New Spots, ideally to fit myself avoiding canbus issues

Pottsie

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Hi

I have a 2012 GSA and would like to fit some spots. I am only looking to fit some relatively cheap ones and on any other bikes I have just got on and done it but because I am unsure of the canbus I have what I hope is a simple question.

If I were to connect a relay in the positive feed going into the main beam so that I can take the supply for the lights taken off the battery, is the canbus system sensitive enough to pick up the relay's presence and if so in what way will that manifest itself; just an error message an keep riding or would it disable some part of the electrical system.

Thanks in advice for your wise words

Cheers

Pottsie
 
Pottsie said:
Hi

I have a 2012 GSA and would like to fit some spots. I am only looking to fit some relatively cheap ones and on any other bikes I have just got on and done it but because I am unsure of the canbus I have what I hope is a simple question.

If I were to connect a relay in the positive feed going into the main beam so that I can take the supply for the lights taken off the battery, is the canbus system sensitive enough to pick up the relay's presence and if so in what way will that manifest itself; just an error message an keep riding or would it disable some part of the electrical system.

Thanks in advice for your wise words

Cheers

Pottsie
Click to expand...

Its quite easy,

I fitted a pair on my 06 hexhead,

Fused power feed from battery to +ve on the relay,

relay to spots and trigger wire (from the low beam ) to relay.

You need a relay otherwise they will cause problems


No issues with canbus,

They came on (flash) along with the low beam at ignition on, and then turn off. As soon as the bike starts, they came on with low beam again

The original kit i had, had them set up for a handlebar off / on switch, but the switch wasnt waterproof, and they could be left on, as the wiring diagram set them to be wired perma live

I may have the pin outs from the relay somewhere, but one can be found searching google i suspect
 
+1 for Santa`s recommendation.
I prefer my spots on with main beam, so I trigger the relay coil from the main beam feed to the headlight.
As stated the canbus is not sensitive enough to detect a relay.
 
Watching with interest as I've been thinking about fitting some spots to my 2010 GS. Like Pottsie I don't want to spend a fortune. Equally don't want to waste money on a load of rubbish that lasts for 6 months or until the first roundabout.
Even getting the right mounting bracket seems a bit of challenge, let alone choosing the lights.
 
Headtester said:
Watching with interest as I've been thinking about fitting some spots to my 2010 GS. Like Pottsie I don't want to spend a fortune. Equally don't want to waste money on a load of rubbish that lasts for 6 months or until the first roundabout.
Even getting the right mounting bracket seems a bit of challenge, let alone choosing the lights.
Click to expand...

The lights i fitted came from a fellow tosser, as a complete kit. spotlights, loom Inc relay & switch.

The spotlights were very similar to the oem type.

Fitting was easy, the spots came with tubular mounting brackets fitted, so mounting them, was simply choosing a spot on the crash bars to mount them.

The loom, i modified, as i felt it was a bit too bulky, and there was far to much cable in between the lamps (probably wasn't, given you can mount them anywhere)

then it was run the main cables (lamps) back to the relay down one side of the bike. And run a trigger wire from the relay down the other side of the bike up to the headlamp unit.

I did away with the optional handlebar switch, as i didn't want it.

Then it was just wire it to the battery, via an included fused link, and make the required connections at the relay.

The relay & wiring sat under the oddments tray under the seat.
 
Cheers Santa, I keep an eye on the for sale section but given its a 10 year old bike probably need to source some new lights.

Nippy Norman has them for about £95 each or £250 for a pair, then there's controllers and switches to get confused over. When I venture on to the evil bay I then spend hours looking at £15 - £35 specials which might be OK or might just last 6 months or even catch fire at the first roundabout.

Confusing to say the least!
 
Headtester said:
Cheers Santa, I keep an eye on the for sale section but given its a 10 year old bike probably need to source some new lights.

Nippy Norman has them for about £95 each or £250 for a pair, then there's controllers and switches to get confused over. When I venture on to the evil bay I then spend hours looking at £15 - £35 specials which might be OK or might just last 6 months or even catch fire at the first roundabout.

Confusing to say the least!
Click to expand...

My simple obs on the point of cheap or not cheap lights.

Bought and fitted a £30 pair to my 650 and whilst they produced some sort of lighter patch in the foreground they were not particularly good at giving me a view down the road. Light but not very bright.
Denali D4 on my WC turn night into day, and has the advantage of the 10% option to give the real "triangle" of DLR`s.
 
Thanks for the advice chaps, the key bit for me is that the canbus would appear not to pick up on a relay so that's all to the good.

I already to have some low cost LED's a pair of which I have already fitted to my Tenere so I know they kick out enough light for what I need and pennies short at the moment so that's the route I'll go.

Much appreciate the advice thanks

Pottsie
 
Santa-2512 said:
Hi pottsie

Some of the stuff coming out of the far east at the moment, is quite good,

Ive bought a few bike related things, and they've all been good, in terms of quality & longevity

this is what fitted, but the cost was much less (about £50 when i got them )

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Spotli...921526?hash=item3fd49bd2f6:g:ZZMAAOSwRE9bwAT2
Click to expand...

I've fitted the same ones (c. £50 too) and they're BRIGHT.

I replaced the original stock ones with these using the original switch.
 
Lights

Also consider what you hope to achieve-- is it extra light on the road or do you want to be more visible to other road users, i.e. DRL's rather than main beam spotlights.

Durite make some decent stuff. I've used mine on my old RT and later transferred them to my GSlc. I use them as running lights, on all the time, LED , very bright. I've put a bit of black tape in the centre to reduce the intensity slightly. These are on eBay at £28 each for the black ones or £22 each for white ones. Aluminium body. These are a foglight type lens but I think they do spotlight lenses in the same body. They also do some smaller round ones around the £50 price range, similar to the Givi lights.
Good gear without the ridiculous price tag.
 

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Thanks Steadysteve, Any chance of a link to the ones you got? I had a look on the Durite site and got lost in a maze of truck lights and beacons
 
Headtester said:
Thanks Steadysteve, Any chance of a link to the ones you got? I had a look on the Durite site and got lost in a maze of truck lights and beacons
Click to expand...

If you search 'Durite LED' on eBay they should come up.

I can't find the black ones like mine but the same ones in white are Durite part number 0-420-52.
The round ones ,similar to the Givi ones, are Durite part number 0-420-56.
 
steadysteve said:
If you search 'Durite LED' on eBay they should come up.

I can't find the black ones like mine but the same ones in white are Durite part number 0-420-52.
The round ones ,similar to the Givi ones, are Durite part number 0-420-56.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'll keep searching for them
 
Fill ya boots.

Last one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282131988311

Fairly certain you can get these, and the black bodied ones, with a spotlight type lens. Might be an idea to speak to a dealer.

I don't ride much at night, or have any issues with the LC main beam, so my main concern is being seen in daytime riding hence the foglight type lens on mine.

When I got mine there was another big-name brand on the market using this lamp but with their own name on it and a big price hike.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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