Here is a very simple circuit... I'd say about 5 seconds delay would be enough...

tweety, i need more explanation. my feeble brain doesn't understand.

Ok... This is basic, since I dunno where you are starting...

The relay is the part on the right... 4 connectors... the relay has two for the power and two for control... The power is the ones from the battery that get's switched by the other two usually from the stock headlight wiring... No power on the control lines means no power goes through the powered part...

In this example the powered part is 87->30, the control is 86->85... The powered part remains unchanged...

The changes happen between the stock headlight wiring and the relay... The diode is there to make sure the current flows the right way only, no shortcircuits... The capacitor creates the delay together with the transistor...

The +12vdc constant means just that, a line directly attached to the + pole of the battery... The symbol with staggered lines means it's attached to ground, ie the chassie or directly to the - pole of the battery...

The line marked Delay Off Output is the one you connect to drive the HID ballast of... The one marked Switched power is where the positive one from the stock headlight wiring is connected...

so this is the same as wiring a relay harness from lights to battery, except the relay has a time delay. the delay prevents the ballasts from firing twice upon starting the bike.

i'm not harnessed to the battery. could a delay be put in my set up?

actually I thought I would need a delay to prevent the double fire issue however after running the relay and seperate lines from the battery it does not have the issue anyway. Once the key is turned on the relay is switched on but it stays on even when you hit the starter. So things worked out great.

You mean you are running a HID ballast through the stock wiring?!

No, that can't be put on a delay by using this, probably other ways though...

Buuut... You are aware that your handlebar switch and stock wiring are probably on a shortened life span?!

The are NOT supposed to handle the amount of juice the HID needs at startup, which most likely is the reason for those failed attempts...

They can and will most likely fail sooner rather than later with that setup... Get your ass in gear and get a relay... It's that easy...

Automotive 12 volt relay = 12$
Spade connectors to connect the relay = 4$
Wire = 5$
Not frying your wiring harness = priceless

I run my setup the same a yruyur does on a relay with no delay. The bulb lights and stays lit through the starting cycle. I have been running it like this for about 9 months with no issues.

i was thinking of doing the relay light to battery connection but took the easy way out instead. i will rewire with the relay if it fixes the sometimes on/sometimes off problem. should i put a delaying relay in or not?

Try it without it... should work... I never bothered researching it much as I have the option to start the bike first then hit the light switch... But as two others are saying it works for them, it should work for you aswell...

wait a minute... why would the hid harm my stock wiring? doesn't the fuse protect it? i haven't blown a headlamp circuit fuse.

Because the HID needs about 90-100W or more depending on your ballast when turning on... When it's on it typicly runs at 35W... But that short burst is needed to create and ignite the gas in the bulb...

The stock wiring is supposed to handle 60W as that is what a stock H4 bulb is... But it's seriously under dimensioned for that... Too thin wires and a switch with thin copper contacts and springs to pass on the power isn't optimal...

Long before I even started thinking of a HID I ran a relay and dedicated cables from the battery to power my stock bulb... Why? Because the stock cable's dropped about 4V on the way...

Put in about 14,5V at the battery while running/charging... And out at the bulb I got 10,5V... Since a normal H4 bulb drops more than 50% of its light output once it gets below 12V I got a gloomy yellow light... (Sounds familiar... Right?)

And then how it can hurt your wiring? Well for one thing the handlebar switch gets a lot of heat from passing the current... Sooner or later it's going to say "bye bye" and yes, then the fuse will blow... But once that happens the swith is already toast and it won't really help standing in the middle of no-where with no light... Especially since swapping the fuse makes no difference with a toasted switch...

And since the HID ballast is supposed to run on a fuse of the same type as a normal bulb, no the fuse won't blow from normal operation... That means nothing in this case as on a car that's built for a HID they put wiring dimensioned for it... And usually relay's in there as well...

Second, right now your HID is getting around 11-12V or so at the best... And it's designed for 14,5V... So you will increase life span on it as well as it is now struggeling to keep the voltage to the bulb up with less than optimal power in... Plus the bulb isn't very happy with the failed starting attempts... It seriously decreases bulb life... And those aren't really cheap...

well, i think the change could only help - and cannot hurt.

why not put the delay relay in the first time? i know you're saying i don't need it, but would it hurt things?

Nope... Won't hurt... ;)

Go for it...

If you're really worried about blinding people pay close attention to your colour temp.

4300k will be the most blinding. 3000k will be slightly yellow, amazing in fog and less blinding. 8000k + will not blind that much but will be very blue or purple. 6000k is the best ballance, from the front less intense and a little blue but looks white and almost the same as 4300k from the drivers perspective. Most stock HID systems use around 4300k.

this is all great info. ive been interested in a light upgrade and almost bought a silverstar for my firestorm last night, but the light output is such crap that im not even sure a silverstar will make a noticeable difference. although a projector sounds like a great winter project for when i need to get away from the wife for a few hours at a time :D