Added Lighting - Clearwater or Denali

I've had cheap and not so cheap (PIIA, Denali) LEDs aux lights and then I got the Clearwater Darlas.
They all work as they should. They're all either bright, extra-bright or way too bright. A dimmer is strongly recommended.

The cheap ones I had to make/adapt the harness. One pair didn't last more than a few months due to moisture.
One cheap set would not work with a PWM dimmer. Sold that set before I got to use them.
The PIIAs came with a good harness but failed after two years, also due to moisture.
The Denali I've installed on my wife's bike. The attachment is not very well thought out and gets loose after a while, even with loctite.
No issues with the Darlas. Install was a breeze, no splicing or cutting required. You control them with the wonder wheel.

Are you using a CanOpener or EzCan (or Denali's Canamatic) with your setups?

jgoertz said:

Are you using a CanOpener or EzCan (or Denali's Canamatic) with your setups?

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CanOpener with the Darlas. The others were on other bikes, non BMW.

Okay, here's another question -- I'm contemplating adding a set of Denali D2's to my 15RT, using the Fender Mount kit. I already purchased the Hex EZ-Can and the Denali B6 Brakelight (not yet mounted -- thought I'd wait until I had the D2's in hand). My question (actually, 2 questions) -- Is the pigtail supplied with the D2's long enough to reach the EZ-Can under the seat? and Is it possible to fish the pigtail under the tank w/o removing the Tupperware?

Thanks in advance for any advice/assistance.

I love my Clearwater lights. I have them on all my bikes. Krista's or Glenda's


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so i made a decision

Got the new Denali D4 driving lights......will write once I have installed them!

2013 1200GS (LC) wiring ?

Installing Denali D4 lights and having a spot of trouble getting into switched power. Anyone know the three wires to the headlights, brown is ground, but which one is high beam vs low beam???

White = High
Yellow = Low

Standard for German vehicles, possibly others as well.

bmwdean said:

My R1200RTW accessories:

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Now that' s what I call a ride!

Jim

daboo said:

If I did what you are suggesting, I'd have 13,400 lumens shining in everyone's eyes. That's blinding.

I had another rider pass me on the other side of my lane without any warning at all. I decided to turn on my highbeams to just show a little irritation at him. (I know, not a very forgiving attitude...) He switched sides of the lane to get out of the light. I switched to stay behind him. He finally switched into the lane next to ours to escape.

Point is, you have no idea how blinding that is. It isn't just being seen. It might also keep another driver from seeing a pedestrian or whatever in the seconds after you pass. It's dangerous.

Chris

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I agree with you. I have had Clearwaters on a previous bike and am saving pennies for another set on my GSA. Those lights are HAZARDOUS to oncoming drivers. I had to run them at level 2 (of 10 possible levels) just to keep folks from flashing me as if I had brights on. I never realized how bright they were until I let a fellow test ride my bike while I rode my other bike ahead of him. The lights were ridiculously bright. I would run them at bright but only at night on dark country roads with no oncoming traffic. Clearwaters are the best, but they're expensive and way too bright at highest intensity.

The Clearwater Darla lights I have are bright, but not the brightest anymore. The Clearwater webpage says they are 2000 lumens each. What makes them seem so bright, is they have a flood light beam, not a spot light. They spray light everywhere...which is good and has its drawbacks too. They do a good job of lighting up the road on a dark road with no traffic. But where I live, they are about useless. I have them turned down all the way because the light spray blinds oncoming traffic.

If I bought another pair of lights, I'd buy the ADVMonster Model 55. http://stores.advmonster.com/model-55-led-light-kit/ The kit costs $170, compared to the $499 of the Clearwater Darla. I've used the ADVMonster Model 30 for about 70,000 miles and they looked like new when I sold the bike and performed flawlessly. The Model 55 has a 7 degree spot beam with a designed in light spread to light up the surrounding area...but not like a flood light. The Model 55 puts out 3000 lumens, compared to the 2000 lumens of the Darla. For my money, they are a better light and there is nothing substandard about the ADVMonster lights...even if I think the name is kinda weird.

Chris

+1 on the Clearwater Ericas. Have them on my 1200 GS with identical set up to bmwdean. They are excellent and worth the money IMHO.

Alternative solution!

A little late response, but if you not purchased yet check out Black dog products. They sell a 6 led horizontal assembly that mounts between the forks above the fender. 3000 lumens and a wiring and brackets included. Led manufactured by Rigid Industries. Very bright and out of harms way just in case you go down.