NEED MORE LIGHT

James Embrey

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Hi Guys

Due to the ever increasing cost of fuel I will be riding my GS1200 all winter. I want more light but can't belive you have to spend around £300 for lights and £165 to get them fitted. Any suggests on lights and are they easy it fit?

James
 
I use Ring Microline lights. Not the trendiest, but they cost £20 a pair in fog or spot patterns, and they work pretty well. Available online or at Halfords.

Mark
 
MiGSel lightbar + hella spots from Les Wassall

For about 200 you can buy the above + fit it yourself. Looks great and fairly easy
 
Got mine of Les Wassall and fitted them myself :thumb
 
On my first 1200 I bought a set of Hella MicroDE lights from an ebay seller, fabricated my own light bar to fit the beak from a bit of mild steel bar, and wired them via a relay operated by a handlebar fitted switch, using the headlight +12V feed to trigger the relay through the switch so that when the headlight goes off so do the spotlights.

Must've cost me about £60 all in, left them on the bike when I part-ex'd it.

Current GSA has extra lights fitted as stock.
 
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I have the BMW clear lexan(?) headlamp guard fitted and was surprised at the improvement when I took it off for the MOT.
It's back on after a clean and polish now, but if you have the grill type headlamp protector it may also make a difference.

However you may not be as thick as me.

:beerjug:
 
Try a Phillips Extreme or Osram high output bulb. Cheapest light upgrade you can make.
 
Need to be careful with higher wattage lamps as the headlamp lens is some kind of plastic.

:thumb2

Except that neither of those is a higher wattage bulb....;)

55W, 6000K HID in dip beam and a Philips X-Treme in main.

Sorted...:thumb2

Until I finally get round to fitting the FF50s and Micro DEs.....:rolleyes:
 
If you've got a 2009+ GS.

Pop along to your dealer and order (do a search on ADVrider or that OEM parts site for further details):

a relay
a wiring loom (it'll come with 2 fuses, tie wraps etc and instructions)
LED aux lights (you'll need to order two new style connectors)
light mounts.
aux light switch.

You can fit them yourself in a long evening, you don't even have to remove the fuel tank. You can just move it back (unplug all the gubbins from the FPC and hoses, which are all easy enough).

Unclip the ZFE unit, flip it up, shift the Bosch unit out the way, pop in the relay.

Put back the Bosch and ZFE.

Remove the blanking plate from the power connector in the ZFE lid, connect in the loom (can't recall where the aux switch connects to).

Cut off the old H11 style connectors, and wire in the connectors for the LEDs.

Connect everything up and test it works.

Now remove the lights, power off, make the wiring all nice and tidy (if you're unsure, take a look at a GSA in a showroom).

Screw in the LEDs to the mounts, screw them to the bike, done.

Then get a Les Wassell, HiD for the dipped light, use his ballast holder which connects to the oil cooler mounting (notice BMW changed the oil cooler mounting so you can't try and undo the wrong bit! in the 2012s at least). Leave the High Beam as the H7.

Set the beam to be a bit higher than factory supplied.

Now you can ride through anywhere you like in the pitchy black and don't need to pay dealer anything other than for the parts.
 
The headlamp glass is errr...glass. The reflector inside is plastic.

if you are on budget then whatever you do don't try and save money by not getting a 50w HID for dip beam. Nothing based on filament bulb technology comes close.

For high beam, a pair of small 55w spots from Halfords on a home made bar and connected via a relay will make a huge difference.

I've used this set-up for winter commuting with great success. The light output is better than a typical car and greatly improves your safety and vision.
 
The headlamp glass is errr...glass. The reflector inside is plastic.

if you are on budget then whatever you do don't try and save money by not getting a 50w HID for dip beam. Nothing based on filament bulb technology comes close.

.


Also after a few 00000s of miles the HiD will have stripped part of the reflector's lining away, turns a pinkish colour. Also the HiD bulb itself seems to go a bit pink, but the light output is still nice and white.

Oh, to the OP, if you get HiDs, I strongly recommend you get a touratech headlight protector with the anti-glare eyebrow.
 
I'd like to fit the same on my GS when it finally arrives in my garage, but I'm new to this and don't have the know-how.

So, until I learn, what do you suggest for numpties such as myself as I will also be riding through the winter (and if the predictions are to be believed, snow). Take it to a garage, or ask someone on here very very nicely and bribe them with bacon butties and copious amounts of tea? :D

I have seen various lights on ebay too around the £60 mark. I want something that's bright as I live in the sticks, but also motorway friendly.
 
I have adapted the dip beam light with an HID kit from a dealer on this site. 30 minutes work, and wa-la, good light output. You wont need anything else.
I seem to remember it cost £80, and was supplied by adventure warehouse (i think).
Best money i have ever spent on any bike.
Incidentally, i have not had any problems due to dazzling oncomers.
 
Hi Guys

Due to the ever increasing cost of fuel I will be riding my GS1200 all winter. I want more light but can't belive you have to spend around £300 for lights and £165 to get them fitted. Any suggests on lights and are they easy it fit?

James

Alternatively, get something with a heater, radio, comfy seats and decent lights that returns better MPG (and lower servicing costs, much cheaper road tax, better tyre mileage) than a 1200 Boxer...

:augie
 
What's the lighting like?

Have you fitted these Pablo1?

If so what is the light output/beam like?

I quite like the idea of integrating the lights without extra switches

G
 
Hi Guys

Due to the ever increasing cost of fuel I will be riding my GS1200 all winter. I want more light but can't belive you have to spend around £300 for lights and £165 to get them fitted. Any suggests on lights and are they easy it fit?

James

hawk lights at motohaus web site
 


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