RCU light bar on an R1150R

[Donster]

Several BMW dealers sell an RCU Light Bar for the R1150GS. Does anyone know if this will also fit (bolt on with no drilling) a 2004 R1150R? I'm interested in adding lights to the front primarily for daytime conspicuity purposes. Is there a general consensus on which of the PIAA line would be best for this purpose?

 

[PGlaves]

Several BMW dealers sell an RCU Light Bar for the R1150GS. Does anyone know if this will also fit (bolt on with no drilling) a 2004 R1150R? I'm interested in adding lights to the front primarily for daytime conspicuity purposes. Is there a general consensus on which of the PIAA line would be best for this purpose?

I'm not sure-sure, but don't think so. When I put driving lights on my 1150 I pondered that question and concluded it wouldn't fit without serious modification. It was easier if less elegant to build my own.

See the last photo at: http://www.mindspring.com/~paul.glaves/relaybox.htm

That is 1/4" by 1" steel bar stock sandwiched beneath the handlebar clamps and twisted and bent to position the lights where I wanted them. Not real elegant but very functional.

 

[charleshickman]

RCU Light Brackets

I don't believe that the GS light bar will fit. If I remeber correctly the GS light bar mounts under the beak. When I installed driving lights on my '02 R1150R I used the RCU light brackets for that bike. They are some L brackets that mount on the front turn signal mounts and headlight mount. They worked pretty well and weren't to much trouble to install. A&S BMW still has them listed, @ $76.

 

[kreinke]

I used the PIAA 1100x set. Mount them on the underside of the plastic oil cooler covers. Look in this picture of my bike directly under the BMW logo.

 

[Donster]

I'm not sure-sure, but don't think so. When I put driving lights on my 1150 I pondered that question and concluded it wouldn't fit without serious modification. It was easier if less elegant to build my own.

See the last photo at: http://www.mindspring.com/~paul.glaves/relaybox.htm

That is 1/4" by 1" steel bar stock sandwiched beneath the handlebar clamps and twisted and bent to position the lights where I wanted them. Not real elegant but very functional.

Perhaps not elegant but surely a lot more reasonably priced than the $150 piece of aluminum bar stock with a few holes drilled in it that I was looking at. However, I have a concern with your solution: What does it do for the lights' durability having them mounted on an unsprung part of the bike and thus not cushioned from road shock by the suspension?

I like Kreinke's method of mounting of the lights under the oil cooler covers, but I suppose that means drilling them, and irreversible modifications like drilling and wire-cutting are a last resort with me. (Maybe I'll just buy another pair of the covers.) The size of the "light triangle" the lights in this location would form with the headlight is large, which would be a good thing for conspicuity.

Head-scratching continues...

 

[kreinke]

I like Kreinke's method of mounting of the lights under the oil cooler covers, but I suppose that means drilling them, and irreversible modifications like drilling and wire-cutting are a last resort with me. (Maybe I'll just buy another pair of the covers.) The size of the "light triangle" the lights in this location would form with the headlight is large, which would be a good thing for conspicuity.

Head-scratching continues...

It just requires one hole in the bottom of each one. No one will ever see the holes uless they happen to stick their head down there and look up. The PIAA lights had quick plugs on them so you can remove the cooler covers light and all when you take the tank off.

I have my lights set up for "venison management". I parked on a dark road, threw my riding jacket over the headlight, then aimed the PIAA's so they had the best coverage aimed ever-so-slightly out toward the ditches and not directly in oncoming traffic's eyes.

This has worked out very well.

 

[PGlaves]

Perhaps not elegant but surely a lot more reasonably priced than the $150 piece of aluminum bar stock with a few holes drilled in it that I was looking at. However, I have a concern with your solution: What does it do for the lights' durability having them mounted on an unsprung part of the bike and thus not cushioned from road shock by the suspension?

There are two light sets on that bike. Motolights installed on the fork sliders and the big driving lights mounted on the bar attached at the handlebar mount.

The driving lights up top are "sprung" if you will - attached essentially at the steering head. They are cast aluminum housings and use H3 bulbs. Durable - and no issues.

The Motolights are mounted at an unsprung point. Machined aluminum housing. Either 35w 8 degree or 50w 12 degree glass faced MR16 bulbs. I wondered the same thing when I first saw them and got my first set. We have had them on 7 bikes - 5 we still own and I am ordering another set to go with the PIAAs on my K75RTP.

The ONLY issue related to where they are mounted is how you run the wiring to the lights and where you put the wire ties. If you do it so as to create one sharp bend point that flexes the wires in one spot, eventually (say 50K miles) you might have a wire break. If you arrange the wiring so the flex is spread over a curved loop you will have no problems. The bulbs last almost forever and are guaranteed forever. In about 1,000,000 miles with Motolights on our several bikes I have never had a mechanical issue with the mounting, and only one bulb failure. Certainly more reliable than my headlight bulbs!!

 

[Donster]

I have my lights set up for "venison management". I parked on a dark road, threw my riding jacket over the headlight, then aimed the PIAA's so they had the best coverage aimed ever-so-slightly out toward the ditches and not directly in oncoming traffic's eyes.

Do your PIAAs have a vertical aiming adjustment capability?

 

[Donster]

There are two light sets on that bike. Motolights installed on the fork sliders and the big driving lights mounted on the bar attached at the handlebar mount.

The driving lights up top are "sprung" if you will - attached essentially at the steering head. They are cast aluminum housings and use H3 bulbs. Durable - and no issues.

The Motolights are mounted at an unsprung point. Machined aluminum housing. Either 35w 8 degree or 50w 12 degree glass faced MR16 bulbs. I wondered the same thing when I first saw them and got my first set. We have had them on 7 bikes - 5 we still own and I am ordering another set to go with the PIAAs on my K75RTP.

The ONLY issue related to where they are mounted is how you run the wiring to the lights and where you put the wire ties. If you do it so as to create one sharp bend point that flexes the wires in one spot, eventually (say 50K miles) you might have a wire break. If you arrange the wiring so the flex is spread over a curved loop you will have no problems. The bulbs last almost forever and are guaranteed forever. In about 1,000,000 miles with Motolights on our several bikes I have never had a mechanical issue with the mounting, and only one bulb failure. Certainly more reliable than my headlight bulbs!!

Thanks, Paul. Both you and kreinke have nice installations. I guess the wiring part is another can of worms. I would want them to come on whenever the bike is running (conspicuity is the goal). Is that the way most people do it?

 

[PGlaves]

Thanks, Paul. Both you and kreinke have nice installations. I guess the wiring part is another can of worms. I would want them to come on whenever the bike is running (conspicuity is the goal). Is that the way most people do it?

The Motolights come with a wiring harness that includes a relay and a switch. The relay connects to the battery and the wire from the switch connects where you put it. The instructions say connect to key switched power like the parking light, tail light, etc. In this case leave the Motolight switch "on" and the lights are always on when the key is on.

You could dispense with the switch entirely and connect the harness wire that goes to the switch directly to keyed power.

As noted on that web page I referenced on my site I wired mine so they can be on all the time, or on only with low beam if I am running the driving lights with high beam.

 

[kreinke]

Do your PIAAs have a vertical aiming adjustment capability?

Yeah they do. Just simple allen head bolts on the brackets.