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Motolights Halogen vs. Clearwater LED's - 2012 R1200GS
- Thread starter jgp1854
- Start date
Clearwater KRISTA's & DARLA's
Just an update to my original post. The folks at Clearwater, couldn't be better, beginning with Glenn (owner) everyone was very customer orientated. My lights arrived very well packed with detailed color instructions. The only hiccup was the wiring harness was universal, not the specific to my GS. A call to Lorette at Clearwater quickly corrected the mixup and 2 day freight (covered by Clearwater) I had the specific harness.
First, I have zero electrical skills! I recruited an ole Florida friend who was in Michigan, the two of were able to install, wire the lights using the Clearwater detailed instructions without incident. The lights look great and function perfectly, using the recommended installation whereas high beam activation lights up the Clearwater light and the horn function feature are a real safety feature.
I can honestly recommend CLEARWATER products.
73516
Michigan
Just an update to my original post. The folks at Clearwater, couldn't be better, beginning with Glenn (owner) everyone was very customer orientated. My lights arrived very well packed with detailed color instructions. The only hiccup was the wiring harness was universal, not the specific to my GS. A call to Lorette at Clearwater quickly corrected the mixup and 2 day freight (covered by Clearwater) I had the specific harness.
First, I have zero electrical skills! I recruited an ole Florida friend who was in Michigan, the two of were able to install, wire the lights using the Clearwater detailed instructions without incident. The lights look great and function perfectly, using the recommended installation whereas high beam activation lights up the Clearwater light and the horn function feature are a real safety feature.
I can honestly recommend CLEARWATER products.
73516
Michigan
tuckerman
New member
I couldn't agree more! I just took my Krista and Glenda lights from my RT to GSA. During Clearwater's busy time getting ready to head to the rally, Glenn was on the phone with me for a small bit of trouble shooting for a half hour until it was fixed. Their lights are pricey, but built extremely well and the customer service is second to none. If you're on the fence, just buy them!
Jon R.
sickticket
New member
I have the Darla's and, since I work second shift and leave work at 12:30 am, I really need them. My 45 minute ride home through farm land and state game lands is full of danger and these lights light up everything from tree line to tree line.
I also got a letter from Clearwater with replacement O rings. They upgraded to a better material and just sent them to me.
Great service and wonderful products.
I also got a letter from Clearwater with replacement O rings. They upgraded to a better material and just sent them to me.
Great service and wonderful products.
Clearwater KRISTA's & DARLA's
It's done. I've installed Clearwater's KRISTA's & DARLA's on my R1200GS (2012). The entire purchasing experience with Clearwater was top shelf. Glenn (owner of Clearwater & Lorett) were the very best I've experienced at customer service. They get it, and I strongly recommend anyone looking to add aftermarket lights call them, you WILL talk with the owner, and get sound advice and support.
Now to the installation component, understand my electrical prowess is somewhere between zero and none. So I recruited a friend to help with the wiring. Installing the mounting bar for the KRISTA's and mounting the DARLA's was a breeze. The instructions provided by Clearwater was spot on. The wiring harness specific to my GS clearly marked with "little white tags" that directed you where to make contacts made the wiring even for me, easy. You are provided everything you need from wire ties, to posi-taps. The instruction booklet was written for guys like me, easy to follow and understand, not to mention in color..........
So the long and short of it, if you are looking to add lighting, do yourself a favor and give GLENN @ Clearwater Lights a call. Don't be surprised if your experience is every-bit as good as mine.
73516
Michigan
It's done. I've installed Clearwater's KRISTA's & DARLA's on my R1200GS (2012). The entire purchasing experience with Clearwater was top shelf. Glenn (owner of Clearwater & Lorett) were the very best I've experienced at customer service. They get it, and I strongly recommend anyone looking to add aftermarket lights call them, you WILL talk with the owner, and get sound advice and support.
Now to the installation component, understand my electrical prowess is somewhere between zero and none. So I recruited a friend to help with the wiring. Installing the mounting bar for the KRISTA's and mounting the DARLA's was a breeze. The instructions provided by Clearwater was spot on. The wiring harness specific to my GS clearly marked with "little white tags" that directed you where to make contacts made the wiring even for me, easy. You are provided everything you need from wire ties, to posi-taps. The instruction booklet was written for guys like me, easy to follow and understand, not to mention in color..........
