Auxillary Lights

[whrich13]

Hey everyone,

So i've been thinking about adding driving lights to the front of my 99 Kat 600 for additional lighting and visability at night. I'm not real interested in mounting them to the forks in anyway so that they turn when i want to turn, that would only be funtional in a parking lot, which doesnt do me much good.

I'm wondering if anyone has much success with adding lights and if they were satisfied with the results. I've done some searching on here and found a few people doing different things with mixed results.

I have a power distribution block already set up under my seat on a switched relay, which i would take power and ground from and run that to a switch by my guages, and then run the lights to the switch. Any suggestions/experiences would be great.

One more thing, before anyone tells me to upgrade my bulbs, i have Sylvania Silverstars and a distaste for HIDs.

Appreciate any feedback! Thanks!

[jetmerritt]

I'm interested to see where this goes.

I found PIAA bulbs are the best, but triple the price of silverstars or nighthawks. I haven't upgraded mine yet from stock, but probably this year.

As for night lighting I was thinking of going for a flood pattern if I added aux lights. The OEM lights seem to do a pretty good straight ahead pattern, but more on the sides when going through twisties or lighting up the side of the roads for animals would be good.

I feel like taking a bat to anyone with an illegal HID conversion. They are evil people out to blind everyone and one day I hope to get even with them. I was blinded by a dodge truck with HIDs (no crash, just the principle of it), it's worse than high beams and they probably can't see either with all the wasted light going everywhere.

[decdrummer]

What about mounting lights on the fender? They make these pods that mount gauges to your pillars (in automobiles). I bet if you fiberglass those bad boys to the fender you could install two small lights. Of course you would want to mod it to your liking. Just a thought!

Here's a pod for an example:

http://img.ca.cars.cozot.com/pics/ca/2011/03/24/Ave-SW-Evo-X-Carbon-Fiber-Steering-Column-Dual-Gauge-Pod-20110324040125.jpg

[whrich13]

I'm interested to see where this goes.

I found PIAA bulbs are the best, but triple the price of silverstars or nighthawks. I haven't upgraded mine yet from stock, but probably this year.

As for night lighting I was thinking of going for a flood pattern if I added aux lights. The OEM lights seem to do a pretty good straight ahead pattern, but more on the sides when going through twisties or lighting up the side of the roads for animals would be good.

I feel like taking a bat to anyone with an illegal HID conversion. They are evil people out to blind everyone and one day I hope to get even with them. I was blinded by a dodge truck with HIDs (no crash, just the principle of it), it's worse than high beams and they probably can't see either with all the wasted light going everywhere.

I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the HID conversions. I think they are extremely annoying, dangerous for other drivers (not just motorcycles) and i personally think they do not look that great. That of course is my opinion and will definately not be putting any on my bike anytime soon.

I personally can say the upgrade in bulbs is well worth it, but i still find that i am lacking view to the sides. I live in CT and we have a huge deer infestation and i have had to avoid a few in the past couple years. I'd like to increase my chances of seeing them before being surprised.

[decdrummer]

Miss read the post...you DON'T want them on the forks/fender, lol sorry!

[whrich13]

What about mounting lights on the fender? They make these pods that mount gauges to your pillars (in automobiles). I bet if you fiberglass those bad boys to the fender you could install two small lights. Of course you would want to mod it to your liking. Just a thought!

Here's a pod for an example:
http://img.ca.cars.cozot.com/pics/ca...0324040125.jpg

I do not want the lights to move when i push on the bars. If i'm doing 60 and going around a right hand bend, i'll apply pressure to my right bar. This will move, ever so slightly, the lighting the left which makes no sense. Not to mention, i'm just not sure i would like the overall look of mounting lights on the fender, or that low. it is something to consider if i cant figure anything else out though.

[decdrummer]

Here's an idea:

[whrich13]

are those molded into the fairing? i'd have to brush up on my fiberglass technique...A LOT haha

[decdrummer]

If I were doing this I would get some sort of gauge pod, and then mod it and fiberglass it to fit where I needed it...or make a ring like this(except routed better, lol)

[Danskat]

Maybe he was hinting to get a different bike lol! +1 for custom molding to the body.

[whrich13]

The 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 has my attention but i'm holding out by dumping all sorts of money into my Kat haha.

The pod idea is something to think about, as i might cry while cutting holes into the plastics....

[decdrummer]

That's just a bike off of Google, lol. I could Photoshop a Kat in there too, lol

[hardlydangerous]

if you are handy with fiberglass and or epoxy, just mount projectors where the OEM signals, then buy flush mount signals and attach them in the fiarings above them in the area where the pre signals normally go or buy a universal mirror with LED singals.

personally I would just go buy a set of 80/100w headlights and wire them off a relay.... all kinds of light then

[Wild-Bill]

I know you don't like the idea of a HID conversion bulb (for good reasons IMO) but have you thought about doing a projector retrofit inside the stock headlight bucket? I just did one and it has a nice, adjustable cut-off on the low-beam. Check this out: http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.p...nglasses+night

Here's a couple of photos I took after the conversion:
Low Beam: http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/w...HIDLowBeam.jpg
High Beam: http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/w...IDHighBeam.jpg

If you're dead set on adding lights then how about hanging a bracket under the headlight using the two fairing screws there?

[1FSTKAT]

if you are handy with fiberglass and or epoxy, just mount projectors where the OEM signals, then buy flush mount signals and attach them in the fiarings above them in the area where the pre signals normally go or buy a universal mirror with LED singals.

I was just going to say this.