• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

LF: Driving Lights and/or HID Headlight for R100 GS

globalrider

Alps Adventurer
My R100 GS is back on the road after having spent the last ten years on my R1150GS Adventure.

The one and only thing I miss is better lighting. My GS Adventure also has a TerraNova light bar and a pair of Hella FF50 driving lights.

With a limiting 280W alternator (and I'm not looking to upgrade that component) on the R100 GS, efficient lights will be a factor.

Any ideas and photos of your set-up would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!
 
led lights

I am going to upgrade both my /6 and 1200gs with led lights, probably from twisted throttle. The smaller Denali's only pull about 10 amps I believe. I may go with a more powerful one on the GS though just because I can.
 
The smaller Denali's only pull about 10 amps I believe.

Actually, that is a lot. A pair of standard halogen lights draw that current.

I'll have a look at their site to check them out.

I just checked...they draw 10 Watts...that is under 1 Amp. Impressive if the lighting is good.
 
i'd look to add LED auxiliary lighting. Would not suggest HID primary lights, as the OEM lens is really not designed to direct the beam appropriately.
 
+1 on the Denalis. They are designed so you can connect more lights by just sliding more light heads onto each other if you need more output.
 
I bought a set of the2" Solstice lights from these guys.. http://www.visionxstore.com/Motorcycle LED Lights. Seem to be a better deal than what TT is offering, as nearly same price with better quality componentry (or so it would seem). they will be going on my F8GS as soon as my buddy finishes my custom mounting brackets.
Interesting, If you can, perhaps a thread with pictures in F-Twins? I'd like some more visibility on my F8. OM
 
Would not suggest HID primary lights, as the OEM lens is really not designed to direct the beam appropriately.

The lens or the reflector?

I looked up the headlight bulb in the owner's manual: H4, halogen, 60/55W, asymmetric dipped beam.

I always thought an H4 is an H4. So what is the asymmetric dipped beam part of it or is that what all H4 bulbs are?

Checking the web, HID kits are very reasonable and plug 'n play.


As for LED auxilliary lights, they are pricey. LEDs normally last forever. BUT does that apply to LEDs used in vehicle lighting or are they driven to their limits and have a short life? And what about the circuitry in the lights?
 
...as soon as my buddy finishes my custom mounting brackets.

That is another issue.

Who makes quality bolt-on brackets that mount on the engine protection bars of the R100 GS?

I could make some nice aluminum mounts on my lathe and mill, but I have too much on the go at the moment.

Thanks for the tips and comments so far.
 
I picked up some good light mounts from national cycle (ztechnik) for a couple of my airheads. Priced reasonably..
 
watts an amp?

Actually, that is a lot. A pair of standard halogen lights draw that current.

I'll have a look at their site to check them out.

I just checked...they draw 10 Watts...that is under 1 Amp. Impressive if the lighting is good.

knew I should have double checked that.
 
I picked up some good light mounts from national cycle (ztechnik) for a couple of my airheads. Priced reasonably..

Are you referring to these handlebar mounts that you might have used as light mounts? I couldn't find anything else on their site.

Edited to add: what did you do about mounting a Driving Light on the right engine protection bar where the oil cooler is attached? Any pics?


ZBMZ6011TechMountBOM_600.jpg


or

ZBMZ6014TechMountBOM_600.jpg



I think I found them on their Accessory Mounts page...

ZBMZ6020TechMountBOM_600.jpg
 
As we are getting a bit deeper into this, I've been concerned about mounting lights that would add to my visibility near the turn signals. Some of the lights are, or at least seem, bright enough to overpower the turn signal. :dunno
OM
 
