Clearwater Darla Lights: Not for the Faint of Heart

[Motorcycle Mayor]

I recently purchased some Darlas based on feedback from various forum members. Thanx to everyone who weighed in!

I thought I could install them myself -- I'm not a mechanic, but not a total rube mechanically, and have a decent set of tools -- but that turned out not to be the case. The Clearwater instructions may work well for people who regularly repair and modify their bikes, but they leave quite a bit to be desired for the rest of us. Your mileage may vary, of course.

You can read more about my "adventure" here.

- Mark

 

[escapefjrtist]

I helped with a Clearwater installation once. Don't remember too much trauma / drama but its been a few years...So is Clearwater going to do the installation now?

~G

 

[Bugnatr]

So did you get them working? You will like them!

 

[Rocnsanman]

Are the Darla's going to be mounted using the fender mount? If so, on my 15ES I removed the center plastic and battery plastic, ran my wires down on the right side, coiled all the excess wire under the headlight cowling and secured. Mounted the controller on the left hand brake perch and ......... done. I was so impressed with the plug n play of the Clearwaters that I called them to express my thoughts.

 

[HyperPete]

Instructions?!
I threw the paperwork away after I read the connection info.
I don't remember any issues except for finding a place to stow all of the extra wire.

 

[Motorcycle Mayor]

I helped with a Clearwater installation once. Don't remember too much trauma / drama but its been a few years...So is Clearwater going to do the installation now?

~G

I'm going to give the service department at the dealership a crack at the problem. They've done excellent work for me over the years.

 

[Motorcycle Mayor]

So did you get them working? You will like them!

Not yet (service appointment is Thursday). Looking forward to them, they seem great!

 

[Motorcycle Mayor]

Instructions?!
I threw the paperwork away after I read the connection info.
I don't remember any issues except for finding a place to stow all of the extra wire.

You can read the linked article (in the first entry) for more details, but, essentially, there were two challenges:

1) The instructions state you have to remove the left hand panel (the one near the lockbox). You don't. And if you try to, like I did, you are in for some significant challenges.

2) To access some necessary connectors, you need to remove the instrument cluster (which means you have to remove the cowling around it first). That ended up being so difficult -- either because the instructions were inadequate, or things were just really "stiff" -- I was afraid I'd break something in the process.

Another forum member commented in a different thread removing some of those panels was "not for the faint of heart" (he was also kind enough to share a set of photo instructions on how to attempt it). Hence the title of this thread .

 

[escapefjrtist]

Another forum member commented in a different thread removing some of those panels was "not for the faint of heart" (he was also kind enough to share a set of photo instructions on how to attempt it). Hence the title of this thread

The first time you remove panels, there is some snap-crackle-pop as they release. After you do it a couple times and learn the tricks it's not so stressful... Let us know how your dealer experience turns out.

~G

 

[Bugnatr]

Not yet (service appointment is Thursday). Looking forward to them, they seem great!

Mount them as high as possible, really helps at night.