An idea on improved lighting

[mkuszek]

I was loving the stock lighting on my 2016 until I took a really curved exit on a highway.
The lights just point straight so I ventured into the darkness - not good.
So I am looking at lighting add on's.
My thinking is why don't I mount a light to the top section between the shocks. That way when I turn I will have some lighting pointed to where I am turning into.
So all I need is some sort of crossbar between the shocks that I can mount a light to. Where can I get that?
My choice would be either a cheap eBay LED rectangle solution or a nice single round Piaa hi output white spot and a switch.
Has anyone done this?

 

[Dogdaze]

Because of clearance issues, you may want to rethink that, perhaps mount on handlebars using mirror mounts? Tabasco has done something like that. Also, just a point, when I corner I lean so don't move my handlebars much, unless it's a U-turn or similar. so a cross-eyed low foglight option might be better?

 

[EricV]

Mounting a light below the headlight is possible, but it has to be small to avoid hitting the fender at full fork compression. BTDT, had the snapped off fender to prove it.

Fog pattern lights have a wide beam pattern. Driving have a narrower pattern to put light out farther. Spots have a very narrow beam pattern to put a pencil beam way out there. What you describe is a need for light to the side, so look for fog pattern lights.

For a long time I used a very wide pattern HID light that I mounted to my crash bar in the center of the bike under the nose. This gave me a nice ditch to ditch pattern of light and helped fill in that area. I'm not sure that would meet your needs, because even with a light like that, leaned over and in a sharp turn you will still have dark areas. The lean puts a horizontal light pattern angled down instead of up where you want it.

Go look at a KTM 1290SA. They have cornering lights that come on when you lean into a corner. Consider the placement and then how you might get light at that angle on your bike with small cube LED lights. If they were on in traffic going strait, they would almost certainly blind other drivers, so it's probably something you will need to either wire independently or with the high beam so they can be quickly shut off when traffic is present or quickly turned on for cornering.

Here is a youtube video of the KTM lights in action - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8qolUQT7S4

 

[mkuszek]

All good thing's to think about. Thanks
How about one of these -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Adjustable-Motorcycle-CREE-18W-LED-Driving-Flood-Lamp-light-For-YAMAHA-Honda/282604308113?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Seems narrow enough and not too deep and I could mount it to the horn bolt,not to mention cheap!

 

[EricV]

All good thing's to think about. Thanks
How about one of these -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Adjustable-Motorcycle-CREE-18W-LED-Driving-Flood-Lamp-light-For-YAMAHA-Honda/282604308113?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Seems narrow enough and not too deep and I could mount it to the horn bolt,not to mention cheap!

The light would do fine, but not mounted to the horn bolt. That's as big as you would want to try mounting in the nose, but there are already mounting points in the plastic nose sub frame. If you have a Gen II, the infill panel there can be removed and there are hole from where it was mounted, as well as additional holes. There are some different mounting brackets as well that might be better suited to using those lights than trying to stuff them in the nose and risking your fender.

You might consider this mount - https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/denali-auxiliary-light-mount-yamaha-xt1200z-super-tenere-2011-2016

 

[cyclemike4]

here is an idea that I use now and will not be without after trying it. I live in country were there are more deer per square mile than blades of grass. I needed to see in curves and to the side. I installed rubber tractor lights on my crash bars down low and angled them out towards the ditch line. A tractor light has what is called a work light spread of 45 degrees. They were 35 watt 4 inch round lights that I took out and put in 50 watt bulbs. Now when I lean into the corners because of the 45 degree radius of light horizontal and vertical I can always see. I do not bother cars because the lights are a work bulb therefor are not real intensive. They do however reach out as far as my low beam lights do. As a matter of fact I have had the headlights go completely out and not realized it at first. I have $40 dollars in the lights relay fuse holders and wiring. Of course things I do are really not normal so this isn't for everybody. My boy said I made a goofy looking bike look even goofier!

 

[Crew Chief]

This is the first modern bike I've had, that has the very flat termination along the top of the beam. My first 2 times out at night with it I noticed how poorly it lit the turns, and then on the third time for some reason my head stayed with the light instead of going into the turn. To say I almost stuffed it is an understatement. IMO, that lighting technique is dangerous on a motorcycle and that requirement should go away for motorcycles. I too am going to have to find a solution to that problem.

edit: I still don't like the flat spot across the top, but I do like KTM's solution to the problem.

 

[VRODE]

Yeah, the light cutoff really leaves blind spots when cornering at night. I added 10W led lites to my OEM crashbars. they came with either 10, 30, 45 deg lenses. I opted for 30 deg spread on both. Now I have plenty of light thru corners and to the sides of the bike. (I also have Cyclops led headlights).

