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PIAA 2” H.I.D. Cross Country Lights Review
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A few months back we reviewed the PIAA 510 ATP lights and we were astonished by the quality and performance of the 510’s. PIAA does it again with their new 2” H.I.D (High Intensity Discharge) Cross Country lights. As with all of the PIAA products which I have had experience with these are top quality as well.
What is H.I.D?.
H.I.D. stands for High Intensity Discharge. It is a lighting technology that relies on an electrical charge to ignite Xenon gas contained inside a sealed bulb, producing an intense white light. H.I.D. technology is very similar to that of a fluorescent lamp. In fact H.I.D., just like fluorescent lighting, H.I.D. lighting requires a special component called a ballast to provide the proper voltage to ignite the Xenon gas.
First Impressions
PIAA Cross Country H.I.D.'s are available as a complete two-lamp kit (P/N 73082), which includes lamps, pre-terminated relay, switch, and wiring harness.
My first impression of the new PIAA 2” H.I.D. lights was that they are a very simple design. Its multi-surface reflector and 30-watt H.I.D. bulb deliver a bright 12-degree driving lamp pattern. The ballast is self contained and PIAA claims it is the smallest, most reliable in the industry. The 2-9/16 inch diameter, 4-inch deep black machined aluminum housing and hardened glass lens ensures the durability to be used either on the street or on the toughest trails.
The internal ballast makes the PIAA 2” XC light extremely easy to install. The wiring was basically “plug and play”.
Our Evaluation
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After a lot of contemplation on where to mount the PIAA 2” XC lights, we decided they needed to compliment the PIAA 510 ATP lights which were mounted to the front rack. Since the Grizzly 700 does not have a handlebar mounted light, this was a feature I had always missed having. It was decided that the 2” XC H.I.D. lights would somehow be mounted on the handlebars of the Grizzly 700.
The 2” XC H.I.D. Lights were mounted on the handlebars with the new mount PIAA makes to accommodate most handlebar diameters. This mounting choice gave us a multitude of different angles and solutions to choose from.
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With the lights mounted and wired in it was time for the first power test. I pushed the power button and…..nothing. Then, with a few flickers the lights beamed to life like fluorescent lamps would when you first flip the switch on. It seems the lights take about 15 seconds to get to their full brightness.
Since this was my first experience with H.I.D. technology the brightness of the 2” XC lamps were absolutely astonishing, even so that I could not look direct or even indirect for that matter into the lamps when they were on without being temporarily blinded.
When testing the lights against a hillside at a 100 feet away the 2” H.I.D. XC lights put the stock Yamaha Grizzly head lamps to shame. You could barely tell that the stock headlamps were even turned on. When we turned on the PIAA 510 ATP lights, it was clear that in combination with the 2” H.I.D. XC the stock Grizzly stock headlamps were soon to become ineffectual and obsolete on this machine.
You’re probably asking how bright the PIAA 2” HID XC lights really are? Without the proper equipment to measure the light output it’s impossible to tell you what the amount of Lumens these lights produce; but PIAA claims the output is 2-3 times brighter than a halogen bulb of the same wattage. In fact your riding buddies most likely will not let you ride behind them any longer.
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Conclusion
The PIAA 2” Cross Country HID is top notch in quality and performance. H.I.D. technology enables you to have a light which performs better than a larger conventional lighting system with minimal current draw on your ATV or side by side’s electrical system.
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The design and durability of the 2” Cross Country HID lights are trademarks of PIAA. The only draw back we could see on the 2” Cross Country HID lights were the price; however, when riding in the dark, visibility and safety are the main concern. These lights will definitely meet those concern’s and give you the confidence to literally blaze the trail with vibrant white light.
After 275 miles and one rollover the PIAA HID lights have performed flawlessly. We give them the ATVTorture stamp of approval and recommend them if you need a superior lighting setup for you ATV or Side by Side.
