Lets See Your Lights...

[Lunasee]

If you interest is in lights to make you more visible, check out the ASL 1000 system by Lunasee. This adds great side visibility to your bike so you can now be visible and seen from 360 degrees. Or checkout the product review and video by Brian Harley at motorcycleusa.com

 

[freezingalaskan]

I have the Denali 2 mounted on the tip over wings and added Rigid and attached them to a fabricated "L" bracket that is held up by one of the bolts that holds the lower fairing. I picked the Rigid with spot lens and the light output is insane. Drove in the dark and I was shining up the night like nothing else. Very impressed....


freezingalaskan

 

[charlie b]

I am one of the cheap folks. But, I just wanted daytime running lights to make the bike more visible.

I got the cheap LED lights at Autozone and mounted them under the tipover wings. They are still very visible in daylight and obvious even more at night. And, when I dropped my bike at the gas station and the light broke off, I was only out $30.

I have not found a need to augment the stock headlight for night riding. I only ride three or four times a year on back roads at night. Only once have I found myself wanting more headlight, and that case it would have taken 4 or 6 more lights for my taste, black night felt like I was riding at the bottom of the ocean.

 

[CommuterNT]

I have the Denali 2 mounted on the tip over wings and added Rigid and attached them to a fabricated "L" bracket that is held up by one of the bolts that holds the lower fairing. I picked the Rigid with spot lens and the light output is insane. Drove in the dark and I was shining up the night like nothing else. Very impressed....

How do you run the lights? Do you have the Denali's on all the time as running lights and do they cast more of a flood pattern for you? Do you use the Rigid with your high beams only? Are they switched at all?

Just curious, as I wrote above I have the Rigid floods mounted on the tip over wings and they work great for making me more visible to others. They definitely help on dark roads but I wouldn't consider them a "night and day" effect. I also mounted the switch on the lid of the locked glove box so I can switch them off when needed (really only when boarding the ferry so I don't blind the ferry workers) I've thought about getting another set of lights that are more of spots and mounting them higher around the mirror area as others have done.

 

[freezingalaskan]

CommuterNT:
Sorry, I missed your post somehow and I am late responding.
My lights are hooked up such that I can have all extra lights turned off and only run the NT in standard configuration. I have a three button switch on the brake oil housing for that....

Usually, my D2s are on at low intensity with the low beams, and with high beam, D2s come on at full intensity together with the Rigid lights at full intensity. My Rigid lights are the spot version. What a difference these lights do for me driving in the dark. Admittedly, summertime in Alaska is never dark with sun still up at 11pm, but there is this time in the fall, late August and September when they show their worth.

I can see mounting the D2s up high at the mirrors, but not the Rigid as I think they weigh quite a bit.

freezingalaskan

 

[Columbus]

That set-up looks great!

MY D2's are mounted to tip over bars. Pretty easy install.

Brad

 

[Mellow]

Denali or the Rigid?

Rigid all the way.

It depends on which light you're using but just compare the lumen output specs.

 

[Mellow]

www.advmonster.com - model 60s are what I'm using on the ST now, I don't have any long-term experience with them but short-term they are incredibly bright.

I think the Rigid are the toughest of the crowd and the best quality but all should be okay for what we use them for.

 

[Bear]

Bob,
Years ago I found a conversion kit from sealed beam units to a unit that takes a Quartz Halogen bulb. I used it in my SAAB Sonett. I suspect that there is such a thing available today. I am looking for one for my CB550. The 550s headlight is anemic at best. If I find one, I'll get in touch with you.

 

[RedLdr1]

I suspect that there is such a thing available today. I am looking for one for my CB550. The 550s headlight is anemic at best. If I find one, I'll get in touch with you.

Hella makes them (Hella H5006 Sealed Beam Conversion Units)... Here is a new set of 5 1/4 inch ones on eBay you guys could split... If you need 7 inch those are out there as well...

 

[freezingalaskan]

That sounds like a LOT of light Marcus. Which throw more light, the Denali or the Rigid?

Bob,
The Rigid are brighter by far, but I have to say that the D2s look better on the bike. Together though, this is a bright setup. There is no return after an upgrade to this.

freezingalaskan

 

[slider]

So what's better between spot and flood for night vision if I was going with a fender mount?

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've got the spot. Don't think I'd want the flood. I never get flashed by oncoming drivers and the spots light up the ditch quite a ways out.

 

[slider]

Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[slider]

Nevermind now I get it...

 

[ken]

I've got the spot. Don't think I'd want the flood.

I just bought Denali D2d's and was thinking of using a spot on the left for vision down the middle of the road, and a flood on the right to light up critters on the side of the road. I havn't decided whether to mount them in the wheel or on the tipover wings. Either way, wouldn't the bike's shadow cut off the left side of the flood and prevent it from bothering oncoming traffic?

Ken

 

[Phil Tarman]

Either way, wouldn't the bike's shadow cut off the left side of the flood and prevent it from bothering oncoming traffic?

I don't know. It might. But the spot does a pretty job of lighting up the ditches. I don't know that lighting them up more widely would give you much more useful information. But if the D2 goes from spot to flood just by changing the lens insert the way the D1 does, give it a try. You don't have anything to lose.

BTW, I'm using the fender mount.

 

[BillyDoc]

Excellent thread! I gave my ABS system a real-life test again just last week because of someone not seeing me and pulling out right in front of me, so this is "just in time" info from my standpoint. When I went to check prices, however, I got some serious "sticker shock." Up to almost $300 for two aluminum castings with a few LED's in them? Probably a voltage regulator chip as well? I don't think so!

So I went on a search and found something a bit cheaper here: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/daytime-running-lights/20-watt-dual-led-mini-auxiliary-work-light/1407/3301/

I ordered two and will let you know when I get them installed. They are fifteen degree spots, so I should be able to aim them so they won't blind oncoming drivers.

I also reluctantly ordered a pair of Phillips X-treme Power headlamps. I say "reluctantly" because I would have much preferred a LED solution, but couldn't find one. I think HID is a bit too much.

Thanks for all the informative posts!

Bill

 

[Phil Tarman]

Bill, I found this on their site:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/daytime-running-lights/10-watt-led-mini-auxiliary-work-light/1362/

Dollars to donuts that it is exactly the same light you get when you buy a Denali 1 from Twisted Throttle. 'Course you don't get the wiring harness, the switch, and the relay.

 

[BillyDoc]

I think you're right, Phil . . . which makes that Denali wiring harness, et al. right pricy. I like that you get to pick your beam angle too. Another thing I like is the fact they are using CREE LEDs. I think CREE is one of the best LED manufacturers out there. They had a major breakthrough in efficiency recently as well (XLamp MK-R).

I saw this one this morning, but decided to spend the extra $15 and go for the 20 watt model. I'm more worried about daytime visibility than nighttime lighting. If it proves to be too bright, however, I may have to get into the circuitry and implement some control. Blinding oncoming traffic is not such a great idea when the concern is for safety. On the other hand, a good many of the local drivers here are apparently already blind . . .