Are there amber lenses for the BMW Aux driving lights? R1200RTW

[rockbottom]

Agree on this one , the clearwaters darlas on my last 3 bikes . It makes a big difference in day time riding .
This is just a better way to go . We all like saving money but the clearwaters are clearly a better option here.

Mike

I'm not following this line of discussion. I put Clearwater Darlas on my 2914 RT but post 2021 ones with the premium package have running lights. Admittedly they don't have the variable intensity like the Clearwaters but I'd be hard pressed to justify removing perfectly good lights and spending $800 to replace them with more or less the equivalent becasue they have a few additional bells and whistles (that I almost never used on my old one). That's why the original question was not about taking off the the lights that came on the bike and replacing them with another kind but simply making them amber.

 

[gsinnc]

I'm not following this line of discussion. I put Clearwater Darlas on my 2914 RT but post 2021 ones with the premium package have running lights. Admittedly they don't have the variable intensity like the Clearwaters but I'd be hard pressed to justify removing perfectly good lights and spending $800 to replace them with more or less the equivalent becasue they have a few additional bells and whistles (that I almost never used on my old one). That's why the original question was not about taking off the the lights that came on the bike and replacing them with another kind but simply making them amber.

Yep …. I’m with you. While I feel Clearwaters are a better light I would not toss the perfectly good OEM lights.

 

[tepeterson7848]

I have Clearwater Darlas on both my bikes and love them - hang on - I'm getting to the thread...
I put the soft covers with yellow lenses (mentioned above by someone) but didn't like how the plastic lenses scratched when cleaning bugs off.
Since they are up high where the winglets used to be, I replaced the plastic lenses with glass camera filter lenses after unscrewing the threaded mounts.
You might find a similar fit for some of your existing white lights.

 

[patm]

I'm not following this line of discussion. I put Clearwater Darlas on my 2914 RT but post 2021 ones with the premium package have running lights. Admittedly they don't have the variable intensity like the Clearwaters but I'd be hard pressed to justify removing perfectly good lights and spending $800 to replace them with more or less the equivalent becasue they have a few additional bells and whistles (that I almost never used on my old one). That's why the original question was not about taking off the the lights that came on the bike and replacing them with another kind but simply making them amber.

I also agree. I have Darlas on my '16 RT but I kept the OEM aux lights on my '18 GSA. The OEM aux lights aren't the best if you want extra lighting at night. Their beam is wide and low like fog lights. But they're fine if you just want to be seen. The yellow or amber covers add visibility. As I don't ride much at night, that's fine by me.

 

[rockbottom]

I have Clearwater Darlas on both my bikes and love them - hang on - I'm getting to the thread...
I put the soft covers with yellow lenses (mentioned above by someone) but didn't like how the plastic lenses scratched when cleaning bugs off.
Since they are up high where the winglets used to be, I replaced the plastic lenses with glass camera filter lenses after unscrewing the threaded mounts.
You might find a similar fit for some of your existing white lights.

View attachment 90916

View attachment 90917

The lens holder for Darlas doesn't fit the OEM lights. I tried it. With hindsight I might have been able to put them in boiling water to soften them and then stretch them, but now I can't find them.

 

[lee]

I like the idea of using some type of cover to protect the driving light lens.
In 2020 a rock broke one of my Clearwater cover lens. It broke into 5 pieces but they all stayed in place on our trip home from Colorado.
When I returned home I called Clearwater and they mailed me 2 new yellow lens.

 

[rockbottom]

I just installed the 2" ones from Lamin-X. Super easy--stick them on, hit them with a hair dryer until they conformed to the light lens. Two minutes. I wish I'd ordered the amber instead of the yellow but not enough to reorder and redo it.

