Auxiliary lights (again)

Riceburner

Riceburner

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I'm SURE this has been covered before, but please, before this thread is removed, just hear me out.....

Over the years, there have been thousands of auxiliary lights produced that are suitable for use on the 1150GS and other bikes, but searching the forum for them produces many, many results, and a huge number of the links are now dead: the products renamed, or otherwise removed from sale.

So - in the current time, summer 2020, can anyone recommend a decent, small* auxiliary light pairing? I don't even know at the moment which manufacturers are good (PIAA and HELLA are the only ones I'm aware of)

For reference, these will be used to augment FULL beam (ie, they will NOT be on all the time with dipped), and will be fitted to a Rockster rather than a GS or GSA (so additional things like mounting brackets are irrelevant, I have to make up something custom).

I currently have a Hella FF50 mounted to the underside of the front indicator using 3M VHB, and (frankly) it's shite. It's a fog light, so the beam pattern is all wrong and the mountings for it are awkward to utilise well on the Rockster.



* Previously I've had PIAA 1100Xs and they were great for filling in the gaps of the full-beam pattern. I'd buy them now - if I could find some....
 
I think Hella FF50s are driving lights. I have a pair of Hella Micro DEs which have a fog light style beam pattern and a pair of FF50s to come on with the main beam.

Mine have been converted to HID by HID50 so the burners are in the correct position, and they are very powerful with very defined beams, but if I were coming to it now (I fitted them years ago) I might be looking at LEDs like Clearwater or Denali - those things seem to be hellish bright without having to find space for igniters and ballasts.

Mounting lights to an indicator with sticky tape sounds a bit shite, there must be something better out there.
 
Riceburner said:
* Previously I've had PIAA 1100Xs and they were great for filling in the gaps of the full-beam pattern. I'd buy them now - if I could find some....
Click to expand...

Not quite the 1100X you were after, but I have some NOS PIAA 2100XT, a pair of drive and a pair of fogs. I might be persuaded to part with them. PM me if you're interested.
 
Dave T said:
Not quite the 1100X you were after, but I have some NOS PIAA 2100XT, a pair of drive and a pair of fogs. I might be persuaded to part with them. PM me if you're interested.
Click to expand...

Thank you enormously for the offer!

However I just got a bit excited as I found a source for the 1100X in the US who allegedly have some in stock and I may have "accidentally" (smirk) ordered them... :D
 
ThreeDawg said:
I think Hella FF50s are driving lights. I have a pair of Hella Micro DEs which have a fog light style beam pattern and a pair of FF50s to come on with the main beam.

Mine have been converted to HID by HID50 so the burners are in the correct position, and they are very powerful with very defined beams, but if I were coming to it now (I fitted them years ago) I might be looking at LEDs like Clearwater or Denali - those things seem to be hellish bright without having to find space for igniters and ballasts.

Mounting lights to an indicator with sticky tape sounds a bit shite, there must be something better out there.
Click to expand...

It is a crap way to mount them, but it served for a short-term fix.

The 3M VHB is 'not' sticky tape though..... I've specified it for use on vehicular applications (in my old job as a lighting designer), and also used it very successfully for bike-related things - eg holding a screen onto the bike (which it does very well).
 
ThreeDawg said:
�� Fair enough, and I must admit some of the gubbins to do with my HIDs is held in place with industrial Velcro.
Click to expand...

:D

The main issue with the Rockster is the complete lack of suitable locations to bolt brackets to. (and the fact that they are unpopular enough that bike-specific accessories are few and far between)
 
I bought 2 L brackets from Wickes. Bent them, sprayed them and bolted them with existing screws to the underneath of the air intakes on both sides of 1150R. Been on a year and still fine. Lights were DLR though and were about £6 off ebay. Again work fine for additional light but not night driving.
 
adventuredon said:
I bought 2 L brackets from Wickes. Bent them, sprayed them and bolted them with existing screws to the underneath of the air intakes on both sides of 1150R. Been on a year and still fine. Lights were DLR though and were about £6 off ebay. Again work fine for additional light but not night driving.
Click to expand...

Do you mean under the oil cooler covers?
 
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Riceburner said:
Thank you enormously for the offer!

However I just got a bit excited as I found a source for the 1100X in the US who allegedly have some in stock and I may have "accidentally" (smirk) ordered them... :D
Click to expand...


Well - that was a bust.
SportsImportsLtd seem to have cancelled the order almost immediately and never even bothered to communicate the fact. Thankfully they don't seem to have taken any payment.



back to the research list....
 
Ash said:
https://www.denalishop.co.uk/bike-tools/denali-motorcycle-light-mounts.html

Superb quality & brightness :bow

Add cyclops LED bulbs & night turns to day..

https://www.sportouring.co.uk/produ...gadgets/lighting-power-solutions/cyclops_led/
Click to expand...

What's the spread like?

I wouldn't be using these as driving lights - they'd be for FULL-beam ONLY - it's scary tipping into fast corners at night and the road ahead isn't in the available beam-pattern! I don't use any extra 'driving' lights, I find they cause too much glare to other road-users.

The PIAA-1100Xs I used to have were specifically aimed at the dark patches in the full-beam pattern (ie above the dip-pattern and to either side of the standard full-beam which doesn't spread at all).
 
Riceburner said:
What's the spread like?

I wouldn't be using these as driving lights - they'd be for FULL-beam ONLY - it's scary tipping into fast corners at night and the road ahead isn't in the available beam-pattern! I don't use any extra 'driving' lights, I find they cause too much glare to other road-users.

The PIAA-1100Xs I used to have were specifically aimed at the dark patches in the full-beam pattern (ie above the dip-pattern and to either side of the standard full-beam which doesn't spread at all).
Click to expand...

Hate to say this, but driving lights should only work when mean beam is on.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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