 

[Checkswrecks]

This is the first modern bike I've had, that has the very flat termination along the top of the beam. My first 2 times out at night with it I noticed how poorly it lit the turns, and then on the third time for some reason my head stayed with the light instead of going into the turn. To say I almost stuffed it is an understatement. IMO, that lighting technique is dangerous on a motorcycle and that requirement should go away for motorcycles. I too am going to have to find a solution to that problem.

edit: I still don't like the flat spot across the top, but I do like KTM's solution to the problem.

Then it's probably the first newer bike you've had, as the requirement to cut the top of the light pattern is a legal requirement to not blind oncoming drivers.


Whatever you want to add, remember that the front fender has almost exactly 7.5 inches of travel. As Eric found out the hard way, it doesn't take much of a bracket and light to impede in that travel range! It's why so many of us have a light bar.

 

[AVGeek]

Tabasco has a set of brackets that mount under the hand guards near the mirrors, and are sized to hold the Baja Designs S2 light. You might want to take a look at them as well...

 

[snakebitten]

Tabasco has been mentioned, therefore here is a Tabasco-ized Tenere with his full lighting kit.
Headlights are HID. The rest are Baja Designs fixtures using Tabascos clever switching.

This Billion Candle Power combo will get you thrown in jail if not used wisely.
Seeing around corners and in the ditches aren't an issue. I promise.
(The handlebar lights are pivotable)

 

[Spider]

The light would do fine, but not mounted to the horn bolt. That's as big as you would want to try mounting in the nose, but there are already mounting points in the plastic nose sub frame. If you have a Gen II, the infill panel there can be removed and there are hole from where it was mounted, as well as additional holes. There are some different mounting brackets as well that might be better suited to using those lights than trying to stuff them in the nose and risking your fender.

You might consider this mount - https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/denali-auxiliary-light-mount-yamaha-xt1200z-super-tenere-2011-2016

I have the Denali mounting bracket that Eric listed. Very nice piece of kit, solid, great fit. For several years, my driving lights (Clearwater Kristas, awesome by the way) were mounted on the down tubes near the fender. But a few years of turns resulted in a short in one of the connectors, so I replaced that and moved them to a fixed location to avoid the same problem happening again.

 

[nelly5]

Then it's probably the first newer bike you've had, as the requirement to cut the top of the light pattern is a legal requirement to not blind oncoming drivers.


Whatever you want to add, remember that the front fender has almost exactly 7.5 inches of travel. As Eric found out the hard way, it doesn't take much of a bracket and light to impede in that travel range! It's why so many of us have a light bar.

Hi there,
I’m a little late to the party here. Just curious of the brand of light at you’re using. Do you have any pictures of the light pattern?

Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rambler]

...therefore here is a Tabasco-ized Tenere ...

The side-on shot would blow many a Tenerian away!! ::26:: ::26::

 

[worncog]

I am running a similar light that I picked up from Fleabay for $21.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MicTuning-MIC-5DP30-SR-Mini-Series-30W-Single-Row-Cree-LED-Light-Bar-Co-New-/112430404737?hash=item1a2d5fd481

It has been wired direct, but I am getting ready to feed it thru a Skene unit to allow dimming.

 

[528Hz]

If you have flash to pass on yr bike, toggling high beams on before the curve and going through it helps as it seems to widen the light path some, especially if you have hids or something better then stock bulbs. Or you can just flip high beams. Aside from that, as you said, add more light with a better spread. I used ram mounts, 1 inch with short arm for rigids up top and either 2 inch or 2.5 inch ones with long arm for heavier spot lights on crash bars. Reasoning for that was I like to go to these special places and if there is an impact to the light for whatever the situation may be, the lights just fold without breaking anything.
But try high beaming through the curve.

 

[hANNAbONE]

Then it's probably the first newer bike you've had, as the requirement to cut the top of the light pattern is a legal requirement to not blind oncoming drivers.


Whatever you want to add, remember that the front fender has almost exactly 7.5 inches of travel. As Eric found out the hard way, it doesn't take much of a bracket and light to impede in that travel range! It's why so many of us have a light bar.

Yipp...the light bar from Rigid or from Black Oak is the cats meow for lighting up the front/sides.

If i had a crashbar setup on my 2012 Supa10 I'd prolly buy some Black Oak cubes and set them to position more to the outside areas on a separate switch.

 

[ace50]

Man, you guys must ride in the dead of night a lot. I've never felt the need to up-grade the lighting. Guess I have regular hours............. ::26::

 

[EricV]

Man, you guys must ride in the dead of night a lot. I've never felt the need to up-grade the lighting. Guess I have regular hours............. ::26::

Dead of night? You mean away from cities and towns and ALL night? Yup. The off pavement at night guys, now they are serious about their lighting.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Man, you guys must ride in the dead of night a lot. I've never felt the need to up-grade the lighting. Guess I have regular hours............. ::26::

New York is well known for it's forest rat problems early morning and after dark. Have you ever seen the lighting solutions our Ausie cousins have come up with? Very similar to 432hz' solution.