Santa is coming and I hope he's bringing me LED Driving Lights

[hppants]

Yes - I've searched this forum far and wide. Hold your flames down a bit. My head's spinning and I don't feel like starting over.

What I want is a set of fork mounted LED driving lights to be used for visibility only. I don't ride at night.

What I also want is for them to draw no more than 10 watts each (20 watts total). I'm not ready to upgrade my stator, and I can only contribute 20ish watts to this cause with my stock charging system. (heated jacket liner, GPS, phone charger, and driving lights and I'm maxed out)

What I also want is for them to put out about 1000 lumens (white light), plus or minus a bit.

What I also want is for the kit to come complete with the switch and wiring. Just connect it to my fuse block. If it comes with a relay that I can run to a switched power wire (without disassembling the entire bike wiring harness), OK - but I may need some help - I ain't no electrical genius.

What I also want is for this to cost no more than $125.00 shipped to my door.

Finially, what I want is for someone from the FJR forum to reccommend a product that they have used with good luck (IOW - not a POS that no one's ever heard or knows anything about).

(cue Mic Jaggar).... You can't always get what you want... but if you try real hard...

Any suggestions from the group would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Pants, as you know, this is on my list right now as well. This is partly your fault. Your ST riding friend Mike and our mutual friend Patriot convinced me of the need for this. The LED version of your buddy Mike's PIAAs are cost prohibitive at this time, but they look great. I am strongly considering the HyperLites. These very bright LEDs are from a proven company, you have seen them as taillights, the driving lights are made with the same quality. With their extremely low current draw and priced around $120 they are a strong frontrunner for me right now. Of course if I start spending money on myself this close to Christmas, Mrs. Redfish might not be happy. I can take it if she is not nice to me, but I would not be happy if she refused to be naughty.

 

[LAF]

I have run Moto Lights on every bike I have owned in the last 15 years. Brake mount and the LED are very easily seen. Low draw . Not Night Cutters but will make you seen in day or night.

 

[hppants]

RH - The Hyperlites are priced and packaged right, but they don't look very bright on the website.

LAF - Appreciate the suggestion, but the Moto's are way out of my budget.

The search continues....

 

[hppants]

Well, I purchased a set of Alex's Realtime Industries LED units. With a great deal of help from FredW during my planning, I was able to install (fender) and wire them this afternoon. I used a simple auto accessory relay to power a water proof toggle switch that I purchased from a boat store. I drilled a hole in Panel D next to the hazard lights switch, where I mounted my toggle switch. The relay got bolted in a hole of the front stay. I disconnected the windshield retract jumper (something I've been wanting to do anyway) and used that connector as my "ignition on" source for the circuit. Then it was just a matter of running a positive and negative wire to my fuse block and it's over. Everything is tucked away neatly with shrink wrap, zip ties, and the like for a nice installation.

All done and I've got a few bucks change from $100.00, which I thought was very affordable.

I've still got to finish putting on the plastics and adjust the lights, but in my shop they are very bright and I look forward to my "triangle of light". I'll post a few pictures after I button her up.

Again, much thanks to Alex and FredW for helping me with this project.

There's nothing like the feeling of a job well done.

 

[Patriot]

good for you, Joey

the first time fooling with electrical can be very intimidating

Jeff_Q assisted/led my Clearwaters Krista & Glenda install and I used the wrong "fire up" wire that a call to Glenn @ Clearwater. WFooshee was nice enough to spend an entire day at his place installing my AVCC. Watching and learning gave me confidence to install my additional "few" more electrical farkles.

I've said it before, but I am educated as a mechanical engineer. I can throw and measure the ball or bullet, swing the pendulum, or hear the steam flow through the pipe. Those damn electrons don't exist cause I can't see them or grab them !!!

not to complicate things, but Jeff and others believe the leds should be on mirror mounts. The lights are very bright and whiter than the stock headlamps. Being high might be more visibil and definitely improve night vision. I'd probably mount them up high if they were the only running lights I had, IMHO, of course.