K1200RS XenonDepot H7 HID Installation

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I'd read many, many posts on installing a HID low-beam conversion on the K1200RS.  The factory light is pretty well-shaped, but really doesn't do the job well.  My old SR500 with it's 7-inch round headlight and H4 halogen does a much better job, and that really isn't saying much. 

So I ordered a H7 conversion kit from XenonDepot in the spring of 2004, and it sat in the box until now (June, 2005), after I returned from the IBA national meeting in Omaha.  There, I heard once again the night/day descriptions of performing the conversion, and got motivated to undertake the installation.

Jerry Finley's Pirate's Lair site has a link to removing the K1200RS fairings, and the K1200 site has a great link on installing the HID conversion itself.  I was thankful to have both as references as I did my install.

The results are just amazing...better in every way, I can actually *see* what I'm doing at night now.  The 4300 degree kit is so white, does turn night into day.

I'll add some PIAA's at some point, wired to the high beams for some additional "reach" down the road and I'll be done, I think.

K12 Opened for Surgery!
So here's my K1200RS, all opened for the install.  First time I'd had the side panel off, I took advantage of this opportunity to properly loom the 12v lead I'd run to the steering head area last year, and to upgrade the horn to a Hiway Blaster 132db model.

1998 K1200RS Dakar
The new H7 HID bulb fit like a charm.  This version fits completely behind the stock K12 bulb cover -- all I needed to do was to modify the cover to allow the wire connectors to pass through.  I started by eyeballing the approximate location for the 3/8's starter hole, drilled it, then used my Dremel tool and a cutter bit to enlarge the hole just enough to pass the largest of the two wire connectors.  That turned out to be perfect to hold the rubber grommet supplied with the Xenon Depot kit.  The stock lowbeam connector now goes unused, and was just coiled up alongside in the housing.  Very clean.

K1200RS ballast location tail section
It was clear from the kit's wiring that they wanted the ballast mounted near the battery, in that they'd provided a very nice long lead to go from the underseat area to the igniter assembly that must mount near the headlight.  I trimmed the primary lead wires down a bit, and used the 12v relay I'd installed last year as the power source.  That gave me the switched power I needed.  That's the silver ballast unit snuggling between the rear section rail and the left side tail panel body work, it just fit nicely there.  I wrapped a couple of sections of wire rack velcro around it to keep it from banging / rubbing against anything hard, and used a couple of wire ties to keep it in place.  

K1200RS ballast location close up

Here's a close-up view of the ballast location, and of my accessory relay that powers it.
K1200RS Igniter location 
 Almost everyone resorts to using this plastic shelf inside the lh front fairing to mount something lightweight, their driving light relay, their aux power relay, or in this case the igniter for the HID bulb.  I used some Radio Shack super velcro to keep it in place, this angle worked pretty well to route the power lead coming from the ballast at the rear of the bike.  That's also a nice shot of my new horn, it is *much* louder that the stock goat's-bleep horn BMW provided.  The red/black twisted pair of my 12v aux power lead is also visible, I finally got it routed pretty cleanly as well.