So the long and short of it, if you are looking to add lighting, do yourself a favor and give GLENN @ Clearwater Lights a call. Don't be surprised if your experience is every-bit as good as mine.
73516
Michigan
iambob
New member
Motolights for me!!! That is why every motor cop has them. I also know the owner............
I also have MotoLights.. and with the Ushio 6500k 50W bulbs they can't be beat for conspic.. conpis... being seen..
Team those up with the HID 6500K Low Beams, and the 4000k high beam and I don't think anything can compete as far as being seen AND seeing at night.
In fact when I first installed the HID I had to turn off the High Beam on a ride home.. I REALLY didn't want to see ALL of those deer.
RapidRoadRescue
New member
I use those on my GS, upper 10W flods,great for day running in traffic and 16W spots, great for night riding.
And here 10W with PIAA 1100X
And here 10W with PIAA 1100X
Same. Great deal. Great lights, I guess I was second in line. Arranged ages ago with Lorett.
jlevee
Geek
This was a question I was having myself recently, Denali vs motolight vs clearwater. In emailing w/ Glenn @ Clearwater I got some images of WHAT THE RIDER SEES w/ the lights at night, as most images on their site seem to be just of lights on a bike.
See below for comparison
LOw Beams
Kristas
Ericas
See below for comparison
LOw Beams
Kristas
Ericas
mypetersahn
MyPetersahn
Mounts?
What did you use to mount on the engine bars? Does the standard kit have an application or did you use something else?
Thanks,
Jeff
What did you use to mount on the engine bars? Does the standard kit have an application or did you use something else?
Thanks,
Jeff
BlackDenis
'11 R1200RT '12 F800GS
I used Techmount Light Mounts for Tubular Bars. I can't say that I am happy with the part of the design of these mounts. After some use, the locking screw will not hold the light mount to the bar clamp. The screw doesn't come loose, but the stem wears and on two occasions the lights were hanging by the wires. The first time I used cable ties to hold the light mounts in place and the second time packed the joint with a silicone rubber compound. When the current mounts fail, and they will, I will use a set that I have repaired with epoxy resin. They won't fail, I am sure.
Techmount has responded to by difficulties by sending new mounts: twice within the 1 year warranty, so I have spares that I can repair, as mentioned. If you buy them, fit them and adjust as you need and then use some JB weld or epoxy putty to permanently attach the light mounts to the bar mounts. You will still be able to remove them from the bars, and remove the lights from the mount.
dockeithdc
innate need to improve
Got tired of changing the bulb on my motolights. Last time one burned out I changed the bulb for motolights LED version. They were a little expensive, $100 per pair, but very happy with results!
The Motolights have a superb housing but use an indoor bulb design- and are also becoming obsolete. The LED option available for them doesn't put out much light either. They seriously need a modern 10W LED update but that would have to be custom made from one of the shops in Korea that does such work- might not be affordable even if the Motolight owners have the contacts to get such work done. I suspect Motolights are well on the path to being like PIAA 1100s, stuff that sells some because of reputation and quality but seriously out of date. Motolights are only good for conspicuity- they don't put much light on the road. Should be considered as alternate for Photon Blasters, not for down the road lighting.
The Denali D2 has been made in several versions under the same name- they all look alike until taken apart so the LED and board can be examined- but the output differs by more than a factor of 2 despite the fact that the Twisted Throttle specs are the same for all versions. The same lights are available from VisionX with a wider assortment of lenses and what is IMO a better made harness. These lights do a good job of supplementing low beams but are not long range driving lights. The 20 degree beam is easir on the eyes of oncoming drivers than the 10 degree beam but you will proably need the dimmer if in urbanized areas if you want to use these at night. They are also superb conspicuity lights.