 

[brownie0486]

Don't have an opinion about your specific lights, but your observation and decision to use amber front aux lighting is spot on! Here's my story:

Twenty or so years ago I was riding in Southern California (coming from San Ysidro), headed north on one of the area's superfreeways (bunch of lanes of heavy, fast traffic moving in a dense formation). I was "leading the pack" when I noticed in my mirrors that among the sea of white headlights (cars, trucks, etc.) the only sight that caught my eye were two amber/yellow lights in that sea of white. It was two CHiPs on BMWs riding in tight formation and weaving through the crowd in pursuit of me (so I thought). Turns out they were not after me, but simply moving rather quickly up the road to an accident scene a few miles north. The lesson I took away from that experience: I gotta have those lights! As soon as I got back home I installed amber aux lights on my bike, and I have used them ever since. Don't recall having a driver pull in front of me since then.

Get the yellow lights installed and you will be safer. Not bulletproof, but safer.

Good luck.

I agree, I've used yellow D2's on the last 3 motors. White is lost in a sea of white lights, people tell me they spot my D2's with yellow lenses much further away than my brothers D2's which he prefers to run with clear lenses [ white lights ].

I know I notice the yellow lights from farther away than others using white myself. Hence the reason to move to those lenses. I've read you lose some lumens over the white lights but I forget how much at the moment. I rarely ride after dark, mine are fine for being noticed. Enough notice over my brothers clear D2's that he's decided to swap out the lenses to the yellow come spring.

 

[pat8635]

Agreed

Have not seen any amber lens or covers for the stock BMW lights.

While Clearwater lights are great and I have the Darlas with yellow lens covers on my RT there are some very good less expensive alternatives. You might want to check out the Denali DM2's are small but are super bright and do a great job adding to conspicuity. They can be had with amber lens.

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-dm-2-0-led-trioptic-led-light-kit-with-datadim-technology

If going with Clearwaters you can do well with Darlas as they are excellent for daytime conspicuity.

Some guys have also tried adding clear film to the BMW lights.
https://www.lamin-x.com/customer-gallery/tint-fog-light-tint-film/hqdefault_1

I put Darlas on r1200r and dealer was supposed to move to '22 rt long story, I got them back in a box.

After a few weeks of riding, the BMW auxiliary lights just don't hack it. I had already put Billie on back so wiring was simple and well worth it.

 

[rockbottom]

I put Darlas on r1200r and dealer was supposed to move to '22 rt long story, I got them back in a box.

After a few weeks of riding, the BMW auxiliary lights just don't hack it. I had already put Billie on back so wiring was simple and well worth it.

To each his own but I had Darlas on my previous bike and while they're better than the OEM ones, I didn't consider them $800 and two hours of work better. In terms of making the OEM ones amber I've been very happy with https://lamin-x.com/2-5-round-light-covers.html

 

[jpcarroll]

I have the Clearwater Darlas as well. And picked up their yellow (plus a clear lenses) slip on covers. I wish instead of yellow, they offered amber. With the blue/white LEDs, the yellow ends up looking greenish (blue + yellow = green). You can see a greenish tint on bmwdean's pics, but mine seem greener. I'll update with a pic when I get a chance.

I just ordered the amber Lamin-X 2" discs and I'll cover the clear lenses and give that a go. I did ask Clearwater about it, but crickets on the response. Thanks for the tip and all the other great ideas.

John

Pic with Clearwater yellow lens and no lens:


Pic with Lamin-X amber cover. Very amber when off, but a deep yellow when on:

 

[rockbottom]

BTW I have a set of Darla slip on covers with the yellow lenses that I'll give anyone who wants them. I no longer have the bike they were on. Just pay shipping.

 

[54571]

REWOLFNUS 2 PCS Motorcycle Fog Light Cover Bulb Light Guards Protector for R1200GS F800GS R1250GS F850GS F750GS ADV(Yellow) https://a.co/d/coyZyj5


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[pat8635]

To each his own but I had Darlas on my previous bike and while they're better than the OEM ones, I didn't consider them $800 and two hours of work better. In terms of making the OEM ones amber I've been very happy with https://lamin-x.com/2-5-round-light-covers.html

Having them already, I had no added financial expense, only time, and bike is my Hobby... I am very glad I did it. HD peeps say sound is safety, I believe being seen is much more important! I am seen!