XX Q

[DBLXX]

Haven't asked a question about an XX in a long while.

How do I remove HID's and go back to stock? Is it easy?

What if the cush drive thingies are really dried out? Can I just put them in armor all for a while or should I buy new ones?

Do replacement grips get glued on?

Thanks

[Furbird]

HID depends on how they were installed. If someone used the adapters that plug into the factory harness, then it's just unplug, reinstall the H7 bulb, and plug it up. If they cut the wiring, then you'll either have to get some "speaker slides" (AKA fully insulated female spade connectors) or go find an H7 pigtail and wire it in.

The cush drives are just rubber. I don't know where people get this idea that if you soak rubber in something it magically soaks up the original oils that have dried out in them, but knock yourself out. And don't use Armor All. Armor All uses alcohol as a cleaner, which only dries out more stuff. Use 100% Silicon spray. Nissan actually used to make this (I've got about 8 bottles of it in a manual pump metal can so it never goes bad) because they knew back in 1985 that Armor All actually accelerates plastic degradation.

There is grip glue, but I know a lot of people that never use it. Some people use a blow tip on an air compressor and use the compressed air to blow the grip in place. I personally have used hairspray, which provides just enough lube to get them on and the solvents and sticky residues glue the grips on for you.

[XXitanium]

Wintergreen oil

http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/restoring-hard-rubber-parts-unbelievable-results.791355/

The old in-line four guys use it for carb (what's a carb?) boots.

[Zero Knievel]

Still waiting for pics.

[rockmeupto125]

*HID's ---- Its all dependent upon how detailed an installation it is. Usually folks just plug the bulbs in, run the wires to the original sockets (and maybe tape them in place), and hang the ballasts somewhere. Removal could be as simple as removing the ballasts, removing the bulbs, and pulling the spade connectors out of the headlight socket. Then you would place your stock bulbs, plug them in, and all would be ready to go.

But, be aware and check for; gasket/spacers between the HID bulb and the housing, missing adapters on the light sockets, and rewiring to either provide relayed current to the HID or a non-OEM switch, or switch arrangement.

*Cush drive snubbers: Buy new if they are loose. If they are a tight fit, they're fine. They wear out from use, not from disuse.

*Replacement grips should be glued on. Any bike shop that sells dirt bikes and accessories should have a form of grip glue on the shelf. Anything that dries sticky will work. Furbird says hairspray, and I've used that as well. It was always in the toolbox when we were raceing motocross. Its sticky, the aromatics come out quickly (it dries fast) and it doesn't leave a lot of icky residue. We might change grips a couple times a day at the track. Just remember that the new grip should be straight if it has any pattern, otherwise it may look pretty sad.

[TuffguyF4i]

If you plan on doing heated grips...get some large shrink tubing and put that on the bar handles before the grip goes on. This insulates the heater from the bar and you get much more heat on your hands instead of heating the hollow metal bar core.

[DBLXX]

HID depends on how they were installed. If someone used the adapters that plug into the factory harness, then it's just unplug, reinstall the H7 bulb, and plug it up. If they cut the wiring, then you'll either have to get some "speaker slides" (AKA fully insulated female spade connectors) or go find an H7 pigtail and wire it in.

The cush drives are just rubber. I don't know where people get this idea that if you soak rubber in something it magically soaks up the original oils that have dried out in them, but knock yourself out. And don't use Armor All. Armor All uses alcohol as a cleaner, which only dries out more stuff. Use 100% Silicon spray. Nissan actually used to make this (I've got about 8 bottles of it in a manual pump metal can so it never goes bad) because they knew back in 1985 that Armor All actually accelerates plastic degradation.

There is grip glue, but I know a lot of people that never use it. Some people use a blow tip on an air compressor and use the compressed air to blow the grip in place. I personally have used hairspray, which provides just enough lube to get them on and the solvents and sticky residues glue the grips on for you.

Thanks man....a full set of new cush is only $30-ish bucks so I will just order that. I think I have the grip glue and seems pretty easy on the HID delete.

Much appreciated !!

Heated grips....Hmmmmm......

*HID's ---- Its all dependent upon how detailed an installation it is. Usually folks just plug the bulbs in, run the wires to the original sockets (and maybe tape them in place), and hang the ballasts somewhere. Removal could be as simple as removing the ballasts, removing the bulbs, and pulling the spade connectors out of the headlight socket. Then you would place your stock bulbs, plug them in, and all would be ready to go.

But, be aware and check for; gasket/spacers between the HID bulb and the housing, missing adapters on the light sockets, and rewiring to either provide relayed current to the HID or a non-OEM switch, or switch arrangement.

*Cush drive snubbers: Buy new if they are loose. If they are a tight fit, they're fine. They wear out from use, not from disuse.

*Replacement grips should be glued on. Any bike shop that sells dirt bikes and accessories should have a form of grip glue on the shelf. Anything that dries sticky will work. Furbird says hairspray, and I've used that as well. It was always in the toolbox when we were raceing motocross. Its sticky, the aromatics come out quickly (it dries fast) and it doesn't leave a lot of icky residue. We might change grips a couple times a day at the track. Just remember that the new grip should be straight if it has any pattern, otherwise it may look pretty sad.

Thanks Joe. Much appreciated.

[Zero Knievel]

FYI, heated grips require special glue (often sold with kit). Regular grip glue fails under the heat the grips put out.

