Auxiliary Lights

[88bmwjeff]

I did a quick search and could not find anything although I know this topic has been covered in the past.

The bike 2018 R1200GS. I'm thinking about adding auxiliary lights. The two questions I have are which lights to choose? How bright (lumens) would people choose? Thanks in advance.

 

[robsryder]

I expect it mostly depends on how much you want, or are willing, to spend. On the less expensive side are many offerings for LED lights (e.g., Amazon). You will need a relay, switch, and to take care not to interfere with the CANBUS system, i.e., power directly from the battery. Some folks seem to prefer a spot light, others a flood light. Some folks like the spot on one side and the flood light on the other. SuperBrightLEDs offers LED lights that show the angular coverage of the beam pattern.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-led-off-road-work-light-10w-900-lumens/1699/


On the more expensive end are offerings from Clearwater and Denali. On my R1200RTw I chose the Clearwater LED aux lights which has a controller that integrates well with the bike and the CANBUS system. The Clearwater LED lights can have a selectable brightness for "normal" use; I use a 10% brightness for daytime riding for enhanced visibility. Full brightness is used with the High Beam lights. I typically avoid riding at night. However, in riding back to the nearby hotel following a rally concert I turned on the High Beams. Holy Cow!!! It looked like an airplane's landing lights, very very bright!

https://www.clearwaterlights.com/collections/bmw

https://denalielectronics.com/blogs/outfitting-guides/bmw-r1200-gs-led-light-outfitting-guide
https://denalielectronics.com/blogs/outfitting-guides/bmw-gs-1250-led-light-outfitting-guide

 

[tepeterson7848]

I have had Clearwater Darla lights for several years now. Like Rob, my main goal was increasing my daytime visibility to others; the secondary goal was night-time visibility for me. They are excellent on both accounts. I have the rubber slip-on covers with yellow lens inserts to help in daytime visibility. Like Rob, also, I set mine to low power when the headlight is on and then they automatically go to high power when I turn on the brights - marvelous!

After several scrubbings I noticed that the plastic lenses were getting scratched so being the compulsive person I am, I got some camera lens filters, unscrewed the metal rings, and the glass fit perfectly and won't scratch under normal cleaning. I carry the old plastic ones in my spares bag in case of rock breakage. In case anyone wants to know what size fits the Darla lights they are Tiffen Yellow # 8 55mm filters.

 

[075038]

Very happy with my light upgrades

My LC R1200GS now has a CanSmart under the seat and ONE Denali D7 on the right side hanging under the OEM plastic GS bar w Denali bracket between. The right side has a farm supply Chinese LED light for conspicuity. The rear has a left and right waterproof 6" Red LED tape light on each side of the license plate.

The single D7 in the day is on 10% with high and low beam and on 10% at night with the low beam but with the high beam at night the D7 at 100% gives terrific additional light and stays on when the turn signal is working (so I can see at night leading up to turns including road name signs).

The right side mounting keeps the light away from roadside signs a little more than left side mounting would, as they shine so brightly back at me.

That's the cheapest best solution I figured out but was over $600.

The horn is a low range BMW 5 series E39 horn, direct replacement.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I've been wrestling with this issue as well. I had some Humongous very bright lights on my '14 but wanted something a little smaller and less conspicuous on my new '21 GSA.

I ordered a set of these yesterday Ruby Moto R4 Kit for GSA.

8,000 crystal clear optically focused lumens will get you from A to Zimbabwe. With eight top-tier American made CREE LED's, a pair of R4's generates more than 8,000 lumens, the extra distance and spread of the crystal clear 5000K daylight produced enables you to better see and be seen. The key difference between the R4 and R7 are output and size. Both utilize machined optics to provide both a flood and spot beam pattern.

They replace the existing BMW "Auxillary lights. At $499 they are somewhere in the middle between cheap Chinese lights and Denali/Clearwater uber-expensive lights. They reportedly operate on the existing auxiliary light circuit without triggering an overcurrent issue in the CANBUS, a little wiring surgery is required to connect them as the BMW connectors that plug into the back of their auxiliary lights are proprietary, imagine that!

I have yet to decide if I will power them with the existing circuit or via my EZCan.

They come with Yellow Slip-on covers for daytime conspicuity.
The yellow lights in the following picture are the D4's the bright white lights are their D7's.

 

[bigjohnsd]

The pictures in this ADVRider thread are what convinced me the Ruby Moto R$'s were the way to go - https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/...k-gsa-aux-lights.1538905/page-2#post-43945469

 

[PoorUB]

I put a set of Rigid lights on my RT and am very satisfied. They have a narrow beam so more of a spot light. I also bought snap on amber lens covers. also bought a small rocker switch i mounted on the handlebar. I did not want to control it through the wonder wheel. I wanted to be able to reach over and simply turn them off quickly and that isn't possible with the wonder wheel unless you leave it on the auxiliary light setting. Great visibility in the daytime and much better lighting at night.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074TWVKQN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

I saw those Ruby Moto lights at the rally in GF last summer and color me impressed. If I didn't already have the Clearwater set, I'd be really looking into getting the Ruby's..YMMV

 

[r0ckrat]

I hacked together some cheap Chinese lights with nice features. A couple of 12v 5-pole relays, and 2 taps, and I have small yellow wide-beam lights with the headlight after starting the motor, and bright-white spotlight beams with the brights turned on. Total cost was less than $50.

In the video, the camera is right in the foglight beam, and the spotlights are shooting over the top of the camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VIT3j0uk2A

Edit: I should probably adjust the lights up a little father, but here's the beam spread in a quick sample from the GoPro app.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yZAIYzerZ8

 

[PoorUB]

I have tried a couple different cheap Chinese LEDs. I didn't have any problems with them, but it is darned hard to find lights in a spot light beam. Everyone had flood style beams. The Rigids I bought were a narrow spot, I believe they advertise 8 degree. I prefer getting the light down the road farther than most cheap lights will do.

 

[coachz]

Clearwater

I've run clearwater lights now on seven different BMWs and have been thrilled with the product. It's definitely an investment but its amazing to see the difference with how cars behave around me when running them. All my bikes have gotten Darlas low down on the forks and Erica or sevina up high. There are plenty of good options out there just my experience. Ride safe

 

[83014]

I've been happy with the led auxiliary lights from Cyclops. I power them through a PDM60 to avoid any canbus issue and control them with the hi/lo beam switch with a Skene Design controller.. They're installed on my 2013 R1200R.
https://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/

Doug

 

[skibum69]

I always say as bright as possible but space etc may determine what you can run. I Really like me Denali 2's on my 640. Wee lights with lots of punch.

The little guys on the outside. 2"

 

[ramble]

Happy so far with the 2020 BMW stock lights, a bright led, had thought about an amber or yellow lens cover but had a VA Leo tell me once they were illegal. Have heard some comments here that the colors got drivers attention, but seems like the led brightness works well. Depending on the road, I will use them to catch a cars attention at uncontrolled intersections/drives.

 

[pauls1150]

Virginia is pretty picky about what somebody can do to their vehicle, but the state vehicle code can be confusing, even to an officer.
However - paragraph 46.2 specifically allows amber LEDS or covers, as long as they are not flashing.
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1012/

 

[bigjohnsd]

Wiring Harness F.Led Auxiliary Headlight - BMW-Motorrad (61128394907)
2021 BMW-Motorrad R1250GS Adventure - 61128394907

For only $150 one can procure the OEM Auxillary Light harness to cut up and make the Rubymoto R4 light install really seamless.