More Light, again

BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
So every year about this time it turns into riding at night home from work season, and every year I hate my lights. Hated stock and went to the sealed beam H6024 that some rave about. Hated that. Went to Daniel Stern and got the lecture, then got the Cibie reflector and the Navram bulb. Love the bulb, hate the reflector (the fluting made way too many strips of light on the side for my tastes). Currently running a Bosch reflector which is actually fantastic on high beam but weak on low.

So I figured I'd revisit adding auxiliary driving lights and everything I could find just seems like it'd be plug ugly dangling off the Bonnie.

So now I'm at trying to decide between these two choices:

1. Get the Hella 002395071 reflector and pump up the volume with this kit: http://www.futurevisionhid.com/h4-bi-xenon-motorcycle-hid-kit.html,

or

2. Take the plunge and try this kit: http://www.futurevisionhid.com/h6024-bi-xenon-projector-motorcycle-headlight.html.

Anybody have any experience with either route, or else know where to get some nice quality fog and/or driving lights that wouldn't look like an abortion dangling off a turn signal relo bracket? I've already determined that the Hella Optilux 1182 isn't in stock anywhere, and I'm not sure that it would look ok anyway (there is a shot of somone's Bonnie with them from a couple of years ago on TRN).

Anyone have any constructive advice beyond "get better eyes" or "deal with it"?? I live in Deer City and drive on roads where the trees are thick right up to the edges so I'll take as much help as I can get.

Thanks folks!!!
 
2Monkeys

2Monkeys

Street Tracker
I would not shell out the big bucks unless i knew that the reflector that I was getting in that kit would have a beam pattern that I liked...
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
Well I think I'm ruling out choice #2, the projectors. They make a crazy bright beam but the cutoff is so sharp that I'm worried the contrast line will bug me.

On choice #1, the Hella reflector is relatively cheap, compared to fixing crash damage. The HID kit won't impact the beam pattern, only the brightness. Still, I'd love to see one installed...
 
N

northcountry

Two Stroke
vision x

I went with the stern and a pr. of vision x leds. Also live in deer country. Have them mounted on a memphis shade at the windshield mounts. Encased them with o rings and can tweek them on the fly if needed. Have them aimed towards the side but still helps light up the total area. Also, cagers can spot you better during daylight. In the vendors section on advrider there is a fellow (sanjo) who sells similar units at a much cheaper cost. I'll be getting these shortly for my daughters superglide.
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
TC_Dick said:
these:

http://www.amazon.com/Hella-H710200...A3OY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1305701086&sr=8-7

mounted on this:

http://newbonneville.com/html/front_blinker_relo_kit.html

thruxton blinker mounts will also work, and are cheaper.

you will light up the night sky.
Click to expand...

I thought about that combination, however I have two concerns: First, that means mounting the Hellas sideways - wouldn't that mess up the beam pattern, or is it radially symmetric? Second, that's bordering on the fugly that I'm trying to avoid, lol.

Interesting idea though - especially if I can wire them up so that I can quick-disconnect them - I don't mind fugly as much for road trips.
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
TC_Dick said:
I have these mounted:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067BTWA

and they look pretty good. I rattlecanned the back half of the unit black, and may tape and rattle the rest, but my bike is sliver so they kinda fit in as they are. I'll try and get a photo for you in the next day or so.
Click to expand...

Where are they mounted? Turn signal relo? They look pretty small - that's good! I would *love* a photo, as soon as you can manage it, since I'd like to this sorted once and for all before Bennington, as the 'Lass and I will almost certainly have some night riding on the way up and back.

Thanks!
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
em_dot: My thoughts on that reflector are that I'd save the $$ and just get the baseline Diamond Cut Ice, because that blue dot is only visible when the bike is off, but that's just me. I haven't found any lux diagrams for those Adjure reflectors yet... it would be nice to juse have enough light from the single 7" unit.

I wasn't very satisfied with Stern's suggestions for me, as I mentioned. I'm sure he's technically competent and all that but the reflector he recommended had this very pronounced "ribbing" pattern off to the sides that was so distracting to me, that I immediately removed it. He did give me a refund subject to the condition I get something else from him, which I did (the aforementioned Bosch reflector).

Part of me wants to start with the $40 Hella, and if that's not good enough, try perhaps the Adjure. Once I find a beam pattern I like, I can address the quantity of light, either with a higher end bulb or an HID retrofit. You'll find Stern is pretty aggressively anti-HID, btw.
 
S

strokerlmt

Moderator
BlueJ said:
em_dot: My thoughts on that reflector are that I'd save the $$ and just get the baseline Diamond Cut Ice, because that blue dot is only visible when the bike is off, but that's just me. I haven't found any lux diagrams for those Adjure reflectors yet... it would be nice to juse have enough light from the single 7" unit.

