Additional Lights - Recomendation?

[keithquad]

I would like to increase the brightness of my dip light as I feel that its a bit under powered. In addition I also would like to add another light ie I'm conscouse that as a car driver at night, on a motorway, a motorbike's lights blends far too easily into the other car drivers lights - so what's my options? What have you found to have been of benefit at a reasonable price?

I know there will be lot's of opinions but it would be good to see what people have found to have been good!!

Bike GS 650 2008
Cheers

 

[everywherevirtually]

Already covered extensively in this thread...

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146800

 

[keithquad]

Is there any reason why....

Is there a reason why my original thread has been hijacked - am I really asking a bleeding obviouse question which has been answered elsewhere?

 

[everywherevirtually]

Is there a reason why my original thread has been hijacked - am I really asking a bleeding obviouse question which has been answered elsewhere?

YES!

 

[Tim Cullis]

Already covered extensively in this thread...
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146800

'Fraid not, that's really only F800GS solutions.

Because of the lack of a light bar there's nothing affordable for the F650GS. I paid just £18 for a light bar for my Tenere. There's a business for someone out there to make a decent light bar for the F650GS twin.

 

[Dean]

F650 GS (twin)

I would like to increase the brightness of my dip light as I feel that its a bit under powered. In addition I also would like to add another light ie I'm conscouse that as a car driver at night, on a motorway, a motorbike's lights blends far too easily into the other car drivers lights - so what's my options? What have you found to have been of benefit at a reasonable price?

I know there will be lot's of opinions but it would be good to see what people have found to have been good!!

Bike GS 650 2008
Cheers

Hi Keith,

Yes I agree with you and felt the same! contacted BMW who said they do not make an auxillery / fog for the F650 or F800. touratech do but so expensive. So first I uprated main and dip with Hid 35w from Les/w on here also to take away the slightly yellow tinge from the tiny side/park light bulb a bright white LED was added, then aquired Micro De's Fog lights and switch (all from Les @ HID50.com)

The bracket was made by Chad from Rugged roads also here! (he has templates for others if your interested) the bracket takes the light away from the indicators creating a triangler pattern of lights leaving the indicaters clearly visible

the fogs are standard , but if you want Les also converts them to Hid, mine are standard but thinking to changing to a super bright or blue/white bulbs.

had a ride out recently with some of the 1200 guys who comented how the single 35w stood out amongst there yellow candles! I can see cars pause for a second take less pull out on me, here are some pictures of the lights, in different light conditions so you can see the effect.

the lights are a good safety factor , but remember we are not invincible

hope this of some use to you.

Dean

 

[Tim Cullis]

Thanks for that Dean, a PM is on its way to Chad.

Tim

 

[keithquad]

Dean - thaks for that

Dean thank you for that info. Would you mind sending me a pm re cost?

Cheers again.

 

[santrix]

What you want sound like a HID kit would sort you out and probably a fraction of the price.... I cant understand why anyone would not pay 60-70 quid on a HID dipped affair.... best money ive ever spent on any bike..... except for a replacement chain on the 800

 

[Dean]

Thanks for that Dean, a PM is on its way to Chad.

Tim

your welcome Tim

Dean thank you for that info. Would you mind sending me a pm re cost?

Cheers again.

PM sent keith - all the best with your lights,

 

[WoodWorks]

VisionX LED lights

I finally got my VisionX LED lights mounted. Went for the 15°x45° flood slaved to the ignition switch, and the 10° spot slaved to the high beam switch. I want the flood on whenever I'm riding for extra conspicuity, and the spot on whenever I turn on the high beam, so I didn't install any extra (and IMhO unnecessary) switches. If I ever need to trouble-shoot the lights, the disconnect plugs are within easy each.

Anyway, here's how they look. Flood on the right side of the bike to light up the suicidal deer on the side of the road (I know, wrong side of the road for you Brits ), and spot on the left side of the bike.

Here's what they look like from an oncoming driver's point of view. Low beam and flood:

And high beam and spot:

I rode out to a nearby narrow dirt road to test them out. I shot all of these pictures with my camera set on manual exposure to keep the results consistent, using a 40mm lens which approximates the normal viewing angle of the human eye.

First, low beam only:

Add the VisionX 15°x45° flood to the low beam:

High beam:

And finally, high beam and the VisionX 10° Spot:

The lamps draw only 10 watts each, so there are no worries about wringing the alternator's neck. And unlike HIDs they fire up instantly. I think the results speak for themselves. These things rock. I'm a happy camper.

David

 

[everywherevirtually]

The vision x lights are good. I guess my issue is their positioning. Especially if you have a HID. The HID drowns out the light from any aux light if it is positioned beside the main headlight. Oncoming motorists also don't see that triangular light pattern.

