Aux lighting - on forks or on mirrors?

[zenwhipper]

Folks-

I am considering getting some aux lights for thr 08 FJR. Two common locations are under the mirrors (using a custom bracket) and on the forks by the disk brakes or fenders. If you have lights... which location did you choose? Also - I'm leaning toward the fork position to increase the triangulation affect of the lights so the on coming cagers see me better.

Thanks Mates,

Scott

 

[Ignacio]

If you goal is to mostly be seen then either works. However, if your goal is to be able have useful light while cruising the dark nights of the western states....then as high as possible.

 

[squeezer]

If you goal is to mostly be seen then either works. However, if your goal is to be able have useful light while cruising the dark nights of the western states....then as high as possible.

That's it.

I'm actually doing both. I have Motolights on the forks for conspicuity. I'm adding Hellas up high this year so I can see better on my way out west. You just can't run them both at the same time.

 

[twistedcricket]

If you goal is to mostly be seen then either works. However, if your goal is to be able have useful light while cruising the dark nights of the western states....then as high as possible.

I have Garauld's really nice brackets that mount on the mirror stems and some (for now) cheapo lights that work really well. I can see lots of things with all of the lights on

 

[Fred W]

For those that have the motolights, or other lights mounted down low, I have 2 questions:

1) Are the more, less or equally effective at increasing conspicuity as high mounted halogens of the approximately same intensity?

2) Do the lights give good "foreground fill". In other words do they light the road surface well for the first ~50 feet?

See my other thread for why I want to know this.

 

[Silent]

Hella FF50's mounted under the mirrors on Garaulds mounts. Love em!

 

[stormrider]

Mine are motolights and the mount is on the fork (actually the brake caliper bolts)

 

[Tbird]

For those that have the motolights, or other lights mounted down low, I have 2 questions:
1) Are the more, less or equally effective at increasing conspicuity as high mounted halogens of the approximately same intensity?

2) Do the lights give good "foreground fill". In other words do they light the road surface well for the first ~50 feet?

See my other thread for why I want to know this.

Fred,

I can't answer #1 other than to say that people say they see me REAL good with the Motolights.

On #2...they are really only good for the foreground fill...and they do that VERY well IMO.

My Motolights down on the brake calipers don't light far range at all...but do real well short range..

 

[Fred W]

For those that have the motolights, or other lights mounted down low, I have 2 questions:
1) Are the more, less or equally effective at increasing conspicuity as high mounted halogens of the approximately same intensity?

2) Do the lights give good "foreground fill". In other words do they light the road surface well for the first ~50 feet?

See my other thread for why I want to know this.

Fred,

I can't answer #1 other to say that people say they see me REAL good with the Motolights.

On #2...they are really only good for the foreground fill...and they do that VERY well IMO.

My motolights down on the brake calipers don't light far range...but do real well short range..

Thanks Tbird. I suspected this might be the case. Has anyone ever had both set-ups at various times? I'm just curious which way would result in those two previously mentioned objectives. Mounted low on the forks, or up at normal headlight level.

 

[EZSteve]

I had amber Motolights installed on the brake calipers to reduce the chance of getting lost in the headlights on multilane roads by lane changers. There is little if any loss in brightness but the bulbs are a little more expensive. Can't say if I see any better- no time for comparison.

 

[borrec]

If you goal is to mostly be seen then either works. However, if your goal is to be able have useful light while cruising the dark nights of the western states....then as high as possible.

Gunny!

 

[squeezer]

Fred,
I can't answer #1 other to say that people say they see me REAL good with the Motolights.

On #2...they are really only good for the foreground fill...and they do that VERY well IMO.

My motolights down on the brake calipers don't light far range...but do real well short range..

Adding to question 1: What first made me interested in them was a group ride where the guy riding sweep had them. There were about six bikes between him and me. I couldn't believe how much he stood out when I looked in my mirrors. I wanted that. I also have the caliper mounts, by the way. Someone else here had the fork mounts (I think it was AGirl) and liked that she could direct the right beam a bit toward the outside. They're really well made units. Pricey, though.

I think Tbird's answer to #2 is right on the nose.

 

[Fred W]

Fred,
I can't answer #1 other to say that people say they see me REAL good with the Motolights.

On #2...they are really only good for the foreground fill...and they do that VERY well IMO.

My motolights down on the brake calipers don't light far range...but do real well short range..

Adding to question 1: What first made me interested in them was a group ride where the guy riding sweep had them. There were about six bikes between him and me. I couldn't believe how much he stood out when I looked in my mirrors. I wanted that. I also have the caliper mounts, by the way. Someone else here had the fork mounts (I think it was AGirl) and liked that she could direct the right beam a bit toward the outside. They're really well made units. Pricey, though.

I think Tbird's answer to #2 is right on the nose.

Good, good, good...

Thanks very much for the replies. This is starting to sound like a good possibility.

Now back to the OPs question. Which is better in general? High mount or low mount?

 

[cptngym]

Fred,
I can't answer #1 other to say that people say they see me REAL good with the Motolights.

On #2...they are really only good for the foreground fill...and they do that VERY well IMO.

My motolights down on the brake calipers don't light far range...but do real well short range..

Adding to question 1: What first made me interested in them was a group ride where the guy riding sweep had them. There were about six bikes between him and me. I couldn't believe how much he stood out when I looked in my mirrors. I wanted that. I also have the caliper mounts, by the way. Someone else here had the fork mounts (I think it was AGirl) and liked that she could direct the right beam a bit toward the outside. They're really well made units. Pricey, though.

I think Tbird's answer to #2 is right on the nose.

Good, good, good...

Thanks very much for the replies. This is starting to sound like a good possibility.

Now back to the OPs question. Which is better in general? High mount or low mount?

 

[cptngym]

I have Piaa 910 up high under the mirrors on custom mounts. They lightup the road nice and let's me see Bambi sooner! :fans:

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

You need to do some searches on this site and FJRTech. The motolights are not very good lighting especially for the cost. Hellas with custom Garauld's brackets are the best for the money but eat up wattage. HID's are the ticket and there are now a variety of self ballasted housings available. BLM Accessories and Trailtech have such beasts and very reasonable for the amount of light and the small wattage useage. Mirror mounts have proven to be the best for downrange lighting.

Disclaimer. I am not an expert but have been around a lot of true grit riders that know their sh**. Plus I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last weekend and got to ride with some of those gritty FJR riders.

 

[sqidget]

I have the piaa 1100x lights mounted to the caliper, excellent foreground fill they help with cornering as well,and safety visibility is greatest when in a triangle.

I have actually noticed less people pulling in front of me since I installed them.

 

[SockMonkey]

So here's my question re.: PIAA 1100X lamps: if mounted low as in the picture above, can the lamps remain on at all times while underway day or night without offending on-coming traffic (assuming they're aimed correctly)? At this moment in time, my main objective is conspicuity, with less emphasis on night-time visibility as that's a once-in-50 occurrence. (I've located a Group Buy for the 1100X multi-fit kit on another site and which might just be too good to pass up...)

 

[Colonel Panic]

So here's my question re.: PIAA 1100X lamps: if mounted low as in the picture above, can the lamps remain on at all times while underway day or night without offending on-coming traffic (assuming they're aimed correctly)? At this moment in time, my main objective is conspicuity, with less emphasis on night-time visibility as that's a once-in-50 occurrence. (I've located a Group Buy for the 1100X multi-fit kit on another site and which might just be too good to pass up...)

I am seriously looking at these. If you are more interested in other people seeing you they should do the trick. Especially the flashing ones.

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