I wasn't very satisfied with Stern's suggestions for me, as I mentioned. I'm sure he's technically competent and all that but the reflector he recommended had this very pronounced "ribbing" pattern off to the sides that was so distracting to me, that I immediately removed it. He did give me a refund subject to the condition I get something else from him, which I did (the aforementioned Bosch reflector).

Part of me wants to start with the $40 Hella, and if that's not good enough, try perhaps the Adjure. Once I find a beam pattern I like, I can address the quantity of light, either with a higher end bulb or an HID retrofit. You'll find Stern is pretty aggressively anti-HID, btw.
Click to expand...


BlueJ.....not being a dick, don't know how old you are but have you checked for cataracs. I had them, had the surgery / lens implants and my night vision instantly came back.
Hope you just need more light. BTW I like the idea of removable PIAA's so if you do that let me know how you set it up.
Thx
LMT
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
Did some research on the Adjure... I think I'll stay away. Looks like the reflector is not glass, and some folks have reported that the heat from their bulbs has vaporized a bit of the coating (either from a faulty bulb) which then recondensed on the inside of the glass in front, fogging the result.

LMT: Not cataracts. Dark at night. :) I get pretty sucky mileage on my Bonnie, as a result of the on/off nature of my throttle. :) I want to see the critters on the side of the road in time to do something about it. I think my Narva bulb has enough lumens to throw around, it's just finding a reflector with a pattern that works for me that I'm having trouble with. I'll keep you posted!
 
D

drlapo

Hooligan
I had both eyes done, cataracs and my night vision still sucks
but my shooting scores have greatly improved
 
S

strokerlmt

Moderator
BlueJ said:
Did some research on the Adjure... I think I'll stay away. Looks like the reflector is not glass, and some folks have reported that the heat from their bulbs has vaporized a bit of the coating (either from a faulty bulb) which then recondensed on the inside of the glass in front, fogging the result.

LMT: Not cataracts. Dark at night. :) I get pretty sucky mileage on my Bonnie, as a result of the on/off nature of my throttle. :) I want to see the critters on the side of the road in time to do something about it. I think my Narva bulb has enough lumens to throw around, it's just finding a reflector with a pattern that works for me that I'm having trouble with. I'll keep you posted!
Click to expand...


BlueJ....great on the eyes ok. If you do the PIAA's and don't like the added light or the look I'll take them from you. The odd time I get caught late and it gets dark I would feel better with more elummmm.
Drlapo....I had "crystal lens" implants and it was like being a kid again. 61 in June and I have 20/20 in both eyes no glasses except cheaters for reading.
LMT
 
Stars&Bars

Stars&Bars

Two Stroke
I too live in Deersville and have just stopped riding at night. Now the feral hawgs are starting to be just about as bad around here but deer still pose the biggest threat as far as causes of collisions go.
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
Stars&Bars said:
... stopped riding at night...
Click to expand...

Not an option, as sometimes it's dark when I'm on my way home from work, and when on road trips, we sometimes get caught up in back roads and photos and have to get on it after dark to make it to the next stop.
 
D

drlapo

Hooligan
strokerlmt said:
BlueJ....great on the eyes ok. If you do the PIAA's and don't like the added light or the look I'll take them from you. The odd time I get caught late and it gets dark I would feel better with more elummmm.
Drlapo....I had "crystal lens" implants and it was like being a kid again. 61 in June and I have 20/20 in both eyes no glasses except cheaters for reading.
LMT
Click to expand...

I have ACRYSOF IQ lenses in my eyes: internal contact lenses
20/20 both eyes
then I blew a hole in the retina in my left eye, it was spot welded with a lazer but now I have residual "floaters" from teh blood in the eye
I dont' have great night vision though, it's good; not great
:T
 
B

Baltobonneville

750cc
BlueJ, FWIW, I put in the Hella reflector, the Eastern Beaver relay kit, and a better PIAA bulb in one go. While it didn't change my life, it was an obvious improvement over the stock headlight.

Let me know if you want to get together and have a look at it. You can e-mail me at macccgh at yahoo dot com with an e-mail address or telephone number. I'm not sure if private messages are working on this board.
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
northcountry said:
Maybe a dual design. A stepped vertical with 5" HID lower and 7" on top.
Click to expand...

I've thought about that, and I've thought about side-by-side 5". Current main problem with the Bosch reflector is that on low beam, there's a sort of 'butterfly' pattern on the road, when I lean for corners I get real good illumination of the gravel on one side and the sky on the other. The placement of the center point is such that I want to lift it a bit to get any down the road reach at all, and then it's way too dark for my taste immediately around me.

High beam rocks, even off to the side. The Narva bulb throws plenty of light, it's just the way the Bosch catches and reflects it that I don't like. And I'm on reflector #4 so I thought maybe I'd just add little lights on the side to fill in the low beam pattern.

We'll see!!!

Marty - If it would stop raining, I could ride in and we could meet up in some actual dark (or at least a parking garage) to compare. I'll be in touch! And, yes, PM's work just fine.
 
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