Need Help With Auxilary Lighting Selection

[rglassma]

Hello All,

I know very little about aux. lighting for my LT. I currently have a set of yellow piaa fogs and they don't do much. I do not want to replace the existing headlight and brights. I want a very high intensity smaller set of lights to mount under the wings on my '03 lt. My buddy has a set of 1100x piaa lights and they seem real bright.

I am looking for something that will light up the night. I hear alot of talk about hid lights. Not sure if that is what I need.

Can I get some recommendations as to what would be the most cost affective additional lighting.

Thanks.

[deputy5211]

HID Low beams, about $85 on a group buy (High beam HID +85)
MotoLights on Brake Calipers, about $325 from our own Raffy
PIAA 1100x on EZYMounts under the cowling.

That's the setup on my LT, I can see, and be seen (as long as the cager has his eyes open and pointed in my general direction, but that's asking a lot!).

[messenger13]

Do you have a budget in mind?

[jackd]

Can I get some recommendations as to what would be the most cost affective additional lighting.

Thanks.

Hands down HID.... the low beam is the best money you can spend for lighting on the LT... no question.. with the group buys now... especially.

The high beam is not as much value unless you run on the road now with your high beam on. The high is too bright for any urban or densely populated area. It takes 3 to 5 seconds to get to max intensity when you turn it on. If you ride late at night or in very sparsely populated area the high HID would be worth the money. You can flash it or use it for 3 seconds...

I have both.. low beam for three seasons and high was installed last fall.. I have caliper MotoLights.. they do nothing for night time except give you slow speed light while maneuvering in the dark. In the day they are worth every dollar.. they are expensive but the LT is distinctive.. IMHO the #2 best light you can get... I installed other halogen lights under the mirrors but The HID low and caliper MotoLights are both keepers..

[Lonewuff]

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u173/lonewuff/Bandera.jpg

HID headlight
PIAA High Beam
PIAA 1100x on EZYMounts under the cowling
Motolights on the calipers

I can see every thing, but even more important, every thing can see me.

[messenger13]

Every time some states that "I do not want to replace the existing headlight and brights." you guys totally ignore their wishes. Way to go guys!!! :)

[Lonewuff]

"I am looking for something that will light up the night. I hear alot of talk about hid lights. Not sure if that is what I need."

Joe, enough said? :D

[deputy5211]

"I am looking for something that will light up the night. I hear alot of talk about hid lights. Not sure if that is what I need."

Joe, enough said? :D

+1 :dance:

[messenger13]

"I am looking for something that will light up the night. I hear alot of talk about hid lights. Not sure if that is what I need."

Joe, enough said? :DSo you're saying that a set of AUXILARY HID LIGHTS wouldn't be brighter than your HID low-beam? You're dead wrong. But the only issue is, they are VERY expensive. That's why I asked the question that I asked. Have you seen the Phillips 'Eyes of God' in action?

[messenger13]

Maybe y'all forgot what my LT looked like:


http://home.alltel.net/paulsey_dsl/messenger13/lights.jpg

[patroa1]

I got mine from here http://electricalconnection.com/driving-lights/dl_performance.htm . They fit nicely under the tipover wings and throw enough light to illuminate the road and shoulder close-in, in the daytime they provide a great triangle effect and are relatively inexpensive. I think I paid $139 for mine. Along with an HID low beam you can't go wrong. Group buy now going on for HID $75 delivered. :dance:

[rglassma]

Ok... I see your point. Guess I was just afraid that the stock headlight replacement would be to much for the cages in front...

Can someone point me in the direction of a group buy??

Do you think I wouldn't need anything else if I just changed the headlight?? It would be bright enough?

[Lonewuff]

So you're saying that a set of AUXILARY HID LIGHTS wouldn't be brighter than your HID low-beam? You're dead wrong. But the only issue is, they are VERY expensive. That's why I asked the question that I asked. Have you seen the Phillips 'Eyes of God' in action?

Ummm No Joe, as a matter of fact that is NOT what I am saying. I am simply pointing out that he mentions HID's in his question and tha tha thats all folks. :histerica

Oh, and I haven't forgotten what your LT looked like...can't you tell I am trying to copy yours and am just one set away. :rotf:

[unleashd]

Look here for details on the HID Group Buy (http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22443)



Can someone point me in the direction of a group buy??

