LED lights in the daytime.

[Sooty09]

Sorry all you who have paid extra for LED lights as a daytime safety aid, I don't think they work. Head on or in a rear view mirror they are no more visible than normal lights. The fancy bit round the lamp cannot be seen at all, it just blends into the headlight. They are a very white bright lamp but do not attract attention any more than say a GS650 or Vstrom 650. Night riding may be a different situation, but I'm not often out in the dark.
Today I had three riders with me who all had spot lights fitted, some on crash bars, one with a bracket under the beak. The spot lights were BMWs own or similar to these.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal...pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item231f9b2a96
The combination of three lights set apart makes the bike so much more visible, so visible most cars coming towards us on single track roads pulled over to let us through.
Im not easily impressed but I'm going on fleebay next to find a set. I'm not sure about 2 x 55w lights on the LC, if the heated grips have to dip in power at low speeds to conserve the battery what chance spot lights? 2 x 10w LEDs should do the job.

 

[wheelnut]

I've got the fog lights on mine. They're never switched on unless in daytime low visibility.....

 

[stolzy]

I've got the fog lights on mine. They're never switched on unless in daytime low visibility.....

As required by law AFAIK.

 

[Mr K]

Green eyed monster?

 

[JJH]

I have led fog lights on my 800 adventure on at all times. Also tail and indaciators. The advantage of these lights are sabosed long life and low power consumption. It can't be long before the h7 bulbs are replaced by LEDs. JJH

 

[stubox]

Unless of course you bought it for its headlightery ability in which case it's brilliant and surpasses the halogen glow worm on the regular bike.

 

[Beemerman59]

I saw my first WC with the sideways "u" led headlight on in sunny conditions at the weekend. I didn't think it was particularly noticeable under those conditions, headlamp on would have been more effective.

 

[Nutty]

Several owners have complained that BMW set the beam low at the factory, and have adjusted the height of the LED slightly higher, making the light much more visible in the day, and at night.

I have done this, and also have the BMW spots. With the headlight adjusted correctly, and the LED spots also adjusted correctly, these are very bright, even in bright sunshine.

 

[GSMartin]

Totally agree that the lights seem to be set quite low. I have been increasing the height, I know when it is set right, car drivers will start flashing me.

 

[Tarka]

FFS you lot get worse.

Lights...of any kind...in the fecking daytime and bright sunshine.

I have been increasing the height, I know when it is set right, car drivers will start flashing me.

And you think that's a good thing ??

 

[The Grey One]

FFS you lot get worse.

Lights...of any kind...in the fecking daytime and bright sunshine.




And you think that's a good thing ??

Whatever you think of it full time lights are required by law in most of Europe.

Totally agree about headlight aim though. If drivers are flashing at you it means you have annoyed them. It also means that by shining your lights into the drivers eyes you have reduced that drivers ability to see properly so the "at least they have seen me" argument is proved nonsense. There is enough bad feeling against bikers on our roads, causing yet more drivers to curse a biker is not helpful. Same applies to those who ride around on full beam, most drivers will see this as a nuisance and are then more likely to build a negative image of all bikers.

John

 

[GSMartin]

FFS you lot get worse.

Lights...of any kind...in the fecking daytime and bright sunshine.




And you think that's a good thing ??

Not for one moment, we have all been blinded by the uber high power Mercedes Xenon lights, but short of a trip to the MOT station to get them set, a quick adjust down and it will be more or less right.

 

[krytengs]

I have the U on ...just cos it looks unusual.....and cool. ....and you dont get the option now on new bikes.

If you're relying on any lights to be seen, then you may be in for a nasty surprise.

I remember reading an article about a guy that got knocked off and the car driver used SMIDSY argument.
After the guy picked himself up, he asked the driver what he failed to notice..

- his Hi Viz jacket ?
- the bright headlight on his bike?
- his huge Pan European?
- maybe the bright Yellow and Blue squares all over his bike?

Turns out it was the driver's unlucky day - he knocked off a traffic cop

Forget lighting yourself up like a Xmas tree - just treat everyone on the road as a C*ck out to kill you and ride accordingly !

 

[Bendy toy]

I hate it when bikers ride on main beam (presumably) so they can be seen. Totally selfish AH behaviour.
I fitted a pair of 50mm x 24 LED lamps to my previous bike. They gave me the three lamp look so common on Hexhead GSAs. They were bright in daylight but not dazzling.
Immediately I noticed fewer cars pulling out & braking at the last moment. Even less got in my way.
They were only 4.5V torches but made a huge difference to my visibility without dazzling anyone.
The GSA aux headlights do the same job. I do however need some narrow beam LED spots to back up main beam. At night I ride without the aux lights because they make near ground so bright the main beam is next to useless.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sooty09]

I forgot to add, most of the car drivers who pulled over for us had smiles on their faces, we had not dazzled them but seeing 5 bikes approaching had politely pulled into the first available passing place.
I do now like bar mounted driving lights (I don't think these are classed as fog lights) You can ride up behind a car in the dark and the lights are not shining through the back window or dazzling the mirrors. Nobody should be offended by them if they are correctly adjusted.

 

[Wapping]

The whole world is going light bloody crazy.

From pushbikes to 1200 GS's there seems to be no limit to the number, brightness, flashing or permanently on, of lights bods now deem necessary on their daily runs to Tesco or the office.

Witness, the knob on his GS whose badly adjusted HIDs blazing like the sun, rendered me blind, shining in my mirror through the length of Limehouse Link tunnel. Oh boy, did he whine and gesticulate like a schoolgirl when I let him overtake and gave him the full benefit of BMW's M series finest main beam as we continued westwards towards Tower Bridge.

He didn't seem to 'Get it' when I said, "Yes, I had seen you, mate. I just wanted to be sure you had seen me, in my car", when we inevitably stopped at the red traffic lights by Glamis Road. Knob end, biker mate, of the first order, panniers and Tourex to match.

 

[krytengs]

The whole world is going light bloody crazy.

From pushbikes to 1200 GS's there seems to be no limit to the number, brightness, flashing or permanently on, of lights bods now deem necessary on their daily runs to Tesco or the office.

The problem is that with all the Hi-Viz, Dayglo and bright lights everywhere - it is now all just becoming "Noise"

 

[rattler]

Better safe than sorry or would you rather be laying in the road after being knocked off by some dozy bitch "oh sorry didn't see you"

 

[Engineer]

There really isn't any need for all these bright HID or LED lights - it is just a fashion/cultural thing that the people who sell this stuff want you to believe will make you cooler than the next guy - if that doesn't persuade you to part with your hard earned cash then they try the old FUD selling ploy.

 

[rattler]

Really