[Furbird]

Get heated gloves, don't waste your time on heated grips. I have Gerbings that I bought from Scott and no more cold hands.

[superhawk996]

Did you get a new toy, helping someone with their bike, or just fucking with us?

What's wrong with the HID? I'm planing to install one in my bird, just haven't gotten roundtoit.

[The Krypt Keeper]

Going back with stock halogens I recommend the silver stars. The ultras are brighter but at the early death of the filament.

[Furbird]

I love my HID and would never go back, but the flicker at cold startup is a ballast killer. I have a throttle lock so I just rev it up to about 2,000 and lock it until the ballast is warmed up and usually don't have anymore flicker. On my cruiser bike, I put in a single HID bulb (no high beam) and start the bike with the high beam switch on, so it starts with no headlight. When I get rolling, I flip it to low beam and the headlight fires up, so the bike is actually moving, giving it plenty of time to warm up. I always know when I don't have my headlight on because the high beam indicator light is on. I don't ride at night much, and the HID is so bright it shines better than the factory lights did with the high beam.

[RXX]

Heated grips are easy and are the bomb....... I have heated gloves, but it's dumb to go to all the trouble of hooking them up when all you want to do is knock a little chill off your knuckles.

And leave the HID on the bike. Piss-poor illumination is a known issue with the bird. Beady-eyed jews need all the light they can get.

[tomek]

What's wrong with the HID? I'm planing to install one in my bird, just haven't gotten roundtoit.

99% of DIY HID illuminate everything but the actual road in the front of you. I hate them with passion. You can always tell OEM HID vs. homemade kit.

[Furbird]

The problem with DIY HID is that people use them in light housings not designed for them. The HID's in my Firebird don't work worth a crap, but they make housings that are HID-ready for my car that I will have to get if I keep the HID in it. The HID's in my truck and my van work great, after I readjusted them so they weren't blinding 747's. The HID in the bird is the greatest thing since sliced bread, because the low beam housing design cuts off the excess light and redirects it to usable areas. It is literally a drop-in and you have at least 200% more light on the road, maybe more.

[brianmacza]

I'm looking to invest in a HID projector kit that will need the front lens of the headlamp to be removed to have the projector units installed and the lens replaced. I have seen the result online and the guy who did it painted the reflector gloss black. The projector units focus the HID output into a perfect pattern and have the option of H4 type functionality to have dual lamps on for both dims and brights... fuckers in their poxy BMW's and Lexus'are going to shit next time they forget to come off brights.

https://youtu.be/lRzGFNlsHCQ

Edited August 14, 2015 by brianmacza

[SR71BLACKBIRDXX]

Hairspray works the best for grips. Throw the grip glue in the trash.

I was going to suggest just getting new cush drive rubbers. Changed them on my VFR for like $40, and install was pie.

Don't have a clue about hid.

[Zero Knievel]

Unless the cush drive is disintegrating, new rubber just makes putting it together a bit easier. I replaced mine a while back and saved the old parts. Only the connectors broke, and they weren't essential.

[The Krypt Keeper]

Have you checked the tool strap yet? Might have to replace that.

[02 SilverBird]

Did you get a new toy, helping someone with their bike, or just fucking with us?

What's wrong with the HID? I'm planing to install one in my bird, just haven't gotten roundtoit.

Dave you never answered his first question

[DBLXX]

The HID's on this new XX suck. They look to be permanently on high beam and literally light up the whole sky.

[redxxrdr]

Dave,

You are right, HID beam pattern on the XX sucks. I a guilty of having them installed on my low beam.

But they really do help you see in rural settings or twistys.

I think that Eric did a post a few years ago about a shield for the HID bulb. This collimated the beam, but still gave impressive HID output.

It would be nice if there was a cheap source for those shields.

[Zero Knievel]

You'd need a fresh set of eyes on the problem, but it may not be the HID system but how it was installed.

IIRC, there's a spacer I was supposed to use (based on recommendations here) to pull the bulb back a bit so the light would be positioned properly in the reflector housing.

If someone else has better memory on this....

[ironmike]

A spacer, yeah . . . I remember that I used a (heat resistant) rubber/plastic(?) garden hose washer that I altered with a diagonal split on one side to snug up the fit and space the HID bulb back a bit (1/8-3/16"?) in the XX housing. It worked great for Hi & Lo beam. I got the washer(s) at a hardware store for someting like a dollar or less--it was years ago & still works fine. Of course, I kept all the stock components (labeled, bagged & stored).

[The Krypt Keeper]

my biggest problem with HID at night is my eyes becoming accustomed to everything being as bright as daytime with them. But in places that isn't glowing day time bright from them, (sides, behind me) are so dark that I have caught myself lifting my clear visor thinking I still had my dark one.

I also get the same feeling when I would go from my car to my wifes at night. I have always used Silverstars, and she would get regular halogen bulbs. truly night and day. I leave for work before 6am, so I drive in the dark a lot, live in the sticks and have taken my fair share of critters out, but also managed to avoid them by seeing more than 20ft in from of my car.

The view in front of me with both beams throwing light at night is hands down the most I have ever seen at night. The XX does have one of the best headlight designs, but the low beam by itself casts that distinct cutoff line no matter what bulb you toss in there.

Edited August 17, 2015 by The Krypt Keeper