Mounting running lights

Message

MartDude · #16 Post by **MartDude** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 11:51 am

flatlander wrote:or dogging

Sheep on Clee Hill; you'd feel at home there

MartDude · #17 Post by **MartDude** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 11:56 am

Anyway, aesthetic considerations aside (or lack thereof), does anyone know whether or not this position for the lights is legal in the UK, or where I can find out? As I asked at the beginning . . .

D-Rider · #18 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 12:42 pm

MartDude wrote:Anyway, aesthetic considerations aside (or lack thereof), does anyone know whether or not this position for the lights is legal in the UK, or where I can find out? As I asked at the beginning . . .

I'm sure the style police would take a dim view ....

Gio · #19 Post by **Gio** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:43 pm

Not sure if its legal but on my GS I had a pair of lights mounted just under the handguards, they were brilliant at lighting up the road, cast a flat beam about 40 yards in front and it covered about a 160 degree arc

randomsquid · #20 Post by **randomsquid** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:01 pm

MartDude wrote:
blinkey501 wrote:Don't do it mart....... It looks pants!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't care

The inspiration for my interest in this was seeing, one evening a few years ago, a GS-ish bike with LED strips on its handguards. It made the bike far more noticeable, and it was far easier to determine where it was and how quickly it was moving towards me, than is usually the case with single, or closely-spaced twin, headlights.

The attraction of mounting them this way is that it doesn't involve drilling the fairing, and they'd be easily removable.

That's them Acerbis dual road with optional led kit jobbies innit. About 85 quid on fleabay. The handguards are optional so you could have the protector bars and leds for being seen and stick something spottish down the bottom for seeing with. How about a small projector type light on the fork leg?

MartDude · #21 Post by **MartDude** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:05 pm

randomsquid wrote:
MartDude wrote:
blinkey501 wrote:Don't do it mart....... It looks pants!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't care

The inspiration for my interest in this was seeing, one evening a few years ago, a GS-ish bike with LED strips on its handguards. It made the bike far more noticeable, and it was far easier to determine where it was and how quickly it was moving towards me, than is usually the case with single, or closely-spaced twin, headlights.

The attraction of mounting them this way is that it doesn't involve drilling the fairing, and they'd be easily removable.
That's them Acerbis dual road with optional led kit jobbies innit. About 85 quid on fleabay. The handguards are optional so you could have the protector bars and leds for being seen and stick something spottish down the bottom for seeing with. How about a small projector type light on the fork leg?

Looked into that. Closest match are the ones for a Stelvio, but I'd have to have some extra-long bar ends made, with funny-shaped spigots on the end - bought some cheap Stelvio handguards to play with a while back, & decided it was too much of a faff. And I'm not sure I'd want handguards or protector bars on all year round.

A chap on AF1 put some spots on his fork lowers; he said they worked fine for illuminating the road. However, I think they're too low-down for enlarging the bike's 'profile', and would be vulnerable to flying gravel and general road crud.

There aren't many places on a Futura for attaching extra gizmos, due to the all-enveloping nature of the fairing, unless you're happy to drill, or carve holes in, the fairing. Which I'm not. Which is why this method appeals.

wayno · #22 Post by **wayno** » Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:36 am

MartDude wrote:Anyway, aesthetic considerations aside (or lack thereof), does anyone know whether or not this position for the lights is legal in the UK, or where I can find out? As I asked at the beginning . . .

Mart, to get back on track, you need to check the MSVA document (link below). I would draw your attention to page 49 and 50 which state that the maximum width between any dipped or main beam lights from outer edge to outer edge must not exceed 200m so on this basis no they are not legal.

In all reality I don't think anyone will ever say anything (apart from maybe a few jokes about going on safari :) )

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _2010_.pdf

MartDude · #23 Post by **MartDude** » Sat Sep 07, 2013 12:06 pm

wayno wrote:
MartDude wrote:Anyway, aesthetic considerations aside (or lack thereof), does anyone know whether or not this position for the lights is legal in the UK, or where I can find out? As I asked at the beginning . . .
Mart, to get back on track, you need to check the MSVA document (link below). I would draw your attention to page 49 and 50 which state that the maximum width between any dipped or main beam lights from outer edge to outer edge must not exceed 200m so on this basis no they are not legal.

In all reality I don't think anyone will ever say anything (apart from maybe a few jokes about going on safari :) )

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _2010_.pdf

Cheers, Wayno, that's helpful; I think. As for the piss-taking & de-rails, I wouldn't expect anything else - this is RiderSite, after all.

Aladinsaneuk · #24 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sat Sep 07, 2013 3:58 pm

I seem to remember Gandalf had a staff with a glowing knob on the end

Hobbit broken yours?

wayno · #25 Post by **wayno** » Sat Sep 07, 2013 5:14 pm

He's going to mount his glowing staff on the bike

#26 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sat Sep 07, 2013 5:17 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:I seem to remember Gandalf had a staff with a glowing knob on the end

Hobbit broken yours?

No, he burnt it on the BBQ at Tunstall

MartDude · #27 Post by **MartDude** » Sat Sep 07, 2013 5:35 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:I seem to remember Gandalf had a staff with a glowing knob on the end

Could be useful

MartDude · #28 Post by **MartDude** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 12:25 pm

More questions.

I'd be considering fitting lamps like these - LED spot/driving lights

http://www.bikevis.com/motorcycle-cree- ... light.html
http://www.bikevis.com/motorcycle-visio ... light.html
http://www.bikevis.com/motorcycle-rigid ... allys.html (these last are probably a bit too large for my liking)

Does anyone know if it's possible to run this sort of lamp with a dimmer? And if so, any recommendations for products & installation? I think I'd prefer a push-button operation, like the low power options on fancy LED torches, rather than gradual dimming.

If you look at this pic, http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/show ... ost3464088
the US chap has fitted his brackets right on to the fairing; this will, I'm sure, over time, chafe the fairing paint and plastic. I think it needs a cushioning gasket/washer thing. Best material? I'm thinking silicone, neoprene, PTFE/Teflon sheet, or a combination of thin PTFE & neoprene.

(PS. I don't like the brackets on these Clearwater lamps either. And they're over £400 here. So, no. The lamps from BikeVis have much neater mounts)

randomsquid · #29 Post by **randomsquid** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 2:51 pm

Is there anything behind those small infill panels on the side of the fairing that you could come off with some brackets?

MartDude · #30 Post by **MartDude** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:07 pm

randomsquid wrote:Is there anything behind those small infill panels on the side of the fairing that you could come off with some brackets?

Engine mounting bolts. And, in my case, R & Gs attached to the engine mounts. Thought of that, but the lights would be lower than I'd prefer, and the brackets would have to be longer - possibility of wobbly lights. Thanks, though - well spotted.