[patroa1]

Follow this link for HID group buy http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22443&page=2&pp=10 . The HID will definitely be bright enough but I would still add lights to either the tipover wings or the forks to get a triangle effect. Helps cages see us alittle better.

[jackd]

Every time some states that "I do not want to replace the existing headlight and brights." you guys totally ignore their wishes. Way to go guys!!! :)

I also read that he did not want to replace the existing headlight... :) Fortunately he asked what would be the most significant cost effective ADDITIONAL lighting.... being as helpful as we usually are as a group we were pointing out that the best ... most cost effective choice for additional lighting.. IMO that choice is only a low HID... tripling lumens is additional light. I think... :p

IMHO there are lots of additional lighting and most of it is just that.. AUX lighting.. and most of those add ons are not cost effective. However the $100 or so spent on a low HID upgrade will return more of a 'cost effective' total 'additional ' light solution than any AUX lighting package you can put on a M/C. If we just told him to get the Phillips 'Eyes of God' that would be poor advice.

[zippy_gg]

Maybe y'all forgot what my LT looked like:


http://home.alltel.net/paulsey_dsl/messenger13/lights.jpgOh please... NOT that old picture again!!!:rolleyes:
Joe, you sold the bike!!! It is time to move on buddy!:p

[rglassma]

Thanks for all the info everyone.

I have contacted fashtek and am awaiting a reply. I am thinking about adding a set of Piaa 1100x as well under the wings to supplement my 001s (almost useless)... I called piaa and was told that the kit for the LT only includes brackets for under the cowling (where my 001s are). Anyone know where I can get the necessary brackets, etc. Also, there is a guy selling 1100x lights on ebay (dealer) for autos at 159.00 ... Seems super cheap.. Includes the wiring harness also but no brackets.. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Rick-L]

Ok... I see your point. Guess I was just afraid that the stock headlight replacement would be to much for the cages in front...

Do you think I wouldn't need anything else if I just changed the headlight?? It would be bright enough?

Just installed HID high & low beams & found I have to adjust the low beam as far down as possible with the dash knob to avoid bothering oncoming motorists. The beam is focused well though so there's not much scattered light above where it's aimed. It's nice to raise it back up a bit when there's no traffic around though.
The high beam is a different story... I'm being flashed from over 2 miles away as soon as a car comes over the hill & before I have a chance to dim. Man, what a light for the dark country roads though!!! I think these lights are what Boeing uses for landing lights.

After this there's no need for more lighting so I can see better, but will be adding something sooner or later to get the triangle effect to help others judge my size/distance better. A single light seems to be confusing for most cagers.

Got mine through the last Fashtek group buy. Overall I'd recommend them but it took 3+ weeks for delivery after telling me it would be "next week" before they were in stock and I think I ended up with 2 different temperatures. The low beam was marked as 4300k but the high had no markings & seems quite a bit more blue than the low. Not a huge deal but wish they matched better.

Installation of the low beam was pretty straight forward but the high required a little modification of the lamp holder. Some leave the headlight in place but I removed mine, mostly because I like to tear things apart & see how they work but it did make it much easier I think.

[rglassma]

Just ordered the low beam set .. I'll install them and see what I need if anything afterward..

Do you guys think I will need anything else. I don't want to blind anyone..

[DaveDragon]

So you're saying that a set of AUXILARY HID LIGHTS wouldn't be brighter than your HID low-beam? You're dead wrong. But the only issue is, they are VERY expensive. That's why I asked the question that I asked. Have you seen the Phillips 'Eyes of God' in action?

I have Hella FF75s converted to HID along with the Low Beam HID.

The Hella's cost 89.00 and the HID kit for them was 179.00, Not VERY expensive for what you get as a result.


http://www.davedragon.org/Photos/BMW/GS-HID-Road-Lights/TN_CIMG3064.JPG (http://www.davedragon.org/Photos/BMW/GS-HID-Road-Lights/CIMG3064.JPG) http://www.davedragon.org/Photos/BMW/GS-HID-Road-Lights/TN_CIMG3070.JPG (http://www.davedragon.org/Photos/BMW/GS-HID-Road-Lights/CIMG3070.JPG)