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R1150R Driving Light Suggestions

jbaab

New member
Hello all...

Looking for suggestions on product and placement of auxiliary driving lights for my 2004 BMW R1150R. And suggestions and pics of installs would be greatly appreciated! Just looking to add some more light to the machine at night.
 
I have a set of Denali 2's on my KTM 640 Adventure that I really like. They are only 2" housings so small and easy to mount. I would also suggest looking at Clearwater, they are some of the best lights out there and they will definitely have a good mounting option for you.
 
Hello all...

Looking for suggestions on product and placement of auxiliary driving lights for my 2004 BMW R1150R. And suggestions and pics of installs would be greatly appreciated! Just looking to add some more light to the machine at night.

Welcome to the forum!
I don't have any experience with the R1150r so I can't help you. While you are watching for some help, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and check the "similar threads" panel.
Good luck.
Gary
 
Hello all...

Looking for suggestions on product and placement of auxiliary driving lights for my 2004 BMW R1150R. And suggestions and pics of installs would be greatly appreciated! Just looking to add some more light to the machine at night.

I have one recommendation about auxiliary lights: put AMBER driving lights on the front of your bike. Always. This is a safety feature and makes you stand out from the crowd and get noticed by other vehicles.

My personal example and "AHA" moment occurred in SoCal about 15-20 years ago on one of their crowded freeways. About six lanes, all laden with fast traffic, nobody obeying any speed limit. Buddy and I were running near the front of a pack, pushing 85+, trying simply to survive until our exit ramp. I was watching my mirrors and the sea of headlights, trying to judge a safe path to stay alive when I saw a pair of yellow lights literally jump out of the sea of headlights. Those amber lights were the most noticeable lights in the area. Turned out to be a pair of CHiPS on BMWs riding in close formation, not chasing us but heading for a traffic stoppage a few miles ahead. They were not using any flashers or sirens, just the big yellow riding lights mounted on the RTs. Sure got my attention and when I got back home a week or so later, I mounted a pair of LEDs (Clearwater's) on my front forks and have used them on every bike I've owned since. Lots of others have told me the lights make me more noticeable, especially in traffic.

Whatever you decide, good luck.
 
I still have not done this to my own bike (thanks for the suggestions on amber). I did mount photon blaster next to the fender. The efficacy is still on question for conspicuity. Places I have considered mounting additional lights:. On the forks, to the place where the oil coolers mount, to crash bars (if I had them). Good luck and reply back with what you did.
 
Another lighting alternative

I tried Weiser Technik lights on my F750GS and they work great! See: https://www.weisertechnik.com/ - they give you good visibility both forward and back! I especially like the turn signals turning into brake lights in the rear.

I also have a set of Clearwater Darla lights on the forks as well for added visibility forward.

Good luck!
 
Hello all...

Looking for suggestions on product and placement of auxiliary driving lights for my 2004 BMW R1150R. And suggestions and pics of installs would be greatly appreciated! Just looking to add some more light to the machine at night.

I'd like to see what others have as well. I've got some pretty good lights left over from a previous project but need to find some mounts. I've looked around on my R1150R and there is a threaded mount (8mm I believe) on the frame under the edge of the tank right above the cylinders. I suspect It's a mounting point for engine guards but for my use it seems like it would be an ideal place to mount lights. Don't suppose anybody knows of one made for mounting there?
 
I have one recommendation about auxiliary lights: put AMBER driving lights on the front of your bike. Always. This is a safety feature and makes you stand out from the crowd and get noticed by other vehicles.

My personal example and "AHA" moment occurred in SoCal about 15-20 years ago on one of their crowded freeways. About six lanes, all laden with fast traffic, nobody obeying any speed limit. Buddy and I were running near the front of a pack, pushing 85+, trying simply to survive until our exit ramp. I was watching my mirrors and the sea of headlights, trying to judge a safe path to stay alive when I saw a pair of yellow lights literally jump out of the sea of headlights. Those amber lights were the most noticeable lights in the area. Turned out to be a pair of CHiPS on BMWs riding in close formation, not chasing us but heading for a traffic stoppage a few miles ahead. They were not using any flashers or sirens, just the big yellow riding lights mounted on the RTs. Sure got my attention and when I got back home a week or so later, I mounted a pair of LEDs (Clearwater's) on my front forks and have used them on every bike I've owned since. Lots of others have told me the lights make me more noticeable, especially in traffic.

Whatever you decide, good luck.

Yup! Best advice ever. As I recall you gave me the same advice about a year ago and I heeded that advice.

I’ve noticed that people seem more attentive and alert when I’m riding with my yellow lights. Definitely gets people’s attention.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
+++ on the ambers.

Several times while I have been on the San Diego Freeway or the Harbor Freeway while heading in to L.A., I've seen these coming up behind me, sometimes while whitelining... They most definitely stand out! And these were on CHP or city motor officers' bikes.
 
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