Driving lights

[paul.miner]

I'm thinking about adding driving lights, and I'm curious how much difference there is between mounting lights on the forks or near the front fender where they'll turn with the steering, versus mounting somewhere on the front fairing where they'll point straight ahead like the headlight.

What I'm after is better lighting around dark corners, so I'll probably get something that isn't a narrow beam, maybe aimed off to the sides a bit instead of straight ahead. I just don't know if having the lights turn with the steering makes much of a difference.

[tmk7c9]

I doubt you'll ever notice much of a difference. Lots of bikes have headlights that turn with the bars (pick pretty much any cruiser).

If you're above 20 mph, the turn of the bars is so slight that you won't notice at all. At parking lot speeds, it's more noticeable, but typically the light pattern is wide enough to throw plenty of light in the corner no matter where the bars are turned.

i wouldn't worry about it. mount the lights where they look best and is convienient.

I will add though, that mounting them lower seems to add slightly better visability to other drivers. If nothing else, it looks 'different', and cage drivers seem to look twice at the odd triangular pattern of lights coming towards them.

[WildSide]

I was thinking of doing the same thing but now that i think about it and what has been said, i think i will not do anything and pocket the coin i would spend on doing something like that and save it for later.

[DreKat]

just buy better bulbs

[phil823]

what sort of better bulbs for stock replacement?

[Ilovemyvtx]

Sylvania silverstar or silverstar ultras. I use the ultras in my car and would recommend them. They only last a year or two because they burn much hotter but I feel the extra light is worth the price.

[HungLow]

I like PIAA head light a bit pricey but great bulbs

[Kuslack]

HID HID HID HID HID
either 35 or 55 watt bi-xenon hid bulbs and ballasts, easy to install and only 100 bucks, thats heaps better light and a longer lifespan on the hotter burning bulbs plus they look hot

if you need any help with installation PM otherwise do a search cause it really is dead simple

[joe]

i mounted some driving lights to the caliper mounts on the forks. They really didn't offer better lighting but I installed them to, perhaps, increase my visibility during the day.

[paul.miner]

I like the idea of additional lights, because under normal circumstances (driving in traffic) I don't want to be blinding the other drivers I'm behind.

But if I'm on a dark curvy road (Cherohala Skyway a number of times last year comes to mind), I'd like additional light off to the sides to better see curves and possibly animals.

HIDs are definitely in the running, just seems like they're not a drop-in replacement (need an HID ballast module, run high-voltage wires that carry 25KV, and reflector). With separate lights, at least the housing/reflector part is taken care of. If they're mounted to the unsprung mass, I think HIDs would also have the advantage of not having a vibration-sensitive filament.

[phil823]

thats my issue with HID's

the halogen housing doesn't spread the HID light correctly. and using the HID projectors is a PITA mod. as i dont like the look of 1 low and 1 high light...

the wiring harness is easy....

just modding the headlight bucket is a pain