Pros
• Great customer service
• Exceptional design
• Super bright
• Low current draw
• Easy installation
Cons
• Price
• Mount and covers sold separately
For more information, contact PIAA at 503-489-6666 or visit the PIAA website at WWW.PIAA.COM
PIAA Corporation, USA
3004 NE 181st Ave.,
Portland, OR 97230.
A few months back we reviewed the PIAA 510 ATP lights and we were astonished by the quality and performance of the 510’s. PIAA does it again with their new 2” H.I.D (High Intensity Discharge) Cross Country lights. As with all of the PIAA products which I have had experience with these are top quality as well.
What is H.I.D?.
H.I.D. stands for High Intensity Discharge. It is a lighting technology that relies on an electrical charge to ignite Xenon gas contained inside a sealed bulb, producing an intense white light. H.I.D. technology is very similar to that of a fluorescent lamp. In fact H.I.D., just like fluorescent lighting, H.I.D. lighting requires a special component called a ballast to provide the proper voltage to ignite the Xenon gas.
First Impressions
PIAA Cross Country H.I.D.'s are available as a complete two-lamp kit (P/N 73082), which includes lamps, pre-terminated relay, switch, and wiring harness.
My first impression of the new PIAA 2” H.I.D. lights was that they are a very simple design. Its multi-surface reflector and 30-watt H.I.D. bulb deliver a bright 12-degree driving lamp pattern. The ballast is self contained and PIAA claims it is the smallest, most reliable in the industry. The 2-9/16 inch diameter, 4-inch deep black machined aluminum housing and hardened glass lens ensures the durability to be used either on the street or on the toughest trails.
The internal ballast makes the PIAA 2” XC light extremely easy to install. The wiring was basically “plug and play”.
Our Evaluation
The 2” XC H.I.D. Lights were mounted on the handlebars with the new mount PIAA makes to accommodate most handlebar diameters. This mounting choice gave us a multitude of different angles and solutions to choose from.
Since this was my first experience with H.I.D. technology the brightness of the 2” XC lamps were absolutely astonishing, even so that I could not look direct or even indirect for that matter into the lamps when they were on without being temporarily blinded.
When testing the lights against a hillside at a 100 feet away the 2” H.I.D. XC lights put the stock Yamaha Grizzly head lamps to shame. You could barely tell that the stock headlamps were even turned on. When we turned on the PIAA 510 ATP lights, it was clear that in combination with the 2” H.I.D. XC the stock Grizzly stock headlamps were soon to become ineffectual and obsolete on this machine.
You’re probably asking how bright the PIAA 2” HID XC lights really are? Without the proper equipment to measure the light output it’s impossible to tell you what the amount of Lumens these lights produce; but PIAA claims the output is 2-3 times brighter than a halogen bulb of the same wattage. In fact your riding buddies most likely will not let you ride behind them any longer.
Here is an illustration as to how much brighter the PIAA Cross Country HID lights are over the Grizzly headlights with replacement PIAA Bulbs.
Conclusion
The PIAA 2” Cross Country HID is top notch in quality and performance. H.I.D. technology enables you to have a light which performs better than a larger conventional lighting system with minimal current draw on your ATV or side by side’s electrical system.
The design and durability of the 2” Cross Country HID lights are trademarks of PIAA. The only draw back we could see on the 2” Cross Country HID lights were the price; however, when riding in the dark, visibility and safety are the main concern. These lights will definitely meet those concern’s and give you the confidence to literally blaze the trail with vibrant white light.
After 275 miles and one rollover the PIAA HID lights have performed flawlessly. We give them the ATVTorture stamp of approval and recommend them if you need a superior lighting setup for you ATV or Side by Side.
Pros
• Great customer service
• Exceptional design
• Super bright
• Low current draw
• Easy installation
Cons
• Price
• Mount and covers sold separately
For more information, contact PIAA at 503-489-6666 or visit the PIAA website at WWW.PIAA.COM
PIAA Corporation, USA
3004 NE 181st Ave.,
Portland, OR 97230.
