MOTORCYCLE HID INSTALLATION ON APRILIA RST1000 Futura

Disclaimer:

This is a full description of what I have done to my motorcycle. I am in no way suggesting you do as I have done by following these instructions. I have not adequately tested the installation and the failure of a lighting system can result in serious injury or even death. Follow these instructions at your own risk and potential peril. These instructions are compiled at the request of several RST owners that are curious as to what I did to install the HID lights.

Tools required:

  • Metric allen wrenches
  • Phillips screw driver
  • Electrical tape
  • Crimp style spade connectors
  • Crimp tool
  • Wire cutters

We will begin with the low beam installation.

  1. Place the bike on the center stand.
  2. Disassemble the dash starting with the two top windshield supports located on the right and left side of the wind screen.
  3. Next remove the two (right and left) dash side panels. It is not necessary to remove the seat release from the panel on the left side. Just hang it over the side of the bike until you are ready to re-install it.
  4. Once the side panels are off the instrument cluster can be removed by taking out the two top mounted socket head cap screws (technical name of the allen head bolts). Once the bolts are out carefully tilt the instrument panel down to gain access to the two large electrical plugs in the back. The release tabs are on the clutch side of the plugs. Push these in and the plugs will pull straight out of the back of the instrument cluster.
  5. With the instrument cluster out you have access to the shelf areas to the right and left of Motor HID 1the front faring. Either side will hold the low beam ballast. Select a side and clean the shelf area. Use some adhesive Velcro hook and loop to attach the ballast to the shelf.
  6. Find the power plug that goes into the ballast. This plug will have one blue and one black wire. Cut this wire to be 16 inches in length from the plug. Inspect by placing on the ballast and see if you might want it shorter.Motor HID 2
  7. Crimp a spade connector on to the end of each wire.
  8. Remove the stock low beam bulb and bulb adapter.
  9. Carefully remove the HID bulb from its container.
  10. Slide the split spacer over the back of the bulb as far as it will go and align the tabs.
  11. Trim the excess material off of the split spacer until it matches the size Motor HID 3and shape of the stock bulb and adapter. Be careful not to put finger prints on your new HID bulb. If you touch it, clean it with a cotton ball with a small amount of alcohol.
  12. Assemble the new bulb and split spacer through the stock boot seal as shown.
  13. Once the split spacer is trimmed, place the new bulb into the socket of the headlamp with the key in the top position.Motor HID 4
  14. Apply the spring retainer clip to hold the bulb in. If it is too tight the four studs on the split spacer can be shortened a bit to make it closer to the stock adapter in thickness.
  15. Now you can connect the new HID light to the ballast with connectors. They are fool proof. You will not be able to plug them in any way but the correct way.
  16. Insert the plug you just trimmed to 16 inches into the ballast.Motor HID 5
  17. Use a zip tie to run between the two wires and then through the slot on the far side of the ballast. Pull the zip tie tight. This will prevent any accidental decoupling of the power cord.
  18. Now plug the black wire of the power cord into the original bulb socket that was plugged into the original halogen light. Make sure you plug it into the side of the BLUE and RED wire. This is the side that is grounded to the frame.
  19. Plug the blue wire into the other side of the same connector.Motor HID 6
  20. Tape the wires and connector together to prevent accidental decoupling.
  21. Remove the cover of the fuse block located at the lower center of the dash area.
  22. Remove the far clutch side 15 amp fuse and replace it with a 20 or 25 amp fuse. This is not fully tested and does pose risks to your electrical lighting circuit. I am instructing as to what I did and not what I am suggesting for you to do with your bike. Start with the 20 amp and then do a key switch test of the HID.
  23. With the key on the HID should illuminate. I turned the key off and on at least 10 to 15 times to make sure it did not blow a fuse. If it does I would increase the fuse to a 25 amp.
  24. Tie up any loose wires to non moving supports or other wire bundles.
  25. Turn the wheel both ways to make sure no wires are in harms way.
  26. If you are only doing the low beam you can now re-assemble the dash and clean up.