The Clearwaters are pricey and you will for sure need the dimmer for night use where there is oncoming traffic. The latest designs are modern LED types with plenty of output (more than the D2) to extend the low beam or to act as longer range lights depending on choice. However, the glare problem from these lights to oncoming drivers can be severe. All modern high output LED designs fail to shield the LED point source, pointing it directly down road, so this effect is unavoidable with such types and the dimmer is only a partial answer. What is needed is a reflector type design with a shield over the LED, as PIAA has done with a lower output LED lamp. If you live in a rural enough area the Clearwaters will be fine but otherwise you're likely to piss off every other driver coming your way unless you're really fast on the dimmer and maybe even then.
For those reasons, I use VisionX SP120 or SP110 on my bikes as a mid range light and continue to use FF50 halogens with 65W (2100 lumen) bulbs as my driving lights.
It is not always true that more ligt makes for a more suitable choice. And there is also no one pair of lights than does everything well- you will need a couple sets to cover all reasonable situations.
To evaluate glare from your light setup, simply park the bike in a flat drak place, walk out front about 50 yds and get your eyes down to the height of the lights. You'll know immediately how oncoming drivers will react- anything thats a lot worse than a stock low beam will draw responses.
The Denali D2 has been made in several versions under the same name- they all look alike until taken apart so the LED and board can be examined- but the output differs by more than a factor of 2 despite the fact that the Twisted Throttle specs are the same for all versions. The same lights are available from VisionX with a wider assortment of lenses and what is IMO a better made harness. These lights do a good job of supplementing low beams but are not long range driving lights. The 20 degree beam is easir on the eyes of oncoming drivers than the 10 degree beam but you will proably need the dimmer if in urbanized areas if you want to use these at night. They are also superb conspicuity lights.
The Clearwaters are pricey and you will for sure need the dimmer for night use where there is oncoming traffic. The latest designs are modern LED types with plenty of output (more than the D2) to extend the low beam or to act as longer range lights depending on choice. However, the glare problem from these lights to oncoming drivers can be severe. All modern high output LED designs fail to shield the LED point source, pointing it directly down road, so this effect is unavoidable with such types and the dimmer is only a partial answer. What is needed is a reflector type design with a shield over the LED, as PIAA has done with a lower output LED lamp. If you live in a rural enough area the Clearwaters will be fine but otherwise you're likely to piss off every other driver coming your way unless you're really fast on the dimmer and maybe even then.
For those reasons, I use VisionX SP120 or SP110 on my bikes as a mid range light and continue to use FF50 halogens with 65W (2100 lumen) bulbs as my driving lights.
It is not always true that more ligt makes for a more suitable choice. And there is also no one pair of lights than does everything well- you will need a couple sets to cover all reasonable situations.
To evaluate glare from your light setup, simply park the bike in a flat drak place, walk out front about 50 yds and get your eyes down to the height of the lights. You'll know immediately how oncoming drivers will react- anything thats a lot worse than a stock low beam will draw responses.
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Judging by how much you piss off other road users isn't relevant. Get out front and compare for yourself- it is the only way guaranteed to show you the other guys perspective.
Years ago PA state troopers used to try to bait drivers into responding to high beam inappropriately- by leaving their highs on or deliberately switching to highs and seeing if a driver would respond by also going to and leaving high beams on. I don't know if they've been disabused of this behavior yet or not. I witnessed it for myself quite a few times on 220 and other roads I used going N-S or S-N hrough PA. Given the huge number of small road rats in PA (when I lived in NY we used to joke about going to PA to go "dog" hunting, they're so small) I wonder why folks don't drive with highs and driving lights on all the time.
Years ago PA state troopers used to try to bait drivers into responding to high beam inappropriately- by leaving their highs on or deliberately switching to highs and seeing if a driver would respond by also going to and leaving high beams on. I don't know if they've been disabused of this behavior yet or not. I witnessed it for myself quite a few times on 220 and other roads I used going N-S or S-N hrough PA. Given the huge number of small road rats in PA (when I lived in NY we used to joke about going to PA to go "dog" hunting, they're so small) I wonder why folks don't drive with highs and driving lights on all the time.
tuckerman
New member
I have and they're bright and conspicuous, just as they're supposed to be. I believe it is very relevant. If I'm not pissing them off, and (knock on wood), they're not turning in front of me, then I really don't care how bright they are. They're not pissed off, and so far, I'm not dead. If I had to pick between the two of those options, they could pound sand. Sorry.
