After many many promises, I decided to do a short pictorial on how to install a set of HID lights in my R1200GS. This pictorial is done with lots of extra parts removed for clarity. I wont be telling you what tools to use, or torques. This type of pictorial doesn’t lend itself well to it, but you should easily be able to do what I did.
Here are the lights in the box. Mine were the fat ballasts, with the igniters built in. I have done the ones without the ballast built in, and they are definitely easier to mount, though basically in the same place.
I removed the instruments for the job to make it easier to see, but it is definitely not needed. Here are the High (left) and low (right) covers. Just pop the caps off by twisting them counterclockwise.
Here is a cap before drilling the 23mm hole. I used a Dremmel tool to do mine.
Here is the same cap after removing the material. Interestingly, it is exactly the same size as the indents in the caps. I bet you know why?
Simply push the wires through the hole, then pull the grommet in place. They recommend adding some sealant, but I didn’t. I figure they will seal just fine as is.
Here are both of them mounted. The wiring looks clean and secure in the caps.
Here is the right ballast mount. You can see it went to the screw holding the oil line.
This is the other mount, shown to illustrate the original shape. I bent it with pliars.
Now you can see it is a tight fit with the beak installed. But it is clean. I added some tie straps to secure the ballast to the mount, and firm it in place as well.
The right ballast fit in, and cleanly. With everything put back together, and the wiring secured, it is nearly invisible.
On the left side, the ballast goes into the same place. It is a tight fit, and you will have to play with it a bit, but it will fit. The slimmer ballast would have the advantage here.
Continued...
Here are the lights in the box. Mine were the fat ballasts, with the igniters built in. I have done the ones without the ballast built in, and they are definitely easier to mount, though basically in the same place.
I removed the instruments for the job to make it easier to see, but it is definitely not needed. Here are the High (left) and low (right) covers. Just pop the caps off by twisting them counterclockwise.
Here is a cap before drilling the 23mm hole. I used a Dremmel tool to do mine.
Here is the same cap after removing the material. Interestingly, it is exactly the same size as the indents in the caps. I bet you know why?
Simply push the wires through the hole, then pull the grommet in place. They recommend adding some sealant, but I didn’t. I figure they will seal just fine as is.
Here are both of them mounted. The wiring looks clean and secure in the caps.
Here is the right ballast mount. You can see it went to the screw holding the oil line.
This is the other mount, shown to illustrate the original shape. I bent it with pliars.
Now you can see it is a tight fit with the beak installed. But it is clean. I added some tie straps to secure the ballast to the mount, and firm it in place as well.
The right ballast fit in, and cleanly. With everything put back together, and the wiring secured, it is nearly invisible.
On the left side, the ballast goes into the same place. It is a tight fit, and you will have to play with it a bit, but it will fit. The slimmer ballast would have the advantage here.
Continued...