High beam installation

  1. If you have just completed the low beam install skip to step 7.
  2. Place the bike on the center stand.
  3. Disassemble the dash starting with the two top windshield supports located on the right and left side of the wind screen.
  4. Next remove the two (right and left) dash side panels. It is not necessary to remove the seat release from the panel on the left side. Just hang it over the side of the bike until you are ready to re-install it.
  5. Once the side panels are off the instrument cluster can be removed by taking out the two top mounted socket head cap screws (technical name of the allen head bolts). Once the bolts are out carefully tilt the instrument panel down to gain access to the two large electrical plugs in the back. The release tabs are on the clutch side of the plugs. Push these in and the plugs will pull straight out of the back of the instrument cluster.
  6. With the instrument cluster out you have access to the shelf areas to the right and left of the front faring. Either side will hold the low beam ballast. Select a side and clean the shelf area. Use some adhesive Velcro hook and loop to attach the ballast to the shelf.Motor HID 5
  7. Find the power plugs that goes into the ballasts. This plug will have one blue and one black wire. Cut these wires to be 20 inches in length from the plug. Inspect by placing on the ballast and see if you might want it shorter.
  8. Plug the power wires into the two ballasts. Use a zip tie to run between the two wires and then through the slot on the far side of the ballasts. Pull the zip tie tight. This will prevent any accidental decoupling of the power cord.
  9. Attach the two ballasts together as shown. Stagger the ballast so the front most ballast is lower. Leave the zip ties loose so the two ballasts can be placed in the tight area under the Motor HID 8dash as shown in the second photo. Make sure the leads that go to the HID bulbs are pointing in opposite directions. It does not matter which one is right or left.
  10. Once satisfied with position and lead lengths tighten the zip ties you left loose earlier. The ballasts should be nearly impossible to get out without cutting off the zip ties.
  11. Add one additional zip tie to attach the two ballasts to the relay rail just below it. This should prevent things from moving around when riding.Motor HID 7
  12. Pull out the power wires and run them to the plugs to check for proper length. They will be plugging into the sockets that once were attached to the back of the original Halogen bulbs. Trim length them as needed.
  13. Crimp a spade connector on to the end of each wire. See photo on item 7 low beam install.
  14. Remove the stock high beam bulbs and bulb adapters.
  15. Carefully remove the HID bulbs from their containers.
  16. Slide the split spacer over the back of the bulbs as far as it will go and align the tabs.
  17. Trim the excess material off of the split spacers until they match the size and shape of the stock bulb and adapter. Be careful not to put finger prints on your new HID bulb. If you touch it, clean it with a cotton ball with a small amount of alcohol.
  18. Once the split spacer is trimmed, assemble the bulb split spacer together with the large rubber boot as seen in the earlier photo.
  19. Place the new bulb into the socket of the headlamp with the key in the top position.
  20. Apply the spring retainer clip to hold the bulb in. If it is too tight the four studs on the split spacer can be shortened a bit to make it closer to the stock adapter in thickness.
  21. Press the rubber boot into place to seal in the new bulb and keep dirt out of the enclosed lens.
  22. Now you can connect the new HID light to the ballast with the connectors. They are fool proof. You will not be able to plug them in any way but the correct way.
  23. Insert the plug you just trimmed to 16 inches into the ballast.
  24. Now plug the black wires of the power cords into the original bulb sockets that were plugged into the original halogen lights. Make sure you plug it into the side of the BLUE and RED wire. This is the side that is grounded to the frame.
  25. Plug the blue wire into the other side of the same connector.
  26. Tape the wires and connector together to prevent accidental decoupling.
  27. Remove the cover of the fuse block located at the lower center of the dash area.
  28. Remove the far clutch side 15 amp fuse and replace it with a 20 or 25 amp fuse. This is not fully tested and does pose risks to your electrical lighting circuit. I am instructing as to what I did and not what I am suggesting for you to do with your bike. Start with the 20 amp and then do a key switch test of the HID.
  29. With the key on the engine running turn on the low beam only. Using your high beam flash button light up the high beams at least 10 to 15 times to make sure you don’t blow a fuse. If it does I would increase the fuse to a 25 amp.
  30. Tie up any loose wires to non moving supports or other wire bundles.
  31. Turn the wheel both ways to make sure no wires are in harms way.
  32. Re-assemble the dash and clean up.
  33. Store your stock bulbs and adapters in the bulb cases that the HID bulbs came in. I keep one with me in my tank bag in case I loose a bulb or ballast.