PIAAs or Hellas, either way which is best?

[Warthog]

I'm planning all sorts of mods and bolt-ons should I buy the R1100GS I'm helping to get on the road.

So the question is which model of PIAA or Hella is best.

Its go to be robust, powerful (about 4" across if not more) and it'll be bolted to....wait for it.... the screen!!

Basically, with big lights, after the cylinders they are the first to go down, so I don't want a pair that stick out half a mile, so I was thinking to get a second screen, put a hole through the middle and attach a single big spot to work with the full beam.

Any suggestions as to which is best?

 

[oblertone]

PIAA's for me ...

... and on the very wonderful GMT mounts But then I am biased, slightly

 

[Warthog]

Its certainly a nice set-up ion that 1100, but I need a few more specifics.

I've been on the PIAA website and there are a dozen spots on offer.

What I'm interested in know is which models, be they PIAA of Hella, are a good bet. Its going to be a case of a single spot mounted through the screen or summat, directly over the headlight to keep the Aux out of harms way whe the bike goes down, which it inevitably will once I start off-roading on it.

 

[Fanum]

Some thoughts;

If you mount a spot behind the screen, the reflected light will be way too bright.......ask anyone who's used a perspex main light guard....that idea's a no-go

Also, if you mount anything on a screen, when you go over, the weight of the lights is extremely likely to crack the screen right across....they're NOT designed to be load bearing, and drilling holes in one to mount lights on is aalso a no-go IMO


Don't get so worried about mounting them in a more conventional place.....look at the front of the bike and draw a mental line from the bottom of the tyre to the end of a handlebar.....anything inside that line is safe......the bar end is likely to touch down first (ok, not always, 'cos you don't drop it on flat ground, but in general)


Many of us have aux lights on standard Migsel light bars or like the ones that nice Mr Oblertone has, and we offroad without any problems.

A metal cased PIAA lamp is going to survive pretty much most falls anyway DAMHIK


I'd go back to the drawing board if I were you, certainly with regard to the mounting place

 

[oblertone]

These ...

... are PIAA 510's (on the pictured 1100) that measure about 9cm across (or 3.5") and about the same deep. Metal bodies and available as singles from NN's (see link at top of page), not cheap but good kit and strong light pattern.

 

[justatraveller]

So the question is which model of PIAA or Hella is best.

Any suggestions as to which is best?

Answer is ................NEITHER!!!!

If you need serious lighting, fit a single Xenon spot That is all you need - to light up the night!

If you want to look cool like a tosser fit Hellas or PIAA !!!!

 

[Warthog]

Firstly:

Bill: Fair points. I did consider this asp[ect and that is why my PIAA micros are on stubby bars on my 1150

Thing is I'm paranoid coz I really would l;ike to get into the off-roadin, hence looking at the 1100 as a cheaper GS to hack around on. Being very new to it, I can well see myslef doing some fair regular examinations of the track surface. But I do take your point about the screen and I may have underestimated the weight of some of these lights.

Secondly, what is a

single Xenon spot

??

Is a bulb or another kind of light?

If its a light, that's what I though I was trying to fit

Also some say thre 1100 headlight was not the weak point it is on the 1150. This so?

 

[snoopy]

Fit a £35 quid HID and forget about it.

 

[Shurv]

Go see BTBR mate, he'll sort the lot out for you.