The trouble with the 800 is if you place them near the beak they obscure the indicators. Too high and they are drowned out. Too low and they are not seen at all.

I think there is a market out there for a bracket that can deal with this.

 

[divelandy]

I think there is a market out there for a bracket that can deal with this.

Or a mount to attach the lights to the inside of the crash bars - especially on the design that WoodWorks has...

 

[zippygser]

The vision x lights are good. I guess my issue is their positioning. Especially if you have a HID. The HID drowns out the light from any aux light if it is positioned beside the main headlight. Oncoming motorists also don't see that triangular light pattern.

The trouble with the 800 is if you place them near the beak they obscure the indicators. Too high and they are drowned out. Too low and they are not seen at all.

I think there is a market out there for a bracket that can deal with this.

Firstly, sorry for using your brilliant photos, but maybe getting brackets made up that fit on the forks may work as they are upside down forks (800gs only)
Placed low enough to miss the beak but high enough to miss most water hazards (not that it matters as they are waterproof)
They are almost protected against falls and they would face in the direction of your front wheel (brilliant for offroading)
I guess you could even use really strong cable ties with the supplied bracket to help not dammage the forks

i am talking about the lights that have been photoshopped onto the forks
(poor job done, sorry)

 

[WoodWorks]

I considered mounting them lower. What dissuaded me was previous experience with that on my old bike. When mounted down on the crash bars, if I aimed them high enough to provide decent illumination I was constantly getting flashed by irritated, oncoming drivers. If I aimed them low enough to avoid that, they didn't shine down-road enough.

With these I'm counting on the difference in color temperature to provide the conspicuity that the triangular pattern would otherwise provide. Hope I'm right.

David

 

[everywherevirtually]

Or a mount to attach the lights to the inside of the crash bars - especially on the design that WoodWorks has...

true. The only problem with that is if you have an off where the bars bend. The buffer zone would be gone with a light in that space and the light would then be forced into the plastics. Maybe. I suppose you could position the light at the top or the front of the crash bar so if the bike does go down the light doesn't hit the deck or get crushed between the panel and bar.

Firstly, sorry for using your brilliant photos, but maybe getting brackets made up that fit on the forks may work as they are upside down forks (800gs only)
Placed low enough to miss the beak but high enough to miss most water hazards (not that it matters as they are waterproof)
They are almost protected against falls and they would face in the direction of your front wheel (brilliant for offroading)
I guess you could even use really strong cable ties with the supplied bracket to help not dammage the forks

i am talking about the lights that have been photoshopped onto the forks
(poor job done, sorry)
View attachment 144640

That's a good idea Zippy

The photo below is from SiJohnston. He mounted his on the cross bar of the Adventure-Spec bars. For me that is a bit too low. I know, I know I'm picky.

 

[yicker]

john i think mine are in the best place as you have see, and very cheep!

 

[smaytum]

I heard rumour that HID are melting the lights on the F800GS's.

True for False?

 

[zippygser]

I finally got my VisionX LED lights mounted. Went for the 15°x45° flood slaved to the ignition switch, and the 10° spot slaved to the high beam switch. I want the flood on whenever I'm riding for extra conspicuity, and the spot on whenever I turn on the high beam, so I didn't install any extra (and IMhO unnecessary) switches. If I ever need to trouble-shoot the lights, the disconnect plugs are within easy each.

Anyway, here's how they look. Flood on the right side of the bike to light up the suicidal deer on the side of the road (I know, wrong side of the road for you Brits ), and spot on the left side of the bike.

I rode out to a nearby narrow dirt road to test them out. I shot all of these pictures with my camera set on manual exposure to keep the results consistent, using a 40mm lens which approximates the normal viewing angle of the human eye.

The lamps draw only 10 watts each, so there are no worries about wringing the alternator's neck. And unlike HIDs they fire up instantly. I think the results speak for themselves. These things rock. I'm a happy camper.

David

hey there Woodworks, how have you hooked your lights up.
did you have to buy the visionx harness.
are they on seperate switches or hooked into the dips and main beams. lastly, do you need a relay switch in place for these?

 

[WoodWorks]

hey there Woodworks, how have you hooked your lights up.
did you have to buy the visionx harness.
are they on seperate switches or hooked into the dips and main beams. lastly, do you need a relay switch in place for these?

Hey Zip,

I have the lights wired separately. The flood is slaved to the ignition, so that when the low beam is on, the flood is also on. And the spot is slaved to the high beam. There are no separate switches.

I got a couple of wiring harnesses from VisionX. They each include a relay and a fuse, and they are wired directly to the battery. The harnesses come with wiring for a switch, but I just snipped those off and connected them to the ignition switch and high beam switch.

Given that these are such low-wattage lights, I'm not sure that a relay is strictly necessary. But I'd rather err on the side of caution.

I hope that answers your questions.

David