PIAA & Warn both sell nice compact aux. light mountings that are designed for round bars. Less $$$ than Touratech. I may go that route, am undecided.
I just took delivery from Hong Kong via ebay on a pair of LED lights that are 10w, have top of the line Cree xm led's and are 25deg spot beam lenses. They have a nice black alu housing in bullet shape with a SS "u" bracket & fasteners. I hooked them up temporarily to see if they were functional & with the lights off in my shop they are bright enough for $69.80 total price & to make for a safer MC. Wiki on Cree xm led's is entertaining & says they come from NC. Do you suppose the Chinese order them from us in USA? :ear
A vendor ( www.mondomotos.com ) on the F650 site is selling @ discounted price (there in vendors section to chaingang folks) there with their name on them for a bit more as a package with wiring,instructions, etc..
I'm using the PIAA relay (small) & a PIAA switch which is small, has a practical red/green led indicator,pushbutton & mounts with sticky backing nicely to a bike.
Per above thinking I want my lights mounted below the blinker-what about a mounting that goes around the lower fork tubes?:ear My G650GS lower measures 1.93" Several sell/fabricate a light bar that fits horizontally on the front fender fasteners.
 
Some of the lights are, or at least seem, bright enough to overpower the turn signal. :dunno
OM

I have noticed that on motorcycles that I have come across on the road. In fact, the same goes for cars where the owner has increased the wattage of their headlight bulbs.
 
I use aux lights mostly to be noticed and not for looking further down the road as the new RTs have very good headlights in that regard. If you can mount them so they are above the handlebars, that would be optimal IMO. On my RT-P the police lights were changed to Hellas on the police mounts. No one EVER didn't see me or turn in front of me when riding that bike.

IMO getting them as far away from the headlight(s) is best to be noticed. Fork,caliper, or front
fender mounts are also good. On my present RT I didn't want to change the bodywork (around the mirrors) and also look for mounts to get them above the handlebars as on the RT-P, so I just recently mounted them on locked open highway pegs, they are quite wide and down near the heads, very noticeable, but not as low as fender mounting. Will have to see if there's any vibration or if the pegs want to fold closed with the extra mass on them.
 
I hooked them up temporarily to see if they were functional & with the lights off in my shop they are bright enough for $69.80 total price & to make for a safer MC.

When you say "bright enough", do you mean for oncoming traffic to see you or do you mean they light up the road some distance away far more than the stock headlight. I am looking for the latter?

Those along with the Ztechnic mounts may just be it. I have to check out possible mounting clearance issues where the oil cooler is located.
 
+1 on the Denali's from Twisted Throttle. I've had them for about 10 months on my R80. If you're looking for 1) better all-around lighting at night, and 2) being more visible during the day, they fill both bills. For a long-distance or high-speed driving light where you might want to see 600 feet down the road, I think all LED systems will fall short (literally, they don't throw enough light FAR down the road)--you'll want HID or halogens. Denalis are outstanding for everything else, and for normal night riding they're terrific. They need to be adjusted carefully to avoid blinding other drivers though.

There are 3 versions--I have the D2 which are dimmable and come with a wiring harness and instructions that allow them to be triggered by your normal high/low beam switching. On high, they blind other drivers even during the day; I leave them on low beam, and when someone is about to pull out or turn in front of me, I give them the brights. Gets their attention.

One complaint is that they come with an excessive amount of very thick wiring and large heavy-duty connectors. It's hard to find a place to put it all on an unfaired bike.

Can't help you on the brackets; I fabricated my own.
 
I just want to give you all a heads up and mention one problem I encountered on my 1200RT. I don't know if other late model BMWs are the same or not.

I bought the fender mounts ($20) from TT for the Denalis that I already had. The internal threads behind the fender mount holes are not at a 90 degree angle to the front. IOW, when I mounted the lights, they were both facing inward, the beams would be crossed somewhere in front of the tire and not straight down the road. So I abandoned that mounting possibility.
 
Might take a look @ www.ezymount.com

I do not feel my LED's will light my way on the road "beyond the halogen HL" but they are waaaaayy too bright to "look at" in shop test! and will draw little current while helping with conspicuity. See ebay item # 380690392232 as one e.g. of the light I bought. Anything brighter is HID or halogen that draws more than I desire & or has more than one led inside & is thus a larger light & more $$$. They just raised the price too!
 
Back
Top