.
Difficulty
Easy but fiddly
Time
2 hours including light alignment but excluding nose removal/ replacement if you install as suggested here. If you want to install elsewhere it is trial and error for the fit so add a couple of hours.
Warning
Beware of scratching your fairings as the nose needs to be removed. After removing the retaining bolts put gaffer (cloth) tape on the edges of both the nose and the side fairings. Do it! It is almost guaranteed that you will scratch your paint with the retaining clips as you manoeuvre the nose on or off without protection.
Wrong polarity of electrical cables – pay a little attention and this should not occur.
Tools & Materials Required
Gaffer cloth tape
2 long nylon ties or light wire to hold ballasts securely
Drill and bit to suit mounting bolts that came with the HID kit
Spanner to fit mounting bolts that came with the HID kit
Pliers
Electrical tape
Ruler (tape measure),
tools required to remove nose and fairing insert panels
10mm socket and long Philips screwdriver for adjusting the light aim.
General Description
These instructions are to install standard high and low beam HID lights into a Gen 1 Busa. I imagine that they will apply for the Gen 2 which look to have similar noses. The critical part is installing the ballasts. The most practical place is on the inside of each of the air intake tubes (others have placed the ballasts on top of the tubes). This keeps them away from moisture, forks and steering dampener. Unfortunately it means that you need to connect / disconnect 5 wires (if installing both high and low beams) rather than just one in an unmodified bike. However as the nose is rarely removed this has minimum impact.
Wiring Description
For Busas it is easy. Each ballast will have two sets of wires. The light socket is plugged into the “power in†set of wires and the other set of wires from the ballast is then attached to the HID globe. It really is that simple. Just make sure you do not get the polarity mixed up.
[attachment=3678]
Mounting the Ballast/s.
1. Remove the nose and disconnect the wiring for lights etc at the clip on the LHS. Donâ€t forget the cloth tape as the clips on the edges look for paint to scratch!
2. Place the ballasts on the inside of the air intake tubes about 1 cm from the end and with the bottom edge no lower than the bottom of the tube (so that it does not interfere with the black plastic infill panel on the underside of the nose). The electrical connections should be on the top.
3. As different brands may have different sized ballasts tape the ballasts onto the intake tubes and trial refitting the nose (isnâ€t it great you protected your paintwork with gaffer tape).
4. Resize the bracket to suit. The intake tube is rounded but you need the bracket to be flat so you will need to bend the top part of the bracket out to the intake.
5. Drill a hole for the bottom mounting bolt; install the bolt to finger tight.
6. Insert the ballast into the bracket with the wires facing up, not down. If they face down there is not enough room to plug the wires into the ballast without removing the infill panel on the underside of the nose.
7. Make sure the ballast is facing slightly forward at the top edge and that there is enough clearance (especially on the LHS) for the ballast wiring to not interfere with the wiring loom and instrument panel brackets.
8. Drill the top mounting hole and install bolts.
9. Tighten all mounting bolts.
10. For added security use the nylon tie to fix the ballast to the bracket.
[attachment=3679]
Wiring and Finishing
1. Remove the light globe/s that you are converting and install the HID bulb.
2. Attach the HID wire to the light fitting leaving the other end free.
3. Attach the ballast power wire to the original light wire and leave the other end free.
4. Install the nose making sure you connect the wires;
Power from original light wire to ballast
Wires from Ballast to HID globe
Busa wiring harness.
[attachment=3680]
Headlight Aim.
Proper headlight aim is critical for the safety and comfort of other road users. This is especailly true if you have installed HID lights which are 3-5 times brighter than your halogen globes.
Both low and high beams should be sloping toward the ground when the bike has its usual load (rider and panniers etc) and slightly away from the roadâ€s centreline ( ie slightly to the left in countries that drive on the left side of the road.
These instructions are not state specific as each state varies (for example Tas specifies for low beam the entire bright section must be below and to the left of the target which differs to step 4), however I believe they are generally applicable although not technically correct – if you get my drift.
Aiming Targets
This can be done by one person but is easier if another marks where the light initially hits ( step 2) with you on the bike.
1. Find a level surface at least 10m long with a wall at one end.
2. Park the bike facing (perpendicular) and as close to the wall as possible and mark a cross (with chalk or tape) where the bright centre of the low beam hits the wall. Because the Busa has stacked headlights also mark a second target where the high beam hits the wall.
3. Move the bike straight back 8 metres and have it facing the wall.
Horizontal Aim
The idea is to move the vehicle straight back so that it stays perpendicular to the wall. This is difficult on a bike.
4. The easiest thing is to move it back 8 meters and aim your bike at the targets so that the beam (Low and High) is centred horizontally on the target. (The centre of light will probably not hit the target -if it does your lights are too high).
5. Once you have hit the target adjust your headlights horizontal aim so that the bright centre is slightly to the left of the target (on vehicle driven on LHS of the road).
6. Unless your horizontal aim was massively out in the first place the lights should be aimed correctly.
7. Double check by “sighting†along the centreline of the bike (you seated “evenly†on the seat and looking over the apex of the windshield) to ensure the lights lands to the kerb side of the road. Re-adjust if necessary.
Low Beam Vertical Aim
8. Adjust vertical aim so that the top of the bright centre of the low beam is 50mm below the low beam target (the upper target) on the wall.
High Beam Vertical Aim
9. High beam vertical aim should be so the bright centre is just below the high beam (lower) target (by say 25mm).
The Finished Result
Both the high and Low beams (bright centres of light) should be lower and slightly to the kerb side (left in Australia) of their respective targets.
Busa Gen 1 Adjustment - Low Beam (see attached photo)
I found it easiest to remove the infill panels around the instrument panel.
1. Remove the instrument panel as above. Undo the two instrument panel bolts and “unmount†it (keeping wiring connected). This allowed relatively easy access to the adjustment screws of the headlight unit
2. With a 10mm socket (you will need an extension) rotate the vertical light adjuster while you are sitting on the bike with all your weight as the light aims low without any weight on the bike.
3. Even though my original low beam lights were OK the HID were far too high and needed adjusting – do not assume that yours wonâ€t need adjusting.
Busa Gen 1 Adjustment - High Beam (see photo)
This is easily done with a very long Philips head screwdriver (about 60cm long from SuperCheap). You do not need to remove any panelling.
1. Sit on the bike
2. Slip the long screwdriver forward under the dash into the high beam adjustment screw.
3. Turn the screw driver to lower or increase the hight of the beam. As required.
4. I assume horizontal aim is done with the Low Beam Horizontal adjustment screw.